The Semai Community Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Semai Community - Research Paper Example The individuals in the community share more that only among family. However, everybody in the Semai camp has to share the items or food that they have obtained for the day; including those that were injured or even too sick to be able to take part will be given their share. Nonetheless, this is a good example of a generalized reciprocity whereby one might give something without expectations of receiving something in return, maybe in some way or even some other day. The concept or idea of possession among the Semai is different from that of the West. For instance, in the United States of America, it would be felt that the meat’s owner was the one who brought the animal down. However, among the Semai community, the owner of the meat is the one who unleashed the arrow. In this manner, more individuals have a chance of contributing toward food. They are normally happy to do trade with the others since they lack the means to keep or store food (Laird 18). An individual who possesses meat would wish to exchange with another thing since it is possible that the meat would go bad before he or she would finish it all up. The Semai people have a robustly peaceful image of themselves, they consider themselves as being nonviolent individuals who are not always angered or do harm unto others. They, in fact, sometimes disagree and get angry, but have less violent expressions of fury, and they nearly never beat up their children. These people regard themselves as non-violent, nurturing and dependant; a character that allowed violence would challenge their definition of good value (Peaceful Socities.org 16). Their view of the world and the place of humanity in it does not have any place for aggression.