Readings (due September 20)

 

 

Example: [E. Kintz, kintz@geneseo.edu, 8/25]

 

 

Flury and Company Ltd.

• - From the website's menu, look through the gallery for the Northwest Coast and Alaska, the information on Edward Curtis, and at the very bottom of the page, the video clip, In the Land of the War Canoes.

 

Type your comments here . . .

 

(1)

[Dave Roberts, dlr4@geneseo.edu, 9-18-07]

 

In the Land of the War Canoes

 

Nice pics Mr. Curtis! My favorites:

 

nice mask.. scary haha

lemme get some of what this guy's on!

grr baby very grrr!!

 

 

(2)

[Heather Warren, hrw1@geneseo.edu, 9/19]

 

Northwest Coast and Alaska

 

1. The pictures give an interesting perspective in sepia. Even though they have no color they still express emotion and incredible detail (see clothing and man’s face in Portfolio 10, plate 331). One regret I have is that the images on the webpage are not top quality so there is some digital degradation from low quality scanning.
2. I think it is interesting that a high percentage of the images shown in the gallery portraits. It makes me wonder if mostly all Curtis’s photographs were portraits and if so, why he chose portraits over more general shots.
3. I really think that the photo of the King Island Homes (Portfolio 20, plate 702) is amazing!!! People’s houses are basically balancing on poles on the side of a hill! END

 

(3)

[Dilek Canakci, dc11@geneseo.edu, 9/19]

 

 

This picture is definitely my favorite because she reminds me of an Iranian woman trying to cover her face as much as she can with her veil, but at the same time, it is a thick cultural blanket-like material that she is trying under but also showing her cultural identity. She seems sad but comfortable.

 

(4)

 

[Elen De Oliveira, emd10@geneseo.edu, 9/19]

 

Northwest Coast and Alaska and Edward Curtis

 

1. I love photography so I enjoyed looking at the pictures, but I especially liked when the pictures deviated away from the typical stern-looking person. The ones where the men, women, or children are smiling and showing emotion makes them apear much more human.

 

2. You can see, however, the hardships they face and the toll it takes on them in the pictures that are not happy emotions. The photographer may have asked them to look a certain way, but in some cases they may have actually just been angry, or sad, or tired, which shows through in the photographs.

 

3. After reading the information of Edward Curtis it is sad to realize that his work lost its popularity and at his death, he was barely recognized for his photographs. Although it seems that many of the people who photographed, filmed, and befriended Native Americans had a good amount of self-interest involved, their work is still very much important to understanding the way of life of these people who have vanished over the years.

 

(5)

 

{Isobel Connors, icc2@geneseo.edu, 9/20}

 

Northwest Coast and Alaska and Edward Curtis

 

 

1. These images provide many clues as to Native American ways of life. In the last photograph, the totem pole depicts the culture's emphasis on animal spirits and the power of nature. The eagle perched on top of the pole suggests that this bird is highly respected and significant in their rituals and beliefs.

 

2. The many photographs of Native Americans dressed as animals also conveys the importance of animal spirits in their religion. As they dress to become the animals, one can assert that they believe these beings are metamorphosed humans, or can act as such. Lastly, one can determine that they symbolize certain values or qualities within their culture.

 

3. Many of these pictures depict the environments of these cultures. The Northwest Coast Indians appear to have inhabited wooded areas, with pine trees quite prevalent. The area also seems to be dry and grassy. One can determine that their subsistance patterns are likely hunting and gathering. These practices help explain the relevance of animal worshipping in their culture, as they are extremely reliant on them for food/survival.

 

END.

 

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[Skye Naslund, sjn1@geneseo.edu 9-20-07]

 

Northwest Coast and Alaska

1-One of the questions that this photo gallery raised for me was the idea of piercings. Piercings of both the ears and nose are common in many cultures. Did these traditions develop separately or did they stem from contact between cultures?

2-What i love to look at in the art of the Northwest Coast is the recurring theme of faces. In the house posts, totem poles, and talisman you can pick out faces throughout the piece, not just on the head. The abstract designs with their bright contrasts between colors clearly have eyes and mouths.

3-Something I noticed was the common use of wood. Boats, houses, and artwork are all made of wood. This stems from the resources available. Because trees are abundant in the Northwest Coast, trees are put to many uses and are highly relied upon by the natives.

 

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[Lanh Nguyen, ltn2@geneseo.edu, 9/20]

NW Coast & Alaska

 

These homes look ridiculous!! They’re so unstable looking but for some reason I want to have one! Beautiful sunrises and sunsets I’m sure.

 

The Nootka’s sense of beauty is not that different from our view of beauty. They wear jewelry, made of beads/shells, on their faces like we do with (nose, lip and eyebrow piercings among a few). Their societal factors determine who is considered beautiful and who is considered unattractive.

 

By looking at these pictures, we can see that the Northwest Coast and Alaskan Nootkas were very dependent on the maritime environment and their ability to navigate throughout the coast. They created massive ships which held six or more people.

-END-

 

(8)

 

[Larkin Kimmerer, llk5@geneseo.edu, 9/22]

I liked this picture of NW Coast house art; I used to live in Oregon and went to quite a few native gatherings, but had never seen their on buildings. I had always read about the paintings on the houses as a competition. It is such beautiful art!

My mother loves baskets, and she has baskets from many different cultures, including some really impressive NW ones, so I liked this one a lot.

END

 

(9)

 

[Jennifer Ritzenthaler, jkr5@geneseo.edu, 9/26]

 

Northwest Coast and Alaska Gallery

http://fluryco.com/writeable/s-550f-1368cp11034r.jpg

1. I really like this picture because the man is looking so fiercely into the camera. He appears to be in some position of power. His hat is amazing and it looks like it has a face on it.

http://fluryco.com/writeable/s-550f-1288cp20030r.jpg

2. I like this picture because I think it represents what Americans and other foreigners typically imagine Native Americans of the Northwest coast and Alaska to look like. They also look like a normal, happy family that other people can relate to.

http://fluryco.com/writeable/s-550f-1300cp20014r.jpg

3. This picture depicts some very interesting architecture in the King Island Homes. The views would have to be amazing from each home, though the buildings might be somewhat difficult to reach.

END.

 

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[Jonathon Baker, jlb22@geneseo.edu, 9/27]

 

Northwest Coast and Alaska Gallery

 

1. From an artistic perspective, I think sepia is an excellent way to present these photographs. You can really see the textures in everything, especially the clothing and ceremonial dress. You can feel the woven baskets and the clothing, as well as the wood houses and sculpture.

 

2. I think that the houses of the NW coast Native Americans are incredible. With all the stereotypes that we have of Indians, it is easy to just picture them living in a teepee or a mud or stick hut. We tend to forget that that they were capable of very large structures easily recognizable as a home for a whole family. We need to remember that it is the environment and natural resources that are available to a people that determines what their homes will look like, not how "advanced" or "primitive" they are. Obviously the Navajo could not build an elaborate wood home.

 

3. The weaving is just amazing...I wonder how comfortable it is to wear. I can't picture somthing that looks like a burlap sack to be comfortable to move in, but maybe the methods that they used make the wood soft. One would think that culturally and religiously, wood would be very important to them. The only thing they dont use it for is a staple food, but it plays a huge role in almost everything else.

END

 

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[Steph Aquilina, sma8@geneseo.edu, 9/30]

 

Northwest Coast and Alaska

 

1. Fish Spearing – Clayoquot

 

http://anth229.pbwiki.com/f/s-550f-1282cp11028r.jpg

 

This picture reveals a tranquility in Indian life – the man is at work but very peaceful in his posture, mirroring the calm waters and overall gracefulness of the landscape. An intimate connection between the man and the Earth is captured.

