Compare and Contrast Dobe/JuHoansi - 1863 Words

The book, The Dobe Ju/hoansi is a great example of an ethnography. It is a very detailed description of every aspect of the San peoples life. From the environment they inhabit to the food they eat, the book goes into great detail on how these people survive. More importantly, the book describes their personal relationships with each other and other band level societies, marriage and sexuality topics, and how they solve disputes. Personally, I feel the attention directed towards their interpersonal relationships, was the key in understanding these Ju/hoansis way of life. Some of the most important topics mentioned in the ethnography are the foraging for a living, their marriage and sexuality, and conflicts, politics, and exchange.†¦show more content†¦Economic reasons are simply the division of labor. Women want to marry a man that can support them and vice versa. Obviously, we need to have sex, which suggests that we should marry. Also, having children is a vital par t of keeping a community flourishing. Also in both societies, social relationships are important. If you are married, you know without a doubt that you spouse and their family will be there for you. Just as in our society, men and woman of the Ju/hoansi ultimately get to choose who they marry. At first, the Ju marriages are set up by parents. Although we might not think that we are set up with our mates, our parents do their best to put us on track to marry the type of guy or girl they think is the best fit for us. In both societies, if a marriage does not pan out, we have the right to get a divorce. If for some reason, one half of a marriage is not happy, they commit adultery just like we do. One of the most important aspects of the marriage relationship is the equal rights that men and women have. The Ju society is an egalitarian society (Lee 2003). This means that men and women have the same rights. In America, we are the same way, but upon further review, it seems that the Ju women have more power in their society than American women do in our culture. The Ju/hoansi are very open about their sexuality. In some cases, boys and girls of less than ten years of age can be seen