From inside the 1925, Margaret Mead traveled towards the south Pacific area of Western Samoa. She tried and watch if or not puberty was a good universally traumatic and you can exhausting go out on account of physical issues or whether the contact with adolescence relied into the a person’s social upbringing. Immediately following investing about 9 months observing and you can choosing Samoans, also giving psychological screening, Mead determined that puberty was not a stressful returning to people during the Samoa as the Samoan social patterns was in fact completely different out-of the individuals in the united states. This lady findings was in fact blogged within the Coming of age from inside the Samoa (1928), a stunning, detailed account of Samoan teenage existence you to definitely became tremendously well-known. It was published in more than just twelve versions from inside the a beneficial style of languages making Mead well-known. One reason why to your rise in popularity of the book is actually one to Mead had modified the latest addition and you may end from the girl fresh manuscript, including a couple of chapters you to definitely dealt directly with the ramifications away from the woman conclusions to own guy rearing in the us.
Though it is actually a famous success and contains been utilized in several undergraduate anthropology groups, Coming old into the Samoa has experienced differing degrees of criticism usually. Several of the girl overall performance are known as to the concern by almost every other anthropologists, and you can she’s got started slammed to possess romanticizing Samoan lives and you will downplaying facts as opposed to their head disagreement. Additionally, particular Samoans have found the lady depiction out of Samoan adolescent sexuality offending.
Including the lady preferred volume toward Samoan adolescence, Mead published an even more technology membership of Samoan culture entitled Brand new Personal Providers out of Manu’a (1930).
Finally Guidelines and you will Admonition
Soon just before Mead departed to own Samoa, Franz Boas wrote this lady a letter that have final rules on her scientific study. She was to have a look at “new psychological attitude of the individual within the pressure of your own general trend off people” and see regardless if Samoan adolescent females owned an equivalent “edgy soul” utilized in American kids. He warned the woman not to spend too much time reading Samoan people basically at the expense of this disease.
Boas initiate and you will ends brand new page that have paternal reminders to safeguard their health. Mead, who was simply slim and frail since the an early lady, went through constant bouts regarding illness, and additionally persistent aches away from neuritis in her own fingers and you will serious menstrual cramps. Throughout the their time in Samoa, Mead suffered besides from the conditions, also an infected legs, conjunctivitis (which generated reading tough), tonsilitis, and you may toothaches.
Going for a family group
Specific experts away from Mead’s Samoan industry studies provides objected to help you the girl collection of homes to the island off Ta’u, in which she held her examination of teenage people. She chose to live in the newest naval dispensary having a western family unit members in the place of in good Samoan domestic. Contained in this prior to now not available letter so you’re able to Ruth Benedict, Mead demonstrates to you the girl choice and conveys question that she oan family.
Mead’s Area in the Samoa
To the Ta’u, Mead lived-in the household of one’s U.S. Navy’s chief pharmacist along with his nearest and dearest. This lady space filled half the brand new porch of naval dispensary. A bamboo lattice split this lady sleep regarding remainder of the deck. Located in an american-design house instead of an open-sided Samoan family anticipate Mead extra confidentiality, but this lady room has also been available from the exterior. More youthful men dropped by in order to socialize at all occasions, dance and you may singing and delivering her with advice on her behalf lookup.
View of Samoan grass, most likely from Margaret Mead’s area, ca. 1925–twenty-six. Gelatine silver print. Manuscript Office, Collection away from Congress (71b)
Profession Cards
This site is actually in one of your own six profession notebook computers Mead stored in Samoa. So it computer contains point from the girl remain in Fitiuta, a town in the east visit tids page end regarding Ta’u isle, regarding the seven far from her household legs in Luma, into the western shore. The girl notes here refer generally on matter society of the village, in addition to a diagram out of an effective “deck founded away at avoid away from domestic.”