Chapter 8 Ñañuu María Gets Hit by Lightning: People and Their Selves - week 6

In 1994, John visited Ñañuu María López in Nuyoo, who had previously provided him meals ten years earlier.
Upon inquiry about her health, Ñañuu María revealed she had been sick for several months due to a burn she received.

John initially presumed her illness was due to a house fire.
María clarified she had been struck by lightning while working in the fields.
John later spoke to her neighbors about this miraculous survival; they were unaware of the incident.
A young man added that María was asleep in her house when lightning struck, indicating her 'animal' (kɨti nuvi) had actually been the target of the bolt.

The Mixtec belief system indicates that living beings born simultaneously are fundamentally linked.
Animals and humans sharing a birth moment are thought to possess a single soul and shared life experiences, sometimes communicating through dreams.
María’s coessential animal is identified as a coati, determined through divination and shared traits like a fondness for bananas.
The coati was affected by the lightning during its nocturnal travels.

The Mixtec idea of the coessential animal parallels Western psychological concepts such as the id or superego.
It serves as a framework for explaining phenomena such as luck, illness, dreams, and social hierarchy.
Wealth and power in Mixtec society are influenced by the type of coessential animal one possesses: those with large, fierce animals (like jaguars) hold higher social status than those with smaller ones (like rabbits).

The Mixtec view of self extends beyond physical boundaries, considering an intricate connection between humans and their coessential animals.
In contrast, Western conceptions typically view individuals as autonomous, unitary entities.
This leads to an ideal of limitless personal potential, exemplified by the American assertion that “anyone can grow up to be president.”

These variances in self-concept have deep implications for social, economic, and moral structures within societies.
Western paradigms tend to focus on individualism, enshrined in documents like the U.S. Constitution which emphasizes collective rights and equality.
Contrasting ideologies exist in other cultures, such as the Maya, who have nuanced interpretations of personhood through the term vinik.

Spanish priest Father Francisco Varea noted that vinik does not equate to an “individual” as understood in Western thought but refers to collective identities within a nation.
The significance of the number twenty in the Mesoamerican calendar reflects various destinies connected to personality, vocation, and attributes.
Personhood, according to this view, emerges from relationality within a community rather than inherent individuality.

In Indonesian culture, such as the Dou Donggo community, there’s an extension of personhood to non-human entities, like rice.
Rice is treated as a sentient being, with rituals honoring it during harvest, emphasizing respect and relationality.
New agricultural practices have altered traditional rituals with high-yield rice, which creates discomfort among farmers regarding their lack of ceremonial treatment.

Historical records illustrate that in Mesoamerica, certain children were regarded as sub-persons, unworthy of societal inclusion if born during ominous periods.
The notion of personhood here is intertwined with cultural beliefs about destiny, resulting in exclusion or neglect.

Concepts of self and personhood are posited as culturally constructed, shaped by historical traditions and reinforced through daily life practices.
Medical anthropology identifies culture-bound syndromes that vary across societies due to differing perceptions of health and illness.
Examples include susto in Latin America (where shock leads to illness) and kaget in Indonesia (allowing illness entry through psychic vulnerability).
Distinctions between 'disease' (physiological malfunction) and 'illness' (perception-based) are crucial in understanding health experiences.

Gender plays an essential role in self-perception and societal interaction, driven by evolutionary necessities for reproduction.
The Sambia of New Guinea showcase cultural practices where male identity is developed through specific initiation processes involving same-sex interactions.

Dou Donggo society recognizes individuals whose expressions of gender do not align strictly with biological sex, viewing these identities as natural variations rather than deviant.
Unique instances illustrate that distinct gender roles can be challenged without stigma.

Numerous culture-bound syndromes document how psychosocial beliefs impact health perception differently, including conditions like bilis in Latin America.
Historical gender roles are complex, with examples illustrating both complementary and antagonistic relationships across cultures.
Patriarchy is prevalent in many societies, but the dynamics of gender relations can vary widely.

The evolution of gender and personhood across cultures highlights the fluidity and complexity of identity perceptions.
The current trend in Western societies towards equality indicates a shift in gender roles, illustrating an ongoing reconfiguration of social dynamics.