Eating Christmas In The Kalahari

Eating Christmas In The Kalahari

Introduction

The story “Eating Christmas in the Kalahari” by Richard Borshay Lee reveals that it is not only hard for the ethnographer to get rid of from his own viewpoints but the story also reveals us the example that how the individuals' interpretations and explanations and viewpoints can interfere among people.

In this story, the author Richard Borshay Lee brings information and the ethnographic techniques that he had used, into our knowledge. Kottak, (2009) has analyzed critically that the author, in the story decides to take participation in the Christmas ox custom which is participant observation - “direct, firsthand observation of behavior” and then the author, Mr. Lee, with the help of his important informers, such as Hakekgose, Tomazo finds out the new characteristics and factors of the! Kung's community life.

In the start of the story, the author has himself said that he came to the Kalahari to learn the hunting and gathering subsistence economy of the! Kung Bushmen”.

Discussion

Mr. Lee, as social anthropologist has analyzed the culture of the !Kung Bushmen. Being as an ethnographer the author has taken part in the traditional ceremonial Tswana-Herero custom which involves the slaughtering an ox and then sharing the ox with other members of family and the ethnic group on the event of Christmas.

In this story it has been shown that the author bought the biggest and the healthiest ox from a Herero friend. The author has tried to spread his American culture and custom of friendship and brotherhood and has tried to spread love among the people especially on the day of Christmas. Despite of his this brotherly effort, the !Kung Bushmen had kept criticizing him and making him feel like if he has been a miser. They tried to make the author realized that the big ...