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BODY%RITUAL%AMONG%THE%NACIREMA%% Horace%Miner%

% From%Horace%Miner,%"Body%Ritual%among%the%Nacirema."%Reproduced%by%permission%of%the%

American%Anthropological%Association%from%The%American%Anthropologist,%vol.%58%(1956),%pp.% 503S507.%

% Most%cultures%exhibit%a%particular%configuration%or%style.%A%single%value%or%pattern%of%perceiving% the%world%often%leaves%its%stamp%on%several%institutions%in%the%society.%Examples%are%"machismo"% in%Spanish>influenced%cultures,%"face"%in%Japanese%culture,%and%"pollution%by%females"%in%some% highland%New%Guinea%cultures.%Here%Horace%Miner%demonstrates%that%"attitudes%about%the%

body"%have%a%pervasive%influence%on%many%institutions%in%Nacireman%society.% The%anthropologist%has%become%so%familiar%with%the%diversity%of%ways%in%which%different%peoples% behave%in%similar%situations%that%he%is%not%apt%to%be%surprised%by%even%the%most%exotic%customs.% In%fact,%if%all%of%the%logically%possible%combinations%of%behavior%have%not%been%found%somewhere% in%the%world,%he%is%apt%to%suspect%that%they%must%be%present%in%some%yet%undescribed%tribe.%%This% point%has,%in%fact,%been%expressed%with%respect%to%clan%organization%by%Murdock.%In%this%light,% the%magical%beliefs%and%practices%of%the%Nacirema%present%such%unusual%aspects%that%it%seems% desirable%to%describe%them%as%an%example%of%the%extremes%to%which%human%behavior%can%go.% % Professor%Linton%first%brought%the%ritual%of%the%Nacirema%to%the%attention%of%anthropologists% twenty%years%ago,%but%the%culture%of%this%people%is%still%very%poorly%understood.%They%are%a%North% American%group%living%in%the%territory%between%the%Canadian%Creel%the%Yaqui%and%Tarahumare%of% Mexico,%and%the%Carib%and%Arawak%of%the%Antilles.%Little%is%known%of%their%origin,%although% tradition%states%that%they%came%from%the%east....% % Nacirema%culture%is%characterized%by%a%highly%developed%market%economy%which%as%evolved%in%a% rich%natural%habitat.%While%much%of%the%people's%time%is%devoted%to%economic%pursuits,%a%large% part%of%the%fruits%of%these%labors%and%a%considerable%portion%of%the%day%are%spent%in%ritual% activity.%The%focus%of%this%activity%is%the%human%body,%the%appearance%and%health%of%which%loom% as%a%dominant%concern%in%the%ethos%of%the%people.%While%such%a%concern%is%certainly%not% unusual,%its%ceremonial%aspects%and%associated%philosophy%are%unique.% % The%fundamental%belief%underlying%the%whole%system%appears%to%be%that%the%human%body%is%ugly% and%that%its%natural%tendency%is%to%debility%and%disease.%Incarcerated%in%such%a%body,%man's%only% hope%is%to%avert%these%characteristics%through%the%use%of%the%powerful%influences%of%ritual%and% ceremony.%Every%household%has%one%or%more%shrines%devoted%to%this%purpose.%The%more%% powerful%individuals%in%the%society%have%several%shrines%in%their%houses%and,%in%fact,%the% opulence%of%a%house%is%often%referred%to%in%terms%of%the%number%of%such%ritual%centers%it% possesses.%Most%houses%are%of%wattle%and%daub%construction,%but%the%shrine%rooms%of%the%more% wealthy%are%walled%with%stone.%Poorer%families%imitate%the%rich%by%applying%pottery%plaques%to%

