Similarities Between Aztec And Inuit Culture
Ritual Gifts: Inuit Culture and Aztec Culture
The two cultures that will be discussed in this paper have many similarities as well as gift exchanges and rituals that are important to the people. Inuit Culture takes part in animal sacrifice, for feeding the people. Placing fresh water into the mouth of the dead seal before it is cut up to eat; in doing this the hopes of the people are that the seal will come back for more water and feed the humans again. As for the Aztec Culture they perform human sacrifices in offering blood to the Sun. This ritual takes place over four days and is used to extend the life of the Sun and keep the Sun in the sky and this is what keeps life happening. In reading about both cultures there is many things are similar to the way both rituals and gift exchanged are used. They both partake in sacrificing living things, whether it is animal or human, this is a ritual to feed them or to keep life going. Inuit and Aztec culture both believe in super natural power; giving the seal water before butchery so that its soul is happy and it will come back in a form of another seal and feed them again. Also giving human blood to the Sun so that it may rise again and continue to keep life going. Both cultures are emphasizing the importance of earthly elements like Sun and water …show more content…
with hope in the super natural power. Gift exchange is a common part in rituals that is seen all across the world.
One is giving something in order to receive in exchange something else that is needed or wanted. Example being with the Inuit Culture, they are so grateful that the seals are letting themselves be caught in order for the people to eat. In exchange, the humans will give them fresh water before being cut open so that the seal will return in exchange. All of the Inuit Culture does this as a social relationship rule, they give themselves to the people and the people honor them. They believe in the super natural power or animals coming back again and again if honor is brought to each
catch. In classifying this Culture of the Inuit it is involved with Technological Rituals; rituals that attempt to influence or control nature. Hunting and Gathering to be more exact are rituals that influence nature in search for food; the seals. The people live where they depend on the seals for survival, so they must eat the animal and treat it will respect so that they may eat again. Relating to the cultures above is difficult because I personally do not eat animals or sacrifice a person for the sun to rise. In saying that I can say that as a Christian I look at how Jesus died on the cross for our sins and he shed blood in order for us to be free. That is a gift exchange between God up above and us on earth; God sent his son to die for our sins. I sacrifice my time in practicing the way God would want me to live which means that I sometimes cant do what my friends are doing. I don’t shed blood for God but Jesus did for me. Rituals are apart of everyone’s day-to-day life, some are more drastic than others but we all have things we do repeatedly. The Inuit are hunter-gatherer types and live off animals as they honor them every time they eat in hopes they will feed them again. The Aztec Culture is more into giving blood in order for the sun to rise again. Each is willing to give in order to receive and both believe in the super natural and the importance of earthy elements.
References
Stein, Rebecca and Philip Stein. 2011. The Anthropology of Religion, Magic, and Witchcraft. 3rd Edition. Boston: Prentice Hall.
The two cultures that will be discussed in this paper have many similarities as well as gift exchanges and rituals that are important to the people. Inuit Culture takes part in animal sacrifice, for feeding the people. Placing fresh water into the mouth of the dead seal before it is cut up to eat; in doing this the hopes of the people are that the seal will come back for more water and feed the humans again. As for the Aztec Culture they perform human sacrifices in offering blood to the Sun. This ritual takes place over four days and is used to extend the life of the Sun and keep the Sun in the sky and this is what keeps life happening. In reading about both cultures there is many things are similar to the way both rituals and gift exchanged are used. They both partake in sacrificing living things, whether it is animal or human, this is a ritual to feed them or to keep life going. Inuit and Aztec culture both believe in super natural power; giving the seal water before butchery so that its soul is happy and it will come back in a form of another seal and feed them again. Also giving human blood to the Sun so that it may rise again and continue to keep life going. Both cultures are emphasizing the importance of earthly elements like Sun and water …show more content…
with hope in the super natural power. Gift exchange is a common part in rituals that is seen all across the world.
One is giving something in order to receive in exchange something else that is needed or wanted. Example being with the Inuit Culture, they are so grateful that the seals are letting themselves be caught in order for the people to eat. In exchange, the humans will give them fresh water before being cut open so that the seal will return in exchange. All of the Inuit Culture does this as a social relationship rule, they give themselves to the people and the people honor them. They believe in the super natural power or animals coming back again and again if honor is brought to each
catch. In classifying this Culture of the Inuit it is involved with Technological Rituals; rituals that attempt to influence or control nature. Hunting and Gathering to be more exact are rituals that influence nature in search for food; the seals. The people live where they depend on the seals for survival, so they must eat the animal and treat it will respect so that they may eat again. Relating to the cultures above is difficult because I personally do not eat animals or sacrifice a person for the sun to rise. In saying that I can say that as a Christian I look at how Jesus died on the cross for our sins and he shed blood in order for us to be free. That is a gift exchange between God up above and us on earth; God sent his son to die for our sins. I sacrifice my time in practicing the way God would want me to live which means that I sometimes cant do what my friends are doing. I don’t shed blood for God but Jesus did for me. Rituals are apart of everyone’s day-to-day life, some are more drastic than others but we all have things we do repeatedly. The Inuit are hunter-gatherer types and live off animals as they honor them every time they eat in hopes they will feed them again. The Aztec Culture is more into giving blood in order for the sun to rise again. Each is willing to give in order to receive and both believe in the super natural and the importance of earthy elements.
References
Stein, Rebecca and Philip Stein. 2011. The Anthropology of Religion, Magic, and Witchcraft. 3rd Edition. Boston: Prentice Hall.