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BodyRitualAmongTheNacirema

BODYRITUALAMONGTHENACIREMA
HoraceMiner
FromHoraceMiner,"BodyRitualamongtheNacirema."ReproducedbypermissionoftheAmerican
AnthropologicalAssociationfromTheAmericanAnthropologist,vol.58(1956),pp.503507.

Mostculturesexhibitaparticularconfigurationorstyle.Asinglevalueorpat
ternofperceivingtheworldoftenleavesitsstamponseveralinstitutionsinthe
society.Examplesare"machismo"inSpanishinfluencedcultures,"face"in
Japaneseculture,and"pollutionbyfemales"insomehighlandNewGuinea
cultures.HereHoraceMinerdemonstratesthat"attitudesaboutthebody"
haveapervasiveinfluenceonmanyinstitutionsinNaciremansociety.
Theanthropologisthasbecomesofamiliarwiththediversityofwaysinwhichdifferentpeoplesbehave
insimilarsituationsthatheisnotapttobesurprisedbyeventhemostexoticcustoms.Infact,ifallofthe
logicallypossiblecombinationsofbehaviorhavenotbeenfoundsomewhereintheworld,heisaptto
suspectthattheymustbepresentinsomeyetundescribedtribe.Thispointhas,infact,beenexpressed
withrespecttoclanorganizationbyMurdock.Inthislight,themagicalbeliefsandpracticesofthe
Naciremapresentsuchunusualaspectsthatitseemsdesirabletodescribethemasanexampleofthe
extremestowhichhumanbehaviorcango.
ProfessorLintonfirstbroughttheritualoftheNacirematotheattentionofanthropologiststwenty
yearsago,buttheculture
ofthispeopleisstillverypoorlyunderstood.TheyareaNorthAmericangrouplivingintheterritory
betweentheCanadianCreeltheYaquiandTarahumareofMexico,andtheCaribandArawakofthe
Antilles.Littleisknownoftheirorigin,althoughtraditionstatesthattheycamefromtheeast....
Naciremacultureischaracterizedbyahighlydevelopedmarketeconomywhichasevolvedinarich
naturalhabitat.Whilemuchofthepeople'stimeisdevotedtoeconomicpursuits,alargepartofthefruits
oftheselaborsandaconsiderableportion
ofthedayarespentinritualactivity.Thefocusofthisactivityisthehumanbody,theappearanceand
healthofwhichloomasadominantconcernintheethosofthepeople.Whilesuchaconcerniscertainly
notunusual,itsceremonialaspectsandassociatedphilosophyareunique.
Thefundamentalbeliefunderlyingthewholesystemappearstobethatthehumanbodyisuglyand
thatitsnaturaltendencyis
todebilityanddisease.Incarceratedinsuchabody,man'sonlyhopeistoavertthesecharacteristics
throughtheuseofthe
powerfulinfluencesofritualandceremony.Everyhouseholdhasoneormoreshrinesdevotedtothis
purpose.Themore
powerfulindividualsinthesocietyhaveseveralshrinesintheirhousesand,infact,theopulenceofa
houseisoftenreferredto
intermsofthenumberofsuchritualcentersitpossesses.Mosthousesareofwattleanddaub
construction,buttheshrineroomsofthemorewealthyarewalledwithstone.Poorerfamiliesimitatethe
richbyapplyingpotteryplaquestotheirshrinewalls.Whileeachfamilyhasatleastonesuchshrine,the
ritualsassociatedwithitarenotfamilyceremoniesbutareprivateand
secret.Theritesarenormallyonlydiscussedwithchildren,andthenonlyduringtheperiodwhentheyare
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beinginitiatedintothesemysteries.Iwasable,however,toestablishsufficientrapportwiththenativesto
examinetheseshrinesandtohavetheritualsdescribedtome.
Thefocalpointoftheshrineisaboxorchestwhichisbuiltintothewall.Inthischestarekeptthe
manycharmsandmagicalpotionswithoutwhichnonativebelieveshecouldlive.Thesepreparationsare
securedfromavarietyofspecializedpractitioners.Themostpowerfulofthesearethemedicinemen,
whoseassistancemustberewardedwithsubstantialgifts.However,themedicinemendonotprovide
thecurativepotionsfortheirclients,butdecidewhattheingredientsshouldbeandthenwritethemdown
inanancientandsecretlanguage.Thiswritingisunderstoodonlybythemedicinemenandbythe
herbalistswho,foranothergift,providetherequiredcharm.
Thecharmisnotdisposedofafterithasserveditspurpose,butisplacedinthecharmboxofthe
householdshrine.Asthese
magicalmaterialsarespecificforcertainills,andtherealorimaginedmaladiesofthepeoplearemany,
thecharmboxisusuallyfulltooverflowing.Themagicalpacketsaresonumerousthatpeopleforget
whattheirpurposeswereandfeartousethemagain.Whilethenativesareveryvagueonthispoint,we
canonlyassumethattheideainretainingalltheoldmagicalmaterialsisthattheirpresenceinthecharm
box,beforewhichthebodyritualsareconducted,willinsomewayprotecttheworshipper.