 

2. The Hand Game – Qagyuhl

 

http://anth229.pbwiki.com/f/s-550f-1437ct10054r.jpg

 

I found this picture to be very intriguing. It is a great shot of social life and ritual practices, showing what appear to be two leaders, one in the background and one in the foreground, observing those in the middle. It also reveals their forms of symbolic art, which make me wonder for what purpose they were there and if any sort of spiritual significance is tied to this activity or these artistic statues.

 

3. Ceremonial Bathing

 

http://anth229.pbwiki.com/f/s-550f-1280cp11012r.jpg

 

This picture opens up the spiritual sphere of life – the connectedness with water’s healing powers, the sense of renewal, and what appears to be sage tied onto the person’s head. It makes me wonder what this bathing is specifically meant to deal with, and if there is any song involved during the process.

-END-

 

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(Cameron Mack, cfm6@geneseo.edu, 9/30/07)

 

The photographs were amazing to not only look at, but also to analyze and interpret. They are not necessarily pictures that hide a message or something, however, they do allow the viewer to speculate on what might be the underlying meaning. And even more basic than that, I enjoyed wondering what the photographed people were thinking. There is enough mystery in each picture to allow for some sort of deeper thought process. I thoroughly enjoyed looking through the albums.

 

 

This picture is self explanatory, for the most part, but at the same time it is fun to look at.

 

 

 

In deep thought...

 

(13)

[Rebecca Coons, rsc2@geneseo.edu, 10/05]

Northwest Coast and Alaska

 

-These photos show the magnitude to which ethnographic film and photography can capture the human spirit. Without this type of technology, these faces and people would live only on paper through written descriptions would couldn't possibly do justice compared to actually looking into the faces of people from an entirely different world. I agree with Heather that the sepia tone adds to the photos in a way which makes it as much art as it does anthropology. It isn

 

(14)

[Dan McConvey, dpm5@geneseo.edu, 10/6]

 

 

Northwest Coast and Alaska Gallery

 

 

While looking through the pictures I found that the pictures that stuck out the most were of people smiling. I think that it is important to never lose sight of things that are simply human. I do not know all that much about this culture but I understand the emotions in that are captured in these photographs. My father always says that “the most disarming thing is a smile” because it is comfortable and welcoming. These pictures leave an impression because despite the fact that I come from a culture I feel instantly on the same page as the people in these pictures, it creates an instant commonality between me and the person in the picture. These pictures make me happy because it shows that joy is something that is universally expressed as well as universally understood.

 

 

(15)

[Shamiran Warda, sw11@geneseo.edu 10/07]

 

 

These pictures really are incredible images. It always amazes me how much detail old pictures have. When you look at some of these it seems like the quality of our photos has actually gone down. I thought the biography was interesting because it kinda shows how cultural research like this that doesn't really turn much of a profit is really subject to the whim of random rich people; for Curits, people like J.P. Morgan and Edward Harriman. They were both railroad tycoons, but luckily they had enough interest in Curtis' work to fund him.

 

(17)

 

[Anne Kim, ak13@geneseo.edu, 10/11]

 

Northwest Coast and Alaska

1. I enjoy how Curtis used the theme of sepia tone throughout his photographs. This specific color tone sets a very solemn and calm atmosphere in his pictures of the Indians and the landscape. Personally, I like the pictures that capture the landscape from afar. These photographs show how the Indians interact with nature and how they utilize the sources around them.

2. I also noticed how intricate and detailed the clothing of the Indians are. Each one of them is different, unlike, manufactured clothes in America, where millions of the same t-shirt are sold. The headpieces also are magnificent in that they are huge and probably display many different colors.

3. The photographs of the wood carvings also seem to tell a story. Each wood piece is intricately carved and built to perfection. It seems like none of the wood pieces are the same for they are hand carved and cannot be replicated. These wood pieces illustrate the culture of the Indians.

 

END

 

(18)

[Laurie Sadofsky, las22@geneseo.edu, 10/13]

Northwest Coast and Alaska

1. Curtis’ addition to the ethnographic record of these Native American tribes is amazing. If he had not taken these photographs, some cultures and their practices may never have been captured on film.

2. The pictures that show Navajo people dressed as spirits or deities for dances are fascinating. It allows us to see what they actually wore during dances, festivals or religious ceremonies instead of the stereotypical costumes shown in old films. An image like that cannot be explained in words. I also think the photographs of the different styles of houses are interesting because they allow us to compare the different tribes.3. I also like the portraits because viewers can see what these groups actually wore. His photographs put a face to the name of these people. Rather than discussing a culture in an abstract way, we can see that we are talking about a group of people, or one individual.

 

 

END

 

 

These photos are stunning and do an amazing job not only at portraying the life and culture of the peoples of the Northwest coast and Alaska, but in a way they idealize it as well. Maybe it's the sepia tone or in this picture particularly the high contrast. But I think the mark of an extraordinary photographer is when their images evoke a certain nostalgia and these definitely do. They inform us to a certain extent about the culture of the people and give them a dignity that I think many people, especially back when these pictures were taken were reluctant to accept that they had. They were more comfortable with the idea of the savage indian and these photos help to debunk that stereotype.

END

 

 

 

Charlie Genao cg7@geneseo.edu 10/13

 

 

1. Although the pictures are amazing they remain me of the similarties that humans have rather than differences. They smile they do everything that Europeans and other people from other cultures do. It sad that they were treated in a inhumane way. They were stripped from thier humanity just becasue they had a different way of looking at things.

 

 

Alfred Dilluvio Ajd12@geneseo.edu 10/22

 

These pictures arouse in me the same feelings I get when I look at very old pictures of my grandparents. The expressionless faces, the distorted colors, and the seriousness all suggest harder times. The pictures are beautifully made in sepia and it really effects the way you view them. The reliefs serve to highlight the textures and woven natures of the women's elaborate dress. The presentation of these people is of great importance here. They look important or dignified. This is truly the mark of a great photographer, one who can capture people and arouse feelings like that. Feelings of sternness, pain, sadness, and dignity.

Indian Legends from Vancouver Island

 

Type your comments here . . .

 

(1)

 

[Dave Roberts, dlr4@geneseo.edu, 9-18-07]

 

In the Land of the War Canoes

 

1.) It's interesting that both the myths and the legends of the Nootka are believed to be true, but only the descendants of the legendary heroes are allowed to tell their tales. Only the descendants have inherited the power to tell the story of their ancestors.

 

2.) Okay this mosquito story has the best 2 opening paragraphs ever. "It seems indeed, that he was after blood, and that it was for the love of it that he would make a hole in the people's sides." AWESOME

 

3.) "Now then! Throw me into the fire and I shall turn to nothing!" I love the simplicity and completely literal nature of all the language. It's so direct, straightforward and brutal it's almost beautiful.

 

(2)

 

[Heather Warren, hrw1@geneseo.edu, 9/19]

 

Indians Legends from Vancouver Island: What Mosquitoes are Made Of by Edward Sapir

 

 

1. In the introduction of this article I thought it was interesting how the Nootka Indians have two different types of stories. Even though all the stories had a metaphysical aspect, the two different types had different purposes and thus different social rules to them as well as different means of information contained within them.
2. The story “What Mosquitoes are Made Of” was a rather clever myth. Wrapped up inside of the story itself is not only a means of explaining the workings of the real world in a metaphysical way but also provides information on the morals and social observances of the Nootka Culture.
3. The flow of the story itself I had no problem in understanding. In fact, I thought it flowed rather nicely, rather than in a stilted manner the introduction implied. END

 

(3)

 

[Elen De Oliveira, emd10@geneseo.edu, 9/19]

 

Indians Legends from Vancouver Island: What Mosquitoes are Made Of by Edward Sapir

 

1. It is interesting to compare our generation with theirs. They have such strong beliefs and values in their legends and their myths, especially the legends which are specifically for the family to which they are related. These days, although we still have our myths and legends that are told during different get-togethers, they are not nearly as important to our culture and we are not nearly as protective over them.

