1. Presented by Andrea Kemper
The Sambia

2. Mental Illness Some Western Views Sambian Beliefs
Some Real-life Stories

3. Some Western Thoughts on the Matter
Western Civilization – would condemn this practice
Homosexuality is only accepted by some in the U.S.
Pedophilia – definitely not considered acceptable behavior (we have this term to describe it as a sexual disorder)
Defining Homosexuality
Western World – More recently described as what someone “is” (i.e. “gay” “lesbian” “homosexual”) rather than how someone behaves
Sambia – Homosexuality is considered more of a behavior practiced by certain ages

4. The Scientific Viewpoint
Protein Theory (more of an evolutionary/biological theory)
Growing up with protein deficiencies creates a need for protein by new means = evolution of ingesting semen to gain this valuable resource
5-alpha reductase deficiency = Mistaken Gender
Causes Hermaphroditism
Need to refocus on cultural analysis

5. And Freud would say… Oedipus complex Castration Anxiety
Son may fall in love with mother (possibility, more likely to be seduced by other woman though)
Son hates father (is actually true, many boys hate their fathers for never being around and they are also very frightened of their father)
All men believe that mothers will seduce boys once they hit the age of initiation (another reason to be separated from women)
Castration Anxiety
Fear of losing manliness (through ejaculation, threats of castration, feminization by women, etc.)

7. Attachment
At the age of initiation, boys are ripped out of their comfort zones
No more mother – the only parent the child has had
No more “kid stuff”
Children fear all men
Sent to male cult houses
Boys often suffer depression, loneliness, anxiety, etc.
New attachment is formed with mentor or ritual guardian
This adult man teaches boy everything about masculinity
Man will “assist, decorate, carry, and feed” boy throughout iniation period
Man is not technically related by referred to as nyet-yangu (mother’s brother)
This pair will not engage is sex together (very strict taboo)
This man replaces mother figure and boy is taught to live without her
Emotional stress dissipates as initiate grows accustomed to his new life

8. Actual Adult Homosexuality
Sambia: 100% of males practice homosexuality
However, only 5% of adult males continue to practice homosexuality
In the U.S., ??% of adult males practice homosexuality
No where on US Census does it ask sexual orientation
600,000 same-sex households (unreported and unattached?)
Kinsey reported 4% of men as ONLY homosexual (1950’s-1960’s!!) in the interviews he did

9. The Flute Connection Freud = Phallic Symbol Sambia Female flute spirit
Represents “boogeyman” when young
Males learn the power of the flute and can control the spirit (play the flute) after one is married

10. Sambian Mental Health:
WARRIOR
Anger
Seen as normal and manly
Anger is encouraged in boys during the initiation process
Anger helps men to hunt and fight
Cooperative, caring men seen as feminized and useless

11. Sambian Mental Health:
Spiritual
Sambian Mental Health:
Creation Story
Started with Hermaphrodite (real hermaphrodites never hear this story because they do not reach that stage of initiation - never learn the appreciation the culture really has for them)
Created two beings (male and female)
Populated earth
Religious Commitment
Required!!
All rules and beliefs strictly enforced
Female Flute Spirit
Said to be very manlike (helps strengthen men into warriors) (pseudo-hermaphroditic?)
Worship this spirit by playing songs, performing ritual dances, costuming, etc.

12. Sambian Mental Health:
Women – anything having to do with feminine nature is seen as wrong or unpure: caring for others, certain chores, crying, cooperation, bleeding (menstrual), children
Hermaphrodites or Pseudohermaphrodites (have both genitalia, lack of both, or special features of both or one type of genitalia)
Wanting to stay with mother and home
Not wanting to become a man by means of initiation-denying cultural traditions
Initiation seen as honor, not abnormal sexuality
This ritual is found in 30 other tribes in New Guinea
Masturbation – seen as waste of precious male-strength fluid
Homosexuality – after consummating the marriage, homosexual acts are strictly forbidden
These males may only take part in the initiation by being a mentor or ritual guardian (nyet-yangu)
Abnormal

13. Sambian Mental Health:
Treatment?
Some medicinal and spiritual treatment can be given by shaman
Housewife remedies—only shared with their daughters
Most treatment: If it can’t be fixed, kill it
Boys who do not accept their roles in initiation are punished (beaten, ridiculed, etc.), but if denying the initiation still occurs, the boy may be killed
Hermaphrodites (kwolu-aatmwol): Men say that women will kill them after birth if left alone with the child
Women do check the baby for defects when born
Some hermaphrodites are let to live, and are not frowned upon by society—some members believe that they can serve a special purpose (shaman perhaps), while most tribe members believe that they can still function and contribute
Those who are not killed when born may not have been identifited as hermaphrodites
Parents will sometimes assign a sex if it is undeterminable
Males: Only get to complete stages 1 through 3 of initiation (Never hear creation story)
Females: Are found to be hermaphrodites after married, and then usually have to be saved by family members from an angry, vengeful husband who will typically want to kill the hermaphrodite

14. Other Cultures Practiced Homosexuality!!
10-20% of tribes in Melanesia practice “boy-insemination”
Romans – would brag about the newest piece of meat they found (male or female, young or old)
Practiced homosexuality openly (with boys too)
Promiscuous culture
Often a mentor/mentee role would have homosexual aspects to it as well
Greeks (as well as other cultures) – practiced homosexuality during times of war
Often men would have sex together at nights in the tents
This “bonding” would allow them to share male strength as well as enforce loyalties among each other

15. What the Sambia have to say…
Herdt conducted numerous interviews with tribe members
The males joke together while reminiscing about initiation
Separation Anxiety
Discussion of flute provokes crying for loss of mother from all males in interview
Castration Anxiety
Four year old being teased by older male “I’m going to cut your penis off”
Boy replies “You have a big nose”
Real fear during beginning stages of initiation

16. References
Pictures taken from google picture search engine as well as the following links:
Elliston, D. A. (1995). Erotic anthropology: “Ritualized homosexuality” in Melanesia and beyond. American Ethnologist, 22(4), 848 – 867.
Herdt, G. (1990). Mistaken gender: 5-alpha reductase hermaphroditism and biological reductionism in sexual identity reconsidered. American Anthropologist, 92, 433 – 446.
Herdt, G. (2003). Secrecy and cultural reality: Utopian ideologies of the New Guinea men’s house. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.
Herdt, G. (1887) Transitional objects in Sambia initiation. Ethos, 15, 40 – 57.
Langness, L. L. (1990). Oedipus in the New Guinea highlands? Ethos, 18, 189 – 212.