Eating Christmas in The Kalahari

Richard Borshay Lee was a social anthropologist who lived and studied with the Tswana tribe in southern Africa. Richard Borshay Lee introduces us to some extremely important social science techniques in "Eating Christmas in the Kalahari." 

He opted to participate in an ox Christmas celebration. Mr. Lee felt compelled to provide a present because the tribal group mistook him for a miser because he had lived there for a long time and had never shared his food. 

He felt bound to share because it was Christmas and both sides believed in the spiritual festival. Finally, his opinions differ from those of the Kung people, demonstrating the potency of socializing agents.

Lee's main stumbling block is a miscommunication between himself and the tribesman about why he isn't receiving the appreciation he expected after slaughtering such a massive ox. While it may not appear so at first, the conflict between the tribesman and Lee might be interpreted as a representation of the social divide between the United States and the Kalahari Desert. When people in the United States perform an action that they consider to be an act of kindness, they expect a "Thank you" from the recipient. The Kung Bushmen work in a unique way.

They criticize and degrade the present instead of saying "thank you," as is traditional in the United States. This is what happened to Lee and his ox, and he was perplexed as to why the Bushmen would treat him in this manner when he was confident that he had selected more than enough animals for the feast. Another illustration of how cultures can differ from one another is this. It's rather simple to understand why the Kung Bushmen handle gifts the way they do. Their goal is for no one man to think of himself as superior to others simply because he can bring food home.

Yes, when a young man hunts a lot of meat, he begins to see himself as a chief or a large man, and the rest of us as inferiors or servants. This line of reasoning is supported by the phrase "We can't just accept this." When the Bushmen learned of Lee's pride in his sacrifice, they used it against him to keep him humble. When Americans do a noble thing, it is frequently to gain some sort of praise, which boosts their ego. His strategy appears to have been a disastrous failure. He was depressed to the point of refusing to eat at feasts. However, reality set in when the ox turned out to be just what he had hoped for. It's dripping with fat and bursting with flavor for anyone to enjoy.

His chain had been pulled. He realized it was a way to offend the predator and kill him to keep his arrogance in check and keep him low. Even though this knowledge was obvious, Lee realized that there were no truly significant actions. The knowledge confirmed the ethnographer's belief that getting away from his values and culture was still tough. If you don't ask for a genuine reason, it's easy to misread someone's behavior and statements. It demonstrates how simple it is to misinterpret someone or something, and how if one does not put aside, one's beliefs are prone to examine things. He felt obligated to share because it was Christmas and both groups were celebrating the spiritual holiday. Finally, his views clash with those of the Kung people, demonstrating the strength of socializing agents.

Finally, this is an intriguing commentary on the Kung as well as western civilization. In most cases, what appear to be acts of generosity are self-serving and devious maneuvers in whatever games are being played. Why do businesses hold corporate meetings in posh hotels? Who is responsible for paying for meals, and what part of the contract is it based on? The Kung, on the other hand, may appear; they are aware of psychological events and fight ferociously.

Author: Daisy Lilly

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