 

2. Many people categorize Native American tribes as people that are completely different from the rest of us because of their primitive ways of living. It is so interesting to read their myths and legends and realize that, although different they are also the same. They came up with stories to explain what they did not know, which is something, going back in the history of many cultures, that they all did.

 

(4)

Charlie Genao cg7@geneseo.edu 10/13 What Mosquitoes are made of.

 

1.I like how legends and myths are distinguish in the culture.

 

2. Legends are for families to tell while myths are for public to tell.

 

3. It is really strong the beliefs in these legends but of course it is there religion and we all know that religion is a very powerful tool.

 

[Lanh Nguyen, Ltn2@geneseo.edu, 9/20]

What Mosquitoes are made of

1. 1. Myths are similar to the various creation stories that are told in different cultures today. These stories are what hold the ‘truth’ in which everyone following believes, and it is universally told throughout the culture.

2. 2. Legends are similar to the actual ideologies that are told in each of these holy scripts (i.e. Bible, Quran, and Torah). These ideologies are known by all and are told by everyone.

3. It’s admirable of Sapir to translate these two legends and myths verbatim without omitting or embellishing their story lines. It shows that he is consciously concerned about their culture and traditions.

??DID i get the basic concept with my comparisons??

-END-

 

(5)

 

[Larkin Kimmerer, llk5@geneseo.edu, 9/22]

What Mosquitoes are Made of

1. The first thing that struck me was the difference between myths and legends. Myths being public property, for anyone to tell; legends being family property, for only the members of that family or clan to tell.

2. I loved the story of the Mosquitoes. It also makes sense that he could be destroyed by fire because smoke keeps mosquitoes away.

END

 

(6)

 

[Dilek Canakci, dc11@geneseo.edu, 9/24]

What Mosquitoes are made of

 

I thought this was a myth that really explored reality in a way that everyone could understand. I thought their beliefs were really deep and strong and very special. Even though it seems silly to us when we first read it, I could see how important their myths are to them. Before science, people explained such certain things with myths and of course we could use this for cross cultural comparison and a lot of similarities between the cultures and their mythologies.

 

(7)

 

[Skye Naslund, sjn1@geneseo.edu 9-24-07]

 

“What Mosquitoes are Made Of”

 

1-The different roles of myth and legend allow for them to be so different and yet true. Even though supernatural people do not exist in the world of today, they exist as history for the natives who told them. Because they explain how things came to be, and because things came to be so long ago, myths are recognized as fact even though they could not truly happen today.

 

2-The inherent values of the Vancouver Island Natives differ greatly from our own. They do not seek to rationalize the world the way Americans do. We try to find scientific reasons for how things work; they do not. They can accept that mosquitoes were made from the ashes of a person, while we, as a culture, would not be able to accept that.

 

3-The idea of unconditional love across cultures is interesting. The mother took years to tell the chief that the deaths in the village were caused by her son. Even though she knew what a horrible person he was, she did not want anything to happen to her child.

 

(8)

 

[Jennifer Ritzenthaler, jkr5@geneseo.edu, 9/26]

 

Indian Legends from Vancouver Island-Edward Sapir

1. The legend is a very interesting way of explaining the origin of mosquitoes.

2. It was interesting to see how the mother so loved her son that she let him kill members of the village for years, but as soon as the chief learned that it was his grandson that was killing everyone, he did what was good for the village and tried to kill him.

3. It is fascinating that the bloodthirsty man knew that if they burned him he would still live and be able to drink blood from them all or else he never would have let them do it.

 

END.

 

(9)

 

[Jonathon Baker, jlb22@geneseo.edu, 9-27]

 

"What Mosquitoes are Made Of"

 

1. I thought it was a very interesting story...I wonder what the Indians viewed the boy as...was he supposed to be a demon? He was obviously supernatural as the spears didn't kill him. I also wonder why there was no father figure in the story.

 

2. I agree with Skye in that it is interesting how indigenous peoples make stories such as these, whereas somthing like this would never even enter my imagination. With all the scientific knowledge that has been drilled into my head, I would never think of mosquitoes as appearing while humans were around as I know that they appeared millions of years before the first humans.

 

3. At first I wondered why the story was so short, but then I realized that this makes is fast and easy to tell, so one wouldnt have to tell an epic story just to explain to a youngster where mosquitoes came from and why they are so bloodthirsty. I wonder how much of their oral tradition is short stories similar to this one and how much is longer tales.

 

(10)

 

[Steph Aquilina, sma8@geneseo.edu , 9/30]

 

“Indian Legends from Vancouver Island” – Edward Sapir

“What Mosquitos are Made Of”

 

1. This legend reveals the close bond that the Indians felt with the non-human world – they believed that mosquitoes came from the ashes of a bloodthirsty man, indicating their belief in the oneness of creation and their intimate involvement with the creatures of the world.

2. It was interesting that the bloodthirsty boy’s mother continued to watch village members die, full-knowing what her son was doing, without informing anyone until he was grown. Does this indicate a hope in the human spirit? Simple motherly affection and protection? It took the death of the boy’s uncle, his own kin, to drive the mother to action, however difficult.

3. The bloodthirsty boy instructed the warriors on how to bring about his demise… I found this very intriguing, because he was willing to perish from the human realm in order to cast the legacy of a new species. It was as if the Indians believed his fate was sealed at birth, and that it was foolish to fight against it.

-END-

 

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[Rebecca Coons, rsc2@geneseo.edu, 10-05]

"What Mosquitos are Made of"

 

- Reading the mythologies of other cultures it makes me wonder what classifies something as a mythological system versus a religion. It isn't just that less people follow those beliefs is it? It makes me wonder how much longer it'll be before so many modern religions become mythologies, or if other cultures now view them as such already.

- It is interesting to look at how cultures view different creation stories and this reminded me of the Yanomamo myths we talked about in ANTH 101 with Pacheco, where blood rained and the drops became man who was bloodthirsty and made man a warrior. I love to study the myths and beliefs of other cultures because I like to see the similarities and differences and how vast the human imagination really is and yet at the same time how remarkably similar we are in so many aspects. -END-

 

(12)

 

[Dan McConvey, dpm5@geneseo.edu, 10/6]

 

“Indian Legends from Vancouver Island” – Edward Sapir

What Mosquitoes are Made of

 

1. It was interesting to see the distinction between myth and legend. I don’t think that I had a very clear distinction in my mind before hand but that may have something to do with the fact that our culture does not place a great deal of emphasis on legends and myths.

2. I think that the fact that the mosquitoes came out of the ashes of the boy is interesting because it shows how this culture has a greater connection with nature. There is more of an idea of interconnectedness between humans and creatures of the world in this culture.

3. The mother does not stop her bloodthirsty son from killing of these people. Maybe this could be compared to Mother Nature allowing mosquitoes to exist in the world despite the harm they cause. It seems far-fetched but this story does raise some interesting questions.

-END-

 

(13)

[Shamiran Warda sw11@geneseo.edu 10/07]

 

“Indian Legends from Vancouver Island” – Edward Sapir

What Mosquitoes are Made of

 

 

[Lok Yung Yam, ly5@geneseo.edu, 10/20]

 

"What Mosquitos Are Made Of"

 

1. Ideology: I found it interesting that mosquitos, an unwanted pest, would be thought of to come from humans. Usually, at least in Western societies, people tend to see humans and animals as two distinct groups, especially when it comes to filthy bugs.

