In the article, "Loyalty and Treachery in the Kalahari," Renee Sylvain (2005) conducted a fieldwork on the Ju/’hoansi of the Omaheke Region found in Eastern Zambia. .The Ju/'hoansi is an ethnic group, made up of black people who live amongst white people. However, these white people consider themselves superior beings and in order for the Ju/'hoansi's to make a living, they have to work for them for little money. The white people are referred to as "Afrikaners."
Sylvain (2005) stated how "our identities and self-understanding changes as we move through our initiation ritual of fieldwork." I think this statement doesn’t really hold valid, as she made this point based off her own experience. From what was discussed in class (lecture, slide, …show more content…
As discussed in class in kinship... Relating back to Sahlin(2013) chapter one of "What kinship is—and is not it is said that kinship is "And this was quite similar to the -____ that arose when Gahbrial (lecture, slide, page ) discussed “ ” in her lecture.
Despite the approach she took, Sylvain was successful in establishing the trusts of the Ju/’hoansi. It would have been nice if she gave more insights through the "Afrikaners" lens as well, rather than being more biased and in favor of the Ju/'hoansi. Sylvain (2005) stated how " Afrikaners understood that I needed insight into the psychology Sylvain portrayed her story in first person,). First person gives readers a sense of immediacy regarding the character’s experiences, as well as a sense of intimacy and connection with the character’s mindset, emotional state and subjective reading of the events …show more content…
However, I find her representation was one filled with shortcoming and flaws which highlights the mistakes one shouldn’t make us an ethnographer. She should have been more aware of her presence and how she could have presented herself and her husband to the Ju/'hoansi, without impact their behavior and decisions. Since they took such a keen liking to her and gave her a kin like title, it seemed as if they would frame their answers and conceal the truth and portray their life more differently. Ethnographers want raw information, not an altered one, and that is what I noticed in this article. She made it more about herself, rather than conducting her study. Although there is not a t true guideline as to how fieldwork is done, Sylvain's was was aware t herself that she was getting too involved.. For example when Sylvain
Sylvain (2005) stated how "our identities and self-understanding changes as we move through our initiation ritual of fieldwork." I think this statement doesn’t really hold valid, as she made this point based off her own experience. From what was discussed in class (lecture, slide, …show more content…
As discussed in class in kinship... Relating back to Sahlin(2013) chapter one of "What kinship is—and is not it is said that kinship is "And this was quite similar to the -____ that arose when Gahbrial (lecture, slide, page ) discussed “ ” in her lecture.
Despite the approach she took, Sylvain was successful in establishing the trusts of the Ju/’hoansi. It would have been nice if she gave more insights through the "Afrikaners" lens as well, rather than being more biased and in favor of the Ju/'hoansi. Sylvain (2005) stated how " Afrikaners understood that I needed insight into the psychology Sylvain portrayed her story in first person,). First person gives readers a sense of immediacy regarding the character’s experiences, as well as a sense of intimacy and connection with the character’s mindset, emotional state and subjective reading of the events …show more content…
However, I find her representation was one filled with shortcoming and flaws which highlights the mistakes one shouldn’t make us an ethnographer. She should have been more aware of her presence and how she could have presented herself and her husband to the Ju/'hoansi, without impact their behavior and decisions. Since they took such a keen liking to her and gave her a kin like title, it seemed as if they would frame their answers and conceal the truth and portray their life more differently. Ethnographers want raw information, not an altered one, and that is what I noticed in this article. She made it more about herself, rather than conducting her study. Although there is not a t true guideline as to how fieldwork is done, Sylvain's was was aware t herself that she was getting too involved.. For example when Sylvain