Chapters 9, 10, & 11

      Chapter 9

   Humans communicate with words that are communicated with hand gestures, body movements, facial expressions, and words. The clothes you wear to the way someone styles their hair sends a message to others. We can always communicate by face to face or through e-mail, text, and phone calls. Do most know what Communication is? The real definition is the process of sending and receiving messages. Humans that communicate always involves language that includes symbols and signs. Language creates expressions from a little set of rules and refers to events and issues. Human language such as: sounds, vocabulary, and grammar can be analyzed.

    Sign language that deals with only hand movements to communicate messages. Hearing impaired use this as their main way to communicate. When do people use the silent treatment? When they are mad or upset usually. Being silent is another way to communicate nonverbally. All cultures have their own way to communicate. Some focus on facial expressions more while others use their body. The color of one’s clothing can communicate their gender, class, and identity. Radio, television, music,  internet, print media, and film are all emerged together by anthropology. Language experiences a constant change because of human creativity and linguistic innovation. Historical linguistics involves language  that changes through history. Methods include comparing shifts over time and across space of language like meaning. European colonialism played a large part in language change. Colonial powers declared their own language as the main language for the government, business, and education. They took different steps to suppress indigenous languages and literatures. Language is so important and allows for everyone to be able to communicate. The exact origins of human language are not known but the discoveries of  language families gives insights about early human history and settlement. 

Chapter 10

     Everyone has religion and believes one way or another. The technical definition of religion is the belief and behavior related to supernatural beings and forces. Let me clarify that religion is not a worldview or a way to understand the world and how it came to exist. Myth and doctrine are two forms in which beliefs are expressed and transfered. Myths are stories about supernatural forces or beings. One myth that everyone knows about is the myth of Big Foot. This myth has been going around for ages and people still continue to belief ad look for the creature. Doctrine is the other form that deals with direct statements about religion beliefs. They are written, formal and close to the law. Rituals are another practice that is patterned and repetitive. It focuses on a supernatural realm. Communion is a ritual that Christians perform weekly or monthly. Sacred rituals are much different then secular rituals such as the initiation of a fraternity or sorority. Thanksgiving is a Christian holiday that happens yearly. It involves secular and sacred elements. On this particular holiday Christians give thanks to God for all of their blessings and the remembrance of the pilgrims. Football on Thanksgiving Day is a secular aspect that all of America looks forward to watching, along with the Macy’s Day Parade. These two things have been traditions for years! Every year my family always turns the parade on while we cook! We look forward to seeing all of the floats and singers. A pilgrimage is a round trip that many take to visit a sacred place for religious purposes of religious devotion. Hinduism is also brought up in this chapter. Over nine hundred million Hindus are in this world. About 97% of the Hindu population lives in India. Hinduism provides a opportunity to have a philosophical tradition that reduces the multiplicity of deities into oneness. Last semester, I had the opportunity to visit a Hindu temple. It was very interesting to see the many buildings and gods they built. I enjoyed seeing all of the outfits, sacred objects, and food. 

   Buddhism was created by the man we all know, Buddha. Many honor his teachings and follow all his suggestions for being able to reach nirvana. About 400 million Buddhists are in the world today. I visited a Buddhist temple where I was allowed to meditate and experience the many cultural differences.

Judaism is another belief that I was able to experience. I went to a Jewish synagogue where I was allowed to sit through a service and see the many traditions and rituals they have. I learned the names of the certain holy objects and saw the many acts they performed.

Now, Christianity I know all about. I grew up Christian all of my life and still to this day remain strong in my faith. Christianity is the largest of the world religions with about 2 million participants which is about one third of the world’s population. The Bible is the main source we have that we believe and practice. We believe it holds all of the teachings of our faith that God himself wants us to know.

 Islamic is the last culture I will be focusing on. It is based on Muhammad as the main god. It is the youngest of the religions and means submission to the will of one god. 1.4 billion Islams populate the world which makes it the second largest religion in the world. Not one religion is frozen but instead constantly changing and growing. All religions continue to populate and grow. 

