The Zulu & The Andean Peoples

The Zulu

The Zulu are an African ethnic group located in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal. The area experiences two seasons, summer and winter. During the summer season which runs from October to April the average temperature is 24 degrees in celsius. This area sees lots of sunshine, about 320 days of it, and therefore tends to be hot and dry with a few quick showers here and there. The winter months from June to August establishes a respite from the heat by providing cold nights. Although, since it is still South Africa, it still sees lots of sunshine, humidity, and dry weather during the day with an average temperature of 20 degrees in Celsius. 

Consequently, with the sun out throughout most of the year physical adaptations have taken place along thousands of years so that the people of the area can be better suited for survival. For instance, they adapted to produce larger amounts of pigment melanin so that the sun cannot cause them stress. WIth darker skin produced with an increased production of pigment melanin they can largely avoid harmful affects of the suns constant damaging rays.

Another way in which the Zulu have adapted is with the use of their houses or umuzi. They have culturally adapted to the sunny environment by creating houses that provide them relief from the often times oppressive heat. These structures are generally round made out of mud, grass, cow dung, and soil. They are able to avoid the sun this way and the soil and cow dung placed on the floor helps to also provide a cooler area. In the center of these structures are the kitchens. The kitchen is basically a hearth to have a fire. Fires in these structures would become useful during the cold winter nights. Thus, these umuzis help alleviate the environmental stress of heat and cold nights for them.

I would describe them as African/Black because they follow the same physical patterns like very similar skin color, body proportions and type of hair.  would describe them as this race because they simply fit the popularized definition of the African race. Although in this way calling them this inhibits us from knowing their culture because the population and cultural background of Zulu is very distinct and rich in its own history, just like the other different cultures in Africa. 

http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Zulu.aspx

http://www.everyculture.com/wc/Rwanda-to-Syria/Zulu.html#b

http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/82e12/fb4/

http://www.zulu-culture.co.za/zulu_crafts.php

http://www.southafrica.info/travel/advice/climate.htm

http://www.southafrica.com/kwazulu-natal/climate/

The Andean Indians

The Andean Indians live on a different environment than the Zulu. The Andean Indians reside on the Andes Mountain where they insist in living at about 10,000 feet or more above sea level. This can be dangerous in that breathing can be difficult as this level. The Andes Mountain is one of the largest and highest peaks there is. The temperatures vary on the location but these areas can typically reach freezing temperatures. Climates can range from wet and warm to dry and warm with average temperatures of 64 to 68 degrees in fahrenheit depending on location and altitude.

The environmental stress Andean Indians face is altitude. At 10,000 feet or more breathing can be difficult but because this group has lived there for thousands of years they have physically adapted to it. Because their location is so high the oxygen intake should be difficultt due to lower pressurized air but because, again, they’ve lived their for thousands of years they have physically adapted to it by increasing the sizes of lungs and the production of more hemoglobin. Both help to increase the flow of oxygen through their system. 

Another way in which the Andean Indian adapted is through their cultural use of coca leaves. Coca leaves are used for cocaine in parts of the world and the Andean Indians use of the leaf has created some controversy over it. Other nations are calling those who use it to put a stop on it but because of the high altitude they live in coca leaves are an essential part of their lives. Chewing coca leaves, as the Andean people do, helps to settle the stomach of aches and hunger and as medicine from altitude sickness. 

To choose a race I would describe them as Mexicans because they, again, share physical similarities in the face.

Adaptation v Race

Categorizing the Zulu and the Andean people to a race because of their appearance wouldn’t explain anything about their individual cultures. Looking at the different adaptations of each would be more helpful for the anthropologist because a group of people can end up looking like another group but they can still end up being different and separate from each other. Good research is needed to understand any group of peoples so I don’t think categorizing through similar appearances is very helpful because it wouldn’t mean much culturally.

http://en.mercopress.com/2008/03/07/andean-indians-coca-leaves-chewing-habit-in-un-controversy

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/23548/Andean-peoples

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/23548/Andean-peoples

http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/andes_climate.htm