Longhouse to Village essays

Longhouse to Village essays In the book From Longhouse to Village: Samo Social Change, the author R. Daniel Shaw reflects on the impact that extended contact with modern culture and people has on the Samo people. The Samo people were seen as uncivilized and savage people, who frequently conducted raids on each other. However, after contact with Western culture and a modern government, the lives of the Samo people were changed dramatically. Each chapter in Shaws book discusses a different aspect of Samo culture. It shows how they were before and after contact. The book compares and contrasts the changes that took place and the effect they had on the lives of the Samo people. One of the major changes discussed in the book is the process by which the Samo people moved from their protective longhouses to villages. The Samo people were very much considered war-like people before contact with Western civilization. Their longhouses were built as a means of defense in war situations. Each longhouse was built to be able to keep intruders out. The men were able to fire arrows from an open porch area and they were also able to get a better viewpoint from this are as well. If there was a raid on the house, the Samo people were able move inside and keep intruders out by stacking logs to block the main entrance. This means of defense was very effective. The government of the Western civilization outlawed raids and killing, which the Samo did their best to adhere to. This outlaw eventually eliminated the need for protective houses, which proved to be a waste of time and resources. The Samo people quickly adhered to the laws of this modern government. They realized that building their longhouses in isolated areas due to protection was not necessary. I dont feel that the Samo people talked about in this book are very different from the way we are today. They were quick to change their ways when they realized it was unnecessary and there were quicker ways of...