Kinship and Residence
Both the CD-Rom film "The Ax Fight" and the book, Yanomamo, by Napoleon Chagnon deliver great insight into the lives of the primitive Yanomamo Indians. Because of their residence in the jungles of Brazil and Venezuela, the Yanomamo have remained virtually unchanged by the modern world and are thus prove to be amazing cultural specimen. After reading the book and viewing the film, it is clear that while the Yanomamo greatly value relationships based on kinship, marriage, and patrilineal descent, their area of residence creates the strongest bonds they share with others (Chagnon 1997, p. 122).
Within each village, the Yanomamo have fairly strict rules governing marriage and the treatment of their spouses. While these "rules" signify the importance of the marital bond, it is clear through the typical treatment of women by men that marriage is not the most important relationship in this culture. At a young age, sometimes far before she reaches puberty, a......
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