I believe the story of Nissa's story can compare to the life of the Paleolithic people. Even though her story is in a different time period the values and lifestyle she lived helps you gain a better understanding during the Paleolithic times since it's hard to know exact details. Nissa tells her story starting from her childhood to becoming an adult and her different experiences.
As a child she talks about how food, a basic necessity in life, was happiness to the people. The people of San were not greedy or materialistic but were happy with what they had. She expressed her excitement in the story when her father brought home honey or meat. There was a distinct difference in roles between a man and women the men being hunters while the women were gatherers.
Nissa had to grow up much earlier than someone in a more modern society. You can assume that during this time they had arranged marriages and were married at a young age. You can assume she was young because the women had told her "A man is not something that kills you, he is someone who marries you, who becomes like your father or your older brother. He kills animals and gives you things to eat" (Strayer 48).
From a spiritual side Nissa blames God for the losses in her life and not the people. She talks about how the Kung society uses n/um as a healing process. However she sees this process as a ritual or tradition rather than a healing process. She says sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't implying that God doesn't always want a sick person to get better. Eventually she broke free from this and said by doing so it has made her a stronger person.
Nissa's interview gave great insight in the way of life. She talks about different gender roles and how where she lived was different than other societies. Her interview gives us a piece of history where we can learn of the struggles and way of life from people who lived before us.
No comments:
Post a Comment