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| San Foragers (Human Area Relations Files) |
The most basic form of economy is the foraging economic
unit, and up until about 10,000 years ago, every society in the world was a
foraging society. Foraging societies,
also referred to as hunter-gatherers, are characterized by a reliance on nature
to survive and constant movement across the landscape. They do this by practicing seasonality,
meaning they migrate across their landscape based on the presence of resources
that are in season. Each group exploits
different resources based on the environment of which they inhabit. For example, foraging groups of the Artic
exploit big game animals that are native to the region, including whales, polar
bears, artic foxes, and seals, but foraging groups in the Amazon rainforest
will exploit other natural resources, such as local fruits and vegetables,
snakes, frogs, fish, etc. Because of
their way of life and heavy reliance on their environment foraging groups
cannot be and are not ecologically dominant, meaning they only take the
resources they need but they do not over-exploit the resources in their region.
Foraging societies are distinguished by two social groups
that their members find significant.
These two groups are the nuclear family (immediate family) and the band. The band is comprised of two or three nuclear
families that are related and therefore are each other’s extended family. Membership in the band is fluid and can
change from year to year, as kin networks are created and maintained through
marriage, trade, and visiting.
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| Tlingit Foragers (Human Area Relations Files) |
Foraging bands are egalitarian, meaning there is little
social division within the group and everyone is considered relatively equal in
status. There are, however, some differences
within the group and these differences are based on achieved status, or status
that one earns in their lifetime. In the
case of foraging bands achieved status is based on age and knowledge and
ability to hunt or gather. The advanced
age and/or abilities of an individual nets them prestige, which refers to the
esteem or respect of others.
Foraging societies do have a gender-based division of labor
despite being egalitarian. Women primarily
gather while men hunt and fish, but the reason for this is based on reproduction
and child rearing responsibilities that fall primarily on women. Women give birth and feed their infants through
breast milk until they are weaned. They are
therefore at a disadvantage for hunting large game because the infant requires
a great deal of time and attention, and the infant can be loud and distracting,
scaring away the big game that is being hunted.
Despite this, women, as gatherers, still hunt small game and actually
contribute most of the food resources to the group as big game hunting is not
consistently successful.
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| Figure 1: Map of Historically Known Foraging Groups as Globally Distributed (Gezon & Kottak, 2014) |
Foraging societies are still commonplace today in many
regions in the world but not as prevalent in the past (Figure 1). Modern foraging groups are under state control
of the country that they reside in. They
are often forcibly moved from their traditional lands as a means of forced assimilation
by the state, which results in culture loss among the foraging groups. This occurs because of negative perceptions
of foraging groups that include beliefs that they are less intelligent and
primitive. The reason that foraging
societies continue is not because the group is stubborn or does not desire to
change, but because the environments the group inhabits are not favorable for
changing economic strategies (e.g. horticulture or agriculture). Foraging societies are neither less
intelligent nor primitive. The fact that
they continue to thrive today in their traditional life ways despite
technological advances demonstrates their intelligence, and what we consider
primitive may actually be more beneficial given that their ecological footprint
is minimal and not as damaging to the environment as the state level societies
that dominate them.
Bibliography:
Gezon,
L., & Kottak, C. (2014).
Cultural Anthropology
McGraw-Hill
39 comments:
Reading your blog makes me sad because modern society is eradicating these Foraging units. Society today with all its technology is spreading across the world quicker then ever and destroying these groups. The young members of these groups see how others live, and want to experience a more modern way of life.
I've read that Aboriginal groups in Australia have decided to stop reproducing and let themselves eventually die out rather than have their future generations live in a society dominated by consumer-driven agendas.
In ABC News, a report was given on indigenous groups in the Northern Territory banding together to stop fracking on their land.
