1. Subsistence Strategies Making a Living

2. Subsistence Strategies How people get food from their environment How people get food from their environment Ecological anthropology studies the interaction between societies and their environments Ecological anthropology studies the interaction between societies and their environments Technology allows an area to support higher population density Technology allows an area to support higher population density

3. Humans and the environment Up until 10,000 ya humans foraged Up until 10,000 ya humans foraged About 10,000 ya we began to domesticate plants and animals About 10,000 ya we began to domesticate plants and animals About 6,000 ya in new world About 6,000 ya in new world Domestic animals supported larger populations and sedentary villages developed Domestic animals supported larger populations and sedentary villages developed Sedentary life led to cultivation and more complex social structure Sedentary life led to cultivation and more complex social structure

4. Humans and the environment Why did some societies remain foragers rather than adopt domestication? Why did some societies remain foragers rather than adopt domestication? In some environments foraging is more reliable In some environments foraging is more reliable

5. Subsistence Strategies Foraging – use plant and animal resources naturally available in the environment Foraging – use plant and animal resources naturally available in the environment Pastoralism – care of domesticated herd animals for dairy and meat food Pastoralism – care of domesticated herd animals for dairy and meat food Horticulture – production of plants using simple, non- mechanized technology Horticulture – production of plants using simple, non- mechanized technology Agriculture – production of plants using more complex techniques that allow permanent cultivation Agriculture – production of plants using more complex techniques that allow permanent cultivation Industrialism – use of machine technology and chemical processes for the production of food Industrialism – use of machine technology and chemical processes for the production of food

6. Subsistence Strategies Societies may use one or a combination of subsistence strategies Societies may use one or a combination of subsistence strategies Resources can be extended by trading with a group that uses a different subsistence strategy Resources can be extended by trading with a group that uses a different subsistence strategy

7. Subsistence Strategies Foraging – uses plant and animal resources naturally available in the environment Foraging – uses plant and animal resources naturally available in the environment Hunting of large and small game Hunting of large and small game Fishing Fishing Collecting various foods and plants Collecting various foods and plants Supports low population density Supports low population density Inuit of the Arctic Circle Inuit of the Arctic Circle Australian Aborigines Australian Aborigines

8. Foraging Inuit of the Arctic Circle Inuit of the Arctic Circle Rely on large animals, seals, whales, caribou Rely on large animals, seals, whales, caribou Depends on detailed knowledge of environment and animal behavior, patience, problem solving, cooperation, avoiding conflict Depends on detailed knowledge of environment and animal behavior, patience, problem solving, cooperation, avoiding conflict Men hunt, women process and distribute meat, oil, skins Men hunt, women process and distribute meat, oil, skins

9. Foraging Australian Aborigines Australian Aborigines Plant foods available naturally, some hunting Plant foods available naturally, some hunting Depends on detailed knowledge of environment, cooperation, food and water management Depends on detailed knowledge of environment, cooperation, food and water management Men and women forage for plants and small animals Men and women forage for plants and small animals

10. Foraging Social patterns associated with foraging Social patterns associated with foraging Seasonal nomadism, gather in larger groups seasonally Seasonal nomadism, gather in larger groups seasonally Organization of society into small camps with flexible membership Organization of society into small camps with flexible membership

11. Subsistence Strategies Pastoralism - care of domesticated herd animals Pastoralism - care of domesticated herd animals Used in semiarid grasslands that do not support agriculture but grazing animals can digest grass Used in semiarid grasslands that do not support agriculture but grazing animals can digest grass Herd animals produce milk and meat – cattle, sheep, goats, yaks, camels Herd animals produce milk and meat – cattle, sheep, goats, yaks, camels

12. Pastoralism Transhumant pastoralism – men and boys move animals to different pastures at different altitude or climatic zone while women and children remain a permanent village Transhumant pastoralism – men and boys move animals to different pastures at different altitude or climatic zone while women and children remain a permanent village Nomadic pastoralism – whole population, men, women and children move with the herd and there are no permanent villages Nomadic pastoralism – whole population, men, women and children move with the herd and there are no permanent villages

13. Pastoralism Complex interaction of land animals and people Complex interaction of land animals and people Knowledge of how many animals the land can sustain Knowledge of how many animals the land can sustain Knowledge of how many animals needed to support people in the group Knowledge of how many animals needed to support people in the group Trade with sedentary neighbors necessary for grain and manufactured goods Trade with sedentary neighbors necessary for grain and manufactured goods Social pattern: Social pattern: Patrilineal kinship Patrilineal kinship

14. Subsistence Strategies Horticulture - production of plants using simple, non-mechanized technology Horticulture - production of plants using simple, non-mechanized technology Allow fields to rest fallow after cultivation Allow fields to rest fallow after cultivation Use only digging sticks or hoes, do not use plows, draft animals, or irrigation Use only digging sticks or hoes, do not use plows, draft animals, or irrigation

15. Horticulture Swidden or slash and burn cultivation – Swidden or slash and burn cultivation – Trees are felled and brush is burned Trees are felled and brush is burned Ash fertilizes soil Ash fertilizes soil Fields used for 3 – 5 years Fields used for 3 – 5 years Fields lie fallow up to 20 years to allow forest to regrow Fields lie fallow up to 20 years to allow forest to regrow Requires 5- 6 times as much fallow land as cultivated land Requires 5- 6 times as much fallow land as cultivated land Land will deteriorate if not allowed to lie fallow long enough Land will deteriorate if not allowed to lie fallow long enough

16. Horticulture No surplus food No surplus food Most horticulturists also keep domesticated animals or hunt Most horticulturists also keep domesticated animals or hunt Social patterns: Social patterns: diverse environments and diverse cultures diverse environments and diverse cultures Most shift residence as they move fields but some maintain permanent villages Most shift residence as they move fields but some maintain permanent villages

17. Subsistence Patterns Agriculture - production of plants using more complex techniques that allow permanent cultivation Agriculture - production of plants using more complex techniques that allow permanent cultivation Use of plow, draft animals, complex water and soil control, irrigation Use of plow, draft animals, complex water and soil control, irrigation Supports higher population density and requires more i labor Supports higher population density and requires more i labor

18. Agriculture Requires more investment of capital than horticulture Requires more investment of capital than horticulture More vulnerable to environment because of reliance on few crops and draft animals More vulnerable to environment because of reliance on few crops and draft animals

19. Agriculture Social patterns associated with agriculture Social patterns associated with agriculture Sedentary villages, social stratification, occupational diversity, organization of state Sedentary villages, social stratification, occupational diversity, organization of state

20. Subsistence Strategies Industrialism – use of machine technology and chemical processes for the production of food Industrialism – use of machine technology and chemical processes for the production of food Consumption must constantly increase and standard of living must always go up Consumption must constantly increase and standard of living must always go up Shift from subsistence strategies to wage labor Shift from subsistence strategies to wage labor

21. Industrialism Globalization – integration of resources, labor, and capital into a global network Globalization – integration of resources, labor, and capital into a global network Industrial societies have at least two social classes: Industrial societies have at least two social classes: Labor force Labor force Managerial class Managerial class Smaller class that controls production and distribution Smaller class that controls production and distribution

22. Subsistence Strategies Anthropology is in the position to study the various impacts of subsistence strategies on the environment and make a contribution to improve our care of the environment as well as production of food Anthropology is in the position to study the various impacts of subsistence strategies on the environment and make a contribution to improve our care of the environment as well as production of food