Will

Some Uses of Musical Instruments in Hunter-Gatherer Societies Research over the last few years has demonstrated some important patterns of music use across societies.

Uses of musical instruments in hunter-gatherer societies traditionsofconflict.substack.com/p/some-uses-...

04.05.2025 16:47 — 👍 5    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0

Ritualized treatment of the umbilical cord after birth is common across hunter-gatherer societies traditionsofconflict.substack.com/p/cutting-th...

23.04.2025 06:28 — 👍 3    🔁 1    💬 1    📌 0

Couvade After a child is born among the Kalinago of the West Indies, the mother is quick to get back to regular household work.

In many societies, after a child is born, the father is under a variety of restrictions, such as food and work taboos, under the belief that if he undertakes certain kinds of labor or consumes certain foods it would harm the child via sympathetic magic traditionsofconflict.substack.com/p/couvade

22.04.2025 18:14 — 👍 16    🔁 6    💬 0    📌 0

Independent hunter-gatherer societies from all over the world have used diss songs in the midst of their conflicts. traditionsofconflict.substack.com/p/diss-songs

22.04.2025 09:02 — 👍 4    🔁 4    💬 0    📌 2

Handy man In praise of the humble tool belt!

"Considering its common use across nomadic hunter-gatherer societies, and what it represents—as a tool to enable the carrying of more tools—the belt may be a bit of an unsung hero of human history." traditionsofconflict.substack.com/p/handy-man

21.04.2025 15:34 — 👍 4    🔁 2    💬 0    📌 0

Millions of years of a good night's sleep An ancient tradition that unites all hominids

While most primates do not build sleeping nests, all the great apes do traditionsofconflict.substack.com/p/millions-o...

20.04.2025 18:31 — 👍 11    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0

“when a man is publicly accused of being a sorcerer he normally denies that he is. Nevertheless, some men have confided to me that they have successfully performed sorcery and they have told me whom they killed, how they did it, and why…They have even offered to teach me how to perform sorcery…”

20.04.2025 09:59 — 👍 5    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

ORCID

Hi Emily, I would like to be added to the feed if possible. Here is my ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-97...

19.04.2025 17:30 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0

Abortion procedures in hunter-gatherer societies In an article I wrote for Quillette a few years back, I discussed the high rates of infant and child mortality across societies throughout human history, before industrialization and the rise of more ...

Abortion procedures in hunter-gatherer societies traditionsofconflict.substack.com/p/abortion-p...

19.04.2025 17:27 — 👍 7    🔁 4    💬 0    📌 0

Women's secrets Male cult secrecy offers something of a paradox, as it lays the foundation for performances that are often consciously ostentatious and attention-grabbing.

Importantly though, he adds, “we must not forget that Baruya women have their own secrets, protecting them from men and constantly reminding them that women have powers too.” - @Evolving_Moloch

traditionsofconflict.substack.com/p/womens-secre…

22.06.2022 17:32 — 👍 3    🔁 1    💬 1    📌 0

The Bullroarer — Traditions of Conflict This insignificant toy is perhaps the most ancient, widel...

Toy, ritual tool, religious symbol, sound maker for hunting and herding?

Quite an interesting survey by @Evolving_Moloch on the ethnographic and historic function and use of #bullroarers:

https://traditionsofconflict.com/blog/2019/12/3/the-bullroarer

03.12.2019 10:30 — 👍 1    🔁 1    💬 1    📌 0

"Such elaborate designs often take as long as five hours to execute, but are considered necessary to disguise the close relatives of a deceased Tiwi from his ghost as they approach the grave to carry out the final rituals" traditionsofconflict.substack.com/p/appeasing-...

19.04.2025 10:05 — 👍 8    🔁 1    💬 1    📌 0

Traditional Methods of Black Magic Spooky action at a distance

Traditional Methods of Black Magic traditionsofconflict.substack.com/p/traditiona...

24.01.2025 14:41 — 👍 14    🔁 9    💬 0    📌 0