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TABOOSAcross Cultures
Kristine Chaussé
taboo |təˈboō; ta-| (also tabu)
“A social or religious custom prohibiting or restricting a particular practice or forbidding association with a particular person, place, or thing” (“Taboo,” 2013).
A topic or action that is “off-limits”
Why do they exist? Social Construct
Taboos can vary greatly Some taboos are stable across cultures
Etic: elements that are UNIVERSAL cross-culturally Incest, adultery, death– taboos created around these concepts
aided reproduction and survival
Emic: elements that are CULTURE-SPECIFIC Culture-specific taboos enforce social rules and beliefs
Ex. Language Phonetics- sound system that allow people to
communicate Phonemics- sounds systems that are distinctive to
one culture (What is Culture, 2012)
Why do they exist?
Created to discourage maladaptive behaviors
Practical application becomes tradition
Created to enforce social rules Often understood without being explained
Why do they exist? Definition of culture:
“A unique meaning and information system, shared by a group and transmitted across generations, that allows the groups to meet basic needs of survival, pursue happiness and well being and derive meaning from life (Matsumoto, 2011).
Elements of Culture Values Beliefs Norms Attitudes World Views
Google Image Search: “Taboo”
Google Image Search: “Taboo”
Tattoos, Piercings and Self-Mutilation
Figure 1. Elaine Davidson, record holder for body piercings. (National Geographic Channel, 2013)
Tattoos, Piercings and Self-Mutilation
Tattoos, Piercings and Self-Mutilation:
Religious Tattoos,
piercings, and body markings have played roles in many cultures throughout history Identification Protection Decoration Religion
A young monk is tattooed with a sharp rod near a Buddhist temple in Thailand. Tattoos are believed be spiritually protective
Figure 2. Monk receives religious tattoos (Tattoos, piercings, and scarification, 2013)
Tattoos, Piercings and Self-Mutilation:
Henna Tattoos Practice is
hundreds of years old for women Africa Middle East South Asia
Henna leaves
Trendy in recent years
Designs ward off evil or declare happiness.
Figure 3. Hennaed hands (Tattoos, piercings, and scarification, 2013)
A Mursi woman from the Omo Valley in southern Ethiopia has face markings and an ornamental clay lip plate, considered signs of beauty in this culture.
Colorful beadwork covers the ear of a Maasai man in Kenya. Both men and women Maasai wear earrings and stretch their earlobes to enhance beauty.
Beauty Enhancing
Tattoos, Piercings and Self-Mutilation
Figure 4. Adorned Ethiopian tribal woman (Tattoos, piercings, and scarification, 2013)
Figure 5. Beadwork on man in Kenya. (Tattoos, piercings, and scarification, 2013)
Public Displays of Affection
An etiquette book for tourists going to Malaysia recommends, “no public displays of affection” (not even holding hands) (Sonne, 2008)
France“Public displays of affection are as common as
croissants (Paris , 2013)”
Polygamy and Extra-Marital Relationships
Figure 6. World Map of Polygamy (Creative News Group, 2009)
Sexual Practices SEX taboos
Religious Figures Before Puberty Child brides (Not
Ready to Wed, 2011)
Sex-Positive cultures
Sex-Negative cultures (Bhugra, Popelyuk, & McMullen, 2010)
Sexual Experimentation
Bestiality (Zoophilia, 2013)
Incest
virtually every culture in recorded history has held sibling or parent-child partnerships taboo (The risks and rewards of royal incest, 2010)
Some More Taboos: In Conversation Asking adults age
“Are you married?”
Politics, religion, economic and social issues?
Discussing one’s weight
Calling people by their names without their permission
In Costa Rica
“How much do you make?”
Don’t criticize the royal family in Thailand!
So what?
What do we do with this information?
Taboos are a fascinating component of culture
They are not fixed
THINKING CRITICALLY: Just because the culture largely rejects it, doesn't mean its wrong, and universal acceptance also doesn't mean its right.
Reference List Bhugra, D., Popelyuk, D., & McMullen, I. (2010). Paraphilias across cultures: contexts and
controversies. Journal of Sex Research, 47(2-3), 242–256. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00224491003699833
Creative News Group LLC. (2009). Worldfocus. Polygamy across the world. Retrieved from http://worldfocus.org/blog/2009/11/02/is-polygamy-good-for-women/8100/
Dobbs, D. (2010). The risks and rewards of royal incest. National Geographic. Retrieved from http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2010/09/tut-dna/dobbs- text/1
Matsumoto, D., & Juang, L. (2011). Introduction to multicultural psychology. Culture and psychology (5th ed., pp. 22-23). Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning. Print.
Not ready to wed: child brides. (2011). National Geographic News Watch. Retrieved from http://newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/2011/09/28/a- conversation-about-child-brides/childbrides/
Paris in Black and White. (2013). National Geographic. Retrieved from http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/city-guides/paris-photos-2/#/paris-cafe-marly_2369_600x450.jpg
Reference List
Sonne, L. (2008). A light orgy in malaysia. Intelligent Travel: National Geographic. Retrieved from http://intelligenttravel.nationalgeographic.com/2008/12/11/a_light_orgy_in_malaysia/
Spencer-Oatey, H. (2012). What is culture? A compilation of quotations. GlobalPAD Core Concepts. Retrieved from
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/al/globalpad/ interculturalskills/
“Taboo.” (2005). Def. New Oxford American dictionary. 2nd Edition. Oxford University Press. Electronic.
Tattoos, piercings, and scarification. (2013). National Geographic. Retrieved from http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/countries/tattoos-piercings-scarification-photos/#/buddhist-monk-pray-tattoo_12070_600x450.jpg
Zoophilia and the law. (2013). Wikipedia. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zoophilia_and_the_law