Culture/ Body Ritual Among the Nacirema

                                                                                                                               Merida Angelina~

                         

       Growing up in Astoria, Queens was always an adventure for many reasons, but the most interesting dynamic of growing up in Astoria was/is how culturally diverse it actually is, New York City is a melting pot in general; a dominant culture with many many subcultures and that is what it was like growing up. Greeks, Italians, Germans, Asians from all over Asia, Hispanics, Afro-Americans, Irish to name the least it is no wonder a few years ago on PBS it has been stated that Astoria, Queens is the most culturally place in the entire world. I can actually vouge  for that being I'm a native Astorian. I can say that Chapter 3 "Culture" has been my favorite chapter; because culture is essentially defines who we are on many levels.

       We live in a world with many different nationalities, races, however we are all human beings; the only thing that separates us is our way of living, Our culture. Chapter 3 talks about culture and all it's different variations of culture, and the eight-elements of defining culture which are values, beliefs, knowledge, norms, behaviors, objects and artifacts, symbols, and language. All are intricate details in defining cultures for many different cultures consist of all these key elements but they also vary from culture to culture, though some cultures many have many similarities, some are just unimaginable to to others including myself.

       In the article "Body Ritual Among the Nacirema by Horace Miner" is a prime example of culture and their practices as a culture which consist of shrines within their households and upholding rituals and superstitions. One of their beliefs is that the mouth has a "supernatural influence on all the social relationships"the ritual the private mouth rite, which consist of cultual objects that are used to perform exorcisms on the mouth that extract the client's teeth and this practice though evasive and of torture is to arrest decay and draw friends. It is such a ritual and a part of their norms, that Narcirema men return year after the year to has these rituals performed, it is a part of their tradition, values and their beliefs despite the fact that their teeth continue to rot/decay. The body rituals performed on and by the people of Nacierema are very brutal and torturous acts in this subculture yet its still performed along with their symbols (shrines) and artifacts.

      In conclusion after reading chapter three and Body Ritual Among the Nacirema I feel the study of culture can be very interesting but I can only imagine the ones doing the research the extreme culture shock they must have experienced and also how dangerous it can be also researching to get a Subjective aspect, having to have gone to the source itself and obtain facts. I must say that a lot of people can talk bad about America, Americans themselves can down their own country for we do fall short on many aspects however, I appreciate America's culture, we have a lot of rights and freedoms a lot of many other cultures do not, I'm sure other cultures look at the Americans way of culture as taboo, and vice versa, totally vice versa because I feel the people of Nacirema's rituals are absolutely barbarack and cruel though very informative.

                                                                                      Merida Angelina~