People of the world

Abstract

Political Leadership can be defined in terms of roles and influencing process. In different communities, Leadership assumes varying levels of importance. The influencing process can be explained in dispositional behavior and characteristics, followers’ attribution and perception of leaders and the context within which influencing occurs. In essence, leadership is important and functional for various reasons. Different communities in the world have different political leadership and leadership structures. While some communities have formal authority figures, others do not have formal authority figures, and they govern themselves purely by group consensus. The individuals in a leadership position may be chosen using different criteria. The influence of political leaders also varies with leaders holding different degrees of influence over the rest community.

Introduction

Political leadership is a relational operation system demonstrated by interrelated individuals who on a basis of cooperation attain common or correlating goals. Different communities practice different forms of political leadership that assume different functions. Some of these groups include the San of South Africa, The Yanomamo of South America and the ancient Hindus in South India. The San of South Africa are the oldest inhabitants in southern Africa; their homes are a vast expanse of the Kalahari Desert. The Yanomamo forms the largest Indian tribe living in relative isolation in the Amazon region where they occupy a vast stretch of tropical rainforest in southern Venezuela and northern Brazil. The ancient Hindus in South India are early inhabitants of the place who practice Hindu culture known for Dravidian customs and traditions. This paper compares the three groups in terms of political leadership.

The San

Background

The San people are considered the oldest residents of Southern Africa. San refers to a diverse group of people practicing hunting and gathering in Southern Africa. The group shares a common linguistic and historical connection. They have lived in the Kalahari Desert of southern Africa at approximately 20 000 years. The term Bushmen is slowly being abandoned as more people consider it to be derogatory. The term was given to the group of people during their battle with the colonialist that lasted for a long time. Then, the group interpreted the name as a proud and respected reference to their brave fight for freedom from colonization and domination. Being the oldest inhabitants in southern Africa, their homes are a vast expanse of the Kalahari Desert. Generally, they are small in stature with the light yellowish skin. Traditionally, they lived in the southern Africa in the following countries, South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, Angola, Zimbabwe and with loosely related groups in Tanzania. History also places them in Mozambique and Lesotho. Archaeological and Rock Art evidence places them as far north as Egypt, Libya, Ethiopia, and Sudan. Some of the traces in the diverse countries show that none of them live virtually live purely by gathering and hunting today. (Morris, 2014)

Leadership of the San

The San has an exceptional type of leadership. They do not have a chief or formal authority figure as many groups. They govern themselves purely by group consensus. Lengthy discussions are used in dispute resolution. Thus, issues are arrived at a consensus and deliberated upon and discussed communally. All involved parties have the chance discussions to make their thoughts heard until some consensus is reached. However, certain individuals assume leadership in particular spheres in which they excel. Such include healing rituals and hunting. (Low, 2007)

These roles require leadership from individuals with the necessary expertise. However, no single group member can hold a position of general influence over the rest of the San community. The positions of powers do not exist in this group even though they may assume achieve positions of non-general influence or power. In fact, White colonists found their leadership practices to be very confusing when they tried to establish treaties with the San. Such leadership roles among the San are kept for those who have lived within the particular group for a long time. The leaders achieve the position through a respectable age and good character. The group is largely egalitarian, and they practice sharing of tobacco and meat tobacco. (Low, 2007)

While the decision making and dispute resolution are made through the group, women are considered equal participants. The importance of women is held with high esteem and their opinions often take precedence especially where particular matter is concerned. Many African societies did not regard women as equal participants in decision-making. When decision-making evolves into deeper wrangles, the deeper the group splits and head in separate ways. The characteristics of the consensus practices include collaboration, cooperation, agreement seeking, inclusive, participatory and egalitarian. (Low, 2007)

The San’s Consensus decision-making involves all members. At times, children are also consulted in community decisions. The members of the community develop, agree and support the decisions that are of the best interest of their society. While it is the acceptable dispute resolution technique among the San, unresolved disputes causes group splits and long term wrangles. On the other hand, decisions made do not favor a particular individual as they are for the benefit of the community at large. It also ensures the groups solidarity in the long term. Thus, the Consensus practice of decision making and dispute resolution is focused on deliberating and finalizing a decision and the political and social effects of using the process. (Low, 2007)