 

2. Ideology: The distinction between myth and legend also caught my attention, as I had never thought of them as separate entities. The idea that myth and legend are different appeals to me, and allows me to understand cultures based on mythology with more clarity.

 

3. Kinship: The mother's sacrifice of her son for the benefit of the community goes to show us the different values Native Americans have in terms of community. We, as Americans, see family as the immediate family we live in, but they see it as the entire communal society, in which the whole is greater than the individual.

 

Alfred Dilluvio ajd12@geneseo.edu 10/22

 

I think it is interesting that the Nootka distinguish between a myth and a legend. Many people may know a myth and tell it to many people, but a legend is family property

 

I think the Nootka myth gives people something to embrace. While people might no longer believe in such myths because of an intense understanding of modern science, they can still have faith in it. Anything which does this to people always suprises me.

 

The fact that the mosquito arose from the human ashes makes me believe that the Nootka believe that we are closely related to all insects and animals, our brothers and sisters.

 

Hockings, "Photography and Visual Anthropology," "Videotape: New Techniques of Observation and Analysis in Anthropology"

 

Type your comments here . . .

 

[Dave Roberts, dlr4@geneseo.edu, 9-19]

 

(1)

 

1.) "Photography's unique contributions to anthropology lie in three basic areas: Ray Birdwhistell's "kinesics," the significance of body expression; Edward T. Hall's "proxemics," the meaning of space in human behavior; and also Alan Lomax's "choreometrics," the choreography of culture." p. 236

 

2.) Photographs are useful as topographical, ecological and social maps. Unlike a hand drawn map, there is no third party creating an image. It is an undisturbed representation of the truth.

 

3. ) "The central ethical consideration in videotape research concerns the privacy of the informant-participant (hereafter called participant). Two critical issues related to privacy areand voluntary consent and the confidentiality of the data. Voluntary consent implies, first, that ultimate control for involvement in research lies with the participant.

such control cannnot be exercised intelligently, however, without the participant's full and clear understanding of the goals, procedures, and implications... Second, voluntary consent implies mutual respect, confidence, and trust between the participant and researcher. " p. 256

 

(2)

 

[Elen De Oliveira, emd10@geneseo.edu, 9/23]

 

Hockings- "videotape:New Techniques of Observation and Analysis in Anthropology"

 

1. Where would we be without the ability to videotape? Many of the ethnographic material that we rely on today for information concerning tribes and cultures of ancient times deal with videotapes. Through videotaping we achieve the only way in which we can see things as they were at the exact moment that they occured. With photographs we can capture life at a single moment, frozen in time, and with tape recorders, we can preserve stories and sounds, but only with video can we actually take part in the moment, as if it is back to life for that short period of time that one is watching.

 

2. Unfortunately, however, along with the benefits of this new technology comes its disadvantages. The issue of privacy, as Hockings discusses in length, comes into play. It is always necessary to ensure that the person being taped has given consent and that the material is put to good use. In anthropologcal situations, it is obviously best if a trained professional, as hockings mentions, deals with the videotape during research. Also covered in the reading is the issue of cultures against videotape research. In these situations, I believe the ethics of the people should be respected and other methods of research should be used. Videotaping a culture who believes that videotaping thier culture is unethical is not giving an accurate representation of their culture from the start.

 

 

3. It was interesting to read about the video taping case-studies and to see what the opinions of those involved were. The fact that most found the cameras to become "part of the furniture" and a "trusted addition" to their homes sheds light onto the issue of the reality of ethnographic films which film indian tribes. Perhaps they too found the equipment to blend into their surroundings and were able to act normally to provide for reality to be filmed. The reactions were also interesting to read, especially how different the reactions were between various age groups and sexes.

 

-End-

 

(3)

 

[Larkin Kimmerer, llk5@geneseo.edu, 9/24]

Hockings, "Photography and Visual Anthropology"

-The issues behind still photography in the public and private realms are probably the same issues which need to be addressed in film, as well. Taking pictures in the public domain, such as a marketplace, is often times not met with hostility (if done right), but once one enters the private household or personal space of a native, problems may arise. This is the same with film; if a researcher cannot take photos in the home, he is unlikely to be allowed to record activities in the home.

 

Hockings, "Videotape..."

-I thought the Bronx study of household space and activity was a very interesting use of film. In many ethnographic studies we have heard about, what is being filmed is something that could likely be written down or recorded via observations--meals, cooking, storytelling, ceremonies, etc. These things probably would not change with the presence of a videocamera and/or someone taking notes (Observer's Paradox sort of issue). However, in a small space in an urban environment, the ethnographer's presence would certainly change people's behavior if she were taking notes and asking questions about daily life. The videocamera allows researchers to see more natural activities without intruding on the family's space.

END

 

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[Dilek Canakci, dc11@geneseo.edu, 9/24]

Hockings, "Photography and Visual Anthropology," "Videotape: New Techniques of Observation and Analysis in Anthropology"

 

Hockings begins with explaining the importance of videotaping and how it has changed the meaning of ethnography. Instead of thinking about a written version when you hear the word ethnography, we now think if it is a film or a book/essay/etc. He also puts emphasis on the privacy matter and how important it is to consent the people being videotaped and to make sure the people are comfortable giving their identity away.

 

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[Skye Naslund, sjn1@geneseo.edu 9-24-07]

 

Hockings: “Photography and Visual Anthropology,” “Videotape: New Techniques of Observation and Analysis in Anthropology”

 

1-Whether one is filming in the public domain or a private domain of a culture, makes a big difference in the resulting film. Because public domains are not guarded as well, the film you can take in a public domain will most likely be much more similar to how people will act when there is no photographer/cameraman than film in the private domain. The private domain is a much more personal space and it will often cause much more hesitation in the actions of the people being filmed during filming.

 

2-The test done showing a group a photograph of a trading post and a drawing of a trading post was very interesting. The ability to communicate a general concept through drawing stresses the importance of symbolic representation despite the more technologically advanced resources available today.

 

 

3-Though film is becoming more popular, still photography still has its uses. When viewing things such as still objects, color, spacial arrangements and changes in those arrangements over time, the use of still photography can actually be better than using film. Though film allows us to gain a different insight into cultures, it does not entirely replace still photography as an effective tool of anthropology.

 

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[Steph Aquilina, sma8@geneseo.edu, 9/25]

 

Hockings, “Photography and Visual Anthropology,” “Videotape: New Techniques of Observation and Analysis in Anthropology”

 

1. There was a good discussion here about the various behavioral dimensions that can be captured on film: proxemics (how people hold themselves and move about in space), choreometrics (cultural rhythms and “melodies”), and kinesics (body expressions). While still camera shots were advantageous for beginning to measure cultural shifts, spatial relations, field patterns, inventory investigations and sense of divergent neighborhoods, the continuous flow of motion picture gave the “breath of life” that allows participants’ emotional responses to be depicted sensitively and realistically.

2. The ethics involved in filming must be taken into serious consideration – special concern for the privacy and voluntary consent of participants is essential to maintaining a positive rapport in the community of study. Anthropologist filmmakers must be sure to pay close attention to possible political, social and economic ramifications of releasing footage, and likewise must be conscientious of individual participants’ needs. Cultural restrictions, such as in Morocco, might even prohibit the entire idea of capturing behavior visually. All of these personal and cultural limitations must be respected and honored without question.

3. Joseph Schaeffer related a study done by setting up videotapes around households to capture the everyday life of a target group. It was interesting to hear the differentiation in responses when these individuals watched themselves on film. Reactions varied based on age, sex, and especially across cultures. This type of recording displays systems of family authority, the honoring and rejecting of requests within the family, eating and socializing patterns, inter-group competitions, and the basic structure of daily life.

