Alienation of the Generation
-Laura Wisman
-Laura Wisman
I. Calendrical Thought System (Post-modern U.S.)
i. Definition of Generation
Sub-group labels of people born within a specific date range
-differentiated by time events and umbrella personal
characteristics
characteristics
ii. Connotation of Generation
One's generation is viewed as separate in views, behavior,
taboos, and so on than others'
taboos, and so on than others'
-for example, "you kids are all lazy now, in my day,
we used to walk three miles in the snow every day to get
to school."
we used to walk three miles in the snow every day to get
to school."
iii. History
historical events are associated with their calendrical date(s)
-for example, answer this, when was World War II? (did
you immediately think of the dates, or the people of
that event?)
that event?)
II. Generational Thought System (Traditional Meru)
i. Definition of Generation
Sub-group labels of males within the regiment age-set,
which is dependent on physical/mental/life maturity levels
(rather than date of birth), various environmental factors,
(rather than date of birth), various environmental factors,
each sub-tribe of Meru (each has their own generation
labels dependent on their own local community life
history) and the limited availability of that age-set
history) and the limited availability of that age-set
-age-set=the above mentioned developmental stages
of a person, all have specific transitional determinants
of a person, all have specific transitional determinants
for progression (in the U.S., our labels are currently
infancy, adolescence, adulthood, and so on.)
Life Stages of Meru Males in Relation to U.S. Stages
Age | Life Stage | Meru Term | Termination
0-7+ | Infant/Child | Kilji |Appearance of
2nd Teeth
7-15+ | Uncircumcised Boy | Mwilji | Puberty
15-18+ | Elder Boy | Ndinguru (pre-cir.) | Circumsion
(candidate for circumcision) Ntaane (after cir.)
18-29+ | Warrior (Regiment) | Muthaka | Marriage
29-40+ |Familyhead | Muruau | Entry of 1st son
into warriorhood
into warriorhood
40-51+ | Ruling Elder | Mzee | Subsequent
Transfer
Transfer
51-62+ | Ritual Leader | Mzee | Subsequent
Transfer
Transfer
62-? | The Aged | Mzee | Death
Progression is also determined by community necessity,
so it's not the same as using age ranges.
so it's not the same as using age ranges.
-for example, when are people acknowledged by
our society as adults? (18 yrs, right?)
our society as adults? (18 yrs, right?)
-in contrast, traditional Meru standards
would require there to be a role available
to keep responsibility ratios even
-famine, high infant mortality rates,
droughts, and other environment-based
circumstances will affect the ratio and
in turn affect the progression of each
individual
would require there to be a role available
to keep responsibility ratios even
-famine, high infant mortality rates,
droughts, and other environment-based
circumstances will affect the ratio and
in turn affect the progression of each
individual
-age-sets determine the responsibilities/privileges
of its members
of its members
ii. Connotation of Generation
Since, generations are determined by the label of their
regiments,for each community within the Meru, the
separation of generations is the events that occurred
during the the regiment age-set of that time.
iii. History
Using regiment age-sets to determine generations and
generations to keep track of past events creates a more
personal history and the paradigms of thought that
instinctively relates the people of an event, instead of
date.
-my source for this blog, Jeffrey Fadiman, When
We Began There Were Witchmen, wrote this
anthropological book based on the interviews
of Meru elders in the late 1960s(hahahaha that's
our historical thought system!). They were able
to provide him with their history beginning
around 1708.
-off the top of head, what were your
ancestors doing in 1708? I have no clue,
I don't even know what my family name,
matrilineal or patrilineal was in 1708.
Since, generations are determined by the label of their
regiments,for each community within the Meru, the
separation of generations is the events that occurred
during the the regiment age-set of that time.
iii. History
Using regiment age-sets to determine generations and
generations to keep track of past events creates a more
personal history and the paradigms of thought that
instinctively relates the people of an event, instead of
date.
-my source for this blog, Jeffrey Fadiman, When
We Began There Were Witchmen, wrote this
anthropological book based on the interviews
of Meru elders in the late 1960s(hahahaha that's
our historical thought system!). They were able
to provide him with their history beginning
around 1708.
-off the top of head, what were your
ancestors doing in 1708? I have no clue,
I don't even know what my family name,
matrilineal or patrilineal was in 1708.
1 comment:
In 1708, half of your ancesters were in Ireland, probably farming potatoes.
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