what are foragers advantages and disadvantages?

Answer 1

Foragers

Foragers subsist by hunting, fishing and gathering wild resources
Until about 10,000-12,000 years ago it was the only subsistence mode
Today people who subsist mainly on foraging are only found in marginal environments
deserts, tropical rainforests, the arctic
Most historically known foragers lived in small groups of 50-100 people
They were mobile, lived in one area for a short time, and moved over large territories to obtain resources
In most cases men hunted and women gathered plant resources

Social organization

Egalitarian
Most foragers have status differences depending on age, gender and skill, but the differences in status are small
Individuals can freely move between groups that they have kin ties with
Reciprocity, exchange of goods and services, and sharing are important
Life of foragers

Foragers have a balanced diet with seasonal variation
They spend about 20 hours per week to obtain food
Population density is low
late menarche, post-partum sex taboos, extended breast feeding, infanticide
Technology and knowledge

Foragers have extensive knowledge about botany, and the biology, anatomy and behavior of animals
They need technological skill to make hunting equipment
kayaks, harpoons, sleds for dog-teams, spears, bows and arrows (often poisoned), blow guns, nets, weirs
Settlements

Most foragers stay in one area until resources become scarce, and then move to another area
Structures are generally temporary shelters
Many foragers split into small extended families for most of the year and congregate in larger groups some time during the year

Forager stereotypes

Man the hunter and woman the gatherer
most of the hunting is done by men and most of the gathering by women
men also gather plant resources
women commonly "gather" small animals
Agta women (Phillipines) hunt wild boar and deer with bows and arrows and dogs
Some forager societies are not egalitarian

Settled foragers

When one area had abundant resources, foragers could have permanent settlements with larger populations
Kwaikutl, California coast
fishing provided year round resources
Status differences were larger than among mobile, small group foragers

Interaction

Commonly believed that foragers live in isolation
Many foragers, however, developed ties with neighboring agriculturalists
They may trade honey and forest products for agricultural products
Occasionally this developed into patron-client relationships

Fishing

Some anthropologists argue that forager groups who depend to a large degree on aquatic resources are different than those who rely on terrestrial resources
often sedentary or semi-sedentary
large populations
stratified
examples: Kwakiutl, Calusa, Ainu

Horticulture

Continuum between horticulture and intensive agriculture among cultures who rely on domesticated plant sources
Horticulturalists have small garden plots for their own subsistence
Generally they practice slash-and-burn, also known as shifting agriculture
land is cleared and used for 1 to 10 years

Settlements and social organization

Horticulturalists generally move their garden plots rather than their villages and reuse plots after a certain period of fallow
Social organization varies from egalitarian to stratified
Men generally clear land and women plant and care for gardens and animals
Examples: Yanomami, Trobriand Islanders

Systems of distribution

Generalized reciprocity
involves contributions with no specific expectation of exchange (sharing)
ensures that all individuals in a group have access to resources
common among foragers, but present among all societies
exchange of goods or services of equal value
Systems of distribution

Balanced reciprocity
exchange of goods and services of equal value
establishes an alliance between individuals or groups
Kula ring of the Trobriand Islands
red shell necklaces exchanged for white shell armbands with trading partners from other islands
served to define and reinforce status
Negative reciprocity
distant trading partners attempting to maximize profit and expecting an immediate exchange
Redistribution
the accumulation of goods at hierarchical center followed by distribution often at feasts
serves to increase prestige and political influence, as well as provide for needy

Potlatch

Practiced by the Kwakiutl and other North Pacific Coast tribes
sponsors, assisted by their community, gave away food, blankets, copper and other items to invited guests
increased the prestige of the giver
guests were obligated to give potlatch in the future
Suttles and Vayda see it as a mechanism to redistribute goods between groups in response to local shortages

Pig feast

Practiced in New Guinea
a Big Man hosts a pig feast after convincing kinsmen to help produce a surplus of pigs and yams
influences his prestige and influence
guests (a rival Big Man) are expected to reciprocate with another pig feast in the future
helps to unite region and promote alliances

Answer 2

What Are Foragers

Answer 3

the disadvantages are the amount of work, they advantages is a low cholesterol, and a healthy heart, and no over wieght people