So its all the more amusing when an article is written parodying everyone and it is taken seriously. Body ritual among the nacirema by horace miner essay example. Nacirema and its sociological effects essay sample. In this article, horace miner demonstrates that attitudes about the body have an influence on many institutions in nacireman society. After reading the first few paragraphs, stop and ask students if they are familiar with the cultural group described in the article. Miner, body ritual among the nacirema, describes the magical beliefs and practices of a tribe. Horace miner brought up very appalling view points about the native americans.
Part of the assignment was to work with a specific paragraph. Ask those who are familiar to not reveal what they know. It is quite amazing the learn about the different cultures that we have in this world that we never even knew about but is happening from day to day in this life. The paper observes the practice of brushing teeth daily which it calls the mouth ritual, and refers to doctors and psychiatrists as medicine men and women and. These nacirema have felt that the official medicine men have not been providing adequate charms and curative potions, so they have begun to. Body ritual among the nacirema read the word nacirema backwards and you will see that this anthropologist has satirically described american culture in such a way that we, as americans, are unable to recognize immediately. His core objective in this article is to show the readersample essay on body ritual among the nacirema. Anthropology analysis of body ritual among the nacirema. Horace miner seems to be particularly interested in the magical beliefs, practices, and. Body ritual among the nacirema adapted from article by. Compliance with many points of view is necessary in this class. Body ritual among the nacirema horace miner uniaersity of michigan the anthropologist has become so familiar with the diversity of ways in which different peoples behave in similar situations that he is not apt to be surprised by even the most exotic customs. In the article miner joked about the invasion of privacy.
Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Weve written this essay to explain the article of horace miner under the name body ritual among the nacirema. Professor linton 2 first brought the ritual of the nacirema to the attention of anthropologists twenty years ago, but the culture of this people is still very poorly understood. The most important values of the nacirema are their ceremonies that occur in their shrines and the care of their mouths. Nacirema spelled in reverse reveals american and places the perspective of the reader as if one were investigating a native society that is based upon a primitive set of rituals and practices. Free example of body ritual among the nacirema essay. When you first read this article what were your initial thoughts about this group of people. Body ritual among the nacirema was the satirical paper that introduced the term. Horace miners body ritual among the nacirema in horace miners article, body ritual among the nacirema, he talks about a tribe and describes their odd behavior.
In the article miner joked about the invasion of privacy and the obsession of becoming immortal. Anthropology analysis of body ritual among the nacirema essay 996 words 4 pages the authors purpose in writing this article was not to show the nacirema as an example of how extreme human behavior can become, but how an outside perspective can affect your perception of an alien culture. The fundamental belief underlying the whole system appears to be that the human body is ugly and that its. In a 1956 edition of american anthropologist, an article by horace. Body ritual among the nacirema edward hamilton sociology professor january 15, 2014 the body ritual among the nacirema by horace miner, is an article that examines the various rituals that manifests within industrialized societies, specifically referencing to the united states. In response to body ritual among the nacirema the body ritual among the nacirema written by horace miner tells us about a ridiculous culture filled with strange traditions that seem extremely foreign to us. Body rituals among the nacirema its hard to analyze one or another society correctly. Article 2 body ritual among the nacirema horace miner university of michigan the anthropologist has become so familiar with the diversity of ways in which different peoples behave in similar situations that he is not apt to be surprised by even the most exotic customs.
In fact, if all of the logically possible combinations of behavior have not been found somewhere in the world, he is apt to suspect that they must be present in some yet undescribed tribe. This article body ritual among the nacirema is a satire on the united states of america and the society that has developed. If paragraphs are too much for your students, assign sentences. Sandra bullard november 27, 2011 body ritual among the nacirema dr. Reminiscent of an article that i had read as an undergraduate body ritual of the nacirema miner 1956 it struck me that ice approached detention of immigrants in much the same manner as had the. Reminiscent of an article that i had read as an undergraduate body ritual of the nacirema miner 1956 it struck me that ice approached detention of. According to that the nacirema engage in everyday rituals of cleansing the body for better appearance and health. Excerpts reprinted by permission of the american anthropological association from american anthropologist 58. In 1956, anthropologist horace miner published the article for which he is best known, body ritual among the nacirema. A useful way to start with body ritual among the nacirema is to tell students that it is an introduction to a study of africaasialatin america. I assigned these paragraphs to students at the time i distributed their assignment sheets.
Body ritual among the nacirema documents course hero. Pdf the effect of nacirema body ritual and practices body. The article, body ritual among the nacirema, was found to be very interesting to read. Horace miners body ritual among the nacirema essay bartleby. He successfully astonishes the reader about their own nature by describing the narcirema as a foreign and primitive people that have rituals done because to them the human body is ugly and its natural tendency is to debility and disease. Once students catch on to the joke about who the nacirema are. The article the body ritual among the nacirema gave me a different perspective of how humans look at the human body. The people of the nacirema culture look at the human body as ugly, dirty and something to hide, to keep to ones. Body ritual among the nacirema inq3creativeappproject.
