Ritual warfare (sometimes called endemic warfare) is a state of continual or frequent warfare, such as is found in (but not limited to) some tribal societies.
Ritual fighting (or ritual battle or ritual warfare) permits the display of courage, masculinity, and the expression of emotion while resulting in relatively few wounds and even fewer deaths. Thus such a practice can be viewed as a form of conflict-resolution and/or as a psycho-social exercise. Native Americans often engaged in this activity, but the frequency of warfare in most hunter-gatherer cultures is a matter of dispute.[1]
Examplesedit
Warfare is known to every tribal society, but some societies develop a particular emphasis of warrior culture. Examples includes the Nuer of South Sudan,[2] the Māori of New Zealand, the Dugum Dani of Papua,[2] the Yanomami (dubbed "the Fierce People") of the Amazon. [2] The culture of inter-tribal warfare has long been present in New Guinea.[3]
Communal societies are well capable of escalation to all-out wars of annihilation between tribes. Thus, in Amazonas, there was perpetual animosity between the neighboring tribes of the Jívaro. A fundamental difference between wars enacted within the same tribe and against neighboring tribes is such that "wars between different tribes are in principle wars of extermination".[4]
The Yanomami of Amazonas traditionally practiced a system of escalation of violence in several discrete stages.[citation needed] The chest-pounding duel, the side-slapping duel, the club fight, and the spear-throwing fight. Further escalation results in raiding parties with the purpose of killing at least one member of the hostile faction. Finally, the highest stage of escalation is Nomohoni or all-out massacres brought about by treachery.
Similar customs were known to the Dugum Dani and the Chimbu of New Guinea, the Nuer of Sudan and the North American Plains Indians. Among the Chimbu and the Dugum Dani, pig theft was the most common cause of conflict, even more frequent than abduction of women, while among the Yanomamö, the most frequent initial cause of warfare was accusations of sorcery. Warfare serves the function of easing intra-group tensions and has aspects of a game, or "overenthusiastic football".[5] Especially Dugum Dani "battles" have a conspicuous element of play, with one documented instance of a battle interrupted when both sides were distracted by throwing stones at a passing cuckoo dove.[6]
^"The Absence of War". open Democracy. 2003-05-21. Retrieved 2008-05-25.
^ abcDiamond, Jared (2012). The world until yesterday : what can we learn from traditional societies?. New York: Viking. pp. 79–129. ISBN978-0-670-02481-0.
^"Papua New Guinea massacre of women and children highlights poor policing, gun influx". ABC News. 11 July 2019.
^Karsten, Rafael (1923). Blood revenge, war, and victory feasts among the Jibaro Indians of eastern Ecuador. Kessinger Publishing. p. 277. ISBN978-1-4179-3181-1.
^Orme, Bryony (1981). Anthropology for Archaeologists. Cornell University Press. p. 196. ISBN978-0-8014-1398-8.
^Heider, Karl (1970). The Dugum Dani. Chicago: Aldine Publishing Company. p. 111. ISBN978-0-202-01039-7.
Further readingedit
Zimmerman, L. The Crow Creek Site Massacre: A Preliminary Report, US Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District, 1981.
Chagnon, N. The Yanomamo, Holt, Rinehart & Winston,1983.
Keeley, Lawrence. War Before Civilization, Oxford University Press, 1996.
Wade, Nicholas. Before the Dawn, Penguin: New York 2006.
S. A. LeBlanc, Prehistoric Warfare in the American Southwest, University of Utah Press (1999).
Guy Halsall, 'Anthropology and the Study of Pre-Conquest Warfare and Society: The Ritual War in Anglo-Saxon England' in *Hawkes (ed.), Weapons and Warfare in Anglo-Saxon England (1989), 155–177.
