- Identify the difference between norms and values
- Explain norms and values in our own lives
- Evaluate the cultural norms and values of the Yanomami tribe and how they differ from our society.
In human society we are all taught from an early age the difference between right and wrong. Values are therefore general beliefs in what we deem to be right and wrong. An example of a value which is adopted in most countries is that everyone has the right to live in peace without the risk of harm, torment or abuse, irrelevant of cultural, ethnic or other varying differences.
Norms
Norms, unlike values, are not about what is considered right and wrong, but more about the actions, which are deemed acceptable in a given social situation. It is often expected for example, that when you go to work in an office you will wear a suit, although I appreciate that in today’s world this is not always the case. Another example is the way in which you interact with people in a social situation. It would be seen as very strange if you began laughing in the middle of a funeral, or for that matter began making jokes about death. If this were to happen, you would be seen as very strange and probably rejected by that group.
Norms are very volatile things which change from situation to situation and therefore one cannot adopt any hard rules regarding them, as they are adopted through experience of life and often by making a great many mistakes.
Completion of work:
Read through the text below and watch the video on the Yanomami tribe presented in the link.
Answer the questions in detail, this should be at least an A4 page.
Check your final piece against the criteria above to ensure you have added sufficient detail.
Read over your final draft to check for errors and to make sure your writing is clear and to the point.
Submission is compulsory for all teachers and will form the content of your first lesson in this subject so bring it in on day one of your 6th form career.
Suggested reading:
Yanomami Documentary:
- “Yanomami: Way of life - Survival International” tribes/yanomami/wayoflife
yanomami-tribe-traditions/
Yanomami and the Evolution of a Culture
Introduction:
In 1993, some twenty-two gold miners murdered sixteen Yanomami Indians. In their haste to gain wealth, the miners killed who they thought only to be roadblocks to their dreams. What resulted was a massacre. Disregarding human decency, miners ruthlessly shot down women, children, and the elderly. Like the barbarians they believed the Indians to be, they slaughtered a baby with a machete. These actions, while common centuries ago during the European colonization of the Americas, are considered appalling in the contemporary moment (“Survival” August 13, 2013). Yet, as shown through the actions of the gold miners, relations of coloniality persist, influencing the Indian people and their culture. Unlike the Indians of the past, however, the Yanomami do not fight back with violence; instead, they appeal to international organizations and participate in national government, protecting both themselves and their culture (Caballero-Arias 2003, Chernela 2001, Vidal 2009).
This paper will frequently use the terms “culture” and “coloniality.” Culture will be defined as traditional beliefs and practices that the Yanomami have believed in for generations. Coloniality refers to the continued affects of European colonialism in the Americas. It claims that, even in the modern moment, long after the physical presence of European colonialism has disappeared, indigenous people are still being affectedby the practices and perceptions established and perpetuated by European colonialism (Quijano 2000). These practices and perceptions can be seen in many different facets of society, including scholastic and economic ventures, affecting tribal culture and forcing Indians to fight against outside influences in order to protect their traditional customs (Caballero-Arias 2003, Chernela 2001, Vidal 2009).
In this paper I will show how coloniality explains the evolution of Yanomami culture, focusing on the effect of the invasion of gold miners on Yanomami land and Dr. Napoleon Chagnon’s misrepresentation of the Yanomami people. Additionally, this paper will explore how Yanomami are taking steps towards actively interacting with both national and international forces in an attempt to preserve their customs. Through continued effects of coloniality, including Chagnon’s representation of Yanomami and the influence of gold miners on Yanomami culture, this paper will endeavor to prove that while Yanomami culture is altering due to outside influences, it is far from extinction.
Focusing on how outside influences affect Yanomami culture and how the Yanomami people are reacting to these influences, I will first introduce background information on Yanomami culture and the outside influences that affect Yanomami culture. Next, through coloniality, I will examine how Yanomami culture was altered by theinflux of gold miners and Chagnon’s representation of the Yanomami people (Booth 2013, Albert 2013). Finally, I will challenge the belief that Yanomami culture is disintegrating and cannot survive in the modern world (Veeken 2013).
It is imperative to acknowledge the influence of coloniality on Yanomami culture. Through coloniality, one can develop a deeper understanding and appreciation of how Yanomami culture is changing and how Yanomami react to the evolution of their culture. The struggles of the Yanomami show how, while it is impossible to interact with outside influences without changing, one must not forget traditional customs. It shows the tenacity of a people who are willing to change some aspects of their culture in order to preserve the rest of it, no matter how small and how difficult the task, emphasizing the importance of preserving cultural integrity and identity.
