Eating Christmas in the Kalahari In Richard Lee’s Article, “Eating Christmas in the Kalahari,” describes his experience living with the !Kung Bushmen of the Kalahari Desert in south central Africa, but it does more than just recount a three year stint with a native African tribe. Lee’s work with the Kalahari Bushmen also showed the distinct differences of how different societies of people conducted themselves and what customs were considered social norms. When two different groups of people live among themselves misunderstanding is often a common ground. Richard Lee as an anthropologist found that living among an unfamiliar group of people often lead to misunderstandings being common due to cultural barriers. In the story the main focus is when Richard Lee wants to thank the Kung Bushmen of the Kalahari for their cooperation for the last year, and since this would also be Lee’s last year in the field. Lee plans to celebrate Christmas with the Kung Bushmen of the Kalahari by purchasing the biggest most enormous ox he find. In this is where Lee’s views of gratitude get construed with the social customs and norms of the Kalahari Bushmen. In the United States, when people do a deed that they deem as an act of kindness, a simple “thank you” is seen as how someone thanks someone …show more content…
In American culture, I am used to being polite when a gift is given to me and making sure to thank those who have given me the gift as a sign of appreciation. Seeing how other cultures interact and what is considered social norms is always astounding to see and this article just shows the differences of the Kalahari Bushmen and the norms Lee is used to in the United Sates. Lee’s Article about the Kalahari Bushmen shows the distinct differences of how different societies of people conducted themselves and what customs are considered social