Week 6: Politics and Violence

Revenge killing is an act performed by many in the Yanomamo tribe. Since there are no laws/rules, like a judicial system, the Yanomamo do not have to face consequences like going to jail. They believe revenge killing is okay simple because of the vengeance and pain they feel from their lost. Vengeance and pain is a natural feeling after a death of someone close. The only difference between Western cultures and cultures that take part in revenge killings is the consequences given in Western cultures for murder. Whether a murder is premeditated or not, there is still some sort of consquence once must pay, whereas the Yanomamo have no consequences. In fact, males that perform in these revenge killings (unokais) are some what more superior to the ones that don't.

Revenge killings are performed in raids of groups of 10-20 men. The night before their raid, they make an image of the person they are going after; although they will kill anyone in the family. Upon return from the raids, each person that hit a family member (with a bow & arrow) must perform a ceremony called unokaimo. In a unokaimo ceremony, members are said to do a ritual purification that will take away any spiritual harm from their victims of the raid.

The unokais of the groups are quickly known around villages, one of the biggest benefits of being named a unokais. Once named a unokais, other tribes now know you will perform in a revenge killing if someone from your tribe is killed. Also, unokais have more success with women as women are either forced to be with them due to a raid, or simply just because of the attraction to an unokais. Ones that do not go through with the raids, also known as non-unokais, are also known. The non-unokais are known as cowards, and usually can be targeted for tribe murders. Also, their wives tend to go to other men, whom are often unokais.

There are many factors that play into part with revenge killings like: political status, social structure, kinship, and marriage. The political leaders are the leaders of the groups and are the ones that decide on revenge killings. The political leaders have the biggest groups and is often organized by kinship. These bigger families give a greater chance of a revenge killing. Therefore, smaller tribes are usually more targeted as they will have a lesser chance to act in revenge killing and they have little to no power in their village. Fissioned groups are groups of people that are related through ancestry but are from separate tribes/groups. Men in these situations often won't act upon the revenge killings as they want no harm done onto their family. When the tribe comes back from the raid, the tribe member that didn't take part will either go back to his orginal group or will stay in his current group usually hiding his vengeance. Unokais are looked at as better than unokais among women, which causes families to break up and get smaller. The women of the men that are either victims of a revenge killing or didn't take part in one, usually are forced to be with someone from a different tribe. As a whole, once named a unokais, you are now looked at differently among villages.

   Although killing is globally and morally wrong, there still must be laws against it. In tribes (or families) where killing is somewhat normal and of everyday life, you wouldn't know any better not to do it. Yes, we all feel vengeance when a family member, or close friend, passes (more so if it was purposely) but that doesn't mean we should act on it. In western cultures, we know killing someone (regardless if it was purposely or accidentally) you will face some sort of consequence which is the sole reason we don't see many instances of revenge killings. Just because we know that it is wrong and shouldn't be done does not mean others, that have no law against it, know also.