CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY

Cultural Anthropology

Cultural Anthropology

Samburu households are typically composed of an elder (a man), one or more wives, and their children. Women are principally seen as food providers who are responsible for give nourishment to the elders and children. However, in recent years, numerous Samburu women have started to brew beer and liquor for sale to the Samburu men - as well as their own husbands (Holtzman, p.1041). The selling of this beer is mostly run by women who have substantial freedom in this business.

Archaeological evidence has, in Turkana, unearthed several stone burial cairns that postdate the Stone Age. Some of these are contemporary, a number of these belong to the Samburu and others to different ethnic groups. However, there are some that are credited to more ancient people of the region long before the arrival of the Samburu. Before the expansion of the Turkana tribe in the 19th century, parts of the southern Turkana District were inhabited by the Samburu. Oral evidence suggests that the Samburu lived in the Lothagam area around 1800, before they were forced back by the Turkana before 1888 (Robbins, p.366).

The Samburu believe in a Supreme Being, known as Nkai. Male elders named loibon, lead blessings and community rituals. Supernatural forces can be controlled and manipulated by the aid of powerful magical substances, poisons called nkuru-pore, which consists of powders made from the burnt remains of certain animals and plants (Fratkin, p.320).

The past 30 years have seen large changes for the Samburu and other ethnic groups in their locality wars, a severe decline in the herding economy and significant poverty and Along with significant increases in human population-has rendered pastoralism in adequate to meet basic Samburu economic needs. This has forced many Samburu to supplement pastoralism with pursuits such as migratory wage labour and small-scale agriculture.

In spite of the recent negative impacts on the Samburu way of life, the history of the Samburu people and their way of life is rich and can offer us great insight into African cultures and African history itself.This might not have been possible without the education of that group's culture. The presentation of the "Veil" was very informative because it showed me a different side of women wearing the veil. Before the presentation I looked at the veil as unfashionable attire worn by Middle Eastern women. After the presentation I realized that the veil represents the culture and magnifies the women who wear them. The American culture today does not really emphasize being pure in body before marriage and thus is the major reason why over 50% of marriages end in divorce after one year. The rate of divorce in Middle Eastern countries was next to none until recently. I believe that there is deeper meaning in this. The veil, to me signifies a pure unseen and untouched woman. A woman that is only to be enjoyed by her husband. As traditional and old fashion as that might seem, Middle Eastern marriages outlast most other cultures marriages in not having ...