Categories: Out Among Humans

Anthropology and me

To study the Yanamamo Tribe, “The Man Called Bee” (shown in video) adapted the clothing of his hosts. He conspicuously brandished his chosen weapon in a formal greeting. To gain the trust of the indigenous, he surrendered his soul to a potent ceremonial hallucinogen.

We watched him in Cultural Anthropology 101.

As I study the tribe at our remote community college, I’ve followed Bee’s example. Clothing: cheap relaxed-fit jeans, fleeces, thick-soled boots or sneakers. For my weapon: I brandish an iPhone 4 as is the custom here. The ceremonial drug arrived unexpectedly with my rental textbooks: two promotional-sized cans of Red Bull. We danced and brayed.

Pat Shiplett

Share
Published by
Pat Shiplett

Recent Posts

Afghan picnic

Out Among HumansIt was as much a sacrament as a picnic for the Afghans once…

2 weeks ago

Boys with Toy Guns

The men of their generation grew up bracing for a fight. They would learn soon…

4 weeks ago

Lincoln Inaugural Address

At the Lincoln MemorialLincoln’s words were etched in stone so they couldn’t be erased from…

1 month ago

Maarten Tollenaar

People at a coffee shopThe Dutch visitor speaks the King’s English with a brogue that…

2 months ago

sumo

They weren’t dog people. They weren’t cat, gerbil or goldfish people either. They were simply…

3 months ago

D.J. with fascist sign

People at a coffee shopDictators can intimidate the courts, institutions of learning and the free…

3 months ago