OCR Text |
Show 63 and frequency of use. Families having a high percentage of objects of Indian culture would thus be considered as Indian for administrative purposes, regardless of biological origin. As the proportion of material elements of Indian culture decreases and those of European origin increases, the groups would be considered as having a mixed culture and as being successively less Indian. In order to make this classification of objects, archaeological and ethnological knowledge is important. This method involves certain difficulties in its application in an individual census, but adequate sampling of families in each ethnic group might effectively establish the nature of the special problem in dealing with each and serve as the basis for formulating questions for the individual census. The existence of the metate for grinding corn reflects an unnecessary waste of energy; the lack of shoes or sandals, suggests a need to prevent parasitic diseases. Use of primitive tools, alcoholic beverages or drugs, etc., may, together with other characteristics, establish the group as a native one requiring one or more special services. The author states clearly we should seek to eliminate among natives harmful objects, perfect or substitute the deficient, encourage and conserve elements that are valuable to the groups and to the nation, and introduce new elements to raise their standard of living. Although acquisition of purchasing power is an important factor, tradition and native attitudes often exercise powerful influence in the process of development. The author states that although experiments have been made in using material cultural characteristics for census purposes, the problem of identifying the non-material intellectual and spiritual characteristics is one for future study and consideration. Gamio, Manuel (Mexico), "Calificacion de Caracteristicas Culturales de los Grupos Indigenas," America Indigena, II, No. 4 (October, 1942), Mexico, D.F., pp. 17-22. English summary: The author discusses the criteria to be used in evaluating Indian cultural elements with the purpose in mind of conserving and stimulating useful or beneficial characteristics, extirpating or correcting harmful ones, and introducing the efficient. The criteria to be considered are the conventional ones of the Indians themselves, scientific criteria, and a combination of the two. Dr. Gamio states that scientific criteria should be used only when it is indisputably necessary for the development of the people. For example, it should be used in the field of medicine, in the evaluation of tools which effect the agricultural and industrial production of the Indians, and in such aspects of life which are affected by the physical sciences in general. The important thing in using the criteria is to explain them well to the Indians. In discussing objects of material culture, the author emphasizes the fact that efficiency is the sole criterion of evaluation; whether the objects are of Indian or European origin does not matter since many European objects introduced in Colonial times are as inefficient as various Indian articles. |