Richard B. Lee

An examination of the Dobe Ju'Hoansi (speakers of a click language in the once prominant Khoisian family -- the subjects of the film "The God's Must Be Crazy") by an anthropologist. He found that these people really did not represent, as he had imagined, a slice of how humanity might have lived eons ago. These modern hunter-gatherers, however, had very interesting cultural attributes that set them apart from so-called modern society. They had little jealousy and a remarkably altruistic gift giving model. They had ornate notions of family and naming. They lived longer than the west expected and had happier lives, based on the number of hours they had to toil and their longevity. And they lost all aspects the benefits of their culture when modern african governments gave them "assistance".… (más)

I read this ages ago, but I didn't want to review it, because I've not read any other anthropological field-report type works. But, what the hell. I learned from it; I'll say that. It sounds like an interesting people, living in an interesting little corner of the globe. But I never bonded with the researcher, or how he wrote. He certainly had some of the needed sympathy for his subjects, but not enough, really. He seemed slightly caught up in how advanced he was as a Canadian, or as a graduate of some Toronto university, or whatever. To be honest, it sounds like he basically acted like a sort of visiting dignitary...and this in a society blessedly free of visiting dignitaries.

(7/10)… (más)

“Hunting and Gathering is humanity’s first and most successful adaptation, occupying fully 90 percent of human history. Until 12,000 years ago all humanity lived this way. Surprisingly, in an increasingly urbanized and technological world dozens of hunting and gathering societies have persisted and thrive on five continents. Case studies of more than fifty of the world’s hunting and gathering peoples, written by leading experts, tell a story of resilience in the face of change, of ancient ways now combined with the trappings of modernity. Divided into seven world regions, each section includes a regional introduction and an archaeological overview. Thematic essays discuss prehistory, social life, gender, music and art, health, religion, and indigenous knowledge. The final section surveys the complex histories of hunter-gatherers’ encounters with colonialism and the State and their ongoing struggles for dignity and human rights as part of the worldwide movement of indigenous peoples.”… (más)