TABOOS Across Cultures

TABOOSAcross Cultures

Kristine Chaussé

taboo |təˈboō; ta-| (also tabu)

“A social or religious custom prohibiting or restricting a particular practice or forbidding association with a particular person, place, or thing” (“Taboo,” 2013).

A topic or action that is “off-limits”

Why do they exist? Social Construct

Taboos can vary greatly Some taboos are stable across cultures

Etic: elements that are UNIVERSAL cross-culturally Incest, adultery, death– taboos created around these concepts

aided reproduction and survival

Emic: elements that are CULTURE-SPECIFIC Culture-specific taboos enforce social rules and beliefs

Ex. Language Phonetics- sound system that allow people to

communicate Phonemics- sounds systems that are distinctive to one

culture (What is Culture, 2012)

Why do they exist?

Created to discourage maladaptive behaviors

Practical application becomes tradition

Created to enforce social rules Often understood without being explained

Why do they exist? Definition of culture:

“A unique meaning and information system, shared by a group and transmitted across generations, that allows the groups to meet basic needs of survival, pursue happiness and well being and derive meaning from life (Matsumoto, 2011).

Elements of Culture Values Beliefs Norms Attitudes World Views

Google Image Search: “Taboo”

Google Image Search: “Taboo”

Tattoos, Piercings and Self-Mutilation

Figure 1. Elaine Davidson, record holder for body piercings. (National Geographic Channel, 2013)

Tattoos, Piercings and Self-Mutilation

Tattoos, Piercings and Self-Mutilation:

Religious Tattoos,

piercings, and body markings have played roles in many cultures throughout history Identification Protection Decoration Religion

A young monk is tattooed with a sharp rod near a Buddhist temple in Thailand. Tattoos are believed be spiritually protective

Figure 2. Monk receives religious tattoos (Tattoos, piercings, and scarification, 2013)

Tattoos, Piercings and Self-Mutilation:

Henna Tattoos Practice is

hundreds of years old for women Africa Middle East South Asia

Henna leaves Trendy in recent

years Designs ward off

evil or declare happiness.

Figure 3. Hennaed hands (Tattoos, piercings, and scarification, 2013)

A Mursi woman from the Omo Valley in southern Ethiopia has face markings and an ornamental clay lip plate, considered signs of beauty in this culture.

Colorful beadwork covers the ear of a Maasai man in Kenya. Both men and women Maasai wear earrings and stretch their earlobes to enhance beauty.

Beauty Enhancing

Tattoos, Piercings and Self-Mutilation

Figure 4. Adorned Ethiopian tribal woman (Tattoos, piercings, and scarification, 2013)

Figure 5. Beadwork on man in Kenya. (Tattoos, piercings, and scarification, 2013)

Public Displays of Affection

An etiquette book for tourists going to Malaysia recommends, “no public displays of affection” (not even holding hands) (Sonne, 2008)

France“Public displays of affection are as common as

croissants (Paris , 2013)”

Polygamy and Extra-Marital Relationships

Figure 6. World Map of Polygamy (Creative News Group, 2009)

Sexual Practices SEX taboos

Religious Figures Before Puberty Child brides (Not

Ready to Wed, 2011)

Sex-Positive cultures

Sex-Negative cultures (Bhugra, Popelyuk, & McMullen, 2010)

Sexual Experimentation

Bestiality (Zoophilia, 2013)

Incest

virtually every culture in recorded history has held sibling or parent-child partnerships taboo (The risks and rewards of royal incest, 2010)

Some More Taboos: In Conversation Asking adults age

“Are you married?” Politics, religion, economic and

social issues? Discussing one’s weight Calling people by their names

without their permission In Costa Rica “How much do you make?” Don’t criticize the royal family in

Thailand!

So what? What do we do with this information? Taboos are a fascinating component of

culture They are not fixed THINKING CRITICALLY: Just because the

culture largely rejects it, doesn't mean its wrong, and universal acceptance also doesn't mean its right.

Reference List Bhugra, D., Popelyuk, D., & McMullen, I. (2010). Paraphilias across cultures: contexts and

controversies. Journal of Sex Research, 47(2-3), 242–256. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00224491003699833

Creative News Group LLC. (2009). Worldfocus. Polygamy across the world. Retrieved from http://worldfocus.org/blog/2009/11/02/is-polygamy-good-for-women/8100/

Dobbs, D. (2010). The risks and rewards of royal incest. National Geographic. Retrieved from http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2010/09/tut-dna/dobbs- text/1

Matsumoto, D., & Juang, L. (2011). Introduction to multicultural psychology. Culture and psychology (5th ed., pp. 22-23). Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning. Print.

Not ready to wed: child brides. (2011). National Geographic News Watch. Retrieved from http://newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/2011/09/28/a- conversation-about-child-brides/childbrides/

Paris in Black and White. (2013). National Geographic. Retrieved from http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/city-guides/paris-photos-2/#/paris-cafe-marly_2369_600x450.jpg

Reference List Sonne, L. (2008). A light orgy in malaysia. Intelligent Travel: National Geographic.

Retrieved from http://intelligenttravel.nationalgeographic.com/2008/12/11/a_light_orgy_in_malaysia/

Spencer-Oatey, H. (2012). What is culture? A compilation of quotations. GlobalPAD Core Concepts. Retrieved from http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/al/globalpad/interculturalskills/

“Taboo.” (2005). Def. New Oxford American dictionary. 2nd Edition. Oxford University Press. Electronic.

Tattoos, piercings, and scarification. (2013). National Geographic. Retrieved from http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/countries/tattoos-piercings-scarification- photos/#/buddhist-monk-pray-tattoo_12070_600x450.jpg

Zoophilia and the law. (2013). Wikipedia. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zoophilia_and_the_law