their%shrine%walls.%%While%each%family%has%at%least%one%such%shrine,%the%rituals%associated%with%it% are%not%family%ceremonies%but%are%private%and%secret.%The%rites%are%normally%only%discussed%with% children,%and%then%only%during%the%period%when%they%are%being%initiated%into%these%mysteries.%I% was%able,%however,%to%establish%sufficient%rapport%with%the%natives%to%examine%these%shrines%and% to%have%the%rituals%described%to%me.% % The%focal%point%of%the%shrine%is%a%box%or%chest%which%is%built%into%the%wall.%In%this%chest%are%kept% the%many%charms%and%magical%potions%without%which%no%native%believes%he%could%live.%These% preparations%are%secured%from%a%variety%of%specialized%practitioners.%The%most%powerful%of%these% are%the%medicine%men,%whose%assistance%must%be%rewarded%with%substantial%gifts.%%However,%the% medicine%men%do%not%provide%the%curative%potions%for%their%clients,%but%decide%what%the% ingredients%should%be%and%then%write%them%down%in%an%ancient%and%secret%language.%This%writing% is%understood%only%by%the%medicine%men%and%by%the%herbalists%who,%for%another%gift,%provide%the% required%charm.% % The%charm%is%not%disposed%of%after%it%has%served%its%purpose,%but%is%placed%in%the%charmbox%of% the%household%shrine.%As%these%magical%materials%are%specific%for%certain%ills,%and%the%real%or% imagined%maladies%of%the%people%are%many,%the%charmSbox%is%usually%full%to%overflowing.%The% magical%packets%are%so%numerous%that%people%forget%what%their%purposes%were%and%fear%to%use% them%again.%While%the%natives%are%very%vague%on%this%point,%we%can%only%assume%that%the%idea%in% retaining%all%the%old%magical%materials%is%that%their%presence%in%the%charmSbox,%before%which%the% body%rituals%are%conducted,%will%in%some%way%protect%the%worshipper.% % Beneath%the%charmSbox%is%a%small%font.%Each%day%every%member%of%the%family,%in%succession,% enters%the%shrine%room,%bows%his%head%before%the%charmSbox,%mingles%different%sorts%of%holy% water%in%the%font,%and%proceeds%with%a%brief%rite%of%ablution.%The%holy%waters%are%secured%from% the%Water%Temple%of%the%community,%where%the%priests%conduct%elaborate%ceremonies%to%make% the%liquid%ritually%pure.% % In%the%hierarchy%of%magical%practitioners,%and%below%the%medicine%men%in%prestige,%are% specialists%whose%designation%is%best%translated%"holySmouthSmen."%The%Nacirema%have%an% almost%pathological%horror%of%and%fascination%with%the%mouth,%the%condition%of%which%is%believed% to%have%a%supernatural%influence%on%all%social%relationships.%Were%it%not%for%the%rituals%of%the%% %mouth,%they%believe%that%their%teeth%would%fall%out,%their%gums%bleed,%their%jaws%shrink,%their% friends%desert%them,%and%their%lovers%reject%them.%They%also%believe%that%a%strong%relationship% exists%between%oral%and%moral%characteristics.%For%example,%there%is%a%ritual%ablution%of%the% mouth%for%children%which%is%supposed%to%improve%their%moral%fiber.% % The%daily%body%ritual%performed%by%everyone%includes%a%mouthSrite.%Despite%the%fact%that%these% people%are%so%punctilious%about%care%of%the%mouth,%this%rite%involves%a%practice%which%strikes%the% uninitiated%stranger%as%revolting.%It%was%reported%to%me%that%the%ritual%consists%of%inserting%a% small%bundle%of%hog%hairs%into%the%mouth,%along%with%certain%magical%powders,%and%then%moving% the%bundle%in%a%highly%formalized%series%of%gestures.% %

