Gift Giving Guide 11: Finding the Best Present for Your Favorite Anthropologists

Twice a year every year I dedicate a blog post to something a little different and fun: gifts for the anthropologist.  I attempt to highlight handmade and/or fair trade items as these most closely mirror the values of anthropology in cultural understanding and preservation.  If you happen to know an anthropologist, someone with interests in anthropology, an anthropology graduate, or someone who shares these same values feel free to look into one of these amazing gifts:

For the Cultural Anthropologist

There is a trend in anthropology to become more aware of the effects of one's research on the local cultural groups, as well as being cognizant of how anthropology can be used to help people and cultural groups.  Cultural anthropologists are on the front lines of this trend, and this necklace embodies that idea very well.  If you know an anthropologist looking to work in advocacy or to make a difference this necklace quoting Margaret Mead might be the perfect gift.  Available through Chocolate And Steel on Etsy.

For the Biological Anthropologist

Primatology is one of the more popular areas within biological anthropology.  Therefore this unique gift may be the perfect for any biological anthropologist you know given that primate studies affect many of the other sub-subfields within the area.  Pins With Personality on Etsy offers a variety of primate pins, but this gorilla one is a personal favorite.  Lightweight and easy to wear a perfect accessory for any individual and occasion.

For the Linguistic Anthropologist

Everyone needs to drink, particularly water (because it is good for everyone!), and this mug might just be the perfect piece for the Linguistic Anthropologist in your life.  The witty caption it will bring a smile to their face each and every time they use it, be it for coffee, tea, or any watery beverage they feel to fill it with.  Available through Real People Goods on Etsy.  Note, this is also available as a shirt if that is more appropriate for your giftee.

For the Archaeologist

Archaeologists may not be chased by boulders or punching Nazis, but they are busy excavating out in the field or researching in archives, libraries, or other institutional repositories of knowledge.  They do hard work, and they need a nice place to rest their heads when they sleep at night.  Why not make their rest a little easier with this fun pillow case set.  They are sure to get a kick out of the ritual of their sleep (or lack thereof) with this dandy piece available through Silver Spur Mercantile on Etsy.

To Be or Not To Be A Primate? Understanding What It Means To Be a Primate

Top Left (Clockwise): Tarsier, Baboon, Spider Monkey, Orangutan, Human, Lemur 

Believe it or not humans are primates.  So are baboons, aye-ayes, and orangutans.  But tree shrews are not.  There is a great deal of diversity in the species that make up the primate order, and this can and often does create confusion among those just beginning to understand biological anthropology and primatology.  Today’s blog post will cover what it means to be a primate, the different groups within the primate order, and some general primate characteristics shared by all of the species within the order (all the way from the pygmy mouse lemur to gorillas).  ;)

First, it is important to understand what primate means.  The term primate refers to a mammalian order, which is a taxonomic classification that groups like organisms (in this case, mammals) based on specific shared characteristics or traits.  It is a higher level of classification that has broader shared characteristics or traits (compared to genus and species, which are more specific in those shared characteristics and traits).  Within any order there can be suborders, which further refine the organisms within the order grouping.  In the case of primates there are two suborders: Anthropoidea, which includes monkeys, apes, and humans, and Prosimii, which includes lemurs, lorises, & tarsiers.  The distinction between these two suborders relates to the evolutionary changes between the two groups; Anthropoids are considered more evolutionarily advanced (meaning they underwent additional evolutionary changes) as compared to Prosimians (who more closely resemble primate ancestors).  From here there are (obviously) additional characteristics that further define and categorize the various primate species, but for simplicity we are going to stop here.  Note, those interested in learning more are encouraged to peruse other blog posts or take an Introduction to Biological (aka Physical) Anthropology course.

So what specific characteristics define the order primates?  Well, there are several, and as such they are going to be broken down in a bulleted list:

·         Limbs & Locomotion

o   All primates have an erect posture, have the ability to locomote (move) in various ways (be it swinging from trees or walking on land), as well a prehensile (grasping) hands and feet, although that prehensibility does vary greatly within the order.  For example, a chimpanzee can grasp a pencil with its foot, whereas most humans cannot.  Also, all primates have tactile pads on their hands and feet, which allow for sensitive feeling in them (such as what I feel as my fingers click onto the keys of the keyboard), as well as nails, not claws (an adaptation gained from our shared tree dwelling ancestors).