Chapter 11

I have many friends that are Art majors. I always think of them as creative, and very imaginative. The true definition of art is the application of skill and style. These particular attributes can be applied to activities and substances. I was so surprised to read that Brazil uses country music to demonstrate gender relationships, intimacy, and the family.

 In my cultural world, cut followers are important at weddings! You cannot have a wedding without flowers. They are essential for decorating, the bride’s bouquet and the bridesmaids bouquets. The budget for a wedding is mostly spent on the flowers. They are expensive but essential for traditional wedding to be successful. 

One leisure activity that I can think of would be soccer. I have seen many injuries come along with this pleasure. My brother and boyfriend play this sport. They enjoy the intense battle and do not regret the hurt. 

A Speckled Boy

        Puzzle Pieces




  Culture is the background of who someone is. It helps the puzzle fit together and make one feel complete. Hugo struggled with his puzzle which led to his moving novel and the experiences he he had that were the root of pain and complications. Hugo Hamilton deeply desired a home of his own where he belonged and a “homeland” that he could call his own without restrictions and demands. It took a length of time for Hamilton but he sifted throughout the madness and found where his home truly was. 

  

                                                                                                        


Speckled


   Hugo struggles with confronting his past due to his father naming his children, “speckled people”. He understand he is more than just speckled with half-Irish and half-German descent but “we're marked. It means we're aliens and we'll never be Irish enough, even though we speak the Irish language and my father says we're more Irish than the Irish themselves”.

     Trying to fit into a culture that Hamilton’s family was not born into was a major struggle just like it would be with anyone. Everyone wants to hold onto their cultural roots but Hugo's father made it difficult and uncomfortable for his family. Hugo made a statement, “When I grow up I'll run away from my story, too. I have things I want to forget, so I'll change my name and never come back".

    No one like to be the odd man out or the black
sheep Everyone faces the chances of not fitting in. 
With Hugo he was bound to not fit in. His roots made his life more difficult than many are use to. If we 
are not forced to speak a language we usually do not or made to change ourselves for something else 
then we are to be very thankful.

It's In My Blood.

 Who Effects Me and Who I am Today?

  

     In the different branches throughout my family, many of my members choose to remain quiet about their childhood and past. I have never known how to go about asking questions and trying to put the pieces together. Hurt has been a huge factor in my family that has led to the closed off lives they live. By having this project as an excuse to pry, paved a way for me to ask in private the many questions I had been dying to know. “Who am I really?” has been a distinct question in my heart now that I am growing older.  I had never thought that my ancestors had an impact on who I am now but in reality they left many foot prints. 

 
 My grandfather is Thomas Marion Henderson Jr. born in 1937 and  grew up in Jefferson, Georgia. His mother and father were Frances Hale Henderson and Thomas Marion Henderson. Both of them managed to  pass away when my grandfather was in his early teens which left him with faint memories and not remembering the specific dates of when they were born nor when they died. They were hard working cotton farmers who also had managed to get an education. My great-grandfather went to Clemson for two years while my great-grandmother went to the University of Georgia. 

          















      It's Great to Be a Georgia Bulldog! 

If you have pulled in my driveway then you would know in an instant that my family are huge University of Georgia fans. We have always had season tickets and grew up tailgating four to six hours before the game even starts. My grandpa has kept the same seats in Stanford Stadium for the past thirty years. I did not know until talking with my grandpa that if I had gone to Georgia then I would have been the fifth generation. Since I was born I have always been a Georgia Bulldog. My car now that I have is bright red with all Georgia Bulldog accessories in tow. Being that many of my ancestors went to Georgia secures the fact that I am a Georgia Bulldog through and through. I have always wondered how my family became so obsessed and now the mystery is solved. 

 My great-grandfather’s father-in-law, John Hale was in highway construction which provided the opportunity for him to be the first to pave U.S 129, the road that leads from Gainesville to Athens, Ga. Another connection that my family never knew. We have traveled U.S 129 countless times going to football games, not knowing that our ancestor made it possible.