-END-

 

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{Isobel Connors, icc2@geneseo.edu, 9/26}

 

Hockings: "Photography and Visual Anthropology," "Videotape: New Techniques of Observation and Analysis in Anthropology"

 

1. I am very intrigued by John Collier Jr.'s study of Indian acculturation and incorporation of tradition in San Francisco. Often in anthropology, we study culture in a more nastalgic, archaic sense, focusing mainly on "untainted" culture. Unfortunately, this choice of study neglects the fact that all cultures are affected by the "modern world"--whether directly or indirectly. We cannot ignore how our own cultures play a role in both our interpretations of, and reactions to, other cultures, as well as our impact on their ways of life. I am glad that Collier took the initiative to focus on how culture is applied in America today. As much as we discuss the destruction of Indian culture, we overlook the aspects of their culture that still thrive.

 

2. Collier's comparison of "still record" and "film record" was of interest to me. He writes:

"The qualified character of movement in film has invited tangible emotional or psychological considerations that would have been relatively invisible on the still records. We can observe that the man is REFLECTIVE" (251).

This aspect of film is fascinating, but not pondered by most individuals on a conscious level. In addtion, through this expression of emotion, the audience can experience a sense of mimisis greater than that found within literature or film shots.

 

 

3. The debate on ethical filming strategies is an important concept that I feel many deal with in their research studies. As a hopeful anthropologist, I am glad that Shaeffer addressed this issue because I foresee similar internal debates on my part while doing research in India. I think this can be an extremely difficult situation: do you choose to record true human interactions without consent, or be honest with your participants, therefore allowing the camera to alter such interactions? I am not sure I have an answer to this question at the moment, but I hope to work to have a clearer understanding of my goals before going into a culture for research.

 

END.

 

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[Heather Warren, hrw1@geneseo.edu, 10/4]

 

Hockings, “Photography and Visual Anthropology,” “Videotape: New Techniques of Observation and Analysis in Anthropology”

 

1. I liked the analogy of film and photography to the dissected cultural and physical remains of humans coming to life. It really illustrates what film and photography brings to the understanding of anthropologists and people in general of a culture preserved through film and photography.
2. Photography is an amazing tool for archaeologists who can not only photograph and analyze artifacts, but also use it for mapping the areas they are studying. Thus, early archaeologists actually considered the photos as artifacts themselves.
3. It is interesting that when ethical considerations are discussed, the author discusses how the participant should be well informed and their consent given. However, the participants in ethnographic film do not, themselves, get much of anything out of the films they star in. If they had any idea that people normally get paid for being in commercial films for example, I wonder if they would ask for compensation for their time.

 

-END-

 

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[Jennifer Ritzenthaler, jkr5@geneseo.edu, 10/4]

Hockings, “Photography and Visual Anthropology,” “Videotape: New Techniques of Observation and Analysis in Anthropology”

 

1. The comparison of archaeologists mapping to general anthropologists mapping social and ecological patterns is highly insightful. It shows the value of photography in the area of anthropology.

2. Photographic inventory can be used and analyzed into statistics. It can also capture information that may not have been observed at the time it was taken.

3. Camera observation is objective and allows situations to be viewed for different variables, like facial expression, proxemics, kinesics and more. It captures a moment in time for later research.

END.

 

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[Rebecca Coons, rsc2@geneseo.edu, 10-05]

Hockings “Photography and Visual Anthropology,”...

 

- I like how Jen put it that film and photography "captures a moment in time" because that is exactly how I had wanted to put it. Film work literally takes a culture out of time and ensures that long after that culture has disappeared from this earth, a record will be left behind that says "these people existed, and here's the proof." This is true not only for the cultures we study but about ourselves as well. We leave fingerprints all over the films we make and capturing facial expressions, body language, speech, ritual, will serve to tell future generations how we lived, how we studied, what our lives were like, and where we fit into the grand scheme of things. Photography and film work have the potential to freeze time forever so long as they aren't tainted by the need for entertainment or the desire to boost sales. -END-

 

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[Dan McConvey, dpm5@geneseo.edu, 10/6]

 

Hockings, “Photography and Visual Anthropology,” “Videotape: New Techniques of Observation and Analysis in Anthropology”

 

1. Film does not necessarily replace photography. Film can place someone directly in the moment but this does not diminish the effect that a photograph can have on the viewer. A photograph is a moment frozen in time. The viewer is forced to think about that one image instead of several moving images which can distract the viewer from message the ethnographer was actually trying to capture. A photograph seems easier to analyze and come to understand because it, if done correctly, is tainted to a lesser degree than film by outside influences and factors.

2. It is definitely imperative that anthropologists adhere to the cultural rules that they intend on filming or photographing. If a culture does not accept the process of filming or photographing, it is completely unethical to do so. Anthropology is not about exploitation, and the use of film or photography as a means of gaining information at the expense of a culture is inherently wrong.

3. Steph and Dave both mentioned the part about “proxemics”, “kinesics”, and “choreometrics” being captured by film. I think this is a very important aspect of film. No matter how trained an observer is, he or she cannot observe every part of a situation. These 3 things mentioned in this text are things that can also be compared cross-culturally. Film, as well as photography, is good methods for this type of comparison because we can look at the accounts in juxtaposition.

 

 

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[Dan Lilly, djl5@geneseo.edu, 10/9]

Hockings, “Photography and Visual Anthropology,” “Videotape: New Techniques of Observation and Analysis in Anthropology”

 

I think photographs still have the opportunity to be swayed and skewed much in the way film can be. Not only is a photograph a captured "moment in time," but it is also an image outside of its context. For example, a particular photograph of some sort of sword dance could look like a fight to the death, and without context, one would look at the photograph with fear instead of admiration at the beauty of a dance. Film gives context to its images, but also opens up a whole new set of issues that we've already discussed. I think in the end it all comes down to the credibility of sources, and beyond that its an issue of trust.

 

-END-

 

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(Cameron Mack, cfm6@geneseo.edu, 10/9)

 

Hockings, "Photography and Visual Anthropology"

 

1. I enjoyed this article very much, mostly because of the topics which it discussed. The comparison between photography and film is something I find very intriguing. I don't think that it is necessary to say that one replaces the other, however, it is valuable to critique the strong points of each.

2. There is no doubt in my mind that there can be bias in both photography and filming. Regardless of how well versed a person may be at film viewing, they cannot possibly spot all aspects of it. This leaves a level of interpretation up to the filmmaker, but that is something we have discussed previously. So, although filming and photography are different, I believe they are both necessary and compliment each other very well.

3. Explanations are also necessary for both. While analysis seem more extensive or clear with film, there is still an explanation needed. Just as you would need to decipher a photograph, background should be provided with any piece of film study as to appropriately respesent them. Film does much of the pretext that photographs don't, however, there is still a shady area.

 

(14)

[Lanh Nguyen, ltn2@geenseo.edu , 10/10]

Photo & Visual Anthropology…Videotape..

 

The comparison of the hand drawings and the photograph illustrated how people projected their feelings into their work. It’s much easier to do so in drawings due to the fact that the artist can elaborate and use their personal feelings and interpretations, whereas photos are much more concrete and leave room for little to no interpretation by the photographer.

 

Camera records are able to capture events in time and allow for later usage. It shows the exact events and how things went down.

 

In order to conduct a research of any sort, you need to get consent by the participants. They also must be fully informed of everything.

 

As technological advancements in film soars, accessories and parts seem to multiply respectively.

