Nelson Mandela or Rolihlahla Pulling the Branch of a Tree

Nelson Mandela once said, â€Å"To be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others† (brainyquotes.com). Rolihlahla, the name he was given at birth, means pulling the branch of a tree. This name was appropriate for him, as he believed in â€Å"shaking things up† for the right cause. His influence was great in creating equality for all people, of all races in South Africa. Mandela was an extraordinary leader throughout his life because he practiced the most significant qualities of a leader including determination, intelligence, situational skills, sacrifice, and vision. Determination was a very powerful tool that Mandela used in his life, for no matter what was thrown into his†¦show more content†¦Whether through life experience, instruction, or discipline, gaining an education is the root of intelligence; the fact that Nelson Mandela valued education was proof of his own intelligence. Intelligence he applied to make the best decisions in each circumstance that he was faced with. A widely accepted principle of leadership is the idea that a leader should make decisions and act based on the situation at hand. Nelson displayed this concept during his participation in the anti-apartheid movement. Originally Mandela assumed the belief that a non-violent approach was the best way to create change in South Africa. He held this belief as he joined and led groups in the movement, but soon realized that it was not as effective as he had hoped. He knew what had to be done to ensure the success of the movement; Mandela founded a new group that included a military division. This group protested in the streets and took a more violent approach on the situation. Although initially he believed in peaceful methods, Mandela acted and made the decisions necessary for the situation at hand, even when it resulted in his imprisonment. Twenty-seven years of Mandela’s life were spent in prison. These were years that proved his willingness to sacrifice anything for the cause th at he so firmly believed in. Black prisoners at Robben Island, where Mandela was imprisoned, were confined to extremely small cells. Being classified in the most restricted group possible, he was only allowedShow MoreRelatedMandela: A Life Devoted to Change and Freedom2008 Words   |  9 Pagestiring movement led by a man named Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela. Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was born on July 18, 1918 in Mvezo, Cape Province, South Africa. Mandela’s name, Rolihlahla, perfectly defined Mandela’s personality and his destiny. His name means pulling the branch of a tree, a slang meaning troublemaker. When he was seven, his devout Christian parents sent Mandela to a local Methodist school. As a baptized Methodist, Mandela was given an English forename of â€Å"Nelson† by his teacher. Since then,Read MoreNelson Mandela, A Brief History and Impact2207 Words   |  9 PagesMEETING THE GREAT MAN Nelson Mandela 1918-2013 â€Å"I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.† Nelson Mandela was born on July 18, 1918 in a royal family of a tribe in a South African village in MvezoRead MoreEssay Nelson Mandela and the South African Apartheid 1839 Words   |  8 PagesNelson Mandela, a man recognized worldwide, was a human rights activist leader among other things. He believed in equality and peace for all. He fought for that belief in South Africa for which he undeniably sacrificed his life to. A figure of international peacemaking, he’s a man of tremendous accomplishments. How he achieved these accomplishments is astounding and it’s what he’s remarkably known. Striving for fairness and democracy in a nation that has been pierced for years by Apartheid seemedRead MoreEssay about Nelson Mandela’s Childhood Defined His Identity3002 Words   |  13 PagesThe life of Nelson Mandela is an interesting example of this ideology. In his case, the connection between childhood and life is special and goes even further than the first ins tinctive connections that often come to mind. When one examines the interesting details the childhood of Nelson Mandela, one is compelled to conclude that Nelson’s Mandela childhood environment fashioned his politics. In order to understand fully how the childhood environment of Nelson Mandela fashioned hisRead MoreEssay on Nelson Mandela: Standing Firm2318 Words   |  10 PagesNelson Mandela was born in Mvezo, a village in the Transkei, on July 18, 1918. The definition of Rolihlahla actually means â€Å"pulling the branch of a tree†. After the passing away of Nelson’s father’s in the year 1927, Mandela became the ward of Jongintaba Dalindyebo, the Paramount Chief, to be developed to grasp his place in high office. As a result of listening to the elder’s stories of his ancestor’s valor during the resistance wars, he aspired too of creating his own significant addition to theRead MoreA Role Model Leadership, Nelson Mandela7546 Words   |  31 PagesNELSON MANDELA I choose Nelson Mandela as my role model leader. I analyzed Mandela’s leadership style and found his eight leadership best practices which I think every leader must learn and put into practice to become a real leader. Many of them come directly from his personal experiences and all of them are calibrated to cause the best kind of trouble; the trouble that forces us to ask how we can make the world a better place. Nelson Mandela’ s 8 leadership best practices and explanation why

