Advertisements

The world of advertisement and commercialization are ruling over the consumers. With development and booming industries, the advertisements have become really popular. According to the article, Anthropological Perspectives on Contemporary Human Problems by John H. Bodley, “The entire world is now driven by a dominant cultural process that can be called commercialization”. The perception of what is good and what is bad is highly influenced by different kinds of advertisements.
The advertisements are published everywhere. If you open a magazine its there, if you read newspaper its there, if you visit a website its there and if you watch television its there. The advertisement companies are doing a great job to sell their products as they know the right technique to influence people. For instance, advertisements for food are represented in such a way that makes people want to eat it. The pictures of food shown in the covers look very delicious and appetizing but in real they do not look the same. The advertisements of hard drinks represent people having good time and socializing while the advertisements of soda drinks shows the consumption of their products to be relaxing and refreshing and the advertisements of energy drinks and coffee represents increase in performance. They are shown be natural and good for health giving the titles like fat free or sugar free. The food companies also make their products look good, cool and fun by making other food products look bad and unhealthy.
In Nepal, I do not know how exactly the advertisements started but I guess they learned it from the advertisements of other countries. We didn't use to have so much advertisements in TV, radio or magazines but nowadays there are commercials everywhere. In old times, the messages were announced by blowing trumpets, banging drums and delivering the message but nowadays technology and media have consumed us so much that we do not practice such traditions anymore. When I was young the advertisements in the televisions easily attracted me. The advertisements of Kellogg's cornflakes had secret prize in their packs so I would ask my parents to buy these cereals so that I could get the free gifts. If my favorite actor was promoting certain products I would want to use them too. The advertisements of cup noodles which had catchy songs made eating such noodles so cool that it made me buy them. Because of the such crafty advertisements I started preferring canned and packed foods over home cooked foods. Only later I realized how these packaged foods are not really good as it looks or are represented. I was easily deceived by the appealing advertisements but now I know how commercialization works with consumers.
We should be aware of the real things that we are buying and not what they represent. It is easy to believe them and choose the particular item that catches our eye but we shouldn't choose and trust what is shown to us. It is up to us to decide what we want and we shouldn't be tricked by these advertisements.

witchcraft

In the book, The Gebusi, the villagers believe in witchcraft and sorcery as it says that majority of Gebusi killings which is 61 percent is because of individual executions of sorcery suspects. According to Knauft, “Gebusi adults of both sexes and almost all age categories could be killed as sorcerers” (61). This sort of belief about sorcery and witchcraft is also prevalent in my country.
Nepal is a developing country and people have different many superstitions. One of them is witchcraft and sorcery. My elder sister was very skinny when she was small and my mother took her to Tantric which means a healer. She gave my sister a kaudi which is like a pendant. It was supposed to make her healthy and it could be coincidence or something else but my sister started to gain weight. Also my aunt's son used to get sick very often. She used to take her to the doctor but still he used to be unwell from time to time. Then she took him to the same Tantric and I tagged along with them. The room was small and there were many burning incense sticks. The Tantric uttered some prayer which was very fast and touched my little brother with a broom. She also sprinkled water on him. This lasted for couple of minutes. After she was done my aunt offered her some fruits and money as a gift. I was fascinated by these things when I was kid but I don't believe in it anymore.
With development many people in cities do not believe in these stuff either but there are still some who do especially in remote places. There have been many cases where people have been killed for bad sorcery. In December 2009, two women in eastern Nepal were stabbed and killed by a man because he thought they were practicing witchcraft. The man was sick and he went to Tantrik who said that he was possessed by am evil spirit. They sacrificed animals and found that two women who was his relatives were witches. As time passed by the man's health became worse so he went where those two women lived and killed them with Khukuri, a Nepali iron blade weapon. But in real he was suffering from typhoid. He was arrested later and put to trial.
There was another case which happened this February, 2010 in Pyutar village.low caste called Dalit who are untouchables. She was blamed for making a teacher ill. She was taken out of her house and locked in a cow shed. She was forced to eat faeces and drink urine. They tortured her a lot and cut her skin. She couldn't bear it anymore and lied that she was a witch to save her own life.
Superstition and caste-based discrimination still exists in different parts of Nepal. Women are attacked physically and humiliated after being blamed for practicing witchcraft. I think such beliefs are irrational and inhumane and our Nepalese society should cast such thoughts aside.

