Semai Culture - 939 Words

The Semai Culture Cynthia Sankfield ANT 101 Introduction to Cultural Anthropology Alison Lee 2/7/11 The Semai are a semi sedentary people living in the center of the Malay Peninsula in Southeast Asia. This group is mostly popular for their non-violence. The Semai are horticulturalists who have a gift economy. II. Body paragraph #1 – Economic organization The Semai subsist on the cultivation of manioc and rice, plus fishing, hunting, and trade in so called minor forest products, such as rattan. B. The more traditional Semai live in small, isolated camps on mountain slopes at high altitudes and grow mainly mountain rice, millet, and maize. 1. Semai environments are†¦show more content†¦There are no separate ideals for women versus men, and no task that are strictly for women or men. A newly married couple often lives for weeks in the wife’s settlement since majority of the time spouses are from different settlements. The couple takes turns living within each other’s settlement until they finally settle down in one or the other. As long as the couple remains sleeping and eating together they are considered married. But if the couple no longer sleeps or eat together they are considered separated. For the Semai, the ideal adult man has a good relationship with his wife, lover his children more than anything, has a n ormal sexual appetite, a good appetite, and a healthy cool body. He keeps his feelings and thoughts to himself. He does not cause confusion for others and does not try to make someone including his own child do something contrary to that person’s will. He does not harm strangers even if he mistrusts them. If he is being attacked he will open his arms hoping to make the attacker change their mind or the Semai man will flee. C. The men and women work equally. V. Conclusion A. In my opinion if some practices of the Semai culture were taken in to practice by the American culture, life as an American may be a lot easier. References Dentan, R. (1968). The Semai: A Nonviolent People of Malaysia. New York: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston. Gerco, K. (2002). Cultural contact andShow MoreRelatedTechniques of Conflict Resolution Observed in the Semai and Paliyan Societies1972 Words   |  8 Pagesways in which conflict is handled in two distinct societies- Semai and Paliyan. In order for this to be achieved, background information like the locations of and gender relations in the two societies will be touched. My focus will be based on the avoidance and resolution of conflict in both societies. 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