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Body Ritual among the Nacirema
Summary
The word “Nacirema” is “American” spelled backwards. Miner’s piece on the Nacirema group is a satirical article about American culture. In his article, Miner describes some frequent practices that the Nacirema do in order to bring their bodies back from “debility and disease”.
In particular, he writes about several rituals that the Nacirema appear to practice regularly.
From his observations, Miner concludes that the Nacirema are “a magic-ridden people”.
Analysis
Miner writes as if from an outsider’s point of view. At first glance, it is not immediately recognizable that the society he is writing about is an industrial modern one – like that of my culture. This shows that language can shape the reader’s impression of a culture in a way that causes them to understand it differently from how the natives of it do.
The anthropologist also should to be clear in his use of language. For example, to be sure if the group studied uses the word “clean” is in a spiritual (symbolic) sense or its physical sense. In the article, Miner describes tap water as holy water made “ritually pure” whereas my culture considers tap water purified not in a symbolic but a functional way. However, in my culture, certain religious groups use water for ritual purification – e.g. Muslims wash themselves before entering the mosque. As both forms of “cleanliness” are present in my culture, it is important to examine the context in which “cleanliness” is used to see if it has a symbolic or literal meaning. Similarly, the anthropologist should locate unfamiliar practices observed in their proper context before classifying as religious or magical practices.
(Full article found here: Miner, H. (1956). Body Ritual among the Nacirema. American Anthropologist, 58 (3). Retrieved from https://www.msu.edu/~jdowell/miner.html?pagewanted=all)
The word “Nacirema” is “American” spelled backwards. Miner’s piece on the Nacirema group is a satirical article about American culture. In his article, Miner describes some frequent practices that the Nacirema do in order to bring their bodies back from “debility and disease”.
In particular, he writes about several rituals that the Nacirema appear to practice regularly.
| Miner’s description | Translation |
| Each Nacirema family shares a family shrine as part of their practice to maintain the state of their bodies. In the shrine, there is a built-in chest of “many charms and magical potions”. These charms and potions are not easy to come by, obtained from two different practioners and require “substantial gifts” before they are given. The Nacirema do “rite(s) of ablution” every day”. This involves bowing before the charm-box and use of “holy waters”. | Each American family shares a bathroom to maintain personal hygiene. In their bathroom, there is a chest with prescriptions and medicines. Medicines have to be obtained from the pharmacist using a doctor’s prescription. Medicines can be costly. The American washes up every day. They lower their face to the sink (located below the medicine chest) and use clean tap water. |
| The Nacirema have “private mouth-rite(s)” which involve putting hog hairs into their mouths – a process Miner describes as “revolting”. They also pay regular visits to a “holy-mouth-man” in order to protect their teeth despite the pain involved in every visit, and that their teeth continue to decay anyway. | The American brushes his or her teeth. He or she also visits a dentist regularly, even though dental treatment may hurt and does not completely stop decay. |
| Nacirema men appear to cause hurt to their faces daily. Nacirema women have been observed to “bake their heads in small ovens” “four times during each lunar month”. | American men shave their faces daily. American women get their hair done four times a month. |
| There is an “imposing temple” (laptiso) where the very sick go. Despite the “harsh” ceremonies involved and the cost of a “rich gift”, Nacirema adults are willing to undergo these ceremonies even though there is no guarantee of a cure. | The very sick people receive medical treatment in a hospital. Although treatment can be uncomfortable and expensive, American adults still seek medical treatment although it does not guarantee a cure. |
| The Nacirema also have a “listener”. He or she helps exorcise devils from the heads of those who have been bewitched by letting their patient talk of the difficulties he or she has faced. | American people may visit a psychiatrist/counselor who listens his/her client speak about the problems he/she faces. |
| The Nacirema seem to be opposed to their bodies – fat people are made thinner through “ritual fasts” while thin people are made fatter through “ceremonial feasts”. | American people are not satisfied with their body shapes. They may eat a lot or fast in order to get their desired body shape. |
| In Nacirema culture, reproduction is a very secret process and “magical materials” are used to prevent pregnancy. | In American culture, reproduction is a personal decision and contraceptives are used. |
From his observations, Miner concludes that the Nacirema are “a magic-ridden people”.