Beneaththecharmboxisasmallfont.Eachdayeverymemberofthefamily,insuccession,entersthe
shrineroom,bows
hisheadbeforethecharmbox,minglesdifferentsortsofholywaterinthefont,andproceedswithabrief
riteofablution.
TheholywatersaresecuredfromtheWaterTempleofthecommunity,wherethepriestsconduct
elaborateceremoniesto
maketheliquidrituallypure.
Inthehierarchyofmagicalpractitioners,andbelowthemedicinemeninprestige,arespecialists
whosedesignationisbesttranslated"holymouthmen."TheNaciremahaveanalmostpathological
horrorofandfascinationwiththemouth,theconditionofwhichisbelievedtohaveasupernatural
influenceonallsocialrelationships.Wereitnotfortheritualsofthe
mouth,theybelievethattheirteethwouldfallout,theirgumsbleed,theirjawsshrink,theirfriends
desertthem,andtheirlovers
rejectthem.Theyalsobelievethatastrongrelationshipexistsbetweenoralandmoralcharacteristics.
Forexample,thereisaritualablutionofthemouthforchildrenwhichissupposedtoimprovetheirmoral
fiber.
Thedailybodyritualperformedbyeveryoneincludesamouthrite.Despitethefactthatthesepeople
aresopunctiliousaboutcareofthemouth,thisriteinvolvesapracticewhichstrikestheuninitiated
strangerasrevolting.Itwasreportedtomethattheritualconsistsofinsertingasmallbundleofhoghairs
intothemouth,alongwithcertainmagicalpowders,andthenmovingthebundleinahighlyformalized
seriesofgestures.
Inadditiontotheprivatemouthrite,thepeopleseekoutaholymouthmanonceortwiceayear.
Thesepractitioners
haveanimpressivesetofparaphernalia,consistingofavarietyofaugers,awls,probes,andprods.The
useoftheseobjectsintheexorcismoftheevilsofthemouthinvolvesalmostunbelievableritualtorture
oftheclient.Theholymouthmanopentheclientsmouthand,usingtheabovementionedtools,enlarges
anyholeswhichdecaymayhavecreatedintheteeth.Magicalmaterialsareputintotheseholes.Ifthere
agenonaturallyoccurringholesintheteeth,largesectionsofoneormoreteetharegougedoutsothat
thesupernaturalsubstancecanbeapplied.Intheclient'sview,thepurposeoftheseministrationsisto
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arrestdecayandtodrawfriends.Theextremelysacredandtraditionalcharacteroftheriteisevidentin
thefactthatthenativesreturntotheholymouthmenyearafteryear,despitethefactthattheirteeth
continuetodecay.
Itistobehopedthat,whenathoroughstudyoftheNaciremaismade,therewillbecarefulinquiry
intothepersonalitystructureofthesepeople.Onehasbuttowatchthegleamintheeyeofaholy
mouthman,ashejabsanawlintoanexposednerve,tosuspectthatacertainamountofsadismis
involved.Ifthiscanbeestablished,averyinterestingpatternemerges,formostofthepopulation
showsdefinitemasochistictendencies.ItwastothesethatProfessorLintonreferredindiscussinga
distinctivepartofthedailybodyritualwhichisperformedonlybymen.Thispartoftheriteinvolves
scrapingandlaceratingthesurfaceofthefacewithasharpinstrument.Specialwomen'sritesare
performedonlyfourtimesduringeachlunarmonth,butwhattheylackinfrequencyismadeupin
barbarity.Aspartofthisceremony,womenbaketheirheadsinsmallovensforaboutanhour.The
theoreticallyinterestingpointisthatwhatseemstobeapreponderantlymasochisticpeoplehave
developedsadisticspecialists.
Themedicinemenhaveanimposingtemple,orlatipso,ineverycommunityofanysize.Themore
elaborateceremoniesrequiredtotreatverysickpatientscanonlybeperformedatthistemple.These
ceremoniesinvolvenotonlythethaumaturgebutapermanentgroupofvestalmaidenswhomove
sedatelyaboutthetemplechambersindistinctivecostumeandheaddress.
Thelatipsoceremoniesaresoharshthatitisphenomenalthatafairproportionofthereallysick
nativeswhoenterthetempleTheconceptofcultureeverrecover.Smallchildrenwhoseindoctrinationis
stillincompletehavebeenknowntoresistattemptstotakethemtothetemplebecause"thatiswhere
yougotodie."Despitethisfact,sickadultsarenotonlywillingbuteagertoundergotheprotracted
ritualpurification,iftheycanaffordtodoso.Nomatterhowillthesupplicantorhowgravethe
emergency,theguardiansofmanytempleswillnotadmitaclientifhecannotgivearichgifttothe
custodian.Evenafteronehasgainedadmissionandsurvivedtheceremonies,theguardianswillnot
permittheneophytetoleaveuntilhemakesstillanothergift.