END

 

 

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[Anne Kim, ak13@geneseo.edu" _fcksavedurl=">ak13@geneseo.edu" _fcksavedurl=">ak13@geneseo.edu" _fcksavedurl=">ak13@geneseo.edu" _fcksavedurl=">ak13@geneseo.edu" href="/mailto:ak13@geneseo.edu" class="linkification-ext">ak13@geneseo.edu, 10/11]

 

Hockings – “Photography and Visual Anthropology”

1. John Collier looks into the moving picture in depth and compares them to the still picture. He emphasizes the importance of not only looking at past methods of film but also looking at the new and modern ways of cinematography. He describes how the still picture only observes the non-verbal culture. By looking at the moving picture, it broadens the research.

2. Collier summarizes the three basic unique contributions of photography: “kinesics”, the significance of body expression; “proxemics”, the meaning of space in human behavior; “choreometrics”, the choreography of culture.

3. Collier further explains the importance of moving picture by giving an example of the human anatomy. We can observe and learn much from the human anatomy, however, how much more can you observe and learn when we can see the movement of muscles and bones?

 

END

 

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[Laurie Sadofsky, las22@geneseo.edu, 10/12]

Hockings, “Photography and Visual Anthropology” and “Videotape: New Techniques of Observation and Analysis in Anthropology”

1. John Collier Jr. states that photographs can be used for surveys and overviews of a society. In the past and to this day, they are used in archaeological digs to measure and count.

2. Joseph Schaeffer believes videotapes provide anthropologists the opportunity to review activities with participants. By doing so, the participant can explain exactly what was occurring and what it meant.

3. Schaeffer used his own research in homes in the Bronx to explain how having cameras running all the time allows those being filmed to become practically unaware of the presence of the camera. Using this case study he explained the importance of ethical work habits when filming a community or person. He stated that it is completely unethical to hide a camera in order for those filmed to act normal and not uncomfortable.

END

 

(17)

Charlie Genao cg7@geneseo.edu Hockings Photography and Visual Anthropology.

 

1.Film and Photography is not the same because by looking at a picture it does not tell you how or why they do the things they do.

 

2. Film and Photography are very useful tools but there suited for unique circumstances.

 

3. Instead of replacing a anthropologists can combine the two in order to get the best of both worlds.

 

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[Shamiran Warda, sw11@geneseo.edu, 10/14]

Hockings, “Photography and Visual Anthropology” and “Videotape: New Techniques of Observation and Analysis in Anthropology”

 

I found it interesting how John Coller Jr. believed that photography’s unique contributions to anthropology lied in only 3 basic areas. The first contribution coming from Ray Birdwhistell’s term known as“kinesics”- (the significance of body expression). Second contribution coming from Edward T. Hall’s term “proxemics,” which apparently means the meaning of space in human behavior. And lastly Alan Lomax’s term “choreometrics” (the choreography of culture), giving the last of these unique contributions. However, this is for many hard to understand; many people, myself included, would assume there are more than three photography contributions to anthropology.

Another thing I found very interesting was how towards the end of the first sections reading, the author compared the camera’s eye to that of a human eye. How the human eye can only keep track of a limited range of phenomena whereas the camera record unlimited detail precisely. In addition it was said that the camera’s eye was not subjective, however, often times it is because of the person who is in control of the camera. Often times the person in charge of the camera, sets things up in the way he or she wants things to be done. The last thing I found kind of fun was how the author stated that the camera’s eye does not become confused with the unfamiliar, or suffer from fatigue, well obviously I would hope the camera does not suffer from any fatigue if it is only a machine.

I found the case studies on the urban and rural settings very interesting to read about, I just wonder how they actually found participants who were willing to be recorded for ten weeks. Although videotaping can be a very useful tool to use in anthropological study, I strongly feel that photographs as well as other various methods out there are just as important. Each has areas of strength and areas of flaws. In all, anything that helps in preserving something from either the past or the present for the future is a good tool that should be advanced and studied more with passing time. -END-

 

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[Jonathon Baker, jlb22@geneseo.edu, 10/15]

 

 

Hockings: Videotape: “New Techniques of Observation and Analysis in Anthropology”

 

 

1. Politics: What is to be done about filming participants in areas/nations where the laws on such matters as consent and privacy are sketchy and probably not followed? Have there been anthropologists who have done made films considered unethical by their colleagues because of lack of consent of the participants? What were the consequences?

 

 

2. Technological Change: I agree with Skye on the matter of film never being able to replace still photography. There is just something about still photography to me that just captures things better, or perhaps just in a different way. Photography will always have an important place in both the arts and the sciences.

 

 

3. Ideology: The points made on page 231 in the 2^nd paragraph are especially important. It would seem to me that these points are not just arguments against the comparative method, but the root of most of the issues involved in this entire text, and our class topics. These are the chief problems facing ethnographic filmmakers in trying to make a “genuine” film.

 

 

-END-

 

 

 

Alfred Dilluvio ajd12@geneseo.edu 10/20

 

A discussion of the ways in which images can be captured is in this section. I think that videotape is the most successful way to capture humans because we can see movement, which for many people, shows a myriad of behavior.

 

The videotape is not the only thing that compromises ones privacy though. All ways of capturing someone on film compromises their privacy, because with modern technologies, images can be manipulated in a variety of ways and cultural images can be misinterpreted.

 

Film is a dangerous thing. Silent film is even more dangerous. Everything that is filmed of somebody should be shown to them numerous times in order to ensure that they approve the quality of the image.

 

 

 

[Geni Beninati, gb3@geneseo.edu, 10/22]

Hockings; "Photography and Visual Anthropology"

 

1) Photography has aided anthropology by giving the tools of kinesics (body expression), proxemics (space in behavior), choreometrics (choreography).

 

2) Collier mentions some of the important aspects of the layout of a house.  Organization of home, order and disorder, cultural symbols, what they chose to bring with them.

 

3) The question (one that I have always wondered), “what is the point of anthropological research?” is brought up.  Collier concludes that ethnographic film is to “present man’s humanity.”  He believes that the general answer is that it is to “deal honestly and realistically with the human condition and the sensitivity of men in our environments.”

 

 

-END-

 

Tooker, An Ethnography of the Huron Indians, 1615-1649

 

 

Type your comments here . . .

 

(1)

 

[Steph Aquilina, sma8@geneseo.edu, 10/9]

 

Elisabeth Tooker – An Ethnography of the Huron Indians, 1615-1649

 

1. ECONOMICS: Huron women were responsible for all of the agricultural work while the men traded, hunted, and fished. The women also had to collect wood, and would travel a far distance in order to get the best variety for fires and for making wooden pots. Hemp gathering parties were very large and profitable; in the wintertime, it would be rolled into twine and used for the men’s snares and fishing nets.

2. MARRIAGE/KINSHIP: The Huron lived in monogamous pairs but divorced very frequently before having children; both men and women could initiate separation without complication. A young woman was known to have up to 15 husbands, not including other suitors, and since premarital sex relationships were not condemned, a woman could become pregnant after having many partners, and simply choose the one she liked best as the father of her child.

3. IDEOLOGY/SYMBOLISM: Huron dancing took place to welcome someone, to rejoice over some accomplishment, to prevent or cure diseases, or to please spirits in hope to receive benefits. Individuals in neighboring villages were invited to attend these dance feasts that lasted between one to three afternoons. Dancers did not clasp hands, but instead clenched them into fists, and those who performed most heartily and made the most expressive gestures was considered to be most talented. END

 

(2)

{Isobel Connors, icc2@geneseo.edu, 10/10}

 

Elisabeth Tooker, An Ethnography of the Huron Indians, 1615-1649

 

1. IDEOLOGY: Suicide, by andachienrra root, was used to relieve one’s grief or to punish one’s parents for mistreatment; thus, parents always pampered their children to avoid such an occurrence.

