Wsu Anth 316 Essay 1
Raiven Bell
ANTH 316
Essay Exam #1
1. A. Ernestine Friedl says that the position of women is higher the more they are involved in primary subsistence (as owners or controllers, NOT merely as laborers). This is true of Kung women because they are equal if not primary contributors to the Kung society as key decision-makers, primary food collectors, domestic leaders, child bearers and child caregivers, and equal distributors of the food and goods to the tribe. Also, Kung women lead the household and all domestic activities and they are responsible for teaching their children how to behave, provide for the group, and contribute to their society. It is an important contribution to an egalitarian society to be diverse in skills and in what one has to offer the group. For these reasons, it is most certainly seen among Kung men that women are of great value to their society in countless ways.
B. Ernestine Friedl says that the position of women is higher the more they are involved in the PUBLIC distribution of the product of subsistence. This is true of Kung women because they are not only bringing most of the food that the group will consume, but they are also key decision makers in their society by ensuring that all goods are equally distributed amongst the members of the group to maintain fairness. These, among the many other ways in which Kung women contribute, raise their position of importance within their society. 2. A. Gender inequality can be divided into two categories: social and economic inequality. The Kung is an egalitarian society, meaning that they make sure that everyone has equal access to the group’s valued resources. Kung men have higher status and greater power than Kung women for several reasons. First, because they have total control of marriage; when a boy reaches the appropriate marrying age, he chooses the girl he wants to married and she has no say. Secondly, Kung men are highly valued because meat is a rarity and only makes up a
ANTH 316
Essay Exam #1
1. A. Ernestine Friedl says that the position of women is higher the more they are involved in primary subsistence (as owners or controllers, NOT merely as laborers). This is true of Kung women because they are equal if not primary contributors to the Kung society as key decision-makers, primary food collectors, domestic leaders, child bearers and child caregivers, and equal distributors of the food and goods to the tribe. Also, Kung women lead the household and all domestic activities and they are responsible for teaching their children how to behave, provide for the group, and contribute to their society. It is an important contribution to an egalitarian society to be diverse in skills and in what one has to offer the group. For these reasons, it is most certainly seen among Kung men that women are of great value to their society in countless ways.
B. Ernestine Friedl says that the position of women is higher the more they are involved in the PUBLIC distribution of the product of subsistence. This is true of Kung women because they are not only bringing most of the food that the group will consume, but they are also key decision makers in their society by ensuring that all goods are equally distributed amongst the members of the group to maintain fairness. These, among the many other ways in which Kung women contribute, raise their position of importance within their society. 2. A. Gender inequality can be divided into two categories: social and economic inequality. The Kung is an egalitarian society, meaning that they make sure that everyone has equal access to the group’s valued resources. Kung men have higher status and greater power than Kung women for several reasons. First, because they have total control of marriage; when a boy reaches the appropriate marrying age, he chooses the girl he wants to married and she has no say. Secondly, Kung men are highly valued because meat is a rarity and only makes up a
References: Cited: Shostak, M. 1981. Nisa. New York: Random House.