Anthropology club is back in action

Liz Tubman

There will soon be a new addition to the long and interesting list of student groups and clubs at Lawrence. Have you ever wondered what anthropology is all about, or what makes people interested in it? You can find out through the Anthropology Club, which is currently in the process of revival. In the past the group was fairly active, bringing in speakers on various topics and taking trips to museums. Professor Peter Peregrine brought the club up in a recent discussion with one of his anthropology classes and some of the students thought it would be fun to bring the club back to life. The club had their first meeting of the year this week.
The Anthropology Club has lots of big plans for the upcoming year: bringing in speakers on various issues and topics, panel discussions, ethnic food nights, cultural music dance-offs, movie nights and possibly even a trip to Bj”rklunden to play Trobriand cricket. The Trobrianders are a group of islanders that live off the coast of New Guinea and who have a unique way of playing cricket. Their version includes changing the traditional bats and balls used and adding more players as well as dances and chants. The Anthropology Club also hopes to start up a kula ring, which is another tradition of the Trobriand Islanders. A kula ring is a system of ceremonial, non-competitive exchanges in which people trade necklaces and armbands to enhance social status and establish friendly relations with other people in surrounding areas.
New members of the club include acting president Scott Blumenthal, Kate Enoch, Tara McGovern, Taylor Pamperin, and Maria Giere. What is it about anthropology that interests these and countless other students? Giere says that she is interested in people. “I can’t figure myself out, but by looking at others we can get a better idea of who we are,” says Giere. “It’s a completely different way of looking at people.” She was introduced to anthropology by none other than Indiana Jones, as well as her uncle, who gave her a book on the Cahokia, a settlement of American Indian mound builders. When Giere’s uncle took her on a trip to see the settlement, she was hooked and has been ever since.
The Anthropology Club will provide an opportunity for students to share their love for and interest in anthropology not only with each other, but with the entire Lawrence campus as well.