Why did Horace Miner wrote the nacirema article?
Miner’s account of the NaciremaAmerican spelled backwardswas instead a pointed criticism of anthropologists’ tendency to hype up the perceived weirdness of other cultures. His aim, as i09 puts it, was to show that “everything that’s normal to us seems weird to someone else.”
What is the point of nacirema?
While the Nacirema believe that these rituals make their bodies stronger and more resilient to disease, the primary purpose of these rituals seems to be to transform the shape of the body to conform to Nacirema ideals. These ideals are so extreme that they are beyond the reach of natural human capacity.
What is the charm box in nacirema?
The Nacirema are a peculiar culture in North America. For example, every house of the Nacirema people has one or more shrines devoted to purifying the body, shrines containing charm-boxes full of supernatural substances aimed at keeping the body away from disease.
What do the nacirema believe?
The main belief of the Nacirema appears to be that the human body is ugly and that the only way to prevent it from growing weak and diseased is to practice powerful rituals devoted to this purpose.
Who is the listener in nacirema?
Miner also describes a witchdoctor called the “listener” who can exorcise demons from bewitched people. The Nacirema believe that parents, especially mothers, bewitch their own children. The listener treats people simply by listening to their talk of themselves.
What is the Latipso in nacirema culture?
The latipso – in every community, there is a temple called the latipso where the Naciremas believe they will be healed. Intercourse – this is a very taboo subject in the Nacirema culture. It is a scheduled event, and, sometimes, magical materials are even used to prevent pregnancy.