Savage or Rituals? Body Ritual Among the Nacirema

     A study was conducted by Professor Linton twenty years ago. It was about a tribe of very secretive  people whos rituals teach their customs to the young children. Their names were Nacirema. Many of their customs and rituals mimic our religions but to an extreme compare to other societies.  A private group whos origin is between Canadian Cree and Yagui and Tarhumare of Mexico, where very little was known about them because of they are so private. No one is permitted in. Their cultural hero is named Notgnihsaw.

     They believe their are two feats of strength that are necessary to their survival. One  is throwing a piece of wampum. These are small beads formed into a rope like a belt. The second feat is chopping down a cherry tree in which they believe the "Spirit of Truth' resides. There is a emphasis on health and they have strong sense of community and organization. The have a strong economic structure as our civilized society is today. But their customs are far from civilized. There seems to be no rules or regulations to the rituals that are performed.

     Much of their life seems dominated by spiritual beliefs and customs. They are close knit and do not let outsiders see their teachings or beliefs. Some may believe they act like a cult. They also seem very superstitious. They have shrines built into the walls of their houses and some are very elaborate. The medicine men or priests give out charms which are given to people to heal them. They never throw them away. The medicine men have a language that only they understand. They also use "Holy Water" as a cleansing. Some of their traditions imitate other religions but they are extreme and sadistic. Taught to the children so early and isolated they have no choice in the matter.

     One strange thing to me was the sadistic facination with the mouth. They believe "their teeth would fall out, their gums bleed, their jaws shrink, their friends desert them, and their lovers reject them" as quoted in the article, if they do not perform a daily body ritual. Today, it is hard to believe this could happen but in the cultural and the time period their belief made the people afraid of this conservation. They would also put a hog hars into the mouth along with secret magical powder and then formalize gestures. They would consist of augers, awls, probes, and prody term we barely recognize. We would considered their behavior savage. Also they had a private mouth-rite the holy-mouth-man once or twice a year would come to see them. The client would have to open his mouth in a ritual torture or make the hole or cavities larger that so to ward the evil demon that have come in. One person came be stab in the eye, just enough to expose the nerve. Only the men would be require this ritual. The women's ceremony is to bake their heads in small oven for an a hour.     

     The medicine men have an imposing temple or "latipso." Very sick people came to be treated at the temple. You had to have riches to give in order to be treated. Surrounded by the temple chamber in distinctive costume and headdress the medicine men create a performance for these desparate people. Very few actually got cured or came out alive.

     The maiden were highly trained and costumed. Sick people are willing to ingest potion and use a magic wand to supposedly heal them. The medicine men jab magically treated needle into their body. In fact this might hurt them. Pregnancy was not celibrated but rather children are believed to be cursed or bewitched. What we consider counseling today is handled by "listeners.

     These strange customs and ritual in their secret society are treated as a way of daily life. There is no structure or rule or order.

     There are still savage tribes existing today. They are wise in letting tour guides see what dances or ritual they want you to see for profit but are thousands of years behind what we believe in civilization. Do we have a right to interrupt these bizarre customs?