Strange tribe of Nacirema Essay Reflection

Strange tribe of Nacirema Essay Reflection

According to the essay, Nacirema is North American tribe who has awkward customs which are originated from their superstitions and magical beliefs.

Human body is the centre of Nacirema rituals behind which is the hideous body of nature more proven to weakness and illness. In order to divert these characteristics such rituals and ceremonies are performed. Each family has at least one own shrine where daily based rituals are performed. The power and wealth of a person is known by having more number of shrines rooms walled with stone.

The main artifact of each shrine is a box built into the wall. Many specialized practitioners are involved in this entire system of rituals. Medicine men are the most powerful among all. They are fond of receiving gifts from the clients.

The magical materials in the charm box are specified for certain illness and woe to be averted by medicine men through different sadistic rites.Daily, each member of the family enters the shrine room, stoop before charm box followed bya brief rite of ablution. These waters are collected from community based water temple of the community wherein the priests carry out refine rituals to make the water holier healer.

The most interesting of the rituals is the “mouth rite’’.As per Miner’s words;” ritual consists of inserting a small bundle of hog hairs into the mouth, along with certain magical powders, and then moving the bundle in a highly formalized series of gestures.’’

In order to perform this rite, holy mouth men are visited once/twice in a year. The holy mouth practioners are often equipped with augers, awls, probes and prods use for torturous rites. This ritual expands holes in mouth created due to decay in teeth.

It can be said rightly that due to attracting gratification through suffering and pain the people of Nacirema have the tendencies of Masochists. The rites of women usually performed during lunar month with four time frequency wherein women bake their head in small ovens for an hour. Their bodies are often put to scrutiny and manipulation by the medicine men.

In each community the medicine men have established a temple called latispo wherein ceremonies held to treat sever sick people conditioned to the rich gift reception. A permanent group of vestal maiden can be found in the latispo chambers with unique costumes and headdress. They are involved in rites performance especially in unclothing of clients.

Expert in exorcism and localized counseling “Listener’’ practitioners are also there. Conception among women is highly discouraged even up to the level of shame that to be hide. Due to their torturous rites, natural productive functions of the tribesmen are highly distorted.

In a nutshell, Nacerina tribe is a “magic ridden” community with strange and bizarre rituals.