Ethnographic Writing And Theory: Cultural Practices (Essay Sample)

     
ETHNOGRAPHIC WRITING AND THEORY                 Student’s Name Course
Date                 The use of ethnography to disentangle human culture is a process that calls for a close examination of various methodologies. In the realm of social-cultural studies, the prevalent methods of obtaining information are participative observation and informant interviewing. Participative observation connotes the act of living among people for long in an attempt to unearth their cultural practices. Interviewing involves the inquiries into the social aspects of people. The paper will examine Malinowski’s Argonauts of the Western Pacific and Starn’s Ishi’s Brain: In Search of America’s Last “Wild” Indian in the context of these methods. Both Malinowski’s Argonauts of the Western Pacific and Starn’s Ishi’s Brain: In Search of America’s Last “Wild” Indian are two related works on ethnography and the general study of anthropology. To start with, Malinowski’s article is entirely based on the ethnographic accounts of explaining the trade between the South Sea populations.  In his book, Malinowski points to the readers about his studies as well as expeditions in the Trobriand Islands. In so doing, the writer gives his audience a spectacular view of the inhabitants of the Island. Malinowski considers “Kula” as to bear a theoretical importance.  He does not stop at the “Kula” but goes forth to study other cultures by describing data collection methods.  Malinowski gives an analysis of how ethnographic research can form generalizations and evaluates the role of an ethnographer as well as participatory observations. Starn utilizes ethnography to elaborate on the demise of the aboriginal culture in the United States.  Starn utilizes a combination of ethnographic models to showcase the plight of the aboriginals. Malinowski uses the objectivity method of ethnography to provide a critical approach to the human culture, and he bases his study on the morals, customs, and beliefs of people.  In essence, he enables the readers to understand the real life of the Indigenous Indians and their behaviors when he pinpoints the outstanding acts of the tribe, the tone in its action, and providing each detail in the tribe's ways of life. In essence, the objective method encompasses the act of immersing oneself in a strange environment. Indeed, Malinowski attempted to stay with the Trobiands people where he had a first-hand experience of these people. In unraveling the hypothesis of his study, Malinowski learned from the daily lives of the Trobiands hence compiling the book. Precisely, he speaks about the tribe’s social fabric. Starn, on his part did not attempt to apply the objective approach in his ethnographic inquiries into the demise of the aboriginal culture. Instead, he gives an account of historical happenings whereby he roughly states that the Maidu Indians were wiped out leaving Ishi in solitude. It is certain that Starn relied on interviews from people who once had contacts with Ishi. Starn’s “Ishi’s Brain: In Search of America’s Last “Wild” Indian” is an elucidation on the ethnology, and the social changes that occur to a man from a forest tribe that was entirely wiped out. In essence, Starn is unlikely to convince a critical reader of his book. It is evident that Starn learned from Jim Johnston that the Maidu Indians were attempting to exhume Ishi’s ashes for a proper burial in Mount Lassen.. Therefore, this can never be termed as first hand information. Moreover, it is intriguing that Starn heard rumors concerning Ishi’s brain. In the common logic, rumors can never be a reliable source of anthropological information. He wholly relies on information derived from interviews and people’s beliefs. This can be contrasted with other methods of collecting anthropological data that Malinowski used. Malinowski has used observation throughout his study of the Trobiands. Evidently, he gives nearly every aspect of culture of the Trobiands. Noteworthy, one could not tell that there ever exists a witch among the Southern Sea communities if he does not fully immerse himself in the ...