Nisa: The Life and Words of a !Kung Woman
             Nisa is the autobiography of a !Kung woman, edited and commented on by Marjorie Shostak. Shostak (the author) cleverly combines both an emic perspective quoted from Nisa and an etic perspective observed by herself. This enables the author to convey information about Nisa and the !Kung people using descriptions on aspects of !Kung life and extracts from NisaÕs own experiences.
             Nisa highlights many different aspects of !Kung life beginning with her earliest memories and following the course of her life through to her old age. The ethnography describes the traditional !Kung approach to healing. Family members or elders performing healing rituals treat most illnesses. For the !Kung people their healing dance is more than a ritual as it is believed to cure many illnesses and many troubles that besiege their
             One of the aspects of !Kung life that is conveyed is the lack of privacy in !Kung societies. Characteristics of traditional camp construction were the circular arrangement of huts or sleeping positions where members of the !Kung communities faced one another allowing little privacy for the nuclear family.
             Nisa has a notable emphasis on the relationships between men and women and on sexual mores. Children learn about their parents sexual activity from a young age. Sex is considered an integral part of life whilst monogamy and virginity are not regarded as essential. Children often play sexually with each other as they grow older.
             In !Kung societies, marriage is often arranged by parents of the couple to be. The couple may begin living together in adolescence and it is quite common for the man to be a lot older than his bride. Co-wives are also quite common. For Nisa marriage was portrayed as a very difficult experience. She first married at the age of twelve to a man she did not want. She was then separated, divorced, remarried, widowed and bore four children, none
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