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Jennifer Mei
Professor Dr. Max J. Stein
ANT 2410
3 June 2023
Ethnographic response paper to The Gebusi
In the Ethnographic book The Gebusi: Lives Transformed in a Rainforest World the
authors Anne-Sylvie Malbrancke and Bruce Knauft open with the shocking event of cannibalism
in the introduction. As a student of modern society my first reaction was shock and disgust
however, I realized I needed to not think of this from my ethnocentric view of the culture that I
am to study by reading this ethnographic piece and rethink how the Gebusi have been taught and
raised by their ancestors. Similarly, the anthropologist Bruce and Anne (who were both products
of modernism conducting this study) had similar dilemmas. Eventually, they come to realize that
their own morals will be in conflict with the events that the Gebusi experience, due to the
difference in cultural (or kogwayay) background. Yet I won’t deny the shock and disbelief that I
feel as I continued to read about the experiences that the anthropologists Bruce and Anne went
through as they spent their time at Gebusi on multiple different occasions.
If anthropology is the study of how we humans socialize, adapt, or change over time in
various aspects then for something to be considered anthropological it would require it to have
some sort of record or relation to humans in this manner. Therefore this book is anthropological
as it tells us about the Gebusi who do not live in contact with the modern technological advances
as most humans do today. Yet it is undeniable that they too are homo sapiens as much as anyone
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other human on this planet the only difference would be the lifestyle they lived. For instance, as
anthropologist Bruce and Anne have observed for a Gebusi a simple day might be to go out and
hunt or gather food once they wake up (assuming it's not raining) with a group of friends or pair
up with someone along the way, due to how social they are, and then return to where their homes
while reciprocating gifts to someone they have been gift exchanging with. Afterward, they might
have called it a day should the sun be getting close to setting and return home to go to sleep but
at the same time, they might end up going to their neighbors to have a party and participating in
more social activities. For all the socializing that happens in a day of the Gebusi life that is what
they consider normal, whether it's asking a neighbor what they ate or what they hunted for the
day it is perfectly normal for them to socialize or to be with someone all day long. On the
contrary in modern society most are familiar with while most have the major convenience of
having food (or ingredients) readily available for us in the fridge for easy access or a few
minutes away for delivery or pickup, thanks to the heavy industrial agricultural farms, and for us
whether is not a hindrance rain or shine (unless its a major natural disaster). As for the rest of the
day it varies from citizen to citizen, but as a part of modern society, we do not have to go to work
in groups or have a need to communicate with someone all the time. As a matter of fact, in recent
times in modern society due to the recent pandemic, there have been more people relucent to
speak to others compared to before the pandemic. This is supported by a survey done by
ForbesHealth which shows “59% of respondents say they find it harder to form relationships
since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, compared to just 13% of people who find it easier”
While for some people it maybe even normal for them to stay at home for a few weeks and not
socialize with friends (aside from a few text messages every now and then) it is important to
remember that socializing is something that humans need to do in some way or form as we are
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social creatures. Provided that the pandemic has been a major factor in this the economic said of
hanging out with friends has also increased since then. Therefore while despite the “easy” access
to daily necessities such as food the major difference is that as a part of modern society, there is a
price tag on what we need as part of our daily necessities things, which is why people need to
work so that the producers and consumers can be paid with a currency needed for an exchange of
materials. In other words, while we are from a more modern technologically advanced society
and live busy and complicated lives and higher levels of stress; the Gebusi on the other hand
lived in rainforests which require extra vigilance in order to find food (while socializing) and any
signs of potential danger. Despite the “Gebusi [having to] endure severe health challenges,
including malaria, childhood malnutrition, elephantiasis (filariasis), tuberculosis, worm
(helminthic) diseases, and influenza” after a day's work, the men specifically, relax and socialize
to their heart's content and call it a day. So while the Gebusi lived with much lower levels of
stress despite them not being able to get the amount of protein they need, they had something for
everyone to have a little bit of as they gave and shared food with other. As a result of this being
an anthropological book readers not only get to study and have written records about the Gebusi
thanks to anthropologists Bruce and Anne, but readers also learn about the impact and changes
made to the groups who previously have yet to have in-depth contact with Western modernity.
