Kung!
1. Ernestine Friedl says that the position of women is higher the more they are involved in (l) primary subsistence (as owners or controllers, NOT merely as laborers) and (2) the PUBLIC distribution of the product of subsistence. Use this argument to account for the position of women in Kung society. Make sure you use both part (l) and part (2) of Friedl’s argument. (Do not worry that Friedl’s argument is simplistic; she is not trying to say that women’s role in subsistence is the ONLY factor that affects their position in society.)
Friedl states that the position of women is higher the more they are involved in primary subsistence, and the public distribution of that subsistence. I think this classes Kung! Women pretty high up the social ladder. Kung! Women, help gather a large portion of the food (almost all), and help with a lot of the tasks. They do care for the young, but they also help make the shelter, and help carry the few possessions they have from campground to campground (5). Most of what the Kung! Do in their down time is similar to their counterparts. They both tell stories, argue (but never get physical really) and even do the same medicine dances, and jokes. There is no “arrogant” men stereotype as it is considered rude to boast in Kung society (6). There really is no difference when it comes to communal actions between men and women. It comes down to marriage, and a bit of political rights which are a new invention in the Kung! Society. That is why women have such a high level in Kung! Society.
2. Construct arguments for the following two propositions: (l) that Kung men have higher status and greater power than Kung women and (2) that there is equality between Kung men and Kung women. Which position do you agree with, and why?
The Kung! Are a very peculiar case to me. There are very good arguments to say that the Kung have a higher status, and thus a higher amount of power than women, and an equally good arguments that
Friedl states that the position of women is higher the more they are involved in primary subsistence, and the public distribution of that subsistence. I think this classes Kung! Women pretty high up the social ladder. Kung! Women, help gather a large portion of the food (almost all), and help with a lot of the tasks. They do care for the young, but they also help make the shelter, and help carry the few possessions they have from campground to campground (5). Most of what the Kung! Do in their down time is similar to their counterparts. They both tell stories, argue (but never get physical really) and even do the same medicine dances, and jokes. There is no “arrogant” men stereotype as it is considered rude to boast in Kung society (6). There really is no difference when it comes to communal actions between men and women. It comes down to marriage, and a bit of political rights which are a new invention in the Kung! Society. That is why women have such a high level in Kung! Society.
2. Construct arguments for the following two propositions: (l) that Kung men have higher status and greater power than Kung women and (2) that there is equality between Kung men and Kung women. Which position do you agree with, and why?
The Kung! Are a very peculiar case to me. There are very good arguments to say that the Kung have a higher status, and thus a higher amount of power than women, and an equally good arguments that
Cited: Shostak, Marjorie. Nisa, the life and words of a !Kung woman. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1981. Print.