Week 6: Politics and Violence

• While its true that all cultures to an extent have rules regarding the killing of other people, according to Chagnon, "the Yanomamo have no written language, precise number system, formal laws, or institutionalized adjudicators such as chiefs or judges." The fact that there is no governing entity that ultimately is making itself responsible for executing justice leads the individual to dispense their own form or justice. Whether its a shouting match or a hand to hand combat the Yanomamo truly embrace the extreme concept of "eye for and eye", which can be argued that in itself it just fuels and endless cycle or retaliations.
• In the Yanomamo population a revenge killing is usually a form or retaliation agains another members original killing, in itself this is a byproduct of escalating outburst of displease from the very intense shouting match, chest pounding, side slapping duels all the way to the lethal axe, machetes, bow and arrow assaults. Even at this point one must look at the reason any sort of match began, "Most fights begin over sexual issues; infidelity and suspicion of infidelity".
• In the ascension of becoming a unokais one gains social status (power) as appose to the non-unokais, whom are labeled as cowards. Because of the greater social status, the unokais open doors for themselves, they are labeled as leaders and increase their likelihood of reproduction. In retrospect, although the unokais gain status, many will unfortunately die. The higher mortality rate will be inherited by those following in the footsteps of previous unokais, as oppose to the non-unokais, as they choose not to fight.

a. Political Structure - With revenge killing, if one participates they become a unokais. It is at this moment that the individual becomes a valid voice, a leader. One could never rise to these rank unless one became a unokais.
b. Social Status.Social Organization - If one becomes a unokai, the title entitles them to an elevated social status. Also with the unokai title comes a certain appeal that makes them more appealing to women.
c. Kinship - Because a unokais title is only given to a member that has partaken in the revenge killing, and not thru good deeds or out of the compassion of fellow unokais. The individual is viewed as strong and able to protect his family. One would be less incline to escalate and argument to a killing if there is fear that their family is plagued by members that have unokais titles. The kin, to an extent, inherit protection and respect. 
d. Marriage & Reproduction - The men that have the unokai title are considered more attractive by women. More women and individual has the greater the numbers of offspring he can have.

• Killing in itself isn't a universal NO… we are not hardwired to walk away from it. It can be justified that some people just have an inclination to commit those acts. What laws do is preset a standard that the masses should live by, if one steps outside of those boundaries it is expected that steps will be taken to discipline not only the individual but to use them as an example of what could happen is someone was to kill at random. Laws establish boundaries for people and help instill fear of the consequences of not following them