Coming of Age in Samoa
Margaret Mead went to Samoa for nine months to study the differences between American culture and other societies. Through her studies, she concluded that Samoan life was not filled with as much stress due to the down play of sex and marriage. In the book Coming of Age in Samoa, she shares her experiences which act as evidence that the causes of adolescent stress is a result of our culture. The Samoan culture is more accepting of the idea of premarital sex, which reduces the societal pressures after the phase of puberty. The similarities between Samoan and American culture begin during childhood. In both cultures, this time is important in learning basic skills that will be needed in life. In Samoa, the stress is put heavily upon the older siblings to teach the younger children these skills. Mead observed, "Just as a child is getting old enough so that its willfulness is becoming unbearable, a younger one is saddled upon it, and the whole process is repeated again, each child being disciplined and socialized through the responsibility for a still younger one." (Mead 1928:19). The young girls will be trusted as baby tenders around the age of six or seven until they are old enough to begin work on the plantations. During
They are the best at finding out the information from them because they are the same sex at they are more open with each other. The causes for these sexual predators is hard to pinpoint. However, the taboos that surround sex, make it an uncomfortable idea for adolescents to approach. Sometimes it may be revenge, sometimes to prove something, and other times the reason just goes unknown. Much like in the American culture, children are often given the responsibility to look after their younger siblings and to teach them skills that they will need. I have always had friends that were guys to help me out with my boy problems. The American culture tends to put pressure on its adolescents to save themselves until marriage. The older boy is usually looking for the pride that he may take from being a girls "first". American girls may have little or no experience in sexual relations when they are married, where as the Samoan girls are ready to settle down. Many girls fear that the sexual relationship may result in pregnancy which will cause them to be an outcast. These relationships are often arranged by a soa. It demonstrates many of the ideas toward child care that are held by the Samoans. American and Samoan lifestyles are very different. In the Samoan society Mead observed, "To be a virgin's first lover was considered the high point of pleasure and amorous virtuosity, so that a girl's first lover was usually not a boy of her own age, equally shy and inexperienced" (Mead 1928: 102).
Common topics in this essay:
American Samoan,
Ohio University,
Samoan American,
Margaret Mead,
Age Samoa,
Mead Samoa,
american culture,
mead 1928,
samoan society,
mead observed,
premarital sex,
american samoan,
samoan american,
sexual relations,
mead wrote,
siblings teach,
|
Acceptance Essays
