Silent sailors. The nautical role of women among Yámana/Kawésqar and Massim people
Abstract
The role of women in nautical activities is a topic largely unexplored in the anthropological and archaeological literature. However, this analysis can be crucial to understand the social dynamics among watercraft technology. This paper proposes that, