Week 4 – Assignment 1: Critique an Ethnographic Study
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Review an article that you selected that describes an ethnographic study. Submit a PowerPoint review of the report that includes a description of the case (or cases) and follows the Article Critique Assignment detail. Within the PowerPoint presentation, incorporate speaker notes for each slide. The speaker notes may be comprised of brief paragraphs or bulleted lists. Please note there should be limited words on the slides themselves.
Length: 4-6 content slides (with a separate cover and reference slide)
References: Include a minimum of five scholarly resources.
Your presentation should demonstrate thoughtful consideration of the ideas and concepts presented in the courseby providing new thoughts and insights relating directly to this topic. Your presentation should reflect scholarly writing and current APA standards
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14e.xps Middle-East Journal of Scientific Research 16 (10): 1393-1402, 2013 ISSN 1990-9233 © IDOSI Publications, 2013 DOI: 10.5829/idosi.mejsr.2013.16.10.11990 Corresponding Author: Irum Sheikh, F.G. College of Home Economics and Management Sciences F-7/2 Islamabad, Pakistan. 1393 An Ethnographic Study of Marriage System and the Runaway Brides of Kalash Irum Sheikh, Hafeez-ur-Rehman and Arab Naz1 1 3 F.G. College of Home Economics and Management Sciences F-7/2 Islamabad, Pakistan1 Department of Anthropology, Quaid-I- Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan2 Department of Sociology and Social Work, University of Malakand, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan3 Abstract: The current research is an ethnographic study of traditional marriage practices and wife elopement cases that occurs amongst the Dardic speaking Kalasha community of Hindukush Mountain in District Chitral Pakistan. The society under study follows a segmentary system of patrilineal descent and the lineages is defined by strict rules of exogamy, prohibiting intermarriages between agnates related within seven generations of a descent of a common ancestor. Historically, marriage system was very stable in the past but now in contemporary times incidents like wife elopements have created antagonism and feuds between lineages of ex-husband and abductor. Compensations are paid to regulate the marital stability and the second suitor must pay compensation in double as bride price to the previous husband. The data for the current study has been taken from a PhD research survey conducted in 2008-09 from 825 households through anthropological techniques including participant observation, case studies and in-depth interviews from 75 respondents (both male and female of age 15 and above in Anish and Brun village of Bomburet Valley Kalash). The study concluded that there has been a shift in the form of marriage and wife elopements practices among the local community. Key words: Bride price Dowry Exogamy Feast Ritual Patrilineal Wife elopement INTORDUCTION R. (1978) [5] describes marriage as a relatively permanent Marriage is one of the universal social institutions Anthropological scholarships and studies recognize established to control and regulate the life of mankind. marriage as way to describe how different societies It is the approved social pattern whereby two or more organize and understand the consequences of a natural persons establish a family' [1]. The marriage tradition urge of mating. The work of the scholars as mentioned generally transforms the roles and responsibilities of two above concludes that marriage as a more or less individuals and is closely associated with the institution permanent association of males and females for the of family. The institution of marriage has different purpose of giving social sanction to bear children, implications in different cultures however; its functions forming a family, satisfaction of biological and social and forms may differ from society to society and at needs. Being a permanent and recognized social present in every society it is used to regulate family institution, the structure and forms of marriage vary from system. Johnson H.M. (1960) [2] is of the opinion that culture to culture and society to society and due to this marriage is a stable relationship in which a man and a variation, several different types of marriages, each of woman are socially permitted without loss of standing in which is based upon numbers of individuals united by the community and to have children while to Westermarck, marriage bond and the kinship relations between them (1981) [3] marriage is a durable connection between male exist in the world. Each type contributes to the formation and female lasting beyond the mere act of propagation till of one or more social groups, in which it occurs and each after the birth of offspring. In this regard Malinowski may influence directly or indirectly the ways in which (1929) [4] argues that marriage is a contract for the other social groups are formed [6]. Marriage practices production and maintenance of children while Lowie, bond between permissible mates. often serves as a space for traditional identity for any Middle-East J. Sci. Res., 16 (10): 1393-1402, 2013 1394 group or society especially when they are coexisting in a double as bride price to the previous husband. However, shared geographical space. Every society has its own the shift in such relations is a threat to the stability and unique wedding traditions which are very sacred to them survival of the old cultural practices as well the identity of and any sort of defiance can cast negativity and the culture. The current research is thus part of the larger misfortune for the couple and the extended family. The work which is focusing upon changing pattern of marriage current study has been framed in the context of marriage and wife elopements practices among the local community and the shift that has been found in the form and nature and their impacts upon the larger cultural patterns. of marriage system in the society under study. The Argument of the Study: Research studied conducted traditional wedding with an indigenous Kho (chitrali on the area [7, 6] indicate that the people of Kalash are wedding) in the area. superstitious with regard to holding and practicing new To observe the impacts of bride price in matrimonial ideas. In this regard, they are generally adhering to follow decisions-making process. the marital rules and rituals as exist since centuries. To observe the freedom for females to exercise the The research community is patriarchal in nature and they right of choice for the spouse. observe polygynous marriage system (where a man can To highlight cultural and religious complications rose keep more than on wife at a time). Marriage is based upon due to Muslim - Kalasha Marriages. tribal rules and most of the tribal marriage features exist in the locality. According to Wynne, M. (2001) [7], Kalash MATERIALS AND METOHODS words for marrying do not refer to relationship between parents but specifically to the transformation of girl into According to Bailey (1978) [8] and Naz (2009) [9], wife. In Kalash language a woman’s marriage is referred to methodology refers to a structure and procedural as “ja thi aau” she became a wife, for male it is “ja kai rules whereby a researcher shifts information up and aau” he became a husband. The act of getting married for down the ladder of abstraction in order to produce and man in Kalash is referred to “as janik” and the parents organize the increased knowledge. Methodology give “dik” their daughter in marriage “jadek”. provides an overall framework for organizing concepts, The current research is based upon the information definitions, hypothesis, evidence and their explanation collected ethnographically during a PHD survey of in a manner that certain facts could be derived to explain 825 household in the year 2008-9. The study of traditional a situation. It includes approaches that facilitate marriage practices as exist in the research locale has been systematic inquiry into a problematic situation and taken into consideration along-with a change with regard it is similar to the underlying logic of a research project to wife elopement cases that occurs amongst the Dardic [10]. speaking Kalasha community of Hindukush Mountain in The researcher has predominantly utilized a District Chitral Pakistan. The research community is descriptive approach in the current study which historically following a segmentary system of patrilineal according to Bialy (1978) [8], "attempts to describe descent and the lineages is defined by strict rules of phenomena in detail (to describe what happened) ". This exogamy which prohibits intermarriages between agnates method makes efforts in a systematic manner to examine related within seven generations of a descent of a and analyze phenomena of marriage and elopement cases common ancestor. The stability in the marriage system and its impacts upon mate selection decisions as well as was due to the strict rules that have been laid down by antagonism arises from marital relations under conditions cultural traditions since centuries old practices. However, that actually exist among the natives of Kalash under due to modernization and cultural exposure of the area, in study. Further, this method was adopted because it is not contemporary times incidents like wife elopements cases mere a description, rather it represents in fact a collection (which were previously prohibited) have been occurred of information and evidence on the basis of previous and such cases have created antagonism, rivalries, literature or theory, careful summarization of data obtained conflicts and even feuds between lineages of ex-husband through interviews, observations and other and abductor. anthropological techniques and analysis of results to With such change, the mechanism of compensations draw meaningful conclusion and generalization to have been designed which is paid to regulate the marital advance knowledge and it also expresses data stability and the second suitor must pay compensation in qualitatively. Objectives of the Study: To analyze and compare Kalash Middle-East J. Sci. Res., 16 (10): 1393-1402, 2013 1395 In this regard qualitative and descriptive approach property and the arrangement of exchanges and alliances has been adopted towards the events and issues related among families in many societies [14]. This institution to the traditional marriage practices of Kalash valley. specifies that a prospective husband, usually with the The research includes both Muslims and non Muslim i.e. help of his relatives, must provide a substantial sum of Kalash residing in the exotic valley of Hindukush money or highly valued goods to his future wife's family mountains. The Kalash valley comprise of three beautiful before a marriage can be contracted. In many patrilineal valleys of Bomburet, Birrir and Rumbour where the non societies including Kalash the payment is also made for Muslims of Kalash are residing along with the Chitrali the rights to assign children to their father's family rather Muslims. The data was collected from 825 households than to their mother’s [15]. The dowry and bride price is through anthropological techniques including participant also pre determined before marriage according to the observation, in-depth interviews and case studies. The economic and social status of the bride and the case study method was used for data collection through bridegroom. participant observation, which according to Young (1956) The information indicates that the institution of [11], "is a method of exploring and analyzing life of a marriage for Kalash has been subjected to numerous social unit—be that a person, a family, institution, culture transitional changes as the impact of modernization group, or even an entire community" from 75 respondents increased. In past the matrimonial decision were arranged (both male and female of age 15 and above in Anish and by the parents who were regarded as the ultimate Brun village of Bomburet Valley Kalash). The data has authority to invite bids or proposals. Those who bid more, been classifies, sorted and the results have been given in win the hand “baza” of the bride. According to Naz, S. the form of separate heading (for each