It also surprised me and to be honest, upset me a little. This term appeared not so long ago, after the publication of the. Body ritual among the nacirema horace miner uniaersity of michigan the anthropologist has become so familiar with the diversity of ways in which different peoples. Body ritual among the nacirema read hand out and analyze.
Miners previous work on the study of the nacirema culture, there has been recent evidence that some of the nacirema people have started turning to new, more up to date, special medicine men. What follows is an assignment i gave to a group of middle school students. Horace minar the main values and beliefs of the nacirema is based on the principle that the human body is ugly and dirty rather than something unique. The line between weirdness and normalacy depends entirely on your point of view. Nacirema and its sociological effects essay example. In horace miners body ritual among the nacirema, the reader is introduced to an interesting group called the nacirema, whose culture is then described and dissected in very tribal and primitive terms. Behold, an excerpt from the body ritual among the nacirema. Miner wrote the paper back in 1956, though the format of cultural anthropology hasnt changed all that. Body ritual among the nacirema miner 1956 american. Body ritual among the nacirema by horace miner from american anthropologist, 1956, 583, 503507. Summary and reflection on body ritual among the nacirema by horace miner free download as word doc.
His presentation on the nacirema gives us immense insight into the process of conducting fieldwork in the field of. Horace mitchell miner wrote the paper and originally published it in the june 1956 edition of american anthropologist. In this essay, miner satirically addresses the ridiculous things american people do their bodies. Body ritual among the nacirema by megan holt on prezi. They are a north american group living in the territory between the canadian cree, the yaqui and tarahumare. Body ritual among the nacirema adapted from article by horace miner in this article, horace miner demonstrates that attitudes about the body have an influence on many institutions in nacireman society. This model lesson is designed for an introduction to sociology class, likely assigned in the first or second week of the semester.
Questions about horace miners body ritual among the nacirema. The daily body ritual performed by everyone includes a mouthrite. N 1956, anthropologist horace miner published the article for which he is best known, body ritual among the nacirema. It was written by horace mitchell miner and published in american anthropologist in june of 1956. Examining the article, body ritual among the nacirema, horace miner singled out several pattern of behavior regularly performed among the nacirema people in their body rituals which reflect their being advocates of vanity to beauty, followers to prevalent influential authorities magicians and some social issues on prejudices which have. In the article, body ritual among the nacirema, author horace miner talks in detail about the culture of a north american clan, the nacirema. Pdf an essay article paper provided the reaction to the concept of culture as a system interrelated and interactive parts of society. Body ritual among the nacirema, he writes about the characterization of the north american group called the nacirema, as described by a professor linton in the early 1900s. What country do the nacirema live in according to the reading. Body ritual among the nacirema introduction nacirema is a tribe in northern america, which anthropologists have limited knowledge about its origin.
Key points of body ritual among the nacirema article. The anthropologist has become so famil iar with the diversity of ways in which. Body ritual among the nacirema is an article by horace miner that generally focuses on how different body attitudes of different persons have different impacts on the societal institution. The naciremas view of the body and illness is that the human body is ugly and that debility and disease are incarcerated in the their bodies. He tells about how the tribe performs these strange daily rituals and how their peculiarity is extreme, but in fact he is. Body ritual among the nacirema in the article, body ritual among the nacirema, writer horace miner introduces us to a north american group of people known as the nacirema, who reside in the territory between canadian cree, the yaqui and tarahumare of mexico, and the carib and arawak of the antilles.
Its hard to analyze one or another society correctly. Body ritual among the nacirema university of michigan. But even such exotic customs as these take on real meaning when they are viewed with the insight. Although the research paper written by horace miner on the little known tribe of the nacirema seems ancient, its significance in todays research cannot be underrated. Adapting body ritual among the nacirema classroomtools. The article to which the assignment refers is miner, horace. The body ritual among the nacirema by horace miner, is an article that examines the various rituals that manifests within industrialized societies, specifically referencing to the united states. The line between weirdness and normalacy depends entirely. Body ritual among the nacirema by horace miner essay sample. Revised from body ritual among the nacirema by horace miner, american anthropologist magazine583, 1956, pp. Nacirema has its unique ways of life based on its outstanding cultural backgrounds that are nonexistent in other parts of the world. Body ritual among the nacirema research paper 948 words. Body ritual among the nacirema horace miner, 1956 examples it is hard to understand how they have managed to exist so long under the burdens which they have imposed upon themselves. The underlying belief underlying the whole system is that the body is ugly and its normal tendency is weakness and sickness.
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