"Aboriginal communities opposed to hydraulic fracturing projects on their land have formed an alliance. The oil and gas industry is planning a counter-offensive highlighting economic benefits and environmental safeguards. The indigenous and community groups come from communities across the NT including Maningrida, Borroloola, Mataranka and Katherine. Their new group, the NT Frack Free Alliance, aims to provide support to remote groups opposing fracking."
It is deeply saddening; this is just one of the many current threats against foraging societies and their way of life around the globe.
It is sad to see these foraging societies getting pushed around. I hope that we can keep the ones that are still left going because it is such an amazing way of life.
Sarah Howard ANTH 102-1002
I didn't know that they were essentially wards of the state. These remind me of the street kids, and the rainbow families that travel all around the countries selling little hemp jewelry and playing acoustic guitars. Fun people to hang around but watch where/who your doing. Most of their culture revolves around living off of the land (which may or may not be a city), and leaving as little a trace as they can. There is a local tribe here called the burners, which congregate at burning man every year for their ritual sacrifice.
--MB(Anth 102)
I think I know what you meant in spirit by the statement "wards of the state" but I cringed at the connotations of the terminology. Yes, they, modern foragers, are members of state level societies because their territories are encompassed by the geopolitical boundaries of states, but they are not necessarily dependent on states and state governments for survival. In fact, foragers typically do not want the states getting involved in their affairs, but states and members of state level societies often view foragers as "burdens" or "primitives" that "require" assistance. This leads to all sorts of cultural misunderstandings and conflicts, but foraging groups can and do live independent lives and do not require assistance.
And I'll be sure to pass on that description to my burner friends. They might actually laugh at that description. :)
I feel like foraging should be utilized more, we should eat more seasonally and quit exhausting resources. I know many men and women that hunt seasonally (of course it's regulated) and use hunting as a way to eat. Society needs more community gardens so we can grow what we need that is native to the land.
Kia Brown Anthro101-1002
One of my graduate professors, Dr. Adriana Premat, studied urban gardening in Cuba, and she watched the evolution of that practice in relation to communism in the country. The phenomenon has also caught on in many urban environments (e.g. Toronto, Ontario and Detroit, Michigan). I know others who have studied these phenomenon and/or participated in their own urban gardening plots. There are several advantages and disadvantages to urban gardening, but I'm with you that it does have quite a few more advantages (when utilized optimally) to what many do today.
I like the way the map shows where there still exist and what type of hunters there still are. Its nice to we that we still have some hunters out there. Since they know how to hunt then they must be smart on what they are doing. But of course we may not like that they hunt animals.
Briana Banuelos
Anth 102
Anthropology 110:1002
When reading about the state control that dominates over the foraging culture, I'm reminded of what happened to the Native Americans. "The Trail of Tears" is a big part of east coast history and still honored by the local tribes, today. It sickens me to think of that bloody part of history!! I would have liked to think that we have learned from our past mistakes, and we could all just learn to live in harmony.
To think that Aborigines have decided to take these extreme measures to essentially commit genocide on their own people by not reproducing is highly upsetting. Why are the Australian government not protecting these indigenous communities? Thank you for the in depth info on this topic.
Reproductive rights is a highly contentious issue, Tammy. I am not familiar enough with the situation that Chloe speaks of to speak more on it, but I recommend that you look further into the matter to have your curiosity sated.
I find it interesting that the women in prehistoric foraging societies were depended upon heavily for the food. While they where tied to their children, being excluded from big game hunts, they still managed to do the gathering of food resources and engaged in hunting small game such as rabbits. The men hunted the big game, which carried more prestige and ceremony, while the women took care of the band's basic daily needs for food.
Courteney Hedicke, Anth 101
Foraging societies are amazing individuals surviving without technology. I cant imagine getting pushed around and moving constantly from their traditional lands to other regions. I also think that the woman are really depended on, if they didn't do the responsibilities they were given the foraging societies wouldn't exist.
