How and Why did !Kung Culture Change?

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How and Why did !Kung Culture Change?
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Pastoralists

• Pastoralists depend on the products of
  domesticated herd animals
• Primarily cattle, sheep, goats, yaks, or camels,
  because they produce both meat and milk (as well
  as skins for clothing and other products)
• They may trade these products with their
  neighbors for other kinds of items or food

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Pastoralists

• Specialized adaptation to environments that
  cannot support a human population through
  agriculture (hilly terrain, dry climate, or
  unsuitable soil) but produces grass (which humans
  cannot eat).
• Major areas of pastoralism East Africa (cattle),
  North Africa (camels), southwestern Asia (sheep
  and goats), central Asia (yak) and the subarctic
  (caribou and reindeer).

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Pastoralism

• Key to pastoralist economy is herd growth
• Animals are the form of wealth
• Risky because of drought, disease, theft
• Pastoralists need to know the carrying capacity
  of the land as well as how many animals needed to
  support a family

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Pastoralists

• Nomadic pastoralist societies tend to be based on
  patrilineal kinship.
• Why would this be?
• What is the Hereros political organization?

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• From Richard B. Lee. (2003). The Dobe
  Ju/hoansi. Toronto Wadsworth

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• An oldstyle anthropological mugshot !Kung, a
  Canadian, and a Herero
• From Richard B. Lee. (2003). The Dobe
  Ju/hoansi. Toronto Wadsworth.

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As the Herero and Tswana began to live among the
!Kung, what changes resulted in !Kung life?
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Timeline
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Kalahari Desert
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rgets/maps/map/T028797A.gif
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Bantustans in Namibia
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Study Guide for Film N!ai The story of a !Kung
WomanAbstract A compilation of footage of the
!Kung people of Namibia from 1951 through 1978.
Focuses on the changes in the life of these
people as seen through the reflections of one
woman, N!ai. (from RU Media Library Catalogue)

• Where do the !Kung live now? How is this
  different from where they lived in the past?
• What changes have occurred as a result of
  relocation?
• Describe the healing trance.
• What are sources of jealousy in contemporary
  !Kung society? How are these feelings dealt with?
• What is the attitude of whites toward the !Kung?
• Why does the South African army want to recruit
  the !Kung men?
• N!ai as focus of the film
• How did N!ais view of her husband change over
  time?
• What are differences and similarities between
  Nisa and N!ai?