Cultural Anthropology Essay - 4365 Words

Cultural Anthropology Almost all cultures world wide have highly developed traditions of music and dance. According to Mari Womack, author of Being Human: An Introduction to Cultural Anthropology, music and dance carry much importance within a culture. As do other artistic forms, music and dance reflect cultural and social organization. Cultural values can be conveyed in the words of a song, and the performance of a song or a dance is dependent on the social context (Womack 226). Music and instruments are of great significance in many places world wide. For example, the BaMbuti foragers from Africas Ituri rain forest have an instrument which they call the molimo which looks like an extremely long pipe. The men of the BaMbuti†¦show more content†¦When done correctly, it looks like an advanced version of the wave. These are fine examples of Marching Band as the art of music and dance. Marching Band is, in most high schools, on the fringes of society. Those instrument-toting kids spend countless hours fine tuning their skills, only to receive little respect from the rest of the students. They are called band nerds. They are laughed at. And yet they persist. But why? Why not give into the mainstream high school culture and join football or cheer leading? Why spend countless hours playing and replaying their parts until their fingers are worn to the bone when they could be watching movies, going on dates, and eating pizza? These were my questions based on my limited knowledge of high school marching bands. So, I decided to use my budding role as anthropologist to find out. My first step was to select a marching band to study. Luckily, the local high school, Goshen High School, has an excellent marching band which has competed at the state level for the last decade. A friend of mine at Goshen College who was a member of the band helped me to contact a current member of the band who could assist me by being my informant. For my informant, I chose a student, Jordan, who is currently involved in the band as a section leader, but has been in several other roles as well. Jordan also has been involved in the Marching Band for all of his four years of highShow MoreRelatedThe Anthropology Of Cultural Anthropology1370 Words   |  6 Pagesbasics of cultural anthropology, which seeks to understand the purpose and place of the humans in this world. It will include anthropology as a social science, the concept of culture, and it would also introduction the human evolution and to archaeology, ethnographic field methods. The importance of human language, human development, patterns, global economy, marriage and the family, gender issues, global politics and local political organization, social stratification, medical anthropology, ethnicityRead MoreVisual Anthropology And Cultural Anthropology1554 Words   |  7 PagesAnthropologists have been able to study the differences in human cultures and how they have evolve. â€Å"There are now four major fields of anthropology: biological anthropology, cultural anthropology, linguistic anthropology, and archaeology† (Dennis O Neil). Within these fields are subfields, visual anthropology is a very important subfield of cultural anthropology. Visual anthropology is the study of the history of human customs and culture through what one sees or perceives in various types of media. ThereforeRead MoreAnthropology : Anthropology And Cultural Anthropology1472 Words   |  6 PagesWhat is anthropology? 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Anthropology uses tools and knowledge produced by the natural sciences and the social sciences. Aspiration of anthropologicalRead MoreThe Cultural Anthropology : Margaret Mead890 Words   |  4 PagesCultural Anthropology was not something I ever thought I would be interested in. During this class I have learned many new things about other people and how they live. This is by far my favorite class this semester and I just love hearing about other people’s way of life. So, with my newfound love for cultural anthropology I decided to write about one of the most influential female anthropologists. I decided to write ab out Margaret Mead. I want to discuss her early life. Then, move on to her lifeRead MoreCultural Anthropology : Human Nature1241 Words   |  5 PagesCultural Anthropology Assignment 2 Julie Kopp (100121035) July 28, 2015 Cultural Anthropologists view all aspects of human nature in order to generate an accurate representation of society. It is imperative that anthropologists engage themselves in fieldwork in pursuance to increase understanding among people of the world. Anthropologists found that by becoming an active participant rather than an observer, they are more likely to be accepted as a member. By becoming an insider, it allows theRead MoreCultural Anthropology And Cultural Diversity1017 Words   |  5 Pagesaspects to culture, so much so that their is a whole field dedicated to researching and understanding it, it’s ultimately defined by its interpretations, differentiations, and adaptations. In Cultural Anthropology: Appreciating Cultural Diversity, a few chapters are dedicated to explaining the field of anthropology and culture within an anthropological context. The first definition of cultures presented is, â€Å"Cultures are traditions and customs, transmitted through learning, that form and guide the beliefsRead MoreThe Discipline Of Cultural Anthropology3459 Words   |  14 Pages The discipline of cultural anthropology falls into the idea that culture everywhere is our lives impacts every aspect of our human lives. â€Å"Anthropology is the scientific study of human beings-that is, human creature viewed in the abstract: male, female, all colors and shapes, pre-historic, ancient, and modern. Many cultural anthropologists come to believe that the idea of our past and present societies, from the social and cultural structure of them, to the religion and language, as well as theRead MoreCultural Anthropology : Anthropology And Behavioral Patterns907 Words   |   4 PagesJordonnia Scarlett Professor Ellen Hamrick Cultural Anthropology March 5, 2015 As I sat down to write this paper I was a bit disoriented. The topic of anthropology/anthropologist seemed simple, yet boring. Subsequent researching the prompt questions, my friend called. Without allowing him to speak, I said, â€Å"writing a paper on anthropologists, can’t talk.† Before I could hang up, responded quickly saying â€Å"if I were an anthropologist I would be a linguistic anthropologist.† Immediately I realizedRead MoreCultural Anthropology Of Humans Living And Dead Anthropology938 Words   |  4 Pagesnot share the same ideals as them. This lack of communication is a major barrier in advancement of our world. Anthropology, in short, is the study of humans living and dead Anthropology is divided into five main categories: applied, linguistic, medical, biological, archaeological, and cultural. Each of these five divisions teaches a different aspect of human life. Cultural anthropology teaches acceptance. There are social norms that can be found in every culture, the difference from culture to culture