    A Woman's Place is on a Horse

        
      John also, was one of the largest land owners in Banks County that now has provided the land that my grandpa now lives on. I have grown up visiting and staying weekends at the farm. I am such a farm girl that loves the land and the adventure it provides. My grandpa had been around horses since he was seven years old. He decided to start showing horses in 1978 when my dad was around fifteen years old. He worked from sun up to sun down cleaning stalls, exercising the horses, working on their performance, and fixing fences. I now to this day am completely head over heels for horses. I have asked for a horse since I was two years old. I do not think there is a more beautiful creature! I have always ridden and tried my best to ride just like my dad. I hope to one day have my own land with my own horses. 

     Continuing with my love for animals and wide open spaces, brings me to see that another part of my family has influenced in me in who I am today. My mom’s dad’s Bob Turner and his mother, my great grandmother, Lucille Turner. They live in Cleveland, Georgia where the air is fresher and time is a little slower.  I grew up making the long drive from my city home to the mountains of Georgia. I was outside for hours climbing trees, exploring old buildings, running in the pastures with horses, and enjoying home cooked food.    

    I have loved seeing the things I love and care about so much are the same as my ancestors that have walked before me. I never realized the connections until now. I never knew why I was so drawn to these things but now I see it's just simply in my blood.

Wedding, Marriage, Rape, Drinking. How Do These Go Together??

     Going to the Chapel and We're Gonna Get Married...

    While reading Chapter 6 one of the things that stood out to me was the differences in marriage. One definition would be “Marriage is a union between a man and a woman.” Another definition is “ a more or less stable union, usually between two people, who may be but are not necessarily, co-residential, sexually involved with each other, and pro creative with each other. There are so many different views on what should and should not be allowed.  Many people go along with the idea of one woman and man being united and having kids with only each other while other women have sequential male partners with whom they bear children with. Other views can consist of a woman with a woman and a male with a male. Rules of exclusion and inclusion then come into play. The most popular rule of exclusion would be incest, sexual intercourse between kinship relations is prohibited. Although, cultures like Egypt are well know for brother, sister marriages. 

Exogamy is referring to marriage outside of a social group. In India marriage distance is a big ordeal in the North.  Here in America, we are happy to marry and have the option to live near or far from our family. Most American relationships are a two way street. The husband does not define how the marriage goes and big decisions like moving without the wife’s consent. 

Love marriage and arranged marriages, what a tough topic to think about. I was raised in the South so I immediately would go with love marriages. I love the fairy tale loves and hopeless romantic stories. I love for my prince charming to find me and rescue me. Not for my parents to find a man and say, “here is your prince!” I will go with the more romantic version. I have heard though of arranged marriages that ended in love. Many men and women who have arranged marriages have actually fallen in love with one another. Many times women in arranged marriages are treated better than the women who fall for the temporary, cheesy love story. My heart goes out to all those that live unhappy lives, especially the women that had fallen for a man but had to marry another for her family. How incredible the pain must be? The unbearable nights and holidays sitting beside a man that does not have your heart. I would have to be one of the rebels that runs away. I could not bear the heartache, I would have to be with my love. 

Wedding bells are ringing! Who is going to the chapel?? I love weddings so much!! The cake, punch, love in the air, decorations, bridesmaids, family. The whole celebration is so magical but magic takes money. Who pays for a big southern shindig like I am hoping for myself? In my microculture, the groom’s parents pay for the rehearsal dinner and the bride’s parents pay for the wedding ceremony. I will follow through with these traditions but I am hoping to contribute some myself and hope my groom will do the same. Wedding expenses can get way out of hand. From dresses, to cakes, to the food, a lot of money is required. Different cultures celebrate different ways but they all do make some type of celebration to make known and enjoy the commitment between two people. 