I agree that foraging should be looked into more as part of our modern society. The benefits that would come from community gardens and group hunts seem to far outweigh the negative. It seems that nowadays society makes it harder for people to live and take care of themselves. One of my goals is to have a home off of the grid with a garden and try to do as much for myself as possible.
Giana Edberg
Anthropology 101 Summer
This reminds me of how my ancestral Native American culture got moved from their land and pushed onto reservations. It is sad that industrialism is pushing foragers out and bring new culture in. My great aunt is one of the last remaining of the Indians of my tribe and she always has stories of how they used to forage for food and other supplies. It is an amazing but dying way of life.
Very moving article.
Zachary Forrester
anthro 101 3001 summer
I have been noticing the increase of organic food and healthy living. Foraging can still be done today but the growth in population, poverty and big families need fast and cheap food. Foraging takes time and does not always have all the nutrients humans need today. Foraging for the population today would be impossible and take up all our natural resources. Forging is not a bad thing but for the time that we live in now it is not a beneficial thing for everyone.
-Lupita
While you are correct that foraging would not be sustainable in our current American culture because of our population size it is still sustainable and continues among various cultures around the globe. One of the groups you can write about for your social institutions assignment continues to practice foraging because it is actually more sustainable than importing food: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/nunavut-residents-protest-high-food-prices-1.1170565
It saddens me that these societies are being forced to change and so much culture is being lost. I've seen a documentary about one society, though I'm sure this has happened to many, where the state wouldn't allow the band to follow the water supplies due to new restrictions, which as when they were forced to assimilate.
It is ridicule that we purposely take away a people culture just because we believe we are more advanced., and have a better way of life. When in reality our way of life is so much more detrimental and wasteful. We should learn to appreciate their culture and use it instead of our senseless greed. - Mariah B.
Glad to see that the conclusion of this piece made sure to point out that those that forage are not less intelligent or stubborn, because i believe many people see these groups in that light.
Jordan R
from reading this i think we should all know how to hunt like they do because know in day we have so much technology and want everything easy because if one day technology comes down we should still know how to hunt to feed our family's.in to days society we accept to much from everyone with out working hard for. i wish i could live in the old days where you go hunting to food and make jackets off of a bear.
Reading this make me remind the following quote “I don’t understand why when we destroy something created by man we call it vandalism, but when we destroy something by nature we call it progress.” Ed Begley Jr. It so sad that foraging societies are not as prevalent as in the past and that They are often forcibly moved from their traditional lands due to the negative perceptions of foraging groups including beliefs that they are less intelligent and primitive. I believe there is no culture group living today that has not been deeply affected by modern society but some are affected more than other on the way to disappear. It is important to preserve the foraging societies to study Human ancestors as well as to learn more about human nature.
Eliana Llanos, Anth 101
After reading this I had realized that many people will overhunt which causes animals to go endanger or become extinct, since people do no seem to comprehend to hunt only what is needed. However the foragers do understand and they do want the species to still be populated. These foragers will hunt for the food that they need to eat for themselves and the village/town.
Christine Jackson Anthro 101
I am an occasional forager due to my habit of backpacking and goatpacking. Even out in the Great Basin desert there is often wild food to be found. I only forage when the environment can handle it, but I notice edible things even if I do not consume them. We also maintain quite a large garden but Northern Nevada is not the best place to garden.
Considering my own struggles with the climate and desert soil I often read with awe about the Northern Paiute people who inhabited Lahontan Valley before the Europeans came. They were a tough and resilient people! I marvel at the women wading into the semi frozen marshes in early spring to pick cattail shoots for the children. It was the first green food of the spring and must have been such a treat but oh my, the freezing cold water!
The foraging way of life seems to have been very successful for most of our history. I only wish governments would respect the native people and their ancestral homes no matter where they reside. It is a terrible shame to see them pushed off their lands and forced to assimilate into a society that brings so many of us sorrow. I understand that most folks prefer to live in cities and lead a more "domesticated" lifestyle, but it is not for everyone and respecting these people would also preserve habitat for many other species who rely on it for their lives.