This book was made to show the results of his documented research to fellow
anthropologists in the field, in the study, and anyone who is interested in a field study. While
conducting their research Bruce and Anne demonstrate and mention to readers that this is the
first time they have visited the Gebusi (that is before the introduction of Christianity, market
commodities, etc). As readers continue reading it becomes clear that both Bruce and Anne take
time to add in a little more personal thoughts based on the description of the different
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interactions they have had with the Gebusi they are familiar with, allowing them to become
much closer and building stronger bonds with the Gebusi. In addition, using participation
observation Anne specifically adds a feminist approach as well allows readers to see how Gebusi
treats males and females differently or similarly based on different perspectives. While not a
whole lot is different it was mentioned that when Anne was known to be alone the other female
Gebusi all ended up coming closer to her as if to support her while her husband is away showing
a female solidarity bond. Without the use of this feminist approach, we would not have gotten to
see this side of the female Gebusi that shows the females in the village have such a bond while
their husbands were away hunting for food. Perhaps this bond was the result of the major gender
equality division as men were the ones who laughed out loud and were free from the possibility
of being judgemental stared upon by others, after the women were not allowed say in the
socializing area or anywhere. Another example is that Anne was able to obtain information that
Bruce might have never gotten in chapter 5 where we discover the double standard of
“homosocial” and “homosexual” acts, something that is absolutely forbidden amongst the
women but allowed among the men. However, with the introduction to the global market and the
influence of Christianity, the gender division and “homosocial” jokes toned down. In addition to
this change, women were not as restricted as they once were they could make jokes with the
opposite gender and bring food to sell at the open market at set prices. Although the attitude that
men control the household while women are to continue to support the household and head of the
house, this is something that has shown little to no changes. While the Gebusi became more
modernized so did their customs and they became less inclined to trust and give others things
compared to how they loved to reciprocate gifts when they lived in the rainforest. The spiritual
dances, initiations, and any accusation of sorcerors that was a death sentence lowered itself to
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zero. So when comparing the Gebusi from the first fieldwork and the second fieldwork the
difference is apparent. For example when Bruce had a misunderstanding of what an adameni was
given the description “It also had something do to with oop, the generic Gebusi word for
“slippery, milky substance” that refers especially to semen.” That was when he spoke of the
homosexual relations their forefather experienced and “had dropped a [cultural] bomb. Their
mouths hung in disbelief, their faces grew ashen.”. Yet during Bruce's previous fieldwork, it is
very clear to readers that the acts they did were nothing out of the ordinary since it was a part of
their initiation so to speak. The shift due to the influence of another culture shows that culture is
never static, and cultures can change a lot in a short amount of time.
Through this ethnographic piece, we see that the authors Bruce and Anne experienced
what it was like physically and spiritually to live as a Gebusi in the rainforest during their first
fieldwork in comparison to how the Gebsui’s lifestyle changed as a result of the introduction and
incorporation of Western modernity sixteen years later. The Gebusi were affected by the
assimilation of the market and other modern factors into their lifestyle. The changes brought by
the influence of Christianity, market economy, schools, and other social constructs that
previously weren’t there have merged and changed the lifestyle of the Gebusi that once excited
sixteen years after Bruce and Anne left.
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Cited sources
"59% Of U.S. Adults Find It Harder To Form Relationships Since COVID-19, Survey Reveals
— Here’S How That Can Harm Your Health." ForbesHealth, 22 Jul. 2022,
www.forbes.com/health/mind/social-anxiety-since-covid-survey/.
Knauft, Bruce M. The Gebusi : Lives Transformed in a Rainforest World. New York :McGrawHill Higher Education, 2010