The first characteristic of consensus leadership practices among the San is agreement seeking factor. In agreement Seeking, the ultimate decision made seeks to generate as much agreement as possible. The second characteristic of San’s leadership is Collaboration. The community members contribute to a shared proposal through participation hence shaping it into a decision that incorporates the concerns of all group members to the greatest extent possible. The third characteristic is Cooperation. The group members participate in the effective consensus process in an effort to reach the ultimate decision for the community and all of its members compared to competing for personal goals. The fourth characteristic is the Egalitarian element. All the community members are afforded the equal opportunity to contribute towards the input into the process. In this community, women are equals while children are consulted in a particular circumstance. Thus, all community members get the opportunity to present, and amend the decisions. The fifth characteristic of the consensus leadership is Inclusivity and participatory. Many community members as possible are involved in the consensus decision-making process or dispute resolution. The type of set up proved to be problematic during the colonial era particularly when agreements had to be made. The group has no Government and no taxes except that imposed upon them by outsiders. The leadership structure impacts the social structure too. Just as they have no paramount leader, they have loosely knit family culture, and their ties of kinship are fairly relaxed. An individual's opinion is often weighted according to their level of experience or skills in a certain field. (Morris, 2014)

The Yanomamo tribe

The term Yanomamo refers to the community that tribe in the Amazonian jungles of central South America. The group is regarded as Indians' self-denomination. The Yanomamo recognize themselves as individuals associated with their politically autonomous village rather than as a united group. The group is comprised of many groups that share a similar culture and linguistic background. Practices such as Kinship, Marriage, and militaristic coalitions intertwine communities together. The group shares common historical ties to Carib speakers who inhabited the proximity of the Orinoco River and later moved to the highlands of Venezuela and Brazil. The Yanomami forms the largest Indian tribe living in relative isolation in the Amazon region. They occupy a vast stretch of tropical rainforest in southern Venezuela and northern Brazil. There are approximately 40,000 Yanomamo today. Two-thirds of the group lives in Brazil during a third in Venezuela. A 1992 landmark presidential decree recognized Yanomamo as rightful owners of a reserve in two northern states, Amazonas, and Roraima. The group represents a single ethnic group that speaks four different languages. According to the Indian Foundation, there are numerous un-contacted Yanomamo communities that reside deep inside the rainforest. (Tahan, 2002)

Leadership

In the The Yanomamo tribe, the mature men hold the majority of political-religious authority. A headman referred to as tuxawa acts as the leader of each village. However, not a single leader presides over the whole of the group classified as Yanomamo. The Headmen gain attains political power by exhibiting skills in areas such as dispute settlement both within their village and with neighboring communities. The group strongly believes in equality among people and each community is independent of each other. Actions that involve the community require the consensus of mature males. However, individuals are required to take part in the group community decision making. (Nugent, 2001)

The leaders do not have a role in community decisions made by consensus often after long debates. The group practices a Patriarchy as a social system in which males hold moral authority, primary power, predominate in roles of leadership, control of the property and social privilege. (Pinchbeck, 2003) In the domain of the family, father-figures or fathers hold authority over children and women. The society is also patrilineal as men hold all the properties and the titles inherited passed from one male to other males in the lineage. The Yanomamo tribe assigns supporting roles to women while leading roles are assigned to men. (Howell, 2001)

Historically, the women in these communities do not have a glimpse of power and fame through the associations with a particular male. Women in the Yanomamo tribe are traditionally socialized to be the caregivers in the domestic sphere while the male fought and protected their territories. The anthropological evidence suggests that the prehistoric hunter-gatherer community was relatively egalitarian, but later developed patriarchal social structures Pleistocene era following social innovations such as such agriculture that is widely practiced by the The Yanomamo tribe today. The Yanomamo live in villages are occupied by children and extended families. The sizes of villages vary and may consist of 50 and 400 native individuals. In the largely communal system, the whole village lives is built under a common roof known as the shabono. The shabono shelters are made up of perimeters around the normally fortified with palisades. Divisions are marked only by support posts that partition different spaces and houses. (Bigoni & Saffirio, 2012)

Ancient Hindus

Background

The ancient Hindus in South India refer to the Hindu culture practiced by early inhabitants of the place. The group of people living in South India is known for Dravidian customs and traditions. Such customs made huge contributions to the development of Hinduism. Until today, South India has been the birthplace of many Hindu reformers and saints. The Brahmins is the Hindu priests’ class of ancient South India among the Five Dravidians. It consisted of Andhra, Tamilakam, Gujarat Karnataka and Maharashtra. The group was classified as Pancha-Dravida. The group that occupies the southern part of India follows various Hindu branches such as Vaishnavism, Shaivism, Brahmanism Shaktism and others. (Majid, 2012)