In%addition%to%the%private%mouthSrite,%the%people%seek%out%a%holySmouthSman%once%or%twice%a% year.%These%practitioners%have%an%impressive%set%of%paraphernalia,%consisting%of%a%variety%of% augers,%awls,%probes,%and%prods.%The%use%of%these%objects%in%the%exorcism%of%the%evils%of%the% mouth%involves%almost%unbelievable%ritual%torture%of%the%client.%The%holySmouthSman%open%the% clients%mouth%and,%using%the%above%mentioned%tools,%enlarges%any%holes%which%decay%may%have% created%in%the%teeth.%Magical%materials%are%put%into%these%holes.%If%there%age%no%naturally% occurring%holes%in%the%teeth,%large%sections%of%one%or%more%teeth%are%gouged%out%so%that%the% supernatural%substance%can%be%applied.%In%the%client's%view,%the%purpose%of%these%ministrations% is%to%arrest%decay%and%to%draw%friends.%The%extremely%sacred%and%traditional%character%of%the%rite% is%evident%in%the%fact%that%the%natives%return%to%the%holySSmouthSmen%year%after%year,%despite% the%fact%that%their%teeth%continue%to%decay.% % It%is%to%be%hoped%that,%when%a%thorough%study%of%the%Nacirema%is%made,%there%will%be%careful% inquiry%into%the%personality%structure%of%these%people.%One%has%but%to%watch%the%gleam%in%the% eye%of%a%holyS%%mouthSman,%as%he%jabs%an%awl%into%an%exposed%nerve,%to%suspect%that%a%certain% amount%of%sadism%is%involved.%If%this%can%be%established,%a%very%interesting%pattern%emerges,%for% most%of%the%population%shows%definite%masochistic%tendencies.%It%was%to%these%that%Professor% Linton%referred%in%discussing%a%distinctive%part%of%the%daily%body%ritual%which%is%performed%only% by%men.%This%part%of%the%rite%involves%scraping%and%lacerating%the%surface%of%the%face%with%a% sharp%instrument.%Special%women's%rites%are%performed%only%four%times%during%each%lunar% month,%but%what%they%lack%in%frequency%is%made%up%in%barbarity.%As%part%of%this%ceremony,% women%bake%their%heads%in%small%ovens%for%about%an%hour.%The%theoretically%interesting%point%is% that%what%seems%to%be%a%preponderantly%masochistic%people%have%developed%sadistic%specialists.% % The%medicine%men%have%an%imposing%temple,%or%latipso,%in%every%community%of%any%size.%The% more%elaborate%ceremonies%required%to%treat%very%sick%patients%can%only%be%performed%at%this% temple.%These%ceremonies%involve%not%only%the%thaumaturge%but%a%permanent%group%of%vestal% maidens%who%move%sedately%about%the%temple%chambers%in%distinctive%costume%and%headS%% dress.% % The%latipso%ceremonies%are%so%harsh%that%it%is%phenomenal%that%a%fair%proportion%of%the%really% sick%natives%who%enter%the%temple%The%concept%of%culture%ever%recover.%Small%children%whose% indoctrination%is%still%incomplete%have%been%known%to%resist%attempts%to%take%them%to%the% temple%because%"that%is%where%you%go%to%die."%Despite%this%fact,%sick%adults%are%not%only%willing% but%eager%to%undergo%the%protracted%ritual%purification,%if%they%can%afford%to%do%so.%No%matter% how%ill%the%supplicant%or%how%grave%the%emergency,%the%guardians%of%many%temples%will%not% admit%a%client%if%he%cannot%give%a%rich%gift%to%the%custodian.%Even%after%one%has%gained%admission% and%survived%the%ceremonies,%the%guardians%will%not%permit%the%neophyte%to%leave%until%he% makes%still%another%gift.% % The%supplicant%entering%the%temple%is%first%stripped%of%all%his%or%her%clothes.%In%everyday%life%the% Nacirema%avoids%exposure%of%his%body%and%its%natural%functions.%Bathing%and%excretory%acts%are% performed%only%in%the%secrecy%of%the%household%shrine,%where%they%are%ritualized%as%part%of%the% bodySrites.%Psychological%shock%results%from%the%fact%that%body%secrecy%is%suddenly%lost%upon%

