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The Dobe Ju/'hoansi
This classic, bestselling study of the !Kung San, foragers of the Dobe area of the Kalahari Desert describes a people's reactions to the forces of modernization, detailing relatively recent changes to !Kung rituals, beliefs, social structure, marriage and kinship system. It documents their determination to take hold of their own destiny-despite exploitation of their habitat and relentless development-to assert their political rights and revitalize their communities. Use of the name Ju/'hoansi (meaning "real people") acknowledges their new sense of empowerment.
249 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1993
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
April 29, 2012
This is a classic ethnography detailing the lives of the Dob Ju/'Hoansi - a group living in the Kalahari desert of Africa. The author, Richard Lee, is an anthropologist who has spent a great deal of time over several decades living with the Dobe Ju/'Hoansi. It is really interesting to see how this group coped with development and modernization.
One key fact to understanding this biography is knowing that the Dobe Ju/'Hoansi were still living a traditional hunter and gatherer lifestyle up till the late 1960's/early 1970's and in many ways have a lower quality of life after being forced into development.
One key fact to understanding this biography is knowing that the Dobe Ju/'Hoansi were still living a traditional hunter and gatherer lifestyle up till the late 1960's/early 1970's and in many ways have a lower quality of life after being forced into development.
May 28, 2008
In this ethnography, Lee explores the lifestyle of the Ju/ 'hoansi -- a tribe located in Southern Africa. The Ju'/ live in an egalitarian (equal) society where power is divided equally amongst men, women, children, and the elderly. I thought it was interesting that the egalitarian system actually exists in some cultures around the world. Living in a capitalistic society, sometimes I cannot even comprehend what a completely equal society is like. The Ju'/ live a very good lifestyle, unable to experience poverty because money and competition is not an issue. They also do not hurt the environment because their work and life do not require machines which pollute our atmosphere.
October 23, 2017
My first anthropology book for my Anthropology: World Cultures class.
December 12, 2017
Lee is a bit dry in this ethnography, but the Ju/hoansi are so awesome that I enjoyed the read. Compared with the Yanomamo the Ju are even more amazing.
September 29, 2020
3.5 stars
May 30, 2007
My first ethnography...awww.
October 11, 2018
Richard Lee's anecdotes about his time living with a Ju/Hoansi group in Namibia and his observations about their culture. These hunter gatherers have a fascinating kinship system and remarkably egalitarian culture. While the book drags a bit at times I do find it really interesting how different from ours some cultures can be in areas which we take for granted. I've decided that all the fun in anthropology is in the case studies not the theory.
The most striking anecdote in the book would probably be how a Ju/Hoansi woman felt her birthing pains at night, went off into the bush to deliver her baby, and returned in the early morning with the babe at her breast never saying anything. These are not the type of people to make a fuss.
The most striking anecdote in the book would probably be how a Ju/Hoansi woman felt her birthing pains at night, went off into the bush to deliver her baby, and returned in the early morning with the babe at her breast never saying anything. These are not the type of people to make a fuss.
November 30, 2020
This was a fascinating account of the Dobe Ju'hoansi people by an author who's committed his professional life to understanding and earning the trust of members of that community. Lee has notably changed our understanding of hunter gatherers with his research and academic engagements, and this text is a good example of how preconceived notions of hunter gatherers are often (usually) far from accurate. It's undoubtedly an academic text, but it's written in a way that's accessible to readers with varying levels of anthropological background. It has a nice balance of narrative storytelling and analysis which I, personally, think is essential in anthropological writing. I recommend this book to anyone willing to read what's essentially a textbook.
December 9, 2018
This book was interesting. It's the first ethnographic case study book I've read so I wasn't sure what to expect. It reads like most any other textbook with Lee's commentary on his time staying with the Dobe Ju/'Hoansi included. He's sharing what he learned about this particular culture by living among them and observing how they go about living their lives. I love learning about other people and cultures. In that regard it was very interesting, but it still took me a while to get through. I believe it's because there was so much material and on top of reading it for a class it took time to get through. Recommended if you’re into Anthropology, particularly cultural anthropology.
October 24, 2019
Read for Anthropology 204 class, pretty interesting but definitely not a voluntary read.
September 25, 2020
read for school
December 5, 2023
really really interesting. i hope they're able to keep their culture alive
January 25, 2015
A good read with many wonderful anecdotes and small stories. These things must be heard by all of us.
Pro:
I don't need to write anything good about this book. If you like anthropology you will already have heard several of his stories so many times that you skip them in texts. And this book will therefore be a must read for you as it was for me. !Kung are a wonderful people and illustrate how we all once used to be - but just a little less violent than that.
Con:
Even though it's a great book and every chapter is great it's still not a perfect anthropology book about foragers. It's about !Kung as a people and 25% of the book is about the people adjusting to our culture. Still interesting but I love reading about the old way, and just like reading about their new ways. It's still filled with great stories but lacks focus on their old ways and on their personal stories - which is where it shines. It also lacks understanding of even basic evolutionary psychology. He does not understand that altruism can be naturally selected for or that altruism is a main theory in EP. He thinks EP is only about a dog-eat-dog world. To bad. For an anthropologist to not understand EP makes him a mediocre anthropologist. Great observations and stories. Mediocre understanding of things.
