Gender Roles Of Kung Women

Exam 1

1.) Ernestine Friedl says that the position of women is higher the more they are involved in primary subsistence and the public distribution of the product of subsistence. Kung’s have no hierarchy or leaders; each group has individuals who opinions carry more weight than others and basically function like group leaders. Men are mainly leaders because Kung woman provide most of their families food, care for children and are lifelong wives. In order for a Kung woman to have more say in her group and to be more influential she usually is an owner or a public giver of food. The more food the woman contribute and their ownership makes them more influential. Economic contribution to the group will definitely gain the woman respect
Men have a higher status and greater power than Kung woman. Men are more important in the Kung culture, their status and contributions are higher than of the woman. Men contribute meat while woman contribute gathered food. According to the Kung meat is more valuable than food. Gathered foods are, “Things comparable to nothing.” Meat is food and everyone celebrates when men bring meat back. (pg.218) Kung men also provide woman with their basic gathering kits. While woman provide nothing associated with hunting. Hunting is considered a taboo for woman. Men are also the healers, it is very rare for a woman to become a healer. Although the man only accounts for 20 percent of the food brought in it is because he hunts. Woman gather food which men also can do and have knowledge of plants comparable to woman. (pg.219) Men are mostly leaders and are more vocal in group discussions and learn foreign languages, attend government meetings and speak on behalf of communities.
It seems that the men and the woman both cross rolls and are very cooperative and supportive of each other and don’t limit their duties. The men know how to do the woman’s jobs and the woman know how to do the man’s job. I also got a sense of feminism from the woman in the Kung culture. Also the woman move around just as the men and have just as many affairs. I have never heard of woman having so many affairs, it was as if they were men. The woman also were able to protest marriages; Nisa left her husband’s on numerous occasions. The woman also have a voice and handle their job and aren’t afraid to do a man’s duties also. So yes, I would say that there is a great deal of equality between the men and woman of the