Exploring the Mental Illness of Schizophrenia Essay

Many people have ignored the illness that affects about one percent of the population. Schizophrenia is the mental illness that I’m referring to. Schizophrenia is a psychotic illness which is can be never-ending, severe, and brain distorting. I’ve grown interest in this particular topic for several reasons. One influence came from my interesting aunt. The problem started when I noticed the farfetched information my Aunt relayed to me. â€Å"Hey Aunt, how are you?† I squealed â€Å"I’m not so good, I feel like people are putting poison in my food.† Aunt claimed â€Å"Who?† I exclaimed â€Å"The nursing home,† Aunt yelled â€Å"I don’t think they are doing that Aunt,† â€Å"Yes, these people hate me; they also are stealing from me!† Aunt cried â€Å"What! The workers†¦show more content†¦Schizophrenia is a very complex illness, so let’s found out what it actually is. Schizophrenia factually means split mind but it is important that a person doesn’t get that confused in saying it’s a split personality disorder. Schizophrenia actually is a mental illness that causes brutal mental disturbances. This illness consists of many factors of mental instability, which disorders the normal ways of communication, conduct and beliefs. This illness affects both women and men but often becomes visible in men earlier in time than women. Men usually start experiencing symptoms between seventeen and twenty three years of age and while women start seeing these signs in there twenty to early thirties. I started to see the signs in my aunt while she was age 24. People who have schizophrenia share many common symptoms. Many times they possess strange thoughts and beliefs with almost no source of reality, hear voic es in their heads, believe that people around them can read their minds, and scheming against them in various manners. Symptoms can be terrorizing and stigmatizing to both the person experiencing and to people who interacts with the person. This makes me think about my Aunt and the information she disclosed to me about winning the lottery. I knew that obviously wasn’t true because the incident involved me participating with her, or even implying that her nursingShow MoreRelatedThe Lived Experience Of Schizophrenia Of Jeremy Oxley1146 Words   |  5 PagesIn this essay, it will be discussed, the lived experience of schizophrenia of Jeremy Oxley by incorporating the National Recovery Framework and Principles, while exploring the lived experience of mental health problems that he experienced, as described in the documentary ‘The SunnyBoys†. Jeremy Oxley, in his younger years, started his musical career in the early 1980’s, at the early young age of 18, he was touted as one of the most talented singer/songwriter in Australia. Jeremy was the front-manRead MoreWhat Is Mental Illness?1380 Words   |  6 PagesWhat is Mental Illness? In my essay, I will be looking to answer this deceptively simple question by exploring various avenues, mainly making a comparison both the medical and philosophical differences. I will attempt to first make a distinct definition of what mental illness is as a medical term, defining exactly what it is, how it affects us and people around us. I believe this is an important definition to make as it allows us to better understand mental illness in medicine, mainly how it affectsRead MoreThere Has Been An Increase In The Proportion Of Persons Who Associate Mental Illness With Dangerousness1675 Words   |  7 Pagesin the proportion of persons who associate mental illness with dangerousness, violence, and unpredictability† (Markowitz, 2005: 3) With reference to this statement, what is the public understanding of the nature and extent of mental disorder and how accurate is this? Intro This essay will look at the public understanding of the nature of mental disorder and to what extent it is associated with dangerousness and violence. The essay will begin by exploring the public’s perspectives and opinions onRead MoreExploring Comorbid Substance Use And Mental Illness1366 Words   |  6 Pages Exploring Comorbid Substance Use and Mental Illness Sarah L. Alford Kennesaw State University Exploring Comorbid Substance Use and Mental Illness There is a wealth of literature about the relationship between substance use and mental illness. Bahorik, Newhill, and Eack (2013) reported that individuals who have a mental illness have a higher prevalence rate of substance use than individuals who do not have a mental