entry%into%the%latipso.%A%man,%whose%own%wife%has%never%seen%him%in%an%excretory%act,%suddenly% finds%himself%naked%and%assisted%by%a%vestal%maiden%while%he%performs%his%natural%functions%into% a%sacred%vessel.%This%sort%of%ceremonial%treatment%is%necessitated%by%the%fact%that%the%excreta% are%used%by%a%diviner%to%ascertain%the%course%and%nature%of%the%client's%sickness.%Female%clients,% on%the%other%hand,%find%their%naked%bodies%are%subjected%to%the%scrutiny,%manipulation%and% prodding%of%the%medicine%men.% % Few%supplicants%in%the%temple%are%well%enough%to%do%anything%but%lie%on%their%hard%beds.%The% daily%ceremonies,%like%the%rites%of%the%holySmouthSmen,%involve%discomfort%and%torture.%With% ritual%precision,%the%vestals%awaken%their%miserable%charges%each%dawn%and%roll%them%about%on% their%beds%of%pain%while%performing%ablutions,%in%the%formal%movements%of%which%the%maidens% are%highly%trained.%At%other%times%they%insert%magic%wands%in%the%supplicant’s%mouth%or%force% him%to%eat%substances%which%are%supposed%to%be%healing.%From%time%to%time%the%medicine%men% come%to%their%clients%and%jab%magically%treated%needles%into%their%flesh.%The%fact%that%these% temple%ceremonies%may%not%cure,%and%may%even%kill%the%neophyte,%in%no%way%decreases%the% people’s%faith%in%the%medicine%men.% % There%remains%one%other%kind%of%practitioner,%known%as%a%"listener."%This%witchdoctor%has%the% power%to%exorcise%the%devils%that%lodge%in%the%heads%of%people%who%have%been%bewitched.%The% Nacirema%believe%that%parents%bewitch%their%own%children.%Mothers%are%particularly%suspected% of%putting%a%curse%on%children%while%teaching%them%the%secret%body%rituals.%The%counterSmagic%of% the%witchdoctor%is%unusual%in%its%lack%of%ritual.%The%patient%simply%tells%the%"listener"%all%his% troubles%and%fears,%beginning%with%the%earliest%difficulties%he%can%remember.%The%memory% displayed%by%the%Nacirerma%in%these%exorcism%sessions%is%truly%remarkable.%It%is%not%uncommon% for%the%patient%to%bemoan%the%rejection%he%felt%upon%being%weaned%as%a%babe,%and%a%few% individuals%even%see%their%troubles%going%back%to%the%traumatic%effects%of%their%own%%birth.% % In%conclusion,%mention%must%be%made%of%certain%practices%which%have%their%base%in%native% esthetics%but%which%depend%upon%the%pervasive%aversion%to%the%natural%body%and%%its%functions.% There%are%ritual%fasts%to%make%fat%people%thin%and%ceremonial%feasts%to%make%thin%people%fat.% Still%other%rites%are%used%to%make%women's%breasts%larger%if%they%are%small,%and%smaller%if%they% are%large.%General%dissatisfaction%with%breast%shape%is%symbolized%in%the%fact%that%the%ideal%form% is%virtually%outside%the%range%of%human%variation.%A%few%women%afflicted%with%almost%inhuman% hyperSmammary%development%are%so%idolized%that%they%make%a%handsome%living%by%simply%going% from%village%to%village%and%permitting%the%natives%to%stare%at%them%for%a%fee.% % Reference%has%already%been%made%to%the%%%fact%that%excretory%functions%are%ritualized,% routinized,%and%relegated%to%secrecy.%Natural%reproductive%functions%are%similarly%distorted.% Intercourse%is%taboo%as%a%topic%and%scheduled%as%an%act.%Efforts%are%made%to%avoid%pregnancy%by% the%use%of%magical%materials%or%by%limiting%intercourse%to%certain%phases%of%the%moon.% Conception%is%actually%very%infrequent.%When%pregnant,%women%dress%so%as%to%hide%their% condition.%Parturition%takes%place%in%secret,%without%friends%or%relatives%to%assist,%and%the% majority%of%women%do%not%nurse%their%infants.% %

Our%review%of%the%ritual%life%of%the%Nacirema%has%certainly%shown%them%to%be%a%%%magicSridden% people.%It%is%hard%to%understand%how%they%have%managed%to%exist%so%long%under%the%burdens% which%they%have%%%imposed%upon%themselves.%But%even%such%%%exotic%customs%as%these%take%on% real%meaning%when%they%are%viewed%with%the%insight%provided%by%Malinowski%when%he%wrote:% % "Looking%from%far%and%above,%from%our%high%places%of%safety%in%the%developed%civilization,%it%is% easy%to%see%all%the%crudity%and%irrelevance%of%magic.%But%without%its%power%and%guidance%early% man%could%not%have%mastered%his%practical%difficulties%as%he%has%done,%nor%could%man%have% advanced%to%the%higher%stages%of%civilization."% % % References:%% Linton,%Ralph.%1936.%The%Study%of%Man.%New%York:%D.%AppletonSCentury.%% Malinowski,%Bronislaw.%1948.%Magic,%Science,%and%Religion.%%Glencoe,%Ill.:%The%Free%Press.%% Murdock,%George%P.%%1949.%Social%Structure.%%New%York:%%Macmillan.%