The Dobe Ju Hoansi Chapter Summary

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A Comparison of the Ju/’hoansi Society and Today’s American Society The Ju/’hoansi is a hunting and gathering society who is located on the border of Namibia and Botswana. The book, “The Dobe Ju/’hoansi,” gives a vivid depiction of the Ju/’hoansi society. The book describes their environment, the food they eat, their personal relationships (from marriage and sexuality amongst themselves to their relationships outside their own society), how they care for their elderly, and how they handle conflict and disputes. After reading the book, I have found that there are several similarities as well as differences between the American society and the Ju/’hoansi society. In our American culture we are accustomed to a society where formal political…show more content…
Hunting and gathering is a collective effort amongst the Ju/’hoansi men and women, and the portions are divided amongst everyone. The act of sharing is an important aspect of life for the Ju/'hoansi and without it living would be harder, if not impossible, and unpleasant. Claiming land ownership in the Ju/’hoansi society is very different than that of American society. In America we purchase the land and claim it as our own and decide if we will leave it to our families. In our society, our kin is not able to just claim our land simply because it is owned by another kin. We leave our ownerships to our family in the event of our death, but it is the spouse who gets the ownership of property or land. Groups of people who are of the same relation own land and possessions together in the Ju/’hoansi society. It is understood amongst the Ju/’hoansi people that joint ownership also means that each owners has equal access to the land and the fruit that it yields. I personally believe that this mind set is so easily accepted among the Ju/’hoansi because of the structure of family and how they are related to one

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