illness. Fluery, Grenier, Bamvita, Perreault, and Caron (2014) cite that atRead MoreAnalysis Of A Beautiful Mind1549 Words   |  7 Pagesfulfilment and concrete understanding of their physical and mental surroundings. The film, ‘A Beautiful Mind’ directed and produced by Ron Howard, explores the extensive impact that mental illness has had on John Nash’s ability to communicate with and comprehend the people, ideas and emotions which surround him. Through the graphic cinematic techniques and realistic film structure, audiences are faced with raw perspectives of how schizophrenia affects not only the patient but the people around them.Read MoreMental Disorder And Its Effects On Schizophrenia1131 W ords   |  5 PagesAbstract: Schizophrenia is one type of mental disorder .There are three types of symptoms like positive , negative and cognitive. It creates hallucinations, delusions and interacts to thought process of persons. Though it is a treatable but it affects person’s ability in to reality. There are many factors which affect the schizophrenia like biological factors, psychological factors, sociocultural factors. Among them in biological factors, age and sex highly affected to Schizophrenia. The psychologicalRead MoreWhat is Schizophrenia?985 Words   |  4 PagesSchizophrenia is the worst of all mental health disorders because it is many severe disorders all put into one such as mood disorders and psychological disorders. It is a mental health disorder that affects a persons’ reality. When the word Schizophrenia is broken into two, schizo means â€Å"Split† and phrenia means â€Å"mind† (DeWall Myers, 2014, p.562). According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), about 1% of Americans have schizophrenia. Schizophrenia has many different components suchRead MoreExploring Schizophrenia Essay1397 Words   |  6 PagesExploring Schizophrenia A disease that leads to more suicide deaths than AIDS, SIDS, and MS combined is present in one in one hundred people globally. Schizophrenia is prone to lead to long-term disability, unemployment, drug and alcohol abuse, and family trauma. Ten percent of all patients commit suicide. Schizophrenia is an infamous disease attacking the American population. What is schizophrenia, how is it caused, what does it do, and who does it effect? OneRead MoreReligion Vs. Delusions With Religious Content1525 Words   |  7 PagesI spent 6 weeks at Unit 1 Dandenong Hospital further exploring the field of psychiatry, a branch of medicine that interests me and something that I may pursue as a career in the future. Whilst on this rotation I encountered a number of patients with delusions of religious content (DRC), however it took me a while to understand the differences between DRC and religious beliefs. As of this day I still am a bit confused as to the differences between the two as the literature behind this is still quiteRead MoreThe Biological Theories Of Crime Essay1218 Words   |  5 Pagesmadness. In Masters of the Mind: Exploring the Story of Mental Illness from Ancient Times to the New Millennium, Theodore Millon discusses one of the observation Kretschmer made in schizophrenics. â€Å"In a series of studies, he demonstrated that persons with tall and slender physiques were of a schizoid or introversive temperamen t, whereas those of a heavier and more rotund physique were extroversive† (Millon 2004). Kretschmer s constitutional approach viewed mental diseases as extremes of certain psychophysical

Letter of Advice on Interpersonal Communications free essay sample

Congratulations on your engagement, and the choice to spend your lives together. Thank you for the opportunity to share with both of you the concepts of which I have learned on how to communicate effectively. The choices both of you make now towards communicating effectively will lead to a long and healthy relationship, and by implementing these concepts everyday they can enrich both your personal and professional lives. Interpersonal communications is about humans, and our ability to relate to one another effectively, it is about listening, and speaking positively, disagreeing constructively, to lift each other up emotionally and embracing each other’s differences, but whether acting as sender or receiver, have the willingness to give feedback to build a healthy open line of communication to last a life time. Principles and Misconceptions in Effective Interpersonal Communications Communicating what a person may feel is in itself a misconception, if the receiver does not understand the message heard. We will write a custom essay sample on Letter of Advice on Interpersonal Communications or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Without feedback from those on the receiving end of the message, misunderstandings will occur. Most misunderstandings occur because the sender is unable to convey the message clearly, and concisely causing confusion for the receiver, making it difficult to translate the message correctly. An article written by D. B. Ryan (2010) for LivingStrong, a partner of the Lance Armstrong Foundation for healthy living says, the language of the speaker itself may present a problem in that, it may cause confusion. The tainted message of the sender, colored with personal biases, and personal experiences, can cause the receiver to misunderstand (Ryan, 2010). Sending a message does not always mean that the receiver understands. Many times â€Å"Rational messages are often unclear or ambiguous and may require verbal checking† (Sole, 2011, sec. 2. 3). Sometimes saying more, is not necessarily better, on which Sole (2011) also states, â€Å"Verbal and nonverbal components act like punctuation in a conversation and can often lead to misunderstandings or communication failure† (sec. 2. 3). Communicating effectively provides for individual essentials, helps people learn about themselves, and builds self-esteem and social acceptance. Communicating effectively is necessary in every aspect of the business world, but is essential for building lasting personal relationships. When we think of communications, it is difficult since we have been communicating from birth, to think of our ability to communicate as anything else but simple, and yet communications begins with learning six simple principles for effective communications. First of all Jon and Astrid, communications is representational, meaning as humans we learn to use pictures, objects, and sounds to communicate with others. Humans have always, since the early beginnings of communication, used symbols. Symbols are those things that we use to represent other things. Consider the first thing a young child learns to do, draw. Drawings in the history of early man symbolize things, and their way of life. Symbols today have meaning, but they are not the thing that it symbolizes. Take for example, the pictures that I have of both my dogs. The symbol here is the picture of my dogs, but it is not my dogs, it is only a symbol used to elicit the emotions I have for them. As both of you think on your life together, you will in no doubt think about having a home. Whether spoken, or nonverbal, your future home together symbolizes something that has meaning. Some symbols we use as humans have more meaning than others do. What is important here to remember is that symbols sometimes, are created randomly, and as Sole (2011) states, â€Å"No reason or principle governs why one symbol rather than another is used to describe something† (sec. 1. 3). Secondly, words, gestures, and symbols all have meaning, and as humans, we share meaning with other people. One human trait that each of us possess, is the desire to share with other humans. An example of how people share meaning, is the story of the abandoned building a few doors away from where I lived growing up. A female raccoon and her two young had ventured out in search of food, and I suppose, as a training exercise for her young in survival. Next to this building, was a large tree with branches that stretched out close to the building, and when returning to their home the mother climbed the tree. The mother reached a large branch then turned around to instruct her two children to follow. First, one followed, but the smaller of the two was so frightened, instead sat motionless on the side of the tree a few feet off the ground. The mother chattered as an attempt to coaxes her young to come, but failed. My mother and I, and our neighbor were so concerned that another animal would find the baby, that our neighbor quickly went up to the baby raccoon, and gently patted the baby on the butt. The baby raccoon more frightened of the man ran up the tree to the mother. The example shows how each of us shared concern. What I have learned in the interpersonal communication class is that words have no meaning, that meaning is an emotion that humans possess. Communicating effectively and reaching a mutual understanding with others is an ongoing process acquired through shared meaning. Communicating is a process, we interconnect with others, we are changed, and this changes relationships and people. In addition, communicating can differ culturally, and will change as people’s environments change, but it is also important to remember, communicating has purpose. Barriers to Effective Interpersonal Communication Listen with discernment. Sometimes what sounds like the easiest thing to do is actually the hardest. New relationships are exciting, learning about this new person in your life, and the possibility of a new love. In the beginning though, each person is cautious, and uncertain of what each should say and not say to each other, but even in established relationships there are barriers that can weaken the structure of relationships. Three problems can arise in a relationship, and stagnate communication. In relationships, emotions can run high when misunderstandings occur. This may cause silence or a refusal to speak. The person on the receiving can get ‘the cold shoulder’ ignored as if he or she is not there. I came across an article just recently called â€Å"When Talking Makes Things WORSE! † written by a doctor, mentions that only two percent of Americans think before they respond during an argument, a survey conducted by the National Institute for Dispute Resolution. The doctor also said, â€Å"No wonder talking makes things worse† (Stiebel, 1997, p. 1). Listening is crucial to minimizing or eliminating misunderstandings, which take developing skills such as paying attention, giving full eye contact, and not allowing other things to occupy the mind. Although this is good advice, the first barrier is placating. Which simply stated means, keeping silent, or refusing to talk. Often people believe that by not saying anything and letting the other person speak is far better than talking and making matter worse. Sometimes in a heated conversation, the person decides to give ‘the cold shoulder’ and, according to Sole (2011): When one or both parties in a relationship withdraws and refuses to communicate for a lengthy period of time, how ­ever, tension increases, problems remain unresolved, resentments build, and frustration, anger, and increased distance between the parties often result (sec. 9. 1). The second problem happens when a person tries to appease an individual to make the person believe they person are paying attention to them. The article entitled, â€Å"Can We Talk? Improving Couples Communication† says, to be a good listener, it requires not only listening, but also interpreting the person’s emotions, their behavior, and then respond with an appropriate answer (Baugh Humphries, 2001). Thirdly, and this has to be one that all of us have heard, playing games. â€Å"A very recognizable game is â€Å"See What You Made Me Do† (SWYMD) (Sole, 2011, pg. 200), is a good example of the psychological and dysfunctional mind games that people can play that is in no way constructive in growing a lasting and healthy relationship. According to Psychologist Diana Kirschner (2010), â€Å"Men play out unconscious and conscious games which create a maddening push-pull with your heart. That’s why dating and relationships can be so confusing and frustrating† (Kirschner, 2010, para. 3). Perhaps it is the husband or wife who, feeling anything but sociable, just wants others to leave them alone. The mind game played out here is by that person keeping their emotional need for solitude, to themselves instead of sharing this with their significant other. This type of unhealthy psychological mind game can repeat throughout the coming years, and as a result, the person they want to spend time with most, just leaves them alone. Sometimes the person they love most knows all too well they want solitude and disturbs them anyway. People can feel cheated, perhaps time spent with them was sparse, and therefore the quality of the time they had with them is lacking. The Process by Which Self-Concept is Developed and Maintained The way a person sees themself is there self-concept, â€Å"Your self-concept is learned; it is organized, it is dynamic, and it is changeable† (Sole, 2011, sec. 3. 1). In either case, how people see themselves is important. People build this sense of self through intrapersonal communication, which is simply talking to oneself and by communicating with others, but more importantly, how you see yourself, and how others see you. When others judge you, it can be a positive experience, leaving a person with a sense of pride. On the other hand, it also can create a negative and false sense of self. How a person sees himself or herself in the presence of someone better looking or more highly skilled can create within them a low self-image. â€Å"Through information you continually receive from the evaluations others make of you and your abilities, you form this mental image of your physical appearance, of your successes and failures, of your adequacy, and of your worth† (Sole, 2011, sec. 3. 1). The concepts both of you have of yourselves develop from what you have learned from others. These are traits and characteristics and even judgments which help define how you see yourself as a person. Self-concept again is changeable, unlike your self-image, which is the mental picture you establish for yourself. Self-image, on the other hand, is your inner view, compiled with others evaluation, your appearance, and intergraded with personal experiences to make the image you have for yourself (Sole, 2011). In other words, in order to have a healthy concept, as individuals, people must look at him, or her positively, have self-esteem, and self-confidence so as not to believe the negative judgments of others. What is important also to remember is self-image is what you ‘tell yourself’ you look like, rather than how you actually look. To develop a healthy self-concept and image begin â€Å"by accepting and loving yourself and allowing yourself to be accepted and loved by others† (Sole, 2011, sec. 3. 