Pro:
I don't need to write anything good about this book. If you like anthropology you will already have heard several of his stories so many times that you skip them in texts. And this book will therefore be a must read for you as it was for me. !Kung are a wonderful people and illustrate how we all once used to be - but just a little less violent than that.
Con:
Even though it's a great book and every chapter is great it's still not a perfect anthropology book about foragers. It's about !Kung as a people and 25% of the book is about the people adjusting to our culture. Still interesting but I love reading about the old way, and just like reading about their new ways. It's still filled with great stories but lacks focus on their old ways and on their personal stories - which is where it shines. It also lacks understanding of even basic evolutionary psychology. He does not understand that altruism can be naturally selected for or that altruism is a main theory in EP. He thinks EP is only about a dog-eat-dog world. To bad. For an anthropologist to not understand EP makes him a mediocre anthropologist. Great observations and stories. Mediocre understanding of things.
July 26, 2007
An examination of the Dobe Ju'Hoansi (speakers of a click language in the once prominant Khoisian family -- the subjects of the film "The God's Must Be Crazy") by an anthropologist. He found that these people really did not represent, as he had imagined, a slice of how humanity might have lived eons ago. These modern hunter-gatherers, however, had very interesting cultural attributes that set them apart from so-called modern society. They had little jealousy and a remarkably altruistic gift giving model. They had ornate notions of family and naming. They lived longer than the west expected and had happier lives, based on the number of hours they had to toil and their longevity. And they lost all aspects the benefits of their culture when modern african governments gave them "assistance".
September 2, 2012
One of my course texts for my Anthropology module- I enjoyed reading about the !Kung and Ju. Book was easy to understand and towards the back raised some questions and led me to some answers to a few queries I had in mind.
Quotes I liked:
"But why does living in the present mean that a person must be totally divorced from their past?"
And what someone said in tutorial class- by keeping them away from modernity- we are taking away their right to modernise. What gives us the right to tell them to modernise or not? Would that single coke bottle have so much impact...?
Raises questions of how some new modern enterprises are clearing forests and are going to affect some uncontacted tribes... what shall we do then? Avoid them forever? Go ahead? Hmm.
Quotes I liked:
"But why does living in the present mean that a person must be totally divorced from their past?"
And what someone said in tutorial class- by keeping them away from modernity- we are taking away their right to modernise. What gives us the right to tell them to modernise or not? Would that single coke bottle have so much impact...?
Raises questions of how some new modern enterprises are clearing forests and are going to affect some uncontacted tribes... what shall we do then? Avoid them forever? Go ahead? Hmm.
July 9, 2016
One of the first ethnographic texts I ever read - and thus at the time I had little to compare it to.
The text was easy to read and easy to engage with - however it lacks the depth of critical thinking or deep understanding of theory of many anthropological texts I have read since.
The anecdotes which were included in this ethnography made it much more interesting compared to a dry factual text.
I can understand why this book has become a classic ethnographic text. And whilst I have now read many superior ethnographic texts, I still highly value this book for the easily digestible and engaging introduction to the world of anthropological writing.
The text was easy to read and easy to engage with - however it lacks the depth of critical thinking or deep understanding of theory of many anthropological texts I have read since.
The anecdotes which were included in this ethnography made it much more interesting compared to a dry factual text.
I can understand why this book has become a classic ethnographic text. And whilst I have now read many superior ethnographic texts, I still highly value this book for the easily digestible and engaging introduction to the world of anthropological writing.
March 11, 2010
"...I would point out that the Ju/'hoansi didn't stop being a people when the last hunter laid down his bow and picked up a transistor radio. The Ju persist as a people, embattled and struggling, but a people nonetheless with strong sense of themselves".
August 12, 2016
I learned so much about hunter/gatherers through this book. I was required to read it for Anthropology in college. I thought it was going to be boring but I actually enjoyed it. I understood it without any problems and I actually learned from it.
April 22, 2016
Es una etnografía regular pero que uso para una primera aproximación a un trabajo etnográfico en colegios secundarios. Permite trabajar varios conceptos pero se asemeja más a un trabajo de los años 40 que a uno de los 60.
October 4, 2008
this ethnography changed my l i f e and gave me h o p e. human nature is a myth, therefore so much more was and is possible. this is a masterpiece.
September 18, 2007
Quite a good, detailed, and well-rounded exposition on the Dobe Ju/'hoansi garnered from many years of fieldwork. Recommended viewing with the Marshall family film mentioned multiple times within.
January 3, 2008
never knew anything about hunters/gatherers until i had to read this book for my anthro class. enjoyed it though.
October 29, 2008
Very interesting but tedious. In class, we watched some of the related films involving the later years and relocating of these tribes and it was heartbreaking.
March 7, 2009
A well-written but intense look at the Ju, a foraging society in Botswana and Namibia. Not a light read.
November 22, 2009
Read it for my first anthropology class about 8 years ago. It was great.
November 9, 2011
Had to read this for my Anthropology class. Lee's case studies of the Ju/'Hoansi was very interesting, I felt like I was there experiencing what he experienced.
February 3, 2014
This is the first Anthropology book that I have read, but I quote enjoyed it.
April 20, 2016
Not the biggest fan of the writing style
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews