The Dobe Ju/’hoansi

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The Ju/’Hoansi show us that theres still varied practices performed in the world. The Ju/’Hoansi are slowly becoming more and more like people outside of there comfort zones. Hunting and gathering made up 85% of their daily food calories, now only 30% of the calories come from it. There has also been a rise in their cholesterol intake, high blood pressure, and heart disease. These were uncommon side effects before, but their eating habits, diets of carbs, smoking excessively, alcohol consumption of all kinds, and changes in the way they live is the reasoning behind all of this. All in all, their level of education is something to not be proud of at all. The large majority has little or no schooling and employment is at its all time low. Poverty also may indicate a factor in all of this as well, not to mention that the economy is to blame for.

Lee hit the nail on the head when he wrote this book mentioning all about its origins. Some may even say he basically brings the book to life throughout when he was detailing about the Dobe Ju/’Hoansi people. He brings the whole idea of an anthropological case study to a new level. He would then go and organize his book in a way that we all could relate to.

Lee’s style of writing is also very powerful in a way that keeps its readers wanting to know more. Lee allows the Ju/’Hoansi to speak for themselves through their own eyes and senses. The more harder the situation got lee would let the Ju/’Hoansi people back it up with a conversation or story. The chapter on kinship and social organization is one good example that shows a lot of the Ju/’Hoansi side. All in all, I would recommend this book to be brought up with today’s generation, as it is an insight into what may be today and how it may have developed.

I don’t know about you but one day I wish to meet the Dobe Ju/’Hoansi and to learn more about what they know. Lee’s love for them and others is apparent. This could not have been made possible by just researching alone. One must be able to put aside all biases when conducting this kind of work.