Body Ritual among the Nacirema- Read hand out and analyze - Essay Example

Body Ritual among the Nacirema Introduction Nacirema is a tribe in northern America, which anthropologists have limited knowledge about its origin. Nacirema has its unique ways of life based on its outstanding cultural backgrounds that are non-existent in other parts of the world. Anthropologists refer to Nacirema as the greatest to which the human character can reach because of the tribe’s unique cultures. Developed market economy provides Nacirema community with good yields, most of which its members spend on ritual activities.

Such ritual activities mainly focus on the human body, health, and visual aspects dominating attributes of Nacirema tribe.Cultural Characteristics of Nacirema CommunityNacirema community members exhibit good cultural organization amongst themselves. The tribe has a unique structure, where they perform the community rituals in defined shrines. As a form of organization, there are specialized individuals performing every ritual. Shrines are available in every household. Large households own more shrines than small infamous households do.

Moreover, the community specifies that performance of rituals is a preserve for medicinemen. Nacirema community members regard medicine men as most powerful and specialized practitioners. Community organization continues down the hierarchy. Under magical practitioners and the prestigious medicine men, there are specialists referred to as holy-mouth men in the hierarchy (Nanda and Richard 4).Holy-mouth men help Nacirema members address their mouth pathological horror that they believe originate from a supernatural being and have enormous impacts on their social relationships.

The medicine men attend to communities of any size by having an imposing temple in which they treat critically ill patients. During a treatment ceremony, there are vestal maidens calmly going round chambers of the temple in distinguished headdress and costumes. A listener is a type of witch doctor in the hierarchy and structure. A listener possesses powers to eliminate devils from patients’ heads.Nacirema community members are conformists. The tribe adheres to its stipulated conventions and customs.

Every member of the community obeys and believes in its rituals despite pains, tortures, and discomfort they might experience. Necirema members accept mouth rituals despite continued decay and their teeth falling off. Each household conforms to the custom of owning at least a shrine.Members of the Nacirema are faithful and true believers of their rituals. The community demonstrates a high level of faith through belief and contentment on individuals mandated to guide performance of rituals. The community members believe that their medicine men have power to provide solutions to their horrible mouth problems.

The belief gets strong even though their teeth may decay and fall off. Nacirema members believe that mothers curse and bewitch their children during lessons of secret body rituals. Nacirema members show a remarkable level of memory and faith. In addition, supplicants of Nacirema unquestionably accept pain, torture, and discomfort amongst themselves. Similar to pains and tortures of the mouth men, supplicants accept to remove their clothes as well as eating forced substances for healing. Necirema community members are traders and marketers.

The community posses highly developed economic culture from which they have high rates of returns. ConclusionIt is vital that communities preserve their cultures in an attempt to promote talents and aesthetic value. It, however, is challenging if some of the cultures turn torturous and cause pain or discomfort to humanity. Necirema culture converts its people into slaves of faith and doctrines that have consequences such as sufferings. Works CitedNanda, Serena and Richard, Warms. Cultural Anthropology.

Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage, 2011. Print.