1). Perceptions, Emotions, and Nonverbal Expression Affect Interpersonal Relationships There are other forms of communication without the use of words, that people use consistently on a daily basis. The way individuals stand, or move their heads, and eyes, and even listening are forms of communications that can express emotion. There are techniques a person can adapt from, surprisingly, different venues that can help to improve non-verbal communication skills. Designed for theatrical improvisation, a technique called, â€Å"full-body listening,† designed to increase individual’s non-verbal skills, consists of, focus and acknowledgment. The first skill, focus, is â€Å"about staying in the moment. Consider the conversation and your conversation partner as the most important use of your time right now† (Gesell, 2007, p. 1). If you find that you need to speak to someone, but your mind begins to wander off to other things that need your attention, pull yourself back into the present, the here, and now. The article â€Å"Am I Talking to Me? † discusses how those in improve, visibly discern between the two concepts, focus, and acknowledgement. Although some may not always agree with the idea, they go with it. The method they use, according to the article is called â€Å"Yes, and. † While â€Å"Yes† acknowledges reality, the word â€Å"and† adds to what the person previously said, and helps to move the conversation forward. Not only is this a productive method, but also is a more positive approach than saying â€Å"Yes, but† and â€Å"This synchronicity of focus and acceptance is what results in full-body listening† (Gesell, 2007, p. 1)Secondly, acknowledgment leads to the connection of those communicating, making each co-creators, and closing the gap between the two communicators. Statistically, according to â€Å"A Wink, a Smile, and a Nod† in communicating, words only consists of 14 percent, while seven percent comes from intonation, and lastly, the remaining 79 percent, is all body language. â€Å"When you master the art of when to make eye contact or when to touch your face, you’ll be able to get your message across, receive positive feedback, influence situations, and read other people’s emotional currents–even when words aren’t exchanged† (McVey, 2009, p. 2). Strategies for Managing Interpersonal Conflicts To resolve conflicts, a person must first identify their communication style, of which there are four. The first three described, are those styles which will hinder communication. Passive style, to resolve conflicts, is the individual that will give in when faced with a disagreement, leaving the person to feel â€Å"put upon. † Next is aggressive, a style that causes damage to relationships, is one in which the person speaks with a loud and demanding voice, often speaking harshly causing ever-increasing conflicts. Passive aggressive, is a style much similar to passive, in that the person exudes the same ‘just let it go’ behavior, on the outside, but on the inside the person is angry, resentful, and hoard destructive emotions. The style to put into practice, to cultivate a long and healthy relationship is assertive communication style (Sole, 2011). For those who adapt the assertive style of communication, speak clearly, and without hesitation are open, they speak firmly, and are fluent in their speech pattern of conversation (Sole, 2011). Individuals with this style practice good eye contact use facial expressions suitably, and they stand relaxed with confidence, and unafraid. In other words, as individuals with this style they are ‘well balanced. ’ In resolving conflicts, an article entitled â€Å"Conflict Resolution: What Works? † mentions there are four methods used in resolving conflicts, each with its own benefit. The first, called forcing, is when an individual acts more of the tough-guy, using superiority, and power to make the other person conform to their decision. The benefit in a more business setting is the problem is gone, but in intimate relationships, it may leave the other person feeling as though their point of view is non-important (Phillips Cheston, 1979). Another approach to resolution is the joint-resolution. Here Jon and Astrid, as a couple the goal each would have is to share the facts regarding the dispute or disagreement, feelings, and then together find a solution. The other compromise is a give-and-take where both would give up something to bring to the bargaining table, and the benefit here is simple, the compromise itself resolves the problem. Avoidance resolves nothing, but causes each to harbor ill feelings towards the other instead of expressing, and disclosing the problems immediately (Phillips Cheston, 1979). The only benefit is that the confrontation ends, but ultimately will need attention in the near future. There are no benefits to resolving problems if the solution is avoidance. The only things gained, is resentment, and morose feelings toward each other that may result in the dissolution of the relationship. In summary, effective