Margaret "Charlie" Goggin
I know that men did the big game hunting and women were the gathers but it was interesting to learn that the women also hunted small animals. This reminds me of shows on TV about people moving in the middle of Alaska and have to hunt and fish before winter to be able to survive. I think it would be quite an experience having to live this way. I think the people who can are extremely skilled and intelligent.
Leslie Milton
Anthropology 101
Course 3001
I wonder why Asia and Europe are/were much less dominated by foraging groups versus other continents, like North America and Australia? Is there another means of sustenance that these societies have historically relied upon?
Neva Rodrigues
ANTH 101, Section 3001
Great question, Neva. If you look at those areas of the world from both a historical and modern perspective you may notice that these areas have a long history of agricultural development. Environmental determinism is key to what mode of subsistence exists in a specific area and the culture that occupies that area. So while foraging existed many millennia ago in these areas it was eventually replaced by agriculture and now industrial agriculture in many of those areas. That doesn't mean that certain groups do not have different types of subsistence because they do exist (e.g. the Saami are pastorialists).
It is strange to see societies that are still foraging. With being constantly surrounded by technology, it seems strange to think there are whole societies that are completely independent from technology. I am sad that they are loosing their way of life. I hope they can continue to remain apart and live their lives the way they choose. I think a lot of people who cannot live without technology do not understand the foraging way of life and want to force it on these societies.
Samantha Bond
Anth 101 3002
Do any groups in the United States still forage? Specifically in a way that is more than remembering what their ancestors did or to keep to their heritage (Hopefully, that makes sense. I can't think of a better way to explain it)? It would seem quite impossible to me due to the (sub)urbanization of most of the country along with strict hunting laws and reservations being set in less than idealistic locations.
Cassidy Banks
Anth 101 3001
It is interesting that we are discussing the foraging concept for providing for the family. The advent of the modern city and the industrial revolution moved the farm from the home to the supermarket. I really think that it is a good thing to bring back the urban garden to provide fresh foods. Granted there isn’t the variety and hunting but I believe that this reconnection to the earth would be helpful. Reattaching to our genetic roots and historic abilities. In raising my kids I really worked hard to avoid having processed foods, sodas, fast food as often as possible. I also pushed for them to be outside and not in front of a TV. I think that foraging is the one method that keeps a people connected to their environment. The sad part is that there are so many people on the planet now that it would be difficult to return to that for everyone.
It's interesting to see that women's role in a foraging society is similar to the women's role in modern society. Similar in the sense that both roles includes the women nurturing for her children while still contributing into the workforce.
Interesting blog. I never thought woman would hunt when there was man around, I always thought they was stuck doing the jobs they we're expected to do in the homes.
Aaliyah Caldwell
The band seems to be more important than the nuclear family in several cultures past and present, as I know there are some in which the extended family lives (or lived) together.
Do you believe that there are any modern foraging groups in the Midwest today?
Formal foraging groups that exist today, no. Informal, yes, which would be homeless populations across North, Central, and South America.
Discussing the foraging concept is very neat. I wonder if any places in the US still forage?
I think other societies should try to be more egalitarian; equal to others because, we see some people as being more superior or better than others. Nowadays it's all about money you are equal to whoever falls in the same social class as you do.
-apreshana Page
this post was really informative. I have never actually took the time to research foragers so reading this post opened my eyes to a lot of things that I was unaware of. One thing that I did not no was that they had a set family structure, this being the nuclear family and than the band. I thought this was neat because it signifies the importance of family. another thing that I found interesting is that they had gender-based division of labor. It seems like every culture has a set women's job and a set men's job.
My name Aleisha watts, I think it's a good thing we have people who live by this but it's also a sad thing because it doesn't fit the new world expectations, so they get pushed away. I know it can be so tempting to want to live like the rest of the world. I like the way they think and live by certain things instead of going off the advancement of society.
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