Economic Reasons Changing the Environment and Culture

From the articles that we have read and the discussion we had this week, I have learned how World Economy and Industrialization affects the lives of people in different places. Every country is moving towards development and urbanization. But there many consequences that follow when we go through the actual process of development.
In the article, The Kayapo Resistance, the Kayapo people faces the harsh realities of such progress when Brazilian people invade their land. They not only suffer losing their lands and environmental benefits to these people but even their culture and traditions are in jeopardy. The government is trying to build dams for hydroelectricity. These are the infrastructures for development but they have been adversely affecting the lives of Kayapo people. The waters of river are being polluted and the forests are shrinking. The environmental condition is degrading with invasion of development.
In another article, Cocaine and the Economic Deterioration of Bolivia, the villagers of Pocona suffered because of the increasing market for Cocaine. They had the traditional habits of chewing Coca leaves but now they can't even afford some. Americans have decreased their consumption of alcohol for drugs and cocaine while Pocona people are drinking more alcohol in order to replace the traditional Coca. The villagers are first attracted to the industries with the temptation to earn more money but they have to go through so many problems. They don't earn enough money and the villagers suffer with hunger. The young men who work to make pasta have to deal with the chemicals that cripple their limbs making them impaired and maimed. They also get venereal diseases. The world economy has only decreased the value of their currency “pesos”. The local diet has become unbalanced and spoiled the traditional organization.
People from other countries have gone through similar problems. My country, Nepal I s also suffering from these crisis. The world economy has greatly influenced people towards urbanization. The capital city, Kathmandu, has so many industries and vehicles that it is badly suffering from pollution. People from different villages leave their families behind and go to the city in hopes of earning money. The population is dramatically increasing in the capital as the emigration number is going up. The Bagmati river which was supposed to be holy is being treated as a dumping site for garbage. The river had become so polluted that its color has become brownish black and it stinks very bad. With the increasing popularity for global industries the trees of the forests are being chopped off to get raw materials.
Not only the environmental aspect is changing but also the traditional values are getting modified. The new generation are into Western fashion and food. They wear pants, t-shirts, skirts , sweat shirts and other western dresses. The traditional clothes like gunyo cholo are hardly worn. Though saris and kurta suruwals are worn in special occassions. The people in the cities are into fast food like pizza, fries and burgers. Eating typical meal like rice, dal and curry is no longer preferred. The lifestyle of Western countries are influencing these young generations who are quickly losing their traditions and culture.From the articles that we have read and the discussion we had this week, I have learned how World Economy and Industrialization affects the lives of people in different places. Every country is moving towards development and urbanization. But there many consequences that follow when we go through the actual process of development.
In the article, The Kayapo Resistance, the Kayapo people faces the harsh realities of such progress when Brazilian people invade their land. They not only suffer losing their lands and environmental benefits to these people but even their culture and traditions are in jeopardy. The government is trying to build dams for hydroelectricity. These are the infrastructures for development but they have been adversely affecting the lives of Kayapo people. The waters of river are being polluted and the forests are shrinking. The environmental condition is degrading with invasion of development.
In another article, Cocaine and the Economic Deterioration of Bolivia, the villagers of Pocona suffered because of the increasing market for Cocaine. They had the traditional habits of chewing Coca leaves but now they can't even afford some. Americans have decreased their consumption of alcohol for drugs and cocaine while Pocona people are drinking more alcohol in order to replace the traditional Coca. The villagers are first attracted to the industries with the temptation to earn more money but they have to go through so many problems. They don't earn enough money and the villagers suffer with hunger. The young men who work to make pasta have to deal with the chemicals that cripple their limbs making them impaired and maimed. They also get venereal diseases. The world economy has only decreased the value of their currency “pesos”. The local diet has become unbalanced and spoiled the traditional organization.
People from other countries have gone through similar problems. My country, Nepal I s also suffering from these crisis. The world economy has greatly influenced people towards urbanization. The capital city, Kathmandu, has so many industries and vehicles that it is badly suffering from pollution. People from different villages leave their families behind and go to the city in hopes of earning money. The population is dramatically increasing in the capital as the emigration number is going up. The Bagmati river which was supposed to be holy is being treated as a dumping site for garbage. The river had become so polluted that its color has become brownish black and it stinks very bad. With the increasing popularity for global industries the trees of the forests are being chopped off to get raw materials.
Not only the environmental aspect is changing but also the traditional values are getting modified. The new generation are into Western fashion and food. They wear pants, t-shirts, skirts , sweat shirts and other western dresses. The traditional clothes like gunyo cholo are hardly worn. Though saris and kurta suruwals are worn in special occasions. The people in the cities are into fast food like pizza, fries and burgers. Eating typical meal like rice, dal and curry is no longer preferred. The lifestyle of Western countries are influencing these young generations who are quickly losing their traditions and culture.

Superstitions

Superstitions are mere beliefs about something that people believe in without any valid reasoning or real facts. People have different kinds of superstitions about many things in their life. A superstition could be something we think about or happens in everyday life. They are related to luck, prophecy and supernatural beings and they exist in every culture.
The article “Baseball Magic” by George Gmelch talks about different kinds of superstitions followed by the baseball players. I was not expecting so many numbers of superstitions in a sport game. When something good happens in a game, the player repeats the same pattern of activities he did that day like eating a the same meal, wearing their lucky shoes, swinging a bat three times, adjusting the cap before every hit, wearing a charmed pendant, not shaving and wearing a lucky numbered jersey.
In my country too we have numerous superstitions. I personally don't believe in any of them but since I grew up in such society it is indeed hard to ignore some of the superstitions. One the superstition I follow till this day is whenever someone touches my neck I have to blow the person's hand. According what my parents used to say if I don't do that my tonsils will swell. When I think about it I don't believe it but since I had habit of doing that since I was a kid I just have natural impulse to blow the person's hand. I have a feeling of uneasiness and discomfort until and unless I do it. The other superstition is when a black cat crosses your path I am not supposed to walk that way or at least wait for someone to pass before me so that I won't carry a bad luck. But if I spit before the cat completely crosses the path then I won't carry the bad luck. These are two superstitions I don't believe in but still I end up blowing and spitting in such circumstances.
There are some superstitions that my mother follows. It is something that we should or should not do in a particular day of a week. She never goes shopping and neither lets me go shopping on Monday because it is said that any clothes bought on Monday won't be lasting or good. And if we are traveling on Tuesday we should come back on Saturday. Also we are not supposed to return home on the ninth day of our travel. My mother never showers on Thursday because married women are not supposed to do that else something bad will happen to their husbands.
My mother always scolds me when I whistle at night because whistling at night is supposed to bring thieves in the house. Also being to excited about something is not good in my culture. If someone is going to buy me something I should have high expectations. If someone is coming home after long time I should be too happy about it either. It is said that being to excited brings bad luck and is hazardous to that person.
People have different way of reacting to superstitions. Some think its ridiculous some take it seriously. Some are amazed while others are scared. Though science and technology have been so advanced it is funny that superstitions still survives.

Arranged Marriage

In the article “Arranging a Marriage in India” the author Serena Nanda talks about arrange marriage. For her it is a shock to see such kind of marriage which she cannot imagine for herself. She learns that almost all marriages are arranged in India. Similarly, in my country Nepal arrange marriage is very common.
My parents had arrange marriage. According to the article the family members look for partners for their sons or daughters with same social status and class. My paternal grandmother had been looking for a bride for her son for some months. In this matter, relatives and their connections are very important. That is how my mother was found by my paternal grandmother. She came to know about her from a mutual friend of my maternal grandmother. Before the families met they considered the if both of them had same caste that is “Newar” and since they did they moved forward with the process. So the common friend introduced both of the families and they talked about it. They also had common religion that is “Buddhism” which made both the families even happier. Then my father and mother were told about it. My mother was just eighteen while my father was twenty five years old. My father along with parents and some friends went to my mother's home and they met there for the first time. Both of them agreed to marry each other and they were very soon engaged. And after few weeks they were wed. My mother and father told me that for them meeting for first time was very exciting and it them anxious at the same time. They laugh and smile whenever they tell me their story. They were happy to be married in that way and say that their parents couldn't have found them a better partner.
I asked my mother if she was afraid to get married to an unknown person to which she replied that she was but at the same time she was glad to have someone chosen for her by her parents. She trusted their judgment. She also told me the anticipation and mystery is the best part of arrange marriage. All these comments are similar to the points made by Indians in Nanda's articles. Though love marriages are also happening nowadays there are still people who believe in arranged marriages in my country.

Fattening Room and Bara Tayegu

The article “Where Fat is a Mark of Beauty” by Ann M. Simmons shows how a culture defines beauty. The Nigerian girls are supposed to be fat in order to look pretty while for us Nepalese girls we are supposed to be slim in order to look nice. When I was going to America my mother told me to maintain a healthy diet and to avoid fast food. She came here on Christmas and she was really upset when she saw me since I had gained weight. Whenever I used to eat she used to tell me to stop eating so much. This shows how my culture is different from Nigerian culture.

But there some similarities too that I found between these cultures. Like the tradition of “fattening room” where teenaged Margaret Bassey Ene has a mission to get fat by being secluded in a room where she just eats, sleeps and gets fat. According to my Newari custom, girls from age 8 to 13 before the onset of menstruation are confined in a room for 12 days. We call this ritual “Bara Tayegu” in Newari and “Gufa Rakhne” in Nepali. During these 12 days all we do is eat, play and dance inside the the room. We are not supposed see men and sun or daylight so they put the us in a dark room with no windows or covered windows. But unlike the Nigerian culture, female visitors are allowed to enter the room.

The Nigerian girls get body massages with chalk powder and heavy red palm oil to make them look attractive. Similarly, during “Gufa” I got my face, hands and legs massaged and scrubbed with “kwo” which is a mixture of gram flour, ground fenugreek seeds and hot mustard oil. This was supposed to exfoliate and nourish our skin and make us look fair and beautiful.

After the end of fattening room process the Nigerian girls are supposed to get married. Similarly, on the 12^th day the Newari girls are dressed up with traditional clothes and they put on make-up. Then they are brought out from the room. A priest performs some rituals and says prayer which may last an hour then we are married to the sun. It is a happy occasion and just like the Nigerian culture the relatives gather and bring gifts. In the end we have big celebration with dance, music and feast.

Menstruation in different culture

I found some similarity between !Kung culture and my culture in terms of menstruation. In Nepal, we have different castes and each caste have different culture. My caste is Newar and in family when someone has periods they are not supposed to go the room where we pray.

My family is not very traditional so they don't put restrictions on other things. But one of my friend who is also from the same caste is not allowed to go to the praying room and kitchen. She has to ask for food from her family members and is not allowed to join her family in the dinner table during the meal. She has to sit on the floor and eat. She is also not allowed to sleep on the bed so she has to sleep on the floor. She didn't like this at all and told me that sometimes she didn't tell them when she was having periods.

When a girl is having her periods we call it “nachuney” which means untouchable and that is why she is not supposed to touch or do holy things. She is not allowed to pray to God or participate in any religious festivals.

I found one thing common among !Kung culture and one of my friend's culture. Her caste is Brahmin. In !Kung culture during the first menstruation they have a festival and men are not supposed to see the girl who is having the periods as it mentions in the book, “Thus !Kung men never see the girl as she lies inside the hut” (Shostak 135). When my friend had her first menstruation, she was also not supposed to show her face to any men for 4 days so she stayed inside her room and only came out occasionally to go to bathroom or eat.

Name and Culture

I found he article "Doctor, Lawyer, Indian Cheif" by Richard Kurin very interesting. He goes to Punjab for his ethnographic fieldwork. Kurin mentions the scene where his lungi accidently fell off and people took him as a pervert. This was hilarious. But I have to say wearing lungi is not easy at all because in my mother's hometown, Butwal which is near India, men still do wear lungis and I have tried to learn how to wear it and it was not easy. And even in Nepal we call such clothing with the same name.

The author's name is Richard Kurin but he prefers to be called "Rashid Karim" which is very understandable since it is a Pakistani name and easier to pronounce by the people from Punjab. When I came to Luther College, many people could not pronounce my name correctly. Some people did not even attempt to say it in fear of butchering it and asked me if I had easier nickname. Then one of my friends started calling my "Swo" which is pronounced as "Sue" and later I went with that name. I preferred them to call me "Swo" instead of "Sworupa" just as the author preferred to be called "Rashid" instead of "Richard" for the convenience of people around.

But Kurin was commonly called Angrez (English man). Even in Nepal white men are called Angrez or Kuirey which means white man. My TOEFL teacher in Nepal was American from Iowa and his name was Kevin Hodges but he went with the name "ke ho" which is Nepali word that means "what". He told us that people call him Kuirey most of the time.

By all these examples, I have observed how people change their name in different places according to the culture around them. They try to adjust in their surrounding and go with an easier name for the convenience of people around them which I think is a common practice not only followed by ethnographers but other people according to their surrounding.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDO6KWJXqQU