 

2. IDEOLOGY: Etiquette prevented one from entering the home of a person hosting a feast for the sick; if such mistakes were made, one would lose their influence in the community and would be the center of gossip for a period of time.

 

3. IDEOLOGY: The Huron believe that sickness is caused by the failure to obtain the soul’s desires. Such desires would surface in one’s dreams.

 

END.

 

(3)

[Elen De Oliveira, emd10@geneseo.edu" _fcksavedurl=">emd10@geneseo.edu" _fcksavedurl=">emd10@geneseo.edu" _fcksavedurl=">emd10@geneseo.edu" _fcksavedurl=">emd10@geneseo.edu" href="/mailto:emd10@geneseo.edu" class="linkification-ext">emd10@geneseo.edu, 10/11]

 

Elisabeth Tooker, An Ethnography of the Huron Indians, 1615-1649

 

1. family and kinship- Family appears to have been important to the huron as it was for most of the ancient civilizations. They not only had their own families but adopted or were adopted into other families as well. Children adopted rights from their parents in regards to trading and wealth. I found it interesting that children were cared for greatly by their parents due mostly to the fact that they would commit suicide if they were treated with any severity. Imagine if all children were like that today.

 

2. ideology- it is strange that the women ate the lice off of their husband and children's hair. It is also interesting how great a role dress played in their lives. Great care went into the dress and decorations such as jewelry and paint.

 

3. economics/politics- trading was the major source of wealth for the huron. They traded with the french and between other indian groups for fish and animal skins, among other things. Trading was an important affair where private rights were necessary. The first to discover a line of trade was considered the master of that trade and children shared the rights of their parents. People who traded without rights or permission from the master were considered thiefs. The oldest men in the village had the most power.

 

END.

 

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[Larkin Kimmerer, llk5@geneseo.edu" _fcksavedurl=">llk5@geneseo.edu" _fcksavedurl=">llk5@geneseo.edu" _fcksavedurl=">llk5@geneseo.edu" _fcksavedurl=">llk5@geneseo.edu" href="/mailto:llk5@geneseo.edu" class="linkification-ext">llk5@geneseo.edu, 10/11]

Ethnography of the Huron Indians

1. Politics: The League of the Huron is similar to the League of the Iroquois, with four nations with their own traditions but working together to form one league.

2. Religion: Lunar eclipses are considered unlucky, and eclipses as well as the sun's nightly disappearance were explained with the great turtle story--that the world is created upon turtle's back, which is nearly universal across many native american cultures.

3. Marriage: Monogamy is what is practiced, but it seems as though divorce is the norm. Wives and husbands went with other people freely, and both were free to separate from the marriage at any time.

 

-END-

 

 

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[Anne Kim, ak13@geneseo.edu" _fcksavedurl=">ak13@geneseo.edu" _fcksavedurl=">ak13@geneseo.edu" _fcksavedurl=">ak13@geneseo.edu" _fcksavedurl=">ak13@geneseo.edu" href="/mailto:ak13@geneseo.edu" class="linkification-ext">ak13@geneseo.edu, 10/11]

 

An Ethnography of the Huron Indian

1. This work can be seen as a compilation of the ethnographic data on the Huron from the Jesuit relations and the writings of Champlain and Sagard.

2. Discusses dress, modes of travel, trade, war, religious beliefs and practices. For example, there is a clear distinction between the roles of men and women in the society.

3. It was very interesting to read that family was very important because they took the idea of marriage lightly. They divorced many times and had the power to choose who the father of the children was.

-END-

 

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[Shamiran Warda, sw11@geneseo.edu" _fcksavedurl=">sw11@geneseo.edu" _fcksavedurl=">sw11@geneseo.edu" _fcksavedurl=">sw11@geneseo.edu" _fcksavedurl=">sw11@geneseo.edu" href="/mailto:sw11@geneseo.edu" class="linkification-ext">sw11@geneseo.edu, 10/11]

Elisabeth Tooker, An Ethnography of the Huron Indians, 1615-1649

 

1. I must say the Huron Indian culture is very rich in all its aspects. One who is not from this culture group would assume that they lived a simple life, however, after reading this assignment I noticed they are more complex than I ever imagined. An example of what I am talking about would be the crime and how they dealt with it. I found it very interesting how the punishment was set. How the village of the one who murdered had to pay the deceased family through some sort of payment, such as presents. And how the murderer and his village had to give not one but 60 different presents. What I was more fascinated by was how each gift had a meaning. For instance, the first nine gifts were to make peace and to take away any bitterness from the hearts of the deceased family and to get rid of any desire for revenge. Continuing on, how the 2^nd gift was to wipe away the blood from the wound and how the 3^rd gift was given to restore the country and so on (interesting I must say).

 

2. Another thing I found very interesting was the part about birth and pregnant women. I was surprised to read about how these Native Americans associated one’s illness to the pregnant women’s presence, as if her presence caused the people around her to become ill. Apparently to these people the different situations that face a pregnant woman could often give good or bad luck.

 

 

3. Lastly, the marriage was also interesting to read about. As I was reading this section, I thought about another book entitled Sun Chief that we had to read for another anthro class earlier. This section and that book went hand in hand especially when it came to marriage and the type of kinship that was involved in these people’s lives. I was not shocked to find out that young woman often had 12 to 15 husbands, because I remember in the other book, how everyone basically would sneak around and sleep with whomever they could. In all, this book was fascinating to read.

-END-

 

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[Laurie Sadofsky, las22@geneseo.edu, 10/12]

 

 

Tooker: An Ethnography of the Huron Indian, 1615-1649

 

1. Kinship/Marriage: Unlike many other societies, it seems as though women had more freedom in sexual and marital terms. In some cultures today women cannot separate from their husbands, while the Huron allowed women to do so.

2. Politics: The government of the Huron consisted of two councils, one for war and the other for general issues, including anything associated with the Jesuits.

3. Ideology/Symbolism: The Huron performed dances that they believed could connect them with spirits. They also had medicine men that treated people using herbs and visions. The fact that the Jesuits thought the Hurons did not know about plants shows how ethnocentrism and a lack of cultural understanding played into the relationship between the groups.

-END-

 

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Charlie genao cg7@geneseo.edu Huron Indian

1. I am amazing that women have more sexual freedom which I personally didnt see coming.

 

2 Politics. It was not as complex as I thought it would be in the begninning because it only had two councils but when I read what happens when it a crime is commited it very complex

 

3. In a crime the victumizer pays his debts with presents while in other cultures it death or something else.

 

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[Dan Lilly, djl5@geneseo.edu" _fcksavedurl=">djl5@geneseo.edu" _fcksavedurl=">djl5@geneseo.edu" _fcksavedurl=">djl5@geneseo.edu" _fcksavedurl=">djl5@geneseo.edu" href="/mailto:djl5@geneseo.edu" class="linkification-ext">djl5@geneseo.edu, 10/13]

Tooker: An Athnography of the Huron Indian, 1615-1649

 

The Huron culture is indeed a very interesting one. I was suprirsed at how many rights Huron women had. Also, I really like the way they dealt with the murderer. Its such an interesting spin on punishment for crime, because usually it just involves hurting the criminal in some way, not having him give gifts to the people he wronged.

 

I always get a little depressed when I read about Native American culture in the past, because I start to think about how its almost totally destroyed today. I saw an interesting movie about Native American culture in the modern world called Powwow Highway. I believe it was about two Navajo men, but it was still a good look at the situation on the whole.

 

-end-

 

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[Dave Roberts, dlr4@geneseo.edu, 10-16]

 

1.) Kinship/Marriage: I was very surprised by the amount of sexual freedom the women had. It has seemed that in many of the societies we have studied women had little rights or freedom of choice. It is refreshing to see a culture in which sexuality and women's rights are more progressive.

