The Nacirema story is a satirical look at the rituals and practices of a fictional culture. The word "Nacirema" is "American" spelled backwards, and the story is meant to highlight the absurdity of certain aspects of American culture.
The Nacirema are described as a people who place a great deal of emphasis on the appearance and cleanliness of their bodies. They have a number of bizarre rituals that are performed daily in order to maintain this appearance. For example, they engage in a practice called "horace," in which they brush their teeth with a "magical" powder and recite incantations in order to ward off disease. They also have a ritual called "loonis" in which they use a "shining metal instrument" to extract foreign objects from their hair.
Despite the fact that these rituals are time-consuming and often painful, the Nacirema people believe that they are necessary for good health and social status. They are also highly superstitious, believing that certain objects and rituals have magical powers that can protect them from harm.
The Nacirema story serves as a commentary on the way in which certain aspects of American culture are perceived by outsiders. It highlights the often-strange and irrational beliefs that people hold, and the lengths they will go to in order to conform to societal norms. It also touches upon the way in which consumer culture can shape people's behaviors and beliefs, as the Nacirema place a great deal of value on the products and rituals that are marketed to them as being necessary for good health and beauty.
Overall, the Nacirema story is a humorous and thought-provoking look at the strange customs and beliefs that can exist within any culture. It serves as a reminder to question and examine the rituals and practices that we take for granted, and to consider whether they are truly necessary or beneficial.
Chapter 2.2 … Growing Up Among the Nacirema
This is done because it is an old tradition and these people have a sadistic behavior. The ones immediately outside their house are apparently not fit. The most prominent values are: treating all adult 18yrs individuals equally with regards to making decisions about their leaders and allowing individuals to follow their own spiritual beliefs, providing they do not infringe on beliefs of others. A man, whose own wife has never seen him in an excretory act, suddenly finds himself naked and assisted by a vestal maiden while he performs his natural functions into a sacred vessel. The material items that are kept, though, seem to consume all the time of the children.
Body Ritual among the Nacirema Analysis Essay Example
This page is mainly for archiving the images of the original text. These ideals are so extreme that they are beyond the reach of natural human capacity. But without its power and guidance early man could not have mastered his practical difficulties as he has done, nor could man have advanced to the higher stages of civilization. Body ritual among the Nacirema. The Nacerima actually go by a different name or term.
Miner portrayed Nacirema culture from the uncivilized person point view because he could not describe what constitutes civilization; every aspect of the Nacirema culture was quite strange to him. To majority of people, it will hurt and we will try to avoid this. Initially it puzzled me as to why people would fork out money for expensive gifts and willingly go to the temple when a full recovery or survival cannot be guaranteed. Today the Nacirema can be found across the social media landscape on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and YouTube. Bronislaw Malinowski provides some insight, expressing that, though magic seems crude and irrelevant, its power and guidance have helped man advance to "higher stages of civilization.
Green Virus Yin Hye Min: In Class Writing #2: The Story of Nacirema
We are waiting for the oven to open. His diction sets the reader apart from the tribe through formalized language. These norms in the paper would be informal norms because they are rituals that are taught and generally understood but not precisely recorded. . He introduces his topic ritual activity,the main point of the article of which is the human body,the way it looks and health.
After these rituals are performed most patients are left in bed due to the pain they undergo. One of the more interesting rituals of the Nacirema is the strecnoc. Some rituals make women's breasts, a body part whose ideal form is virtually unattainable, larger or smaller. I did a YouTube search and watched the most-watched strecnoc of recent days. In the tribe, bathing and body functions are performed as secret rituals. In two instances he spells a name backward, turning American into Nacirema and hospital into latipso minus the h. The way he described these actions was like looking from the eye of someone who had never did this before.
What is the main point of Body Ritual among the Nacirema?
The ritual is clearly holy because, despite the continued decay, people return to these practitioners every year. Wearing clothes produced by these clothe-makers is another way of displaying wealth, most likely due to the significant amount of wealth one must sacrifice to obtain them. Moreover, the people have developed a sadistic specialist. After entering the temple the patient will be stripped of all his or her clothes according to the demands of the ritual. In the majority of cases, men must hide their bodies during hygiene procedures, but in the latipso, they must act conversely Miner 504.
NACIREMA: UPDATING A CLASSIC TO SEE YOUR OWN CULTURE AS AN OUTSIDER
The people who command the highest amount of admiration and influence among the Nacirema are those who have shown themselves to be successful in the art of accumulating wealth. In society, we are told what is pretty from what is ugly. However, the Nacirema believe that they came into existence as a result of their hero. Even after one has gained and survived the ceremonies, the guardians will not permit the neophyte to leave until he makes still another gift. In this chest are kept the many charms and magical potions without which no native believes he could live. The very sick patients in the community are taken to the Latipso where they are expected to receive treatment from the most famous medicine men.
Nacirema culture is characterized by a highly developed market economy which has evolved in a rich natural habitat. Body Ritual Among The Nacirema. He clearly thought that was more important than spending time with his family or friends. A cultural approach to interpersonal communication: essential readings. Yet the people seem to feel protection from the charms.
