Introduction The barrel model is used to explain a culture’s infrastructure, social structure, and superstructure to break down and simplify the San’s culture. Infrastructure consists of subsistence, settlements and material, and economy. Furthermore, social structure consists of information about households, relationships, gender roles, and political organization. Correspondingly, superstructure involves religion, belief systems, and symbols, ideologies, and leisure activities. In order to better make sense of the San culture, I will incorporate the barrel model.
Background
There are approximately 30,000 San, and they reside in Southern Africa. The San are also referred to as, the !Kung, the Ju/’hoansi, or the Buchman. The !Kung are known …show more content…
Furthermore, the San’s kinship is bilateral, and inheritance is given to a child by both parents (Wilmsen & Beierle 2012). There are two main concepts in a Ju/’hoansi camp, which are: be harmonious, and work together. In more simple terms, the San have two types of relationships, a good-natured or avoidance relationship out of fear (Peters-Golden 2012).
Gender Roles: Women are in charge of taking care of the children while the men hunt large animals and do more intense physical work (Wilmsen & Beierle 2012). The women gather, and hunt small animals such as, tortoises (Wilmsen & Beierle 2012). Men are most likely to take the role of seer, but a woman can be a curer or diviner (Wilmsen & Beierle 2012). When a man trains to be a healer, they are looked up to (Marshal 1980).
Political Organization: In the San society, there can be women or men leaders, and they work just as hard as others. The chiefs, or leaders are usually wealthy, and have limited power, but are well respected (Wilmsen & Beierle 2012). There are central members of a camp or band, which are the siblings, and are the ones bringing in spouses into their society (Peters-Golden …show more content…
The Ju/’hoansi believe that the world that people live in, is the material realm while the dead is a spiritual realm. The leaders are at fault for feeding on people, which results in deaths (Wilmsen & Beierle 2012). By the same token, deceased relatives miss their relatives so they try to speed up the process of the living so that the dead and living relatives can be reunited (Peter-Golden & Wilmsen & Beierle 2012). In order to celebrate Christmas, it is custom for a member to sacrifice an ox to share with the whole village to feast on. Richard Lee, an anthropologist, takes part of this custom by getting the biggest ox known for the Christmas festivities, and receives insults (Lee 1969). According to the !Kung society, saying insults is acceptable, and is encouraged in their society so that a man is arrogant or feel superior to others (Lee 1969). In other words, insults are used to preserve egalitarianism (Lee 1969 & Peters-Golden 2012).
Leisure Activities: The Ju/’hoansi are known for their beadwork, they use glass beads and ostrich-eggshell beads (Wilmsen & Beierle 2012). On the contrary, the San are known for their rock paintings. When working or just relaxing the Ju/’hoansi enjoy conversing and telling stories to each other. By the same token, singing and dancing for rituals was something they liked to do for fun (Peters-Golden
Background
There are approximately 30,000 San, and they reside in Southern Africa. The San are also referred to as, the !Kung, the Ju/’hoansi, or the Buchman. The !Kung are known …show more content…
Furthermore, the San’s kinship is bilateral, and inheritance is given to a child by both parents (Wilmsen & Beierle 2012). There are two main concepts in a Ju/’hoansi camp, which are: be harmonious, and work together. In more simple terms, the San have two types of relationships, a good-natured or avoidance relationship out of fear (Peters-Golden 2012).
Gender Roles: Women are in charge of taking care of the children while the men hunt large animals and do more intense physical work (Wilmsen & Beierle 2012). The women gather, and hunt small animals such as, tortoises (Wilmsen & Beierle 2012). Men are most likely to take the role of seer, but a woman can be a curer or diviner (Wilmsen & Beierle 2012). When a man trains to be a healer, they are looked up to (Marshal 1980).
Political Organization: In the San society, there can be women or men leaders, and they work just as hard as others. The chiefs, or leaders are usually wealthy, and have limited power, but are well respected (Wilmsen & Beierle 2012). There are central members of a camp or band, which are the siblings, and are the ones bringing in spouses into their society (Peters-Golden …show more content…
The Ju/’hoansi believe that the world that people live in, is the material realm while the dead is a spiritual realm. The leaders are at fault for feeding on people, which results in deaths (Wilmsen & Beierle 2012). By the same token, deceased relatives miss their relatives so they try to speed up the process of the living so that the dead and living relatives can be reunited (Peter-Golden & Wilmsen & Beierle 2012). In order to celebrate Christmas, it is custom for a member to sacrifice an ox to share with the whole village to feast on. Richard Lee, an anthropologist, takes part of this custom by getting the biggest ox known for the Christmas festivities, and receives insults (Lee 1969). According to the !Kung society, saying insults is acceptable, and is encouraged in their society so that a man is arrogant or feel superior to others (Lee 1969). In other words, insults are used to preserve egalitarianism (Lee 1969 & Peters-Golden 2012).
Leisure Activities: The Ju/’hoansi are known for their beadwork, they use glass beads and ostrich-eggshell beads (Wilmsen & Beierle 2012). On the contrary, the San are known for their rock paintings. When working or just relaxing the Ju/’hoansi enjoy conversing and telling stories to each other. By the same token, singing and dancing for rituals was something they liked to do for fun (Peters-Golden