Courtship: The Variation Of The Nacirema

Courtship is a cultural practice seen around the world. While it takes many forms, a broad definition of courtship is a period during which two or more people develop a relationship with romantic intentions. Courtship can generally be split into three distinct phases ranging from the initiation of the relationship, its duration and finally its termination. The variation seen around the world in courtship rituals is extraordinarily diverse and often takes on forms that may seem unusual and incomprehensible to outsiders. One of these cultures would be that of the Nacirema. The Nacirema, located “between the Canadian Cree, the Yaqui and Tarahumare of Mexico and the Carib and Arawak of the Antilles” (Miner, 1956: p503), were first brought to the …show more content…
In fact, there are Websites dedicated solely towards finding someone visibly foreign to initiate courtship with. Additionally, Naciremans often employ their ‘Phones’ and ‘Computers’ to send messages requesting initiation of courtship, instead of simply asking in person. The Naciremans’ inclination towards quick decision and unfamiliarity is also reflected in special ceremonies, called ‘speed dating’; where men and women come together in a certain place and spend a brief amount of time talking to one another. Often this is seen as enough to make the decision on whether it is worthwhile to initiate courtship, despite the fact that the majority of participants in these ‘speed dating’ ceremonies have never met beforehand. Often times, this anonymity is seen as a good thing because it makes rejecting unwanted romantic advances easier. Unwanted romantic advances may be met by a behaviour called ‘ghosting’, whose name might potentially be a reference to malevolent spirits due to the fact that it is a highly offensive practice. ‘Ghosting’ is, in a sense, disappearing. The one doing the ghosting simply stops responding to all messages and avoids meeting with the person, even if this requires significant effort on their …show more content…
Either way, after a usually long period of time, dating comes to an end. Nacireman courtship takes the form of what could be called ‘serial monogamy’. Many Nacireman people, while practicing monogamy, have been in numerous romantic relationships in short periods of time. Therefore, ending courtship is something that most Naciremans have to do multiple times in their lives. Ending a courtship, whether successful or unsuccessful, is a very complicated process. Most Nacireman courtships end with a ‘break up’, which is ending the relationship permanently, without any further commitment. Sometimes, once ‘broken up’, the couple will still interact with each other as friends. Another potential end to courtship is marriage. ‘Marriage’ is a method of moving from courtship to a status of higher commitment. It involves a complex ceremony with numerous steps. It is often officiated by a religious leader, though this is not strictly necessary. Again, items of monetary value play a large role. Many marriages require one member (usually the male in heterosexual pairings) to spend a large amount of money on buying a ring, which symbolizes the