·         Diet & Teeth

o   The majority of primates are omnivorous, meaning they eat plants and meat.  There are a couple of notable exceptions, such as the tarsier (scrolls all the way down), which are largely carnivores, and gorillas (again, scroll to the bottom), who are vegetarians.  To this end primates have generalized dentition, meaning they have teeth for tearing (e.g. incisors and canines) and for crushing or mashing (e.g. premolar and molars).

·         Senses & Brains

o   The majority of primates are diurnal, meaning they are awake during the day, although, again, some are nocturnal, meaning active at night.  These are most often species that fall within the suborder Prosimii.  Primates also have reduced olfaction, meaning our sense of smell is not as strong as other species (which is why there are no drug sniffing humans), but we make up for it in our enhanced vision.  Primates can see more variations in color than most other species, as well as stereoscopically, meaning in three dimensions.  Because we have two forward facing eyes we have a greater field of vision as compared to other species, and our brains have not one but several vision centers that allow for the full processing of the visual information our eyes receive.  Our large brains also allow us to process and think creatively, allowing us to communicate and among various species (e.g. apes and humans) create culture.  Unfortunately, our large brains disable us from leaving our parents early in life, meaning we have a slower maturation period to allow for our brains (and bodies) to fully develop.  This leads to greater infant dependency periods and greater social bonds among individuals and groups, which is why all primates are social creatures by nature.

As you probably already realized that is a lot that defines primates, which is why it is an order classification.  As we narrow down the taxonomic classifications down to the genus and species levels we can refine specifically what makes up specific groups (e.g. the genus Homo versus the genus Pan).  It is interesting to note that we share quite in common with our primate cousins, and this is why we study them, in part to understand what it is to be human.  :)

Bibliography

Jurmain, Robert, Kilgore, Lynn, Trevathan, Wenda, Ciochon, Russell L. Introduction to Physical

Anthropology. Belmont, California: Wadsworth, 2014. Print.

Welsch, R. and L. Vivanco.  2015.  Cultural Anthropology: Asking Questions About Humanity.  Oxford University Press.  

(Image Provided by Common Descent Podcast)

The Kula & The Trobriand Islanders

Figure 1: Trobriand Islands

 

Novice anthropology students are introduced to a variety of anthropological concepts and cultures of the past and present.  While each students’ experience can and does vary there are common threads in all of our educational experiences regarding the fundamental concepts, groups, and anthropological scholars we learn about, and a set of those key concepts, groups, and scholars includes learning about reciprocity (systems of exchange), the Trobriand Islanders, and Bronislaw Malinowski.  Bronislaw Malinowski is considered the father of sociocultural anthropology based on his pivotal ethnographic study of the Trobriand Islanders.  During his years of living with the Trobriand Islanders Malinowski chronicled a great deal of their cultural traditions, including the now famous kula exchange networks.  This blog post is going to discuss this reciprocal exchange network, explaining what it is and its value to the Trobriand Islanders.

The Trobriand Islands are a series of islands in the South Pacific off the coast of Eastern New Guinea (Figure 1).  The inhabitants of these islands are aptly called the Trobriand Islanders, who have and continue to practice their rich cultural traditions as passed down through several generations.  One such tradition is the kula exchange, a system of reciprocal exchange where shells (Figure 2) are exchanged among Trobriand Islander groups every two to five years.  

Figure 2: Kula Shells (top left: mwali shells; bottom right: bagi shells)

  

In the kula exchange two sets of shells are exchanged among Trobriand Islanders: white arm shells, mwali, which move counter clockwise among the islands, and red shell necklaces, bagi, which move clockwise among the islands (Figure 3).  Traditionally, a group of men who have been selected and trained in the kula tradition will embark on the kula exchange, thereby starting the kula exchange.  Today, some women participate in the kula but in very limited roles.  Active members of the kula exchange select new kula participants among their family members (e.g. sons or brothers-in-law), but selection does not necessarily mean permanency as individuals can be rejected from the kula participation if they continually lose or break the kula shells.  The kula shells are considered valuable based on their use in the tradition, but they can and do gain value based on the vibrancy of their color, size, and polish, as well as the length of time they have been used in the kula exchange.

The purpose of the kula exchange is twofold: to either surrender excess goods to assist trading partners who are in need or to trade goods for necessities that other trading partners have.  This is not very different from other systems of reciprocal exchange (such as the Potlatch among Pacific Northwest Coast American Indian groups).  Trobriand Islanders remain in contact with each other during the times when the kula is not actively done, so they are always aware of when a need for resources, such as food or goods, arises and when the kula should be initiated.