   Party All Night

    Moving on to social groups. College fraternities and sororities are certain groups that choose their member very selectively. They attend different, exclusive functions, while forming bonds and connections that could later help them down the road. Many terrible incidents happen in these tightly formed brother and sister hoods. One incident called the “train”. It takes place when a “party” girl is taken to a fraternity house and ends up passing out. A train of men then come along and have sex with her. Such situations are disquisting and shameful. The many girls that this happens to will lose a piece of themselves forever. 

Date Rape

   I'm Not Ashamed To Ask For Help

    Why would someone not take help when it is offered to them? The internet has become a popular way for individuals to create support systems and help each other out. Anthropologists, study these groups and why people become members. Alcoholic Anonymous is a perfect example. A report was done on Mexico City and the results showed that most of the participants were low-income, working class males. Most of them turn to this medicine because of their poverty level and the gender identity in Mexico. The success rate in Mexico is increasing and showing that member in Mexico city achieve a high sobriety rate. I hate that many Americans choose this type of mind numbness. Most people turn to alcohol because it is easier than to face their problems. Everyone has their battles but I am a firm believer in reaching out and getting help. 

Sweet Tea Please and No Mary Kay. Thank You.

Anthropology was not a word that I was familiar with but to make it brief and simple for people like me it means the study of humanity. Four fields are then broken off from this study: Biological anthropology which is the study of humans as biological organisms. Archaeology that deals with the study of past human cultures. Third would be Linguistic Anthropology which would involve the study of human communication. Lastly, Cultural anthropology is the study of living people and their cultures. These four fields are separate but are connected to humanity and culture. “Culture diverges from, and shapes, nature nature is to consider basic natural demands of life within different cultural contexts” (14).

May I Have Something to Drink Please? 

Different cultures have different views on appropriate substance to drink, when to drink and with whom. I drink all day, every day. Throughout the day I am mostly a ping pong ball so I am always thirsty. I am running here or running there most of the time so a water bottle is always in hand. Since, I am from the South I was raised drinking sweet tea. I drink sweet tea a great deal of the day. When I am away from home I try and drink water to purify my body but sweet tea is a staple in my life!! For special occasions, weekends, holidays or even weddings; sweet tea is my first choice of beverage. Being in Georgia what else could you possibly want? Whenever I meet a tourist I always ask, “did you try sweet tea yet?! McDonald’s is the best!!!” If I walk into class with a cup of tea no one would think a thing. If I walked in with a Bud Light then a few heads would turn. I choose not to drink alcohol but when others do then I know friends are the number one choice to be with. On Sundays alcohol is not served. It is understood in the South that on Sundays no one is to be out buying beer on the Lord’s day. A wider social implications in a bar or a club would be more open to drink at any time throughout the day unlike school or a public place.   

(haha notice the picture?)

Im In Shock

     Culture shock will not even begin to describe what I felt when I walked into a Mary Kay party. I was baffled by all of the screaming, cheering, and chitty-chat! The women that ran the meetings were makeup crazed robots. No one was safe from the persuasion to join their sisterhood. The feeling I felt was a complete fish out of water. The air felt different, and the light was brighter (almost blinding). I felt like I was being judged for not wearing the right clothes, my hair not being fixed right, and my makeup being the wrong brand. I felt as if every eye was running over every crease in my clothes. Women were running into me left and right acting as if I did not exist. One bump on my left, shoving me to the right. I was almost in tears. I could not take the pressure on my chest any longer so I headed for the door. I was finally out in the clear, dark night. I took a deep breath and walked home alone. I coped with the situation by just leaving. I did not know how to handle it or who to talk to. All of the women seemed to be the same, judgmental. From my Mary Kay tragedy, I learned to not ever make someone feel that way and anyone that does feel alone to make them feel like they are good enough. 

Drinking is a requirement for us to live while experiencing different cultures is apart of life. From either going to school, to getting a job or visiting church, a new culture is experienced. Everyone experiences drinking on a day to day basis and even feeling a little out of place.