Dead Birds Culture

The film Dead Birds provides examples of the complexities of culture and the actors that participate in it. While the culture represented in this film greatly differ from Western cultures, it is no less complex in its construction. The documentary, Dead Birds, is about the Dani people of New Guinea and provides a demonstration of their way of life. The footage reveals some aspects of the lifestyle that the Dani people lead and the ways in which they attempt to keep the delicate balance that they perceive in life. To analyze the symbolic and religious aspects of the Dani people’s lives, the works of Victor Turner, Émile Durkheim, and Claude Lévi-Strauss will be used. The Dani people practice magic in their daily lives and there are rituals that

This is role that fighting plays in helping the Dani people maintain the balance of nature. This is a part of the Dani people’s culture is embedded into their lives from the time that they are young children. The Dani people are proud of their lifestyle and this becomes apparent when looking at what their daily lives consist of. This film also demonstrates the differing roles of the men and women among the Dani people and how they make up a critical element of their way of life. There are also elements of their religion and mythology that play a role in maintaining the lifestyle and culture of the Dani people. Religion and mythology can be found playing a role in almost every aspect of their lives. The first topic to address is the essential role that fighting plays within the community of the Dani

One of these aspects is the influence that their battles has over the mythology of the Dani people. According to Lévi-Strauss, mythology commonly includes elements of people’s everyday life, and this statement certainly holds true among the Dani people (Lévi-Strauss 2013, 154). After a battle has taken place, the men will sit together recounting the details of their most recent battle. Often times, the stories and details of these battles will be greatly exaggerated. Lévi-Strauss also wrote that storytelling plays an important role among the members of a society (Lévi-Strauss 2013, 151). By exaggerating the story of the battles, the men are creating perceived superior strength over their enemies. This serves to influence their mentality and make the men eager to continue engaging in battles. Knowing this emphasizes the immense influence that these battles have over the lifestyle of the Dani