History and Background
To accurately understand how Yanomami culture has been affected by outside influences, one must first understand traditional Yanomami practices. Living in modern-day Brazil and Venezuela, the Yanomami are one of the most isolated indigenous tribes in the Amazon (Ushinahua 2008). Characterized as a semi-nomadic people, the Yanomami practice slash/burn horticulture and hunting/fishing to survive (Chagnon 1966, Caballero-Arias 2003, Rochas 2013, Veeken 2013). The Yanomami live together in communal villages; not all Yanomami live in the same village – Yanomami is just the overarching name for the people living with similar culture, language and beliefs. Every village is considered economically and politically independent. Marriage tends to occur between members of different villages – this indicates that politics between the villages are dominated by family connections. Additionally, the Yanomami practice polygamy, with one male having multiple wives. Traditionally, Yanomami people do not wear many clothes; males wear loincloths while women prefer to accessorize with flowers and feathers. Furthermore, the Yanomami firmly believe in animism. Animism, the belief that all living organisms and all parts of that organism have spirit, is an important part of Yanomami culture (Ushinahua 2008). One can then conclude from these observations that Yanomami are heavily dependent on their environment and deeply cherish all the resources that it has to offer; this conclusion is significant and plays a major role in how Yanomami are affected by outside forces.
In order to better understand how outside influences affect Yanomami culture, one must first understand the facets of those influences. Firstly, this research paper will address Napoleon Chagnon’s controversial representation of the Yanomami people. Chagnon, a graduate and a professor at the University of Michigan, first traveled into Yanomami land in 1964; this expedition, in addition to the many that followed, was the source of information for his representation of the Yanomami people (Eakin 2013, Chagnon 2010). His published works include, “Yanomamö: The Fierce People” (Eakin 2013) and his dissertation, “Yanomamo Warfare Social Organization and Marriage Alliances.” (Chagnon 1966). In these works Chagnon represents the Yanomami males as violent people who revel in warfare. Encouraged to behave fiercely and aggressively, Yanomami fight with each other and with others. Additionally, Yanomami measure success through the number of wives and offspring a male has; according to Chagnon, the stronger and more violent a male is, the more wives and consequently, the more children he is likely to have (Chagnon 1966).
It is widely acknowledged in anthropological circles that Chagnon’s representation and study of the Yanomami is greatly controversial. Many anthropologists doubt the validity of the study, claiming Chagnon staged a substantial amount of the violence seen in his videos and mentioned in his writing. Additionally, some insist that Chagnon used incorrect methods of presenting the information gathered. For example, Bruce Albert states that one cannot measure the “rates of violent death [through] cultural demonstrations of aggressiveness” (Albert 1989). This is emphasized in Albert’s next point; Chagnon claims that forty-four percent of men twenty-five and older have killed (Albert 1989). However, this is an inaccurate statistic because the concept of killing in Yanomami culture and in Western culture is different. The Yanomami practice unokai, which is defined as spiritual death. While not a physical death, Chagnon claims it is murder (Albert 1989). From this information, it can be seen that this automatically increases the percent of deaths in Yanomami culture and paints the Yanomami people as increasingly violent.
Furthermore, the Yanomami themselves vehemently deny Chagnon’s representation of their culture. DaviKopenawa, a Yanomami shaman, presents a popular Yanomami argument against Chagnon’s research. He claims Chagnon convinced the Yanomami people to fight each other, paying the men to stage fights for the books and documentaries he produced. Moreover, he did this without the Yanomami’sknowledge, keeping his true purpose a secret. Davi continues, traditionally, the Yanomami fight to avenge death of loved ones (Chernela 2001). Chagnon’s representation has painted the Yanomami as barbarians that need to be civilized, perpetuating the common narrative that Indians are uncivilized beasts (Slater 1996, Quijano 2000). This belief, a part of coloniality, is then used against the Yanomami by gold-miners to gain access to Yanomami land, affecting Yanomami people and culture (Booth 2013).
Conclusion
In the past fifty years, Yanomami culture has undergone drastic changes due to outside forces that are heavily influenced by colonization practices of the past. Colonization today has caused violence, death, and destruction of the environment, greatly impacting traditional Yanomami practices, and most notably, breaking the practice of isolation between the Yanomami and the outside world (Ushinahua 2008). Although many believe that this breach of tradition and the continued existence of coloniality will destroy Yanomami culture, the Yanomami Indians seem ready to fight for their beliefs and traditions (Caballero-Arias 2003, “Cultural Survival” 1991, Chernela 2001). Admitting need of international intervention in order to counter the disease and destruction of their environment will certainly alter aspects of their culture; however, these changes are merely adaptations made to ensure survival in today’s society. Furthermore, these changes are made to preserve the larger and arguably more fundamental part of their culture, including their beliefs such as animism and lifestyle practices such as hunting and horticulture (Ushinahua 2008). Many see the change in Yanomami culture as eventual extinction of Yanomami traditions (Veeken 2013). The misconception is disproved, however, through the Yanomami’s continued practice and belief of their own culture (Caballero-Arias 2003, “Cultural Survival” 1991, Chernela 2001). Despite the continued effects of European colonialism on Yanomami culture, the Yanomami will continue to protect their customs, perpetuating their culture into future generations.
Questions:
- Briefly summarise the difference between norms and values
- List 5 norms and 5 values from your own upbringing
- Using the item above, and further research, identify the common norms and values of the Yanomami tribe and how they differ from that of western societies.