Traditions of Conflict
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Devotion
During the annual Okipa ceremony among the Mandan of the Great Plains of North America, in a display of his devotion to the Great Spirit, a young man…
William Buckner
Aug 6
14
3
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Devotion
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Ongoing series on male cults
Should any man, Halimink warned me gravely, confide to a woman or an uninitiated lad anything of what went on in the Hain [men’s lodge], both he and the…
William Buckner
Jul 28
5
1
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Ongoing series on male cults
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Shame and cult secrecy
There is an event recounted in the book Naven (1936) by Gregory Bateson, on the Iatmul fisher-foragers of New Guinea, that I have not been able to get…
William Buckner
Jul 23
8
2
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Shame and cult secrecy
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Some Uses of Musical Instruments in Hunter-Gatherer Societies
Research over the last few years has demonstrated some important patterns of music use across societies. Music appears to be universal across cultures…
William Buckner
Jun 22
6
2
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Some Uses of Musical Instruments in Hunter-Gatherer Societies
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Symbolic reciprocity
One of the most important insights about people is that they can form social relationships with almost anything. Animals, the deceased, spirits, Gods…
William Buckner
Jun 16
15
5
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Symbolic reciprocity
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Cutting the cord
With the tying off and cutting of the umbilical cord the relations with the uterus and placenta are ended and the newborn infant is for the first time…
William Buckner
May 26
7
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Cutting the cord
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Couvade
After a child is born among the Kalinago of the West Indies, the mother is quick to get back to regular household work. For the father, however, the…
William Buckner
May 25
9
3
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Couvade
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Extractive polygyny and 'evolved psychological' mate preferences
Mate choice is one of—if not the—most popular topics of study in evolutionary psychology. Much of this research has focused on sex differences in mate…
William Buckner
May 18
20
5
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Extractive polygyny and 'evolved psychological' mate preferences
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Abortion procedures in hunter-gatherer societies
In an article I wrote for Quillette a few years back, I discussed the high rates of infant and child mortality across societies throughout human…
William Buckner
May 16
17
7
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Abortion procedures in hunter-gatherer societies
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Hostile diffusion
"The doom reserved for enemies marches on the ones we love most." - Sophocles, Antigone, 441 BC.
William Buckner
May 15
7
6
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Hostile diffusion
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Cannibalism in Human Societies
I’ve been digging into the ethnographic evidence for cannibalism over the last few years. Before I started searching, I had a few basic expectations…
William Buckner
May 9
12
2
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Cannibalism in Human Societies
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Diss Songs
"I was told a long time ago, ghosts and spirits don't like the fumes from ether, and I just wanted to affect him with my weapon and get to his soul." …
William Buckner
May 5
9
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Diss Songs
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