Anthropology 352: Native South Americans

Dr. Aspelin
Office: Chester Bldg. 146
Phone: 687-2167 (secretary = 687-2414) and by appointment [subject to change as necessary]

Purpose: This course is designed to provide an overview of the indigenous cultures of South America, focusing on those of the non-Andean, or lowland areas. Case studies will be utilized to represent major culture areas, traditions, and questions of anthropological concern. Particular attention will be paid to traditional and contemporary ecological adaptation, the history of colonialism and its legacy, and the interplay of social structure, myth, ritual, and symbolism.

Books: There are four books which should be purchased for the course.

1. Claude Levi-Strauss, TRISTES TROPIQUES;

2. Yolanda and Robert Murphy, WOMEN OF THE FOREST;

3. Allyn Stearman, YUQUI; and

4. Joe Kane, SAVAGES

Grades: Your course grade will be based on 7 equally-weighted multiple-choice short exams or quizzes, each covering the assigned readings plus all class materials (lectures, discussions, maps, films, etc.), for that portion of the course, according to the schedule below.

E!tra-credit: is available through reviewing selected videotapes about native South Americans (e.g. The Mission, Emerald Forest, At Play in the Fields of the Lord, etc.) Other extra-credit topics or activities may also become available. More details about this later.

ASSIGNMENIS:

Weeks 1- 3:

Introduction, geography of South America, brief review of native South American prehistory, culture areas.

Levi-Strauss, Tristes Tropiques, Part 4 (pp. 107-150) The Earth and Its Inhabitants

EXAM 1: Monday, 2/9

Weeks 4 & 5:

Levi-Strauss, Tristes Tropiaues, Part 5 (pp. 151-197) on the Caduveo.

EXAM 2:

 

Weeks 6 & 7:

Levi-Strauss, Tristes TropiQues, Chapter 6, "The Making of an Anthropologist" (pp. 51-60) and Part 6 (pp. 199-246) on the Bororo.

EXAM 3:

Weeks 8 & 9:. Levi-Strauss, Tristes Trouigues, Part 7 (pp. 247-317) on the Nambicuara. ALSO part of your assignment, on reserve in the Library, is the article by Paul Aspelin (1976 ) "Nambicuara Economic Dualism" and the "Comments by Levi-Strauss" which follow it (part of the same reserve item).

EXAM 4:

Weeks 10 & 11:

Murphy & Murphy, Women of the Forest, entire.

EXAM 5:

Weeks 12 & 13:

I Stearman, Yugui. entire; PLUS article by Stearman on reserve in the Library.

EXAM 6:

Weeks 14 & 15:

Kane, Savages, entire.

EXAM 7:

Please note that all extra credit is due at this time