communication requires time, the willingness to open up, and allow another person in to get to know you intimately. Show you care by listening in other ways such as using eye contact, giving attention to body language, hand gestures, and importantly, not allowing your mind to wander to think about other things, but give full attention to the person speaking. Then if by chance you should disagree, share facts with each other and discuss calmly and respectfully until both of you find a solution. Speak openly, and honestly, because as humans, we reach out and connect to others to form bonds and groups, and as relationships form and lives merge, relationships grow into intimacy. Just as communication is part of human intelligence, effectively communicating means practicing concepts that will help bridge your relationship together for a lifetime to form a strong, healthy, interpersonal line of communication. References

The Life and Culture of Yanomamo Indians an Example by

The Life and Culture of Yanomamo Indians According to Charito Ushinahua (2008) the Yanomamo Indians are also called "Yanomami, Guaharibo, Guaica, Guajaribo, Ianomami, Yanoama, Yanomama, Yanomame, and Xiriana" (par. 2) The term "Yanomami" means "human being." Need essay sample on "The Life and Culture of Yanomamo Indians" topic? We will write a custom essay sample specifically for you Proceed This Indian tribe live in the southern area of Venezuela and north of Brazil. Ushinahua (2008) says there are about 30,000 Yanomamo Indians living in the mentioned areas. (par. 1) This tribe is subdivided into four language families as follows: "Yanoma (Yanomam), Sanuma, Ninam, and Yanam." (Ushinahua, 2008, par. 1) Yanomamo Indians are communal and live in a house called "shabono." There are roofed areas where individual families live. They supply themselves with food by fishing and hunting in the Amazon Rainforest. When a certain area is already depleted of resources, they move their village to another area. Both men and women do not wear any clothing except that men wear a belt for support. They also decorate themselves with feathers and flowers ." (Ushinahua, 2008, par. 4) As seen in photos, there are ones who have facial pierces of wooden sticks that go across the face. There are also some that apply different colors of inks across their faces and bodies which are tattoo-like. According to Ushinahua, (2008) each shabono is politically and economically independent from other shabonos (par. 4) Communities practice incest or marrying within the family circle: "Community members typically marry within the community with a cross-cousin, that is with the offspring of a paternal aunt or maternal uncle." (Ushinahua, 2008, par. 4) Aside from this, it is common, even expected that the man marries several wives. The Yanomamo tribe like other tribes that live in the Amazon, believe in animism. They believe that every plant (be it a shrub or grass) have life, have an animal spirit in them. "The Yanomami refer to these shamanic spirits as xapiripe(sometimes called hekura or hekurape)." (Ushinahua, 2008, par. 5) One must use "yopo" or "bene" which are hallucinogens, in order to see the shaman spirits. The "yopo" is taken from a virola tree. After hunting, the yopo is blown towards the nasal cavities by one man to another using some wooden tool. They believe that once the yopo is transferred, energy is transferred as well. The person then is able to control spirits and gives him the power to heal others and the power to hurt enemies. According to Ushinahua (2008), it was in 1980 when several members of the yanomamo tribe died because of the invasion of miners in their territory. There was an estimated death of 2,000 Indians. These deaths were caused by the massacres. They also died of illnesses incurred from mercury that affected the tribe's source of food and drinking water. The yanomamo Indians are under threat because of the richness of gold in the area where they live. With this, the Brazilian government has placed some protection in the year 1992. The gold miners were displeased and were found guilty of genocide, having committed in 1993 a crime known as the "Haximu Massacre." Ushinahua, (2008) says that to this date, there is still the political issue of reducing the tribe's territory so that the mining operations can take place. It is worthy to note the leader of the yanomamo Indians, Davi Kopenawa foretold the destruction. He said that at one point, the Amazon forest will be destroyed. He enumerated the trees, the creeks, the lands, even the spirits will all die should the forest be killed by "the whites." As he states: "The forest-land will become dry and empty. The shamans will no longer be able to deter the smoke-epidemics and the malefic beings who make us ill. And so everyone will die.' (Ushinahua, 2008, par. 5) References Ushinahua, C. Yanonami Indians: The Fierce People? 2008. Amazon Indian.Org. Retrieved 19 Nov 2008 from http://www.amazon-indians.org/yanomami.html .