Cultural Anthropology for Missions

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CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY FOR MISSIONS M.M.NINAN Preventive antigen's injection is practiced by all the tribes whereby snake and scorpion poison is made ineffective. The injection is given in a simple way by cutting the outer skin of the back of the palm and rabbit: in the medicine diluted and activated by saliva. Psychological sickness vas recognized and treated by most witch doctors from very early times. For this purpose they psychoanalyze not only the patients but also their near relatives and friends, as the assumption is that it is imbalanced relation in the family or society. In all Sudanese cultures sickness and death are considered as due to sin of the person or the group. Epidemics among man, beasts, animals or fishes are caused by the communal sin and should be atoned for the remedy. Regular sacrifices for such reconciliations between people, environment, spirits and God are practiced. I have taken my examples mostly from the Sudanese context. But the arguments are equally valid to all cultures irrespective of their technological level of development. Each of the above seven needs have to be met by all men. The way they meet them differ depending on the process of development, availability of materials, suitability of the method etc. These are learnt through being in the society and are not reflex or instinct. All cultures are unique. There are no primitive or advanced cultures. Development in various aspects of life is emphasized by cultures. In some cultures technology and skill are given importance, in 35
CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY FOR MISSIONS M.M.NINAN others art and craft are given importance, and yet in others human relations and family are given special emphasis. Thus each develops in their own way. Those cultures which have developed war machines and war technologies had an advantage over the others in that they could easily subdue them. But history have shown that the victors are not always victors the war. Some cultures were able to conquer their victors. The point is that every culture is capable of full growth and is highly adaptive. We have seen how culture is built around the basic needs of man. Every cultural act performs a function, whether we can discern it directly or not. They are intricately correlated that any attempt to change a cultural act may result in serious imbalance of the social structure. Strict introduction of monogamy in the East African culture by the Christians is one such example. It has caused several unforeseen effects in the widespread increase of unwanted widows and orphans and prostitution. When problems arise, the society will find a solution. These solutions may not be very desirable though. 36
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COMPARITIVE STUDY OF KUKU AND HEBRE
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Prof. M.M.Ninan and Mrs. Ponnamma N
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Cultural Anthropology for Missions

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