Thesupplicantenteringthetempleisfirststrippedofallhisorherclothes.Ineverydaylifethe
Naciremaavoidsexposureofhisbodyanditsnaturalfunctions.Bathingandexcretoryactsare
performedonlyinthesecrecyofthehouseholdshrine,wheretheyareritualizedaspartofthebody
rites.Psychologicalshockresultsfromthefactthatbodysecrecyissuddenlylostuponentryintothe
latipso.Aman,whoseownwifehasneverseenhiminanexcretoryact,suddenlyfindshimselfnaked
andassistedbyavestalmaidenwhileheperformshisnaturalfunctionsintoasacredvessel.Thissortof
ceremonialtreatmentisnecessitatedbythefactthattheexcretaareusedbyadivinertoascertainthe
courseandnatureoftheclient'ssickness.Femaleclients,ontheotherhand,findtheirnakedbodiesare
subjectedtothescrutiny,manipulationandproddingofthemedicinemen.
Fewsupplicantsinthetemplearewellenoughtodoanythingbutlieontheirhardbeds.Thedaily
ceremonies,liketheritesoftheholymouthmen,involvediscomfortandtorture.Withritualprecision,
thevestalsawakentheirmiserablechargeseachdawnandrollthemaboutontheirbedsofpainwhile
performingablutions,intheformalmovementsofwhichthemaidensarehighlytrained.Atothertimes
theyinsertmagicwandsinthesupplicant'smouthorforcehimtoeatsubstanceswhicharesupposedto
behealing.Fromtimetotimethemedicinemencometotheirclientsandjabmagicallytreatedneedles
intotheirflesh.Thefactthatthesetempleceremoniesmaynotcure,andmayevenkilltheneophyte,in
nowaydecreasesthepeople'sfaithinthemedicinemen.
Thereremainsoneotherkindofpractitioner,knownasa"listener."Thiswitchdoctorhasthepower
toexorcisethedevilsthatlodgeintheheadsofpeoplewhohavebeenbewitched.TheNacirema
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believethatparentsbewitchtheirownchildren.Mothersareparticularlysuspectedofputtingacurseon
childrenwhileteachingthemthesecretbodyrituals.Thecountermagicofthewitchdoctorisunusualin
itslackofritual.Thepatientsimplytellsthe"listener"allhistroublesandfears,beginningwiththe
earliestdifficultieshecanremember.ThememorydisplayedbytheNacirernaintheseexorcism
sessionsistrulyremarkable.Itisnotuncommonforthepatienttobemoantherejectionhefeltupon
beingweanedasababe,andafewindividualsevenseetheirtroublesgoingbacktothetraumatic
effectsoftheirownbirth.
Inconclusion,mentionmustbemadeofcertainpracticeswhichhavetheirbaseinnativeestheticsbut
whichdependuponthepervasiveaversiontothenaturalbodyanditsfunctions.Thereareritualfaststo
makefatpeoplethinandceremonialfeaststomakethinpeoplefat.Stillotherritesareusedtomake
women'sbreastslargeriftheyaresmall,andsmalleriftheyarelarge.Generaldissatisfactionwith
breastshapeissymbolizedinthefactthattheidealformisvirtuallyoutsidetherangeofhuman
variation.Afewwomenafflictedwithalmostinhumanhypermamrnarydevelopmentaresoidolizedthat
theymakeahandsomelivingbysimplygoingfromvillagetovillageandpermittingthenativestostare
atthemforafee.
Referencehasalreadybeenmadetothefactthatexcretoryfunctionsareritualized,routinized,and
relegatedtosecrecy.Naturalreproductivefunctionsaresimilarlydistorted.Intercourseistabooasatopic
andscheduledasanact.Effortsaremadetoavoidpregnancybytheuseofmagicalmaterialsorby
limitingintercoursetocertainphasesofthemoon.Conceptionisactuallyveryinfrequent.When
pregnant,womendresssoastohidetheircondition.Parturitiontakesplaceinsecret,withoutfriendsor
relativestoassist,andthemajorityofwomendonotnursetheirinfants.
OurreviewoftherituallifeoftheNaciremahascertainlyshownthemtobeamagicriddenpeople.It
ishardtounderstandhowtheyhavemanagedtoexistsolongundertheburdenswhichtheyhave
imposeduponthemselves.Butevensuchexoticcustomsasthesetakeonrealmeaningwhentheyare
viewedwiththeinsightprovidedbyMalinowskiwhenhewrote:
"Lookingfromfarandabove,fromourhighplacesofsafetyinthedevelopedcivilization,itiseasyto
seeallthecrudityandirrelevanceofmagic.Butwithoutitspowerandguidanceearlymancouldnot
havemasteredhispracticaldifficultiesashehasdone,norcouldmanhaveadvancedtothehigherstages
ofcivilization."
References
Linton,Ralph.1936.TheStudyofMan.NewYork:D.AppletonCentury.
Malinowski,Bronislaw.1948.Magic,Science,andReligion.Glencoe,Ill.:TheFreePress.
Murdock,GeorgeP.1949.SocialStructure.NewYork:Macmillan.

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