The reading of Herdt’s article on Sambia people of Papua New Guinea has two implications. On the one hand, it definitely leaves an impression of the scientific and moral inferiority of this population compared to modern Western civilization. Some of Sambia practices may seem foreign and primitive, thus precipitating condemnation by Westerners. On the other hand, the author does provide an explanation for why the culture has evolved in the way it did. Therefore, applying modern moral judgment would be inappropriate considering the historical and geographic context. Herdt’s article challenges the standard understanding of ethnocentricity by providing more complexity to ethnic history.
The idea of ethnocentricity presupposes an unconscious bias against cultural norms that are different from one’s own traditions. Any time a person meets a practice or belief they consider to be alien, a defense mechanism is activated that forces the mind to distance itself from this foreign element. The easiest way to do it is via adopting a viewpoint that one’s own culture is superior. This is the most likely reaction of most people who have read Herdt’s article. Particularly, the passage that reveals the details of the process of masculinization of boys in the Sambia culture may propel feelings of disgust and cause the audience to view these tribes as inferior and primitive (Herdt 206). This reaction is purely psychological, and the assessment itself is not evidence-based.
However, there are some instances where superiority is an objective observation rather than a prejudice. For instance, Herdt provides an explanation of how the Sambia view masculinity. Specifically, he writes that “initiations and residence in the men’s house are said to promote biological changes that firmly cement the growth from childhood to manhood” (205). The subsequent implication is that if Sambia boys do not live in male houses, they will not biologically grow to be men. However, modern knowledge of human biology contradicts this belief, as biological masculinity is a natural process independent of the surroundings. A society that does not know this operates on a scientifically inferior base.
At the same time, it is also improper to use current scientific knowledge as the metric for cultural superiority. The history of society is also important because it underscores how a particular practice evolved. First, the Sambia people are isolated by a geographic barrier – mountains, which complicate the flow of people and ideas. Second, Herdth argues that this society is accustomed to constant warfare, which “conditioned the values and masculine stereotypes surrounding the male initiatory cult” (203). In essence, these rituals became an important survival tool for the Sambia people since they equated sexuality with masculinity.
Altogether, my understanding of ethnocentricity has been expanded by the inclusion of the cultural and historical context. It is tempting to view oneself as superior to others because of the drastically different comprehension of science. Herdt’s article has shown that history, geography, and relations with neighboring tribes significantly influence the development of cultural beliefs. Even though the immediate danger to the safety of the tribes has subsided, the cultural practice remains, which is not likely to change in the near future. As a result, I do believe that Western civilization is superior to the Sambia culture, but I also understand that there were objective factors that cultivated their view of masculinity.
Work Cited
Herdt, Gilbert H. Rituals of Manhood: Male Initiation in Papua New Guinea. Transaction Publishers, 1997.