Assignment

1. First, define "ritual," "rite of passage," and "play." How are "ritual" and "play" different and how they similar? What is an example of each from your own life?

Second, describe some of the symbolic activities that occurred in the Apache girl's rite of passage shown in the assigned film for this week (for example, speech, singing, dancing, gestures, and the manipulation of certain objects). Finally, explain what cultural ideas are reinforced in this ritual.

Of course, feel free to mention anything you thought was particularly interesting from this film.

Your post must be written in your own words. Remember to name your sources. If you summarize something from the textbook, you can say, "according to our textbook." However, if you use quotes from the textbook or any other source, be sure to put them in quotation marks, state where they are from, and include the page number.

2. Though an incredibly influential concept, anthropologists struggle to define "religion." John Bowen defines religion as "ideas and practices that postulate reality beyond that which is immediately available to the senses" (Lavenda and Schultz, 2015: 309). First, consider the following: How is this definition similar or different from your previous understanding of what religion is? Do you think this definition of religion is appropriate to explain this concept? Why or why not?

Second, compare the Azande and the U.S. evangelicals (both described in chapter ten). What similarities and differences do you see between these two in terms of symbolic practices and their worldviews? How do members of each group explain misfortune?

Your post must be written in your own words. Remember to name your sources. If you summarize something from the textbook, you can say, "according to our textbook." However, if you use quotes from the textbook or any other source, be sure to put them in quotation marks, state where they are from, and include the page number.