Essay About South American Yanomamo Culture And Female Child

Yanamamo
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There are many differences between the South American Yanomamo culture
and the North American culture that we have adapted to, but just at there is
culture diversity between us, we have some similarities. The ethnography,
which is chose, was “Yanomamo” written by Napoleon A. Chagnon,
anthropologists. Chagnon tells us how to it was to live among the Yanomamo
family, political and warfare system versus the American Culture. The
Yanomamo are of patrilineal culture, male oriented and very sexist. For some
reason they believe that, they are superior to women, so do some men in
American culture. However, they are jolted back reality when the law gets
involved, unfortunately Yanomamo men dont have this wake up call.
Marriage is cross-cultural perspective. Yanomamo marriages are much
different from that of American marriages. Yanomamo women are treated as
materialistic objects and promised by their father or brother to a Yanomamo
man in return for reciprocity. The reciprocity could be another Yanomamo
women or political alliances. The trades are often practiced in the Yanomamo
culture. Polygamy is also a part of the Yanomamo culture. Yanomamo
women are kept in the males possession. The Yanomamo man tries to
collect as many wives as he possibly can in order to demonstrate his power
and masculinity. As polygamy in American Culture is referred to as bigamy
which is against the law. Besides, polygamy, the practice of infanticide plays a
role in the lack of women in their society. Yanomamo prefer to parent a male
child rather than a female child, so in case a female is born she is killed at
birth. This again proved their sexist beliefs that women are inferior. Many
Yanomamo women fearing their husbands kill a female infant to avoid
disappointing their so-called “better half”. To the people of American culture
certain procedures of murdering a new born baby would be considered
brutal, horrific and mutilation. But to the Yanomamo choking an infant to
death with a vine, suffocating the infant by the placing a stick across her
throat, or simply throwing the child against a tree and leaving it to suffer and
then die is normal. Yet some Americans would also suggest that abortion is
just like murder also, so whats the difference! When an acceptable child is
born into a Yanomamo family the mother breast-feeds him for a relatively
long time. Children are nursed until they reach the age of at most, three or
four. As long as the mother breast-feeds she is less likely to be fertile. This is
a natural contraceptive. But if a new infant is born it will starve to death,
because the older sibling would drink most of the milk, specially if it is a
female infant. Male children grow up to be hunters and worriers. Female
children although inferior (according to the Yanomamo) are valuable objects
of trade and political alliances. A confusing aspect of the Yanomamo
marriages is, even though polygamy is freely practiced so is monogamy but
only for the women. Adultery, just like in American culture, is inexcusable to
the Yanomamo. In this topic similarities make a breakthrough in both
cultures. If relationship between an American woman and an American man
goes putrescent and the woman becomes promiscuous violence is only
expected by the man. The problem is assault and battery charges can get you
into a lot of trouble, not to mention how much you would have to pay a
lawyer. But Yanomamo mean get away with their violent retaliation for being
disrespected because again there are no laws protecting Yanomamo women
not that American women are always protected by the law, its just a myth.
The punishment for the Yanomamo women who is only suspected of having
an affair with another man is being beaten with a club, burned, shot with a
barbed arrow, or the man decides to detach a limb (ex. Arm, leg) with an
ax or machete. Even though it seems as though women are expendable is this
culture she may have some one who would aid her