Hinduism was practiced as the state religion of most of the South Indian kingdoms. In the early and Middle Ages, one of the greatest temples was built in South India. The religion was spread by South Indian kings such as the Cholas. The actions of South India in places such as the Palk Strait impacted the survival of Hinduism in places such as Sri Lanka. The Sri Lanka Tamil Hindus are followers of Tamil Shaiva Siddhanta, largely practiced in divisions in South India. There are numerous Hindu festivals celebrated exclusively in South India as well as various Hindu pilgrimage sites visited yearly by many followers. (Majid, 2012)

Leadership

The Indian society is a hierarchical society. The social group is ranked according to different qualities. The leadership among these groups is also reflected in India’s political democracy. Societal hierarchy is evident amongst individuals, caste groups, in family and kinship groups. The Castes system is primarily associated with Hinduism although it also exists among other religious communities. Within most towns and villages, every individual is aware of the relative rankings of every locally represented caste. The behavior of group members is often shaped by the knowledge of this system. People are also ranked according to their power and wealth. For example, individuals within the group squat or stand in front of powerful individuals in the community not presuming to sit beside a man of high status as an equal. Hierarchical structures play a significant role within the community, groupings, kinships and families. In this society, men outrank women of similar age while senior relatives outrank junior relatives. Leaders are accorded formal respect. The society is a patriarchal society where men often take the leadership position. (Wesley, 2012)

Thus, the structure of Hindu system is hierarchical in nature. The system is designed to maintain social order and can be traced from the sacred text of Hindus known as Riguenda. The text reveals four classifications referred to as Varna. The groups are arranged according to a hierarchy one above another. Brahmin is the first group in the hierarchy that occupies the top position. Rajanya or Kshatriyas occupies the second position in the hierarchy. The third group is the Vaishya while Shudras occupy the lowest position in the hierarchy. The fifth group is known as the Ashprishyas or Dalits often regarded to as untouchables. The last group does not appear in the sacred text but is often included by sociologists and anthropologists. (Rambachan, 2008)

Further, the sacred book not only point outs the hierarchical order but prescribe various political, socio-economic, religious and educational functions of each classification. Males in each classification have special duties and functions that should be followed. However, the Dalits are absolutely excluded from all spheres of life. Therefore, the Order allocates multiple privileges and rights to the groups in higher up in the hierarchy. The Brahmans are the leaders of the Hindu society. All members of the society participated in choosing the leader. However, the leader came from the groups in the high hierarchy. The leaders chosen had the powers to make community decisions as well as settle disputes in the society. (Dalton, 2015)

Comparison

The San and the Yanomamo group have a similar type of leadership. Both groups do not have an overall formal authority as not a single leader presides over the whole of the group. The San and the Yanomamo govern themselves purely by group consensus. Lengthy discussions are used in dispute resolution. Thus, issues are arrived at a consensus and deliberated upon and discussed communally. However, certain individuals assume leadership in particular spheres in which they excel. The leaders gain attains power by exhibiting skills in areas such as medicine, dispute settlement, and other skills both within their village and with neighboring communities. The group strongly believes in equality among people and each community is independent of each other. All involved parties have the chance discussions to make their thoughts heard until some consensus is reached. In both groups, the community members contribute to a shared proposal through participation hence shaping it into a decision that incorporates the concerns of all group members to the greatest extent possible. The Indian society is a hierarchical society where groups are ranked according to different qualities. The leadership among these groups is also reflected in the political arena. Religion plays a significant role in the political leadership of the community. The leader came from the groups in the high hierarchy with the Brahmans taking up the leadership positions. Members of the society participated in choosing the leader. The leaders chosen had the powers to make community decisions as well as settle disputes in the society.

References

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Nugent, S. (2001). Public Culture and Anthropology: The Yanomami, science, and ethics. Anthropology Today, 17(3), 10.

Pinchbeck, D. (2003). Yanomami, Spirit of the Forest. Artforum International, 41(9), 66.

Rambachan, A. (2008, January). Is Caste Intrinsic to Hinduism?. Tikkun. pp. 59-61.

Tahan R. (2002) The Yanomami of South America: Lerner Publications

Wesley, A. K. (2012). Society in South India: Hindus. Asia Journal Of Theology, 26(2), 139-145

Sherry Roberts is the author of this paper. A senior editor at Melda Research in professional writing services if you need a similar paper you can place your order for a custom research paper from writing services online

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