Figure 3: The Kula exchange network

References Cited

Peters-Golden, H.  (2011).  Culture Sketches: Case Studies in Anthropology. 6th Edition.  Mc-Graw Hill Education.

From Pit Houses to Cliff Dwellings: The History and Culture of the Ancestral Puebloans

You may have never heard the term Ancestral Puebloans, although you may know quite a bit about them.  This is the recently adopted term for the group of American Indians formerly (and still commonly) referred to as the Anasazi, which is a term that translates to “ancient ones” or “ancient enemies”.  While both terms are used to characterize Ancestral Puebloans the newly adopted term is more representative of the group, who are considered the ancestors of various modern southwest American Indian groups, including but not limited to the Zuni, Pueblo, Hopi, and Navajo, whereas the former (Anasazi) is identified as a slur/offensive term.  Today’s blog post will provide a short summary of the history and culture of the Ancestral Puebloans, as well as address newly discovered evidence regarding their unexpected demise.

The Ancestral Puebloans were a cultural group that began around 1500 BCE.  The settled in valleys and canyons across the American southwest, existing in the modern-day states of New Mexico, Utah, Colorado, and Arizona.  In the beginning they resided in partially submerged/dug out pit houses along valley and canyon floors.  They were horticulturalists who cultivated corn and supplemented their diets with wild game and plants.  They were skilled craftsmen who wove intricate baskets and sandals.  They hunted with the atlatl, spear thrower, which was common among various American Indian groups of that time. 

Eventually, their culture evolved and they developed pottery (Figure 1), which is one feature for which they are characterized by.  Their primary pottery styles included a gray utilitarian ware and a black on white decorative ware.  There were a series of regional styles that were produced, and the San Juan style, a red on orange or black on orange style from the Ancestral Puebloan groups of Utah, eventually became a third popular style much later.  At this time they also abandoned the use of the atlatl and developed sophisticated lithic points and adopted the bow and arrow for hunting.  Their populations grew, and they developed full scale agriculture, cultivating beans and squash in addition to corn.  Their habitations sites were characterized by large, above ground pueblo (adobe brick) structures.

Figure 2: Cliff Dwellings of the Ancestral Puebloans

Around 1200 CE social unrest caused the Ancestral Puebloans to move into larger habitation sites, as well as to abandon the valley and canyon floors for cliff dwellings (Figure 2).  These cliff dwellings were built at least 600 feet above the canyon floors, and today even with the aid of modern climbing equipment many of these structures remain inaccessible.  It is believed that the Ancestral Puebloans accessed these cliff dwellings through a series of large, fallen trees with carved hand and foot holds and a series of man-made ladders (the latter of which still remain at some sites, including the famous site in Chaco Valley*).  The dangers in accessing these dwellings outweighed the threats from various groups that faced the Ancestral Puebloans.  It is believed that severe drought and environmental degradation led to violence, warfare, and survival cannibalism among these groups, as evidenced by both osteological and coprolite studies.  In less than 100 years the Ancestral Puebloan culture and habitation sites were abandoned as the remaining citizens moved south, giving rise to the various descendant populations that remain today.

While much is known about the Ancestral Puebloans there still remains more than can be learned about this and other ancestral American Indian groups.  *Various archaeological sites, including those related to Ancestral Puebloans, are under threat as the US government plans and is actively opening up the sale of federal lands in Chaco Valley and throughout the American Southwest to private interest groups.  As these lands are sold and developed the archaeological evidence will be lost, thereby removing evidence that can support knowledge already known to American Indians regarding their histories and cultures but also for all of humanity in our collective understanding of what it means to be human.

Bibliography

Arizona Museum of Natural History. (2019). Cultures of the Ancient Americas. Retrieved from Arizona Museum of Natural History: https://arizonamuseumofnaturalhistory.org/explore-the-museum/exhibitions/cultures-of-the-ancient-americas

Hurst, W. (n.d.). Anasazi. In Utah History Encyclopedia.

Roberts, D. (2003, July). Riddles of the Anasazi. Retrieved from Smithsonian Magazine: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/riddles-of-the-anasazi-85274508/

Service, N. P. (n.d.). Mesa Verde. Retrieved from US Department of Interior: https://www.nps.gov/meve/learn/education/upload/ancestral_puebloans.pdf