What is Culture? Shared, learned, symbolic system of values, beliefs and attitudes that shapes and influences perception and behavior of a group of people. Everything that makes up a people’s entire way of life.

7 Elements of Culture 1. Social Organization—all societies organize themselves into groups 2. Customs and traditions 3. Language—50,000 worldwide! 4. Arts and literature 5. Religion 6. Forms of government 7. Economic systems

Matriarchal: mother is head of household—society is mainly ruled by women Patriarchal: father is the head of the household—society is mainly ruled by men. Is our society matriarchal or patriarchal?

Ethnicity: a human group having racial, religious, linguistic, and certain other traits in common Race: a group of persons related by common descent or heredity--biological and physical traits Society: an organized group of persons associated together for religious, cultural, political, or other purposes-- members of a community.

Nuclear Family: members of your immediate family—mom, dad, brothers, sisters Extended Family: members outside of your immediate family—grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc. Language: a system of sounds, gestures and marks that have meanings understood within a cultural group

Polytheism: belief in many gods—Buddhism, Hinduism, Shinto, Greek, Animism, Egyptian Monotheism: Belief in one God—Judaism, Christianity, Islam

Twilight Zone Originally titled “The Private World of Darkness,” “Eye of the Beholder” provided an astute commentary on the definition of beauty and societal norms. When viewers are first introduced to Janet Tyler, her face is swathed in bandages. Viewers are told that this is Janet’s eleventh and final attempt to have her facial abnormalities corrected so that she can fit in with the rest of society. If her surgery fails, the State will send her to a segregated community for outcasts like herself. When doctors finally remove the bandages from Janet’s surgically “repaired” face, viewers learn, in a twist still shocking more than forty years later, that one society’s idea of beauty is not necessarily another’s….

Beauty Throughout the Ages

Ancient Egyptian beauty was determined by wealth…the greatest symbol of wealth was your size. Therefore, being big was beautiful because it showed that you had enough money to afford food….how times have changed

Geisha Japanese Geisha’s were traditional Japanese entertainers whose skills included classical music and dance.

Masai women African tribe in which women are adorned with colorful beads and necklaces as a symbol of beauty

Piercings A worldwide phenomenon You guys thought you had cool piercings!

Nose rings and multiple earrings are a symbol of beauty in many parts of Southeast Asia

Lip plates are found in many tribes in Africa as a form of body modification and sign of beauty

PUCKER UP!

SCARIFICATION Symbol of a warrior

For many men in West Africa, scarring is a form of tribal initiation and a sign of bravery. Done with razor blades, the painful process starts at puberty and continues into adulthood. Each tribe has distinctive tattoo designs; this man’s markings indicate his village and his clan and include black magic symbols to keep away evil spirits.

Tattoos These tribal tattoos are given to warriors…this warrior is from Samoa

Chinese Foot Wrapping OUCH! In China it was considered beautiful to have very small feet. At the age of about 7, girls would begin this very painful process. Their feet would be bent and wrapped in a cast like material that would harden. They would take it off a few days later, bend the feet some more and re-wrap them. Eventually all of the bones in the feet would break and it would look like this.

This practice is now banned

Normal X Rays Foot binding X Rays

Henna

In India Brides are given temporary Henna Tattoos for their wedding. It is also common for other special occasions. Also in India brides wear red, not white.