Nacirema is a very
unique tribe. They regard mouth as the most holy part of human’s bodies and
women bake their heads in an oven. However, this “unique” tribe is not unique.
They are a tribe that is contemporary and in existence these
days. Naciremans are Americans which is “naciremA” in backwards. After noticing
that this essay is about Americans, there are many acquaintances between the
Nacirema culture and American lifestyle. Before noticing this was about
Americans, due to the persuasive tone of Miner’s, Nacirema seems like a true
story. Still, Miner gives many clues stating that Nacirema is not a real tribe
but a distorted reflection of American society.
Miner describes the
Nacirema’s life very thoroughly, which makes the readers to be fooled. Rituals
are depicted as real religious ceremonies that do not seem like treatments that
are done these days. Many rituals among the Nacirema are
suggested, starting from shrines to “listener”. Shrines
in the house are where people think to be a holy place. Shrine in reality is
known as bathroom. Like the essay, every family has at least one shrine in
their houses and poor families cover bathrooms with pottery plaques when rich
families cover them up with marvel. Listeners are who performs exorcisms. A
point about Miner made is very interesting which is about mothers spoiling
their child and mothers are the reasons why people have problems. “Listeners”
are people who call themselves “consultants”. When talking to the consultants,
they try to find out the source of the problem by listening to other people’s
backgrounds are. Most of the time the problem is found in the patients’
families. These kinds of minor details make the essay persuasive and fool the
readers that Nacirema was a real tribe.
However, although on the surface the Nacirema
looks real, there are many clues that Miner gives that suggests Nacirema is not
a tribe that existed throughout the history. One of the funny clues Miner gave
is about the “holy-mouth man”. Nacirema believes that mouth is the most holy
place in human body. So they have someone called the “holy-mouth man” who
treats people’s mouth conditions. They perform awful surgeries like “jabbing an awl into an exposed nerve”. Holy
mouth men represent dentists. In another perspective, they perform surgeries
that seem really disgusting, for example, implants which is sticking screws in
people’s gums. Miner gives out not only the lifestyles but also the location of
the Nacirema which clearly proves that Nacirema represents Americans. In the
beginning of the essay, the location of the Nacirema is suggested, which is
described as “North American group living in the
territory between the Canadian Cree, the Yaqui and Tarahumare of Mexico”. This
is just the description of America which is located in North America between
Canada and Mexico. These clues enable the readers to at least be suspicious
about the connection between the Nacirema and America.
Throughout the essay, Miner gives out the essay in a sarcastic tone, which shows another perspective of
looking at the American lifestyle, by giving out the
rituals among the Nacirema. There was a part that criticizes the
appearance-oriented society. Miner twists the reason why people have plastic
surgeries and unneeded diets. The part where Miner criticizes plastic surgeries
is “General dissatisfaction with breast shape is symbolized in the fact that
the ideal from is virtually outside the range of human variation.” This is
talking about breast surgeries that breast surgeries are essential because
there is no one who have the perfect size. Also, Miner talks about “special
women’s rites that are performed only four times during each lunar month, but
what they lack in frequency is made up in barbarity. As part of this ceremony,
women bake their heads in small ovens for about an hour” This is talking about
women curling their hair with heat. Not
only these parts, but also Miner is using this tone in every other ritual that
he is describing.
Miner depicts the
Nacirema as another kind of people but in reality, they are American. America
is the well developed country but in the perspective of the essay, it is a
place that is very barbarous. At first, Nacirema was thought to be a real tribe
but through many clues that Miner gave, it became clear that Nacirema is a distortion
of the American.
