Cultural Anthropology Cultural Survival Lab

ANTH-1220, Instructor: Dr. Brian Myhre

CULTURAL SURVIVAL LAB

Lab Due via Email: April 10, 2023 by 11:55pm CST
Send as PDF or WORD file attachment to Instructor using ICM Email

Scenario:

A plane out of Winnipeg has miraculously escaped a conflagration which has destroyed all life
in the southern parts of the province and perhaps elsewhere. Fortunately, the plane’s
damages are such that an emergency landing in northern Manitoba is possible. You, the
people on board this plane, are unharmed but the plane is damaged beyond repair. There is
no hope for rescue and you may not return to the south. Your pilot has died in the crash.

You must now set up a functioning social unit with rules and regulations, roles and
responsibilities, values and philosophies. You must see to your own needs and the needs of
other, and look to pass on your culture to possible future generations.

You have all had some anthropological training and some or all of you realize that you must
make a fresh start as free as possible from the biases and constraints of your previous way
of life. Of course, you are very comfortably attached to the customs and ways of life of
dominant southern Canadian culture and will naturally want to maintain as many of these
customs as possible. And each of you will have your own personal preferences. But
success in reaching a good adaptation depends upon flexibility of thought. You will have to
decide which of the old ways it will be possible to maintain and which will need to be
abandoned and replaced. The primary consideration is efficient survival in the northern
environment. Some may argue that survival under “primitive” northern conditions requires
major shifts in values, practices and beliefs. Others may feel that much of the old way can be
adapted to the north and still allow efficient survival. This will be a major focus of your
discussion. Once out of the plane, and it being established that everyone is unharmed, you
survey the situation and realize two things:

The plane was carrying some supplies and there is enough food to last about a month.
Supplies include a small first aid kit, basic tool kit, flares, matches, flashlight, wood axe,
candles, two wool blankets and a can of gas.

Nearby, you discover an abandoned camp with useful materials left behind by a people who
seem to have adapted well. These give clues as to what you will have to do in order to
survive. [See “Object-File.pdf” for photos of objects you find near abandoned tipi
and cabin]

1
Cultural Anthropology Cultural Survival Lab
ANTH-1220, Instructor: Dr. Brian Myhre

Lab Procedure:

Each group in the lab represents a survival unit. Introduce yourselves (if you haven’t
already done so), giving your name and current field of interest, and then review the list
of items in each group member’s backpack, and objects found near the two
abandoned camps. Elect or determine who will be Note-Taker and Editor for your group.
This person should keep detailed notes on your lab workshop, and type of the lab into
Microsoft Word or PDF format. The instructor will provide formatting instructions to the
Editor during the lab.

Now begin to discuss what your expertise might be and what special knowledge you might
have that could help set up and maintain this new culture. Decide what roles you will each
have to play in forming your new way of life and discuss the kinds of customs and
institutions that will need to be set into place to ensure long term survival. You may need to
give up a lot of ways that you once believed were morally and practically essential. You
may even have to adapt to customs your personality finds distasteful, but the species must
survive. You must workshop all information needed in the time provided for the lab.

AREAS YOU WILL BE GRADED:

(1) Economy (module 3 & 4): you should provide an account of your short-term
and long-term economic modes of production, consumption, and exchange
systems used in your society; including details on labour/gender relations, land
management, shelter, etc. [20 points]

(2) Kinship/Reproduction (module 8AB & 5): model of reproduction regarding

whether or not women will have children with men in your group, and if so, how many
persons per household, as well as a description of the descent and marriage systems
used, as well as the form of households. [10 points]

(3) Socialization/Education (Module 6): how do people learn and pass on

knowledge and skills in your society, and specifically, how do you pass on
important survival and cultural identities to the next generation? [10 points]

(4) Political Organization and Control (Module 10) what form of political
organization, leadership, forms of politics, will you utilize to maintain social control
– via norms or morals for “proper behaviour”? What forms of punishment will be
employed against those who defy such norms, rules, or laws? [10 points]

(5) Religion & Spiritual Beliefs (Module 11): What form of religious/spiritual
beliefs structure your society and inform meaningful relations/understandings
regarding the supernatural? Will you have experts (i.e., casual, part-time, or full-
time), will you use myth or doctrine to pass on values, and what forms of ritual
will you practice? [10 points]

2
Cultural Anthropology Cultural Survival Lab
ANTH-1220, Instructor: Dr. Brian Myhre

(6) Medicine & Health (Module 7): What is the explanatory model of illness used
in your society? How do you prevent illness/disease? Will you have experts (what
types) and what are their procedures, etc.? Fresh water? Waste management?
How do you prevent the spread of disease? (10 points)

(7) Social organization/Ceremonies/Values (Module 9): What secular and/or

religious ceremonies and/or group activities will you organize? What forms of
entertainment and social engagement will you practice with others in your group?
{[10 points]

Questions for Brainstorming for your Society:

 How will you tend to your primary needs of food/shelter/clothing? How will you
secure fire, fuel, glue, lashing, snowshoes and other transportation, etc.?
 How will you organize the division of labour? Will there be any form of authority?
 What sexual morals, kinship systems and reproductive practices will you utilize?
 Who will be responsible for the future children and what about their education?
 What values and principles will you want and will there be some form of religion?
 What will be legal or illegal? Will you have any taboos?
 What about medicine and health care?
 What will you do for defense or warfare?
 Will you have social functions or ceremonies?

3
Cultural Anthropology Cultural Survival Lab
ANTH-1220, Instructor: Dr. Brian Myhre

CRASH SITE DATA:

Map Spread: 22 x 16 km

Location: 2 km. south of the Nelson River, 7-8 km east of Split Lake,
Northern Manitoba.

Terrain: Forest – 40 ft. elevation.

Trees: Boreal Forest (Needle Leaf): Jack Pine, Spruce, Larch, Balsam, Fir,
White Birch and Trembling Aspen.

Heavily forested, only clearings near water areas, much underbrush

Soil: Grey wooded, Podzol and Peat, some bog soils and brown wooded.

Geology/Minerals: Granite rock, hard rock, granite gneiss and minor gabbro
intrusions.

Climate: Annual temperatures (July): 16 degrees C [Range 10 – 25 C]

Precipitation (July): 5-8 Inches annually

Vegetation: Undergrowth – berries, roots, bark, weeds, flowers and

mushrooms.

Fauna: Frequency (High – Low)

High Medium Low Nil

Ruffled Grouse Wolf Moose Deer and Caribou

Spruce Grouse Arctic Fox Bear Elk
Sharp-tail Grouse Beaver Weasel Ducks
Mink Muskrat Bear Red Fox Badger
Short-tailed Rabbit Fisher Lynx Coyote
Various fish Marten, Wolverine Raccoon
Otter, Red Squire Striped Skunk

4
Cultural Anthropology Cultural Survival Lab
ANTH-1220, Instructor: Dr. Brian Myhre