In-Class Writing #2: The Nacirema People

The Nacirema People

Anthropologists compare cultural phenomenons to one another. However, this debate is often useless, because culture experts from different backgrounds have different set of ideas and values which they use to assess each tradition. Despite their extensive expertise in the field, heated discussions usually fail to result in a conclusion of what is right and wrong, because all cultures have differing standards of moral righteousness. Analyzing the customs of the culture of Nacirema is no exception. In the eyes of the citizens of 21st century with American democratic values, Nacirema culture is barbaric. However, we cannot criticize them as barbaric considering our very own actions.

To begin with, the first level of ritual is a built-in shrine in every house. Each shrine is equipped with a charmbox full of magical ingredients prepared by medicine men. Medicine men are the gifted ones, the only ones who can decide the potion the client should take. This looks like a very inefficient system of prescribing medicine. The medicine men are the only ones who can interpret the language of medicine, therefore the clients cannot be fully aware of what they are prescribed. Rather, they forget what each packet contains and worship the medicine as it is than benefiting from its curative powers. However, modern people cannot say that their system is inefficient, since our medical practices are not much different. Doctors prescribe medicines with long names that no one knows the properties. We cannot depreciate their culture when our own culture has its own defects.

Secondly, the level below medicine men are the "holy-mouth-men". The Narcirema people annually pull out their teeth, purposely enlarge any holes in teeth or gouge them ton. It involves unbearable amount of pain, yet people visit the practitioners regularly. These medical practices are done without apparent reason to the perspectives of today. The author even describes the culture as sadist and masochist. However, people who are obsessed about hygiene are often willing to endure even worse pain. Not only pain but also people pay tremendous amounts of money to receive treatment that often are done for no reason. Not all medical practices done by doctors are meaningful. Many patients are misdiagnosed thus receive unnecessary treatment.

Last but not least is the latipso ceremony. Sick people are sent to latipsoes, temples owned by medicine men. Patients are prolonging death usually enter this temple with faith, yet they are aware that the possibility of survival is near zero even after receiving the ceremonies. The ceremonies are ridiculous itself; body secrecy is lost, rituals by the 'holy-mouth-men' are performed, and they are continuously cleaned by maidens. No act seems medically significant enough to cure a dying patient. However, it is unfair to say that this act is purely meaningless, because the latipso rituals are the treatment that we receive in modern day hospitals. Nurses wash patients who are unable to wash themselves, and patients' privacy is lost. Terminally ill patients, although they cannot be cured, sit in their beds in the hospital, perhaps hoping for a miracle. Some must endure excruciating pain as a part of treatment.

As shown above, the ancient civilization Nacirema is merely a reflection of modern day medical practices. Not only Nacirema but all civilizations reflect the lives of people these days. Afterall, human nature does not change so much after a few centuries. People these days are just as barbaric as humans used to be a long time ago. Thus, there is no such thing as laying foundation for future civilizations; rather, it is lasting nature repeatedly observed in all civilizations.