Who were the Nacirema tribe?
The Nacirema are a group of people who live in the territory north of the Tarahuamare people of Mexico. No one knows much about their origin, but traditional legends say they came from the east. Their customs have been studied for many years, yet their culture is still poorly understood.
Who Miner is referring to as the Nacirema?
In the paper, Miner describes the Nacirema, a little-known tribe living in North America. The way in which he writes about the curious practices that this group performs distances readers from the fact that the North American group described actually corresponds to modern-day Americans of the mid-1950s.
Is the Nacirema culture still around?
The Nacirema don’t exist and they are in fact American culture (Nacirema in reverse).
Is Nacirema American culture?
It is obvious at this point that the Nacirema are not some exotic culture, but are in fact American, and that “Nacirema” is just “American” spelled backwards. This was Miner’s trick.
What is taboo to the Nacirema?
The Nacirema were a fascinating people, prone to strange customs: Intercourse is taboo as a topic and scheduled as an act. Efforts are made to avoid pregnancy by the use of magical materials or by limiting intercourse to certain phases of the moon. Conception is actually very infrequent.
What is mouth rite?
The daily body ritual performed by everyone includes a mouth-rite. This rite involves a practice which strikes the stranger as revolting. The ritual consists of inserting a small bundle of hog hairs into the mouth, along with certain magical powders, and then moving the bundle in a highly formalized series of gestures.
What is Latipso in Nacirema?
The other peculiar practice that is found among tribes of all sizes of the Nacirema are those of the medicine men. They provide their services in a structure called a latipso. These medicine men are assisted by maidens who make close relations with those who are sick.
When did Horace Miner wrote Nacirema?
1956
In 1956, anthropologist Horace Miner published an article, “Body Ritual among the Nacirema,” in the journal American Anthropologist. The Nacirema were a fascinating people, prone to strange customs: Intercourse is taboo as a topic and scheduled as an act.
Who is the holy mouth man?
“In the hierarchy of magical practitioners, and below the medicine men in prestige, are specialists whose designation is best translated as “holy-mouth-men.” The Nacirema have an almost pathological horror of and fascination with the mouth, the condition of which is believed to have a supernatural influence on all …
Who is Notgnihsaw?
According to Nacirema mythology, their nation was originated by a culture hero, Notgnihsaw, who is otherwise known for two great feats of strength—the throwing of a piece of wampum across the river Pa-To-Mac and the chopping down of a cherry tree in which the Spirit of Truth resided.
What is the Nacirema shrine?
The Nacirema Shrine The more powerful people in the society have several ritual shrine rooms in their houses. In fact, the wealth of the owners of the houses is often measured in terms of the number of such ritual shrine rooms in a house. The shrine rooms of the more wealthy people are walled with stone.
Who is the listener in Body Ritual Among the Nacirema?
Miner also describes a witchdoctor called the “listener” who can exorcise demons from bewitched people. The Nacirema believe that parents, especially mothers, bewitch their own children. The listener treats people simply by listening to their talk of themselves.