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Annette B. Whiner describes her fieldwork in the Trinidad Islands of Papua New Guiana as entering a world without cultural guideposts. She was fully aware and expected to find difficulty with learning a new language and of letting go of her own cultural assumptions. Whiner studied the Trinidad Islands via the writings of Bronchial Gasper Mammalians and thus her expectations were set by fieldwork performed sixty years earlier. Not to mention that Mammalians was a man, of a different time and therefore was almost of a different culture himself.
I would say hat one of the main expectations was that of the role of women in the Trinidad culture. She writes that her fieldwork was not originally focused on the productiveness of women, however that changed when she witnessed the women distributing “their own wealth”, bundles of banana leaves and banana fiber skirts, which they exchanged in honor of someone that had recently passed away. Immolation’s analysis only focused on men and their wealth. This observation seems to have shaped and peaked Wiener’s interest In further studying the women and their importance within the culture.
Whiner was only aware of her expectations after witnessing the women’s ritual and once compared to Immolation’s accounts. Her observations made a difference, in that they reflected that women’s roles were much more significant within the Trinidad society. Not only did Wiener’s observations challenge the role of women, but also the Immolation’s assumption of the role of men. Whiner employed several methods. One, she took up residence within the village. This allowed her to observe every aspect of the culture.
Had she not taken up residence, she would have severely limited her exposure to the Trinidad way of life. Two, she compared Immolation’s findings along-side her own. This neutralized her preconceived notions of what she was going to experience while studying this culture. Wiener’s problems would consist of “weeding out” the Inaccuracies of Immolation’s findings. She had to reexamine and study the configuration of matrilineal descent. Most significant Is the role of the father In the Trinidad society.
Whiner took Issue with Immolation’s account of the father’s role, during life and beyond death. Additionally, she further describes that Mammalians never gave equal time to the women’s significance and their societal and political role. Wiener’s study Illustrated many characteristics of culture In the Social and Shared aspect of women creating, wearing and then outlasting the banana skirts and banana leaf bundles. This would also demonstrate the Importance of symbolism, as the skirts represent wealth.
The skirts and collection of banana leaf bundles highlight how this act has been transmitted from one generation to the next. Mammalians mentioned the skirts, but dismissed their Importance however, his documentation shows that sixty years later, they remain significant wealth the Trinidad culture. Another characteristic old be the learnt behavior Vela the Importance of the father’s role In the child’s life, and Into adulthood. He provides opportunities for his child(Rene) to gain from his matrilineal, thus adding to their resources.
Written Assignment 1 Anthropology By Weatherboard to have shaped and peaked Wiener’s interest in further studying the women and culture. Wiener’s problems would consist of “weeding out” the inaccuracies of matrilineal descent. Most significant is the role of the father in the Trinidad society. Whiner took issue with Immolation’s account of the father’s role, during life and illustrated many characteristics of culture in the Social and Shared aspect of women creating, wearing and then distributing the banana skirts and banana leaf bundles.
This would also demonstrate the importance of symbolism, as the skirts represent but dismissed their importance however, his documentation shows that sixty years later, they remain significant within the Trinidad culture. Another characteristic would be the learnt behavior via the importance of the father’s role in the child’s life, and into adulthood. He provides opportunities for his child(Rene) to gain from his matrilineal, thus adding to their resources.