Nacirema Practices and Rituals

Nacirema was a community believed to have lived in groups within parts of North America including parts of Canada that can be traced back in the 19^th Century. The Nacirema culture continues to evoke more discussions on extremes of culture in the discipline of anthropology as their beliefs and behaviors were all unique in nature.

Concurrently, what makes Nacirema traditions so unique from the American Culture was theirs behavioral practices especially their body rituals. box and magical potion. The beliefs in medicine men in the Nacirema culture and use of herbalist in giving relevant charm were outstanding. The idea of also not throwing away the charm and keeping it safe in the charm box after it had played its purpose remained unique among many cultures (Miner 120).

Another unique cultural practice by the Nacirema culture was the belief on “holy-mouth men” who were believed to exercise exorcism on people supposed to have the evil of the mouth but the practice coulde The community was also well known for body rituals performed only by men where they used sharp tools to lacerate and scrap their face. Women also had the rituals where they would bake their heads in their oven for at least an hour. Latin po ceremonies for the ill, where people were required to strip off their clothes, uncommon within the Nacirema culture show the extreme of some cultures (Miner 121).

Due to the drastic nature of global events, many cultures have come of age in the 21^stCentury. Becoming a member of such a community would be traumatizing as many communities have changed their behavioral practices due to the influence of different factors such as the religion and other beliefs.

Works Cited

Miner, Horace, “Body Ritual Among the Nacirema”, American Anthropologist, vol 58: pp. 503-

507, June 1956. Print.