 

2.) Like many Native American cultures, from both North and South America, The Huron regarded sickness as a malady having to do with the soul or possession, as opposed to coming from any "scientific" cause.

 

3.) The system of reparations for one's bad deeds as opposed to physical punishment, confinement or banishment is a very unique and interesting. It's better than having molten gold poured down your throat, that's for sure.

 

END

 

(Cameron Mack, cfm6@geneseo.edu, 10/19)

 

Tooker: "An Ethnography of the Huron Indians 1615-1649"

 

1. Ideology - The view of pregnant women is quite unique, and something I did not expect from their culture. The whole concept of attributing illness to the presence of a pregnant woman is incredibly superstitous. It also tells us a little about their beliefs, in spirits and other spiritual things!

2. Ideology - I am always interested in the way that other cultures view certain sicknesses and illness in general. As I expected, the Huron believe that their soul is responsible for any sickness they might contract, rather than a more scientific explanation or the consideration of using anticeptics.

3. Kinship - There were relationships within the tribes that I was not aware existed. The idea that members of the tribe could be promiscuous and even that people bonded by marriage were allowed to divorce was quite surprising. Most societies have more strict regulations concerning what is acceptable within their ranks. It seems as though the Huron are an exception to this assumption.

 

(11)**

[Jonathon Baker, jlb22@geneseo.edu, 10/16]

 

 

Tooker: “An Ethnography of the Huron Indians 1615-1649”

 

 

1. Family/Kinship: I was surprised at how simple their sexual relationships were. People were generally free to be promiscuous and married couples were free to divorce. Many cultures have many more complicated rules then this…actually now that I think about it this is about as lax as I have ever heard of.

 

2. Ideology/Symbolism: Very interesting that the people who drowned or froze had a much more grusome funeral, where they were cut up. The ordinary Huron funeral does not seem too foreign to me, but the frozen one was very strange. Also, the fact that people who died violent deaths were not allowed to communicate with other souls? This seems strange to me as well, as many native cultures glorify great warriors who have fallen and think that they will lead a marvelous afterlife.

 

3. Ideology/Symbolism: The Feast of the Dead, wow, now this is cool. It must have smelled disgusting, which I guess is why it was only done about once per decade. It reminds me of having to clean out a nasty grease trap once per month when I worked at a pizza shop in high school. It was always the worst day of the month.

 

-END-

 

END

 

[Jennifer Ritzenthaler, jkr5@geneseo.edu, 10/20/07]

Tooker-Ethnography of the Huron

1.Economy-Trade between Indian groups for furs, pigments, wampum and other articles occurred, thus the Indian groups had a mutually beneficial relationship.

2.Environment-The beaver in the Huron were exterminated by the time the Jesuits arrived. This shows how trade influenced the environment for the Native Americans.

3.Economy-The Montagnais and Huron did not want to take French traders to the source of their fur supply. They feared revealing their chief source of profit.

END.

 

[Lok Yung Yam, ly5@geneseo.edu, 10/20/07]

Tooker-Ethnography of the Huron

 

1. Kinship: The liberal sexual relationships really made me think about how our society is so uptight about sex. Despite our supposed civility, we cannot freely discuss sex without dirty looks from people.

 

2. Economy: I found it interesting how the Native Americans had a fur trade before Europeans arrived. For some reason, I had always thought it was a Western concept. It makes a lot more sense that they traded before they met Europeans. I feel really stupid.

 

3. Ideology: I was severely creeped out by the Huron funeral rituals. Words wouldn't do justice to how I feel about them.

 

 

END

 

[Adam Saunders, ars11@geneseo.edu, 10/22]

 

Tooker: Ethnography of the Huron

Crime and more specifically murder is treated differently depending on if it take place between two individuals of the same tribe or two individuals of a different tribe. If in the same tribe large amounts of presents are given to the deceased family. If between tribes then war is declared.

Eclipses to the Huron were a sign of bad luck and was believed to be the great turtle in which the world sat on changing position and brought his shell before the sun. Arrows were shot at the sun then to deliver it from any danger.

The Huron believe in the immortality of the soul, and that after death souls will enter new bodies. To them there were multiple souls. One remaining in the pit in which they are buried and did not leave until a woman gave birth to it again.

 

END

 

[Nicole Rothman, ngr1@geneseo.edu, 10/22]

1. Economics- women are in charge of agricultural work, wood collecting, and making wooden pots. Men traded, hunted and fished.

2. Kinship- monogamous pairs with a high divorce rate. Divorce could be initiated by either partner without complication. Young women were known to have up to fifteen husbands. Also women could have multiple sexual partners and then choose the one she liked best to father her child.

3. Ideology- suicide was used to end someone’s grief or to punish their parents for mistreatment. Because of this parents always pampered their children.

END

 

Alfred Dilluvio AJD12@GENESEO.EDU 10/22

 

1.) Ideology: The ethnography of the Huron really does make one think about our society and how we cannot liberally express our opinions on sex.

2.) Kinship. I thought it was interesting that divorce was something people could initiate. It wasn't like the husband was the only one who could do it. Its interesting to me because usually women are suppressed in societies, but here they have considerable power to enact changes.

3.) IdeologyI thought it was interesting that parents paid extra special care to their children so as not to make them committ suicide. This is a kind of bizzarre thing to me.

 

[Skye Naslund, sjn1@geneseo.edu 10/22/07]

An Ethnography of the Huron Indians

 

1-The Huron Indians were serial monogamous, in that they only married one person at a time, but that was just an agreement that they would live together as long as they were useful to each other. This agreement did not prevent them from sleeping with whomever they liked. If they divorced, children would be separated: Boys with the father, and girls with the mother. When the question of who the babies father was, the woman got to decide who she liked best.

2-The Huron, Algonquins and other native Americans traded with the French for furs. The French wanted to know where the pelts came from, as they were extinct in the region where the trade took place, but the Native Americans refused to say, keeping their trade secrets to themselves, and giving themselves the upper hand.

3-The concept of naming in Huron culture is much different that in our culture. Everyone has a name, but if someone dies the name is given to someone else so that it does not die. The relatives of the dead choose who takes the name, and along with it come the duties of the deceased. That person then passes his name on down the line to someone else.

 

[Dan McConvey, dpm5@geneseo.edu 10/23/07]

An Ethnography of the Huron Indians

 

 

KINSHIP AND MARRIAGE- The gender roles in the Huron culture are very defined.  Certain forms of labor are appropriate to a specific sex.  Men were ridiculed if they ever needed to do what is deemed a “woman’s task.”  Even, young boys refused to do the work of that were seen as woman’s tasks.  This is a very interesting characterstic of this society, while not completely unfamiliar to the engrained gender roles of American society, it is interesting that there is a note about boy s not wanting to do an adult female’s task.  This show how deeply ingrained these roles are and how early in childhood these gender role specifications begin.

 

ENVIRONMENT- It is seen as unique the Huron settlement patterns vary from those of the Iroquois.  The Huron located their villages side by side while the tribes of the Iroquois confederacy chose to keep theirs apart from one another.   These differences reflect what each tribe place cultural value on.   It shows that the environment isn't always the actual natural environment but also the social environment which influences the choices that cultures make.

 

RELIGION/ IDEOLOGY- In the Huron culture all animate objects are seen to have spirits.  These spirits can do things that cannot be done by men.  The power that the spirits possess is known as oki.  It is interesting that this oki is seen to be manifested in people with unusual characteristics.  I thought that it was particularly interesting that lunatics were seen as having this power.  It might be comparable to the English usage of someone being “touched” as being slightly insane.  That there is some power beyond our understanding that has influenced them.