Diamond, Jared. The World Until Yesterday: What Can We Learn from Traditional Societies?, Viking. New York, 2012. pp. 79–129
External linksedit
Haida Warfare
Tribal Warfare and Blood Revenge
Tribal warfare kills nine in Indonesia's Papua
January 01, 1970
ritual, warfare, sometimes, called, endemic, warfare, state, continual, frequent, warfare, such, found, limited, some, tribal, societies, armed, woman, mursi, tribe, ethiopia, percentages, killed, eight, tribal, societies, lawrence, keeley, archeologist, befor. Ritual warfare sometimes called endemic warfare is a state of continual or frequent warfare such as is found in but not limited to some tribal societies An armed woman of the Mursi tribe of Ethiopia The percentages of men killed in war in eight tribal societies Lawrence H Keeley Archeologist War Before Civilization Description editRitual fighting or ritual battle or ritual warfare permits the display of courage masculinity and the expression of emotion while resulting in relatively few wounds and even fewer deaths Thus such a practice can be viewed as a form of conflict resolution and or as a psycho social exercise Native Americans often engaged in this activity but the frequency of warfare in most hunter gatherer cultures is a matter of dispute 1 Examples editWarfare is known to every tribal society but some societies develop a particular emphasis of warrior culture Examples includes the Nuer of South Sudan 2 the Maori of New Zealand the Dugum Dani of Papua 2 the Yanomami dubbed the Fierce People of the Amazon 2 The culture of inter tribal warfare has long been present in New Guinea 3 Communal societies are well capable of escalation to all out wars of annihilation between tribes Thus in Amazonas there was perpetual animosity between the neighboring tribes of the Jivaro A fundamental difference between wars enacted within the same tribe and against neighboring tribes is such that wars between different tribes are in principle wars of extermination 4 The Yanomami of Amazonas traditionally practiced a system of escalation of violence in several discrete stages citation needed The chest pounding duel the side slapping duel the club fight and the spear throwing fight Further escalation results in raiding parties with the purpose of killing at least one member of the hostile faction Finally the highest stage of escalation is Nomohoni or all out massacres brought about by treachery Similar customs were known to the Dugum Dani and the Chimbu of New Guinea the Nuer of Sudan and the North American Plains Indians Among the Chimbu and the Dugum Dani pig theft was the most common cause of conflict even more frequent than abduction of women while among the Yanomamo the most frequent initial cause of warfare was accusations of sorcery Warfare serves the function of easing intra group tensions and has aspects of a game or overenthusiastic football 5 Especially Dugum Dani battles have a conspicuous element of play with one documented instance of a battle interrupted when both sides were distracted by throwing stones at a passing cuckoo dove 6 See also editCaptives in American Indian Wars Communal violence Flower war Irregular warfare Mock combat Napoleon Chagnon Prehistoric warfare Religion and violence Sudanese nomadic conflicts Ethnic violence in South Sudan Oromo Somali clashes Tinku War danceReferences edit The Absence of War open Democracy 2003 05 21 Retrieved 2008 05 25 a b c Diamond Jared 2012 The world until yesterday what can we learn from traditional societies New York Viking pp 79 129 ISBN 978 0 670 02481 0 Papua New Guinea massacre of women and children highlights poor policing gun influx ABC News 11 July 2019 Karsten Rafael 1923 Blood revenge war and victory feasts among the Jibaro Indians of eastern Ecuador Kessinger Publishing p 277 ISBN 978 1 4179 3181 1 Orme Bryony 1981 Anthropology for Archaeologists Cornell University Press p 196 ISBN 978 0 8014 1398 8 Heider Karl 1970 The Dugum Dani Chicago Aldine Publishing Company p 111 ISBN 978 0 202 01039 7 Further reading editZimmerman L The Crow Creek Site Massacre A Preliminary Report US Army Corps of Engineers Omaha District 1981 Chagnon N The Yanomamo Holt Rinehart amp Winston 1983 Keeley Lawrence War Before Civilization Oxford University Press 1996 Pauketat Timothy R North American Archaeology 2005 Blackwell Publishing Wade Nicholas Before the Dawn Penguin New York 2006 S A LeBlanc Prehistoric Warfare in the American Southwest University of Utah Press 1999 Guy Halsall Anthropology and the Study of Pre Conquest Warfare and Society The Ritual War in Anglo Saxon England in Hawkes ed Weapons and Warfare in Anglo Saxon England 1989 155 177 Diamond Jared The World Until Yesterday What Can We Learn from Traditional Societies Viking New York 2012 pp 79 129External links editHaida Warfare Tribal Warfare and Blood Revenge The Crow Creek Massacre Tribal warfare kills nine in Indonesia s Papua Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ritual warfare amp oldid 1183104082, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
