Message-Id: <l03130305b36ad8e36d47@[131.111.107.29]>
To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
From: Robert Aunger <rva20@cam.ac.uk>
Subject: RE: Hadza
Date: Fri, 21 May 1999 09:39:40 +0100
From: "Kathryn Jean Lopez" <lopezk@ix.netcom.com>
Date: Thu, 20 May 1999 18:02:17 -0400
Subject: Hadza
Anyone know anything about the Hadza people of northern Tanzania? In her
book, Natalie Angier argues that hunting Hadza men rarely share their meat
with their families, but socially with other men in the community. That
women handle forage on their own and stay afloat, proves women don't need
men all --or so the argument goes.
I'm skeptical. Any thoughts?
Thanks a billion for any guidance.
K Lopez
I haven't read Angier's book so I don't know exactly what her claim is, but
it is common for meat to be widely shared in forager groups. Having studied
another African forager group (pygmies), it was often my sense that the
women could manage quite well on their own. Indeed, this is also argued in
the anthropological literature. But women are often stuck close to home
doing childcare and therefore can't hunt as effectively as men. From this,
it is more often recognized that men are necessary, not just for sperm, but
for protection from other men, for the social contacts that meat exchange
provides, for the specialized nutrients that meat provides, etc.
The academic literature on Hadza Angier must refer to is work by Nicholas
Blurton-Jones, Kristen Hawkes and James O'Connell, anthropologists at the
University of Utah. I don't have particular cites to hand, but they have
published at least 10 articles on this and related topics.
Hope this helps.
Best wishes,
Bob
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