Describe Your Culture: The Origins, History, Traditions, Beliefs (Essay Sample)

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Anthropology essay
Abstract
Culture defines the people’s way of life and is the major source of diversity. Ikobu tribe originated from Somalia and travelled to Mount Elgon region, Uganda. The community has preserved its culture across several generations and they practice farming and livestock keeping. The culture that is still relevant today is male circumcision and music. The eroded cultures include female genital mutilation, cattle rustling and hunting. This essay summarizes cultural activities among Ikobu people, and it can be concluded that culture should be preserved to maintain rich cultural diversity in the country.
Introduction
Culture is a way of life of a group of people; it includes the behaviors, beliefs, values, modes of transport and food. The culture is preserved and passed from generation to generation through verbal communication and imitation. Most communities in the neighborhood pass culture to young generation during initiation ceremonies. Elders have been involved in story telling in my tribe especially during the evening when everyone is settled and children are the main audience. They would tell terrifying stories with monsters being the main character when they want to warn children against certain behaviors such as stealing, staying up to late hours in the night or discourage laziness. Culture conserves certain values unique to the community and breaking some of the ways of life could lead to dire consequences. Some traditions are believed to be sacred and none is allowed to go against it, if one goes astray, he/she could be dishonored. Such individuals were considered unclean and the elderly performed certain rituals involving slaughter of ram to cleanse them. The culture defines food and lifestyle of community and consumption of traditional food could prevent lifestyle diseases characterized by obesity and cancers (Thomas et al. 2050).
Origin and history
My tribe, Ikobu originated from Somalia, commonly known as horn of Africa. It is believed that drought hit their country in 16th century claiming lives of many people and majority who died were the elderly and children. The harsh climatic conditions forced them to move southwards in search of greener pasture for their livestock and fertile soils for farming. They could raid communities on their way, stealing cattle, sheep, goats and camels and crops like sorghum, millet, and cassava. They were so notorious to extent of raiding some villages for women and by the time, they settled at the slopes of Mount Elgon, Uganda, they had married a tenth of their wives from foreign tribes. Ikobu practiced polygamy and one could marry up to ten wives leading to population explosion from 5000 people to current estimate of 2.2 million people.
Traditions
Men and women were allowed to marry at a minimum age of 16 and 12 respectively, and an elderly could marry teenage during colonial era. Prestige was determined by number of cattle one has, as it is the main part dowry payment. Men and women have distinct roles, only men inherited family property. Men were responsible for clearing fields, looking after the cattle, family protection and construction of houses while women were responsible for raising children, cooking tilling the farm. The married and elderly were involved in settling civil disputes, a common practice up to date. The complex criminal cases are referred to law courts. The elderly drilled their earlobes and could fit with earrings often during traditional ceremonies whereas the number of necklaces for a girl increased as she neared marriage.
Beliefs
Boys and girls underwent separate initiations after puberty and were allowed to marry after the ceremony. The initiation ceremonies were accompanied with feasting and dancing. The songs for initiation differed from those sung during childbirth, war, burial, marriage, during bumper harvest or when praising their god, sun. Boys were circumcised to be men and women were expected to treat the initiated boys with respect. Newly initiated men lived in separate houses from parents, and they were given responsibility to protect the community with shield, spears, arrows and bow. Girls were initiated by cutting part of clitoris even though it is unaccepted; they still practice female genital mutilation in secrecy. The initiation takes about one month and it is during that time when traditional moral values are imparted. Men are taught do’s and don’ts such as "never kill a child or a woman during raid or war”, "never proceed to war if eagle follow on to battle field" and "never kill an enemy if he surrender”. They believed in supernatural being god the sun, traditionally known as "Asis”. The non-Christians pray Asis for protection, help win war, provide rainfall and offer guidance when settling disputes. Ikobu people pray god while facing the sun.
Healthcare, transport, clothing and music
Traditional medicine has been practiced since time immemorial. Special people referred to as medicine men and women administer medication including concoction made from roots, herbs, seeds, leaves or stem. Specific varieties of plants were harvested to treat specific disease and prescription only from medicine ...