Longhouse to Village
In the book From Longhouse to Village: Samo Social Change, the author R. Daniel Shaw reflects on the impact that extended contact with modern culture and people has on the Samo people. The Samo people were seen as uncivilized and savage people, who frequently conducted raids on each other. However, after contact with Western culture and a modern government, the lives of the Samo people were changed dramatically. Each chapter in Shaw's book discusses a different aspect of Samo culture. It shows how they were before and after contact. The book compares and contrasts the changes that took place and the effect they had on the lives of the Samo people. One of the major changes discussed in the book is the process by which the Samo people moved from their protective longhouses to villages. The Samo people were very much considered war-like people before contact with Western civilization. Their longhouses were built as a means of defense in war situations. Each longhouse was built to be able to kee
I felt they provided strong impact toward the purpose of this book. When the government came to visit their village, the outhouses reeked of human waste and were crawling with insects. One thing I really liked in Shaw's book was the fact that he included many of his fieldnotes he took on the Samoa people. They were quick to change their ways when they realized it was unnecessary and there were quicker ways of accomplishing things. The Samo people quickly adhered to the laws of this modern government. The men were able to fire arrows from an open porch area and they were also able to get a better viewpoint from this are as well. I think this is an idea that may prove to hold true in a lot of different cultures. Some of the small details may be different, but for the most part, humans have the ability to create practical solutions to problems that they face. Most people living in America are able to adapt to changes in cultural norms, values, and societal ways. When the villages were being built, it was required they have public outhouses, so the government had them built. This means of defense was very effective. I think that very much reflects things we do in this century. This outlaw eventually eliminated the need for protective houses, which proved to be a waste of time and resources. The Samo people used these outhouses since the government built them, but they did not know they needed to be cleaned. Despite the fact that the Samo people quickly adapted to the ways of Western civilization and modern government, there were some misunderstandings.
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