ANTH Exam 2 - Zapotec_Winds of Ixtepeji

Question 1

Winds of Ixtepeji

Answer 1

in the state of Oaxaca, Mexico
-town in the late 1960’s, impoverished people
-corn is on the decline
-poor sanitation, leading to many diseases
-infestation of rodents also causing problems

Question 2

Winds of Ixtepeji:
Author’s approach -

Answer 2

cogniive/ psychological anthropology

Question 3

Winds of Ixtepeji:
Ethnography -

Answer 3

Book is an old school ethnography.

Question 4

Who were the Zapotec and where did they live?

Answer 4

an indigenous pre-Columbian civilization that flourished in the Valley of Oaxaca in Mesoamerica

Question 5

Zapotec:
What was the state of their Health?

Answer 5

• Parasite infection is greatest cause of death.
• Flies, rodents and water contamination cause problems
• No inside toilets. Horrible sanitation

Question 6

Zapotec:
Feelings toward people around them -

Answer 6

Not fond of anyone outside their group.
Hate people from the Valley the most.

Question 7

Zapotec:
What is a Comunero?

Answer 7

any adult member of the community; peasant farmers; Anyone can utilize any unoccupied land, hunt, cut wood, etc.

Question 8

Zapotec:
What is a Cargo?

Answer 8

an elected office; age 18-60; presidente is the highest office and is the representative to the outside world

Question 9

Zapotec:
What is a Principal?

Answer 9

Man who has served his time in a Cargo

Question 10

What is a Presidente?

Answer 10

serves as the head of the municipal.

Question 11

Zapotec concept of Aigre/Aire -

Answer 11

Full of evil spirits
-the main (supernatural) cause of illness; it’s invisible, yet in everything. It is everywhere, inescapable, mysterious

Question 12

What are the 3 types of Aigre/Aire?

Answer 12

• Aigre Natural (natural air)
• Aigre Puesto (placed air)
• Aigre de hora (air of the hour)

Question 13

What is Aigre natural?

Answer 13

Natural air: Came from a god
- least consequence. Natural sickness sent by god, inexpensive treatment.

Question 14

What is Aigre puesto?

Answer 14

Placed Air: voodoo; Sent by an emery. Causes pain.
- Believe that people can manipulate placed air

Question 15

What is Aigre de hora ?

Answer 15

Air of the hour
- inflicted by fire witches,
- transformed humans or evil spirits of the dead
- protects or punish towns people;
- associated with the night
- SOCIAL CONTROL

Question 16

Zapotec:
What is La Llorona?

Answer 16

Symbol of family and interpersonal relations.
She was mother who drowned her children (used in enculturation)
- After she was abandoned by lover, she kills children in river.
-Trapped in air. Now her spirit harms men when they go out at night for bad
- They use her as a fictive character to frighten and condition children

Question 17

Zapotec:
Conception of spirits -

Answer 17

Spirits, like air, are invisible, mysterious, inescapable. Concern & anxiety with spirits.

Question 18

Zapotec:
What is Feast of all saints ?

Answer 18

spirits return to visit family and feast on the aromas and vapors of the food

Question 19

Zapotec:
What is Susto?

Answer 19

Caused by frightening encounters. Children especially prone to Susto. Fear has scared the soul away- soul sickness.

Question 20

Zapotec:
What is Mal Ojo?

Answer 20

The Evil Eye. An illness believed to occur when someone looks at you with envy or appreciation. More often in CHILDREN.

Question 21

Zapotec:
What is Mala Muerte?

Answer 21

“Bad death”
- Sudden, unexpected, etc
- Spirits of these deaths are trapped in air and remain there. Air is getting worse.

Question 22

Zapotec:
What is Engano and Desconfianza ?

Answer 22

“Deception and trickery”
- Establishes a community of distrust
- believed it is best to conceal your affairs from others so you cannot be deceived
- children are lied to from a very young agehers

Question 23

How did the Zapotec discipline children?

Answer 23

Through threats, lies, deceit.
- no consistancy
- La larona
- they tried to frighten them

Question 24

Zapotec:
How do they view Time?

Answer 24

Idolize the past. Weary of the future

Question 25

Zapotec:
What is Chipil & Muina?

Answer 25

“Envy” and “Hostility”

Question 26

Zapotec:
What is Chipil?

Answer 26

“Envy”
- Sibling rivalry.
- Results in envy because younger child is getting attention

Question 27

Zapotec:
What is Muina?

Answer 27

“hostility”
- Results from envy/anger.
- causes bodily mutations, the person with muina can be dangerous;
- believe that eating or drinking while you have muina will poison the blood.
- SOCIAL CONTROL.

Question 28

Zapotec:
Concept of Limited good -

Answer 28

Leveling act. If one has too much- taking away from another

Question 29

Zapotec:
Concept of Destiny -

Answer 29

person born with a destiny- cannot change- can work to get potential

Question 30

Zapotec:
What was the belief about drunkeness?

Answer 30

Themes of brotherhood, friendship, solidarity
- Drink Mezcal as a ritual
- Everyone must drink
- Be suspicious if you don’t drink

Question 31

Zapotec:
What are the 3 stages of Drunkeness?

Answer 31

1) Monkey blood: Opening up, confidence, friendly
2) Lion’s blood: belligerent, argumentative
3) Pig blood: looses control, vomit, falls

Question 32

Zapotec:
What is Monkey blood

Answer 32

first stage of drinking.
- Opening up, confidence, friendly

Question 33

Zapotec:
What is Lion’s blood?

Answer 33

2nd stage of drinking
- belligerent, argumentative

Question 34

Zapotec:
What is Pig blood?

Answer 34

3rd stage of drinking
- looses control, vomit, falls

Question 35

Zapotec:
What types of alcohol did they drink and for what purpose?

Answer 35

-Beer: normal consumption
-Mescal (Tequila): drunk in ritual form (shots)
-Tepache: made from cactus. fermented

Question 36

How did the Zapotec feel if someone refused to drink?

Answer 36

-Refusal of drink invitations creates superstition and unease amongst others open to drinking

Question 37

What was the Zapotec worldview?

Answer 37

Viewed the world as harsh/hostile & supernatural
- believed it used to be better and is now just getting worse

Question 38

Zaptotec:
How is Witchcraft used in society?

Answer 38

used as a leveling mechanism in order to keep everyone at the same level; stay modest and humble

Question 39

Zapotec:
What do they believe about Destiny?

Answer 39

not good, inescapable, inevitable