Analysis
Miner writes as if from an outsider’s point of view. At first glance, it is not immediately recognizable that the society he is writing about is an industrial modern one – like that of my culture. This shows that language can shape the reader’s impression of a culture in a way that causes them to understand it differently from how the natives of it do.
1. Firstly, three words that appear very often in the article are “ritual”, “ceremony”, and “magical”.For example, Miner describes the bathroom as a site for “ritual”, medical treatment in hospitals as “ceremony” and medicine as “magical” material. These words seem to suggest that there is a supernatural or religious element behind the practices. However, as I come from a similar culture, I understand these practices to be perfectly secular. To me, bathroom habits are practiced regularly in a certain way out of need and personal preference, not because it is “prescribed”. Similarly, “ceremony” gives the sense of celebration, public display and spectacle. Yet I understand it to be a private affair of the patient’s, instead of what the word “ceremony” suggests. Perhaps to the outsider, it seems as if doctors and nurses are the audiences for the “laptiso ceremonies” instead of the healers. But it may be because the outsider is not privy to the practices of the Nacirema that he considers something ordinary to them as spectacular.
The use of religious language suggests that anthropologists today may have the tendency to too quickly attribute or explain unfamiliar practices as supernatural or religious rites. One way I think this can be minimized is to inquire of the indigenous names of roles in the tribe and use these labels instead of describing the peoples through roles familiar to the anthropologist but not native to the tribe studied. This practice thus avoids unintended meaning borrowed from a culture other than the one studied.
The anthropologist also should to be clear in his use of language. For example, to be sure if the group studied uses the word “clean” is in a spiritual (symbolic) sense or its physical sense. In the article, Miner describes tap water as holy water made “ritually pure” whereas my culture considers tap water purified not in a symbolic but a functional way. However, in my culture, certain religious groups use water for ritual purification – e.g. Muslims wash themselves before entering the mosque. As both forms of “cleanliness” are present in my culture, it is important to examine the context in which “cleanliness” is used to see if it has a symbolic or literal meaning. Similarly, the anthropologist should locate unfamiliar practices observed in their proper context before classifying as religious or magical practices.
2. Next, the description of scientific practices as “magical” and “supernatural” reminds me that while almost all industrialized societies work within a scientific paradigm, not all societies adopt this framework.Without considering how the paradigm in which a society operates, it is easy to write off unfamiliar practices as supernatural. This leads Miner to conclude that the Nacirema are a “magic-ridden” people, though we find nothing “magical” about it and would argue that our practices are backed by a scientific explanation. Likewise, the anthropologist should establish the framework in which indigenous groups make sense of their world and explain the practices observed through that framework instead of their own. They should also be careful to distinguish between merely unfamiliar practices and those actually sacred to the peoples studied. To me, this is what ‘cultural relativism’ means.
This reminds me that while indigenous groups may have practices that seem shocking to me (e.g. cannibalism, different marriage or sexuality practices), the practices of my culture can appear unfamiliar to me as well when examined from a distant enough lens. Instead of looking at the practices themselves, it may be more helpful to examine the beliefs behind them when looking at diversity across cultures.
3. Lastly, the article points out various contradictions that the Nacirema face such as persisting and paying for healing “rituals” that may not be effective, and which may cause significant pain.
(Full article found here: Miner, H. (1956). Body Ritual among the Nacirema. American Anthropologist, 58 (3). Retrieved from https://www.msu.edu/~jdowell/miner.html?pagewanted=all)
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| imadeedee | Cultural relativism | 0 | Sep 14 2011, 9:51 AM EDT by imadeedee | ||
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I personally find this article very enlightening and gives a good explanation of what Cultural Relativism means. It is hilarious to read about the Nacirema and easy to pass judgement on them initially. However upon realizing that the Nacirema is actually American, the importance of studying a culture from the culture's framework rather than from our own framework is shown. This article shows that very clearly and remind us Anthropology students to remember to objectively study a society without ethnocentric lenses that we may carry with us. This is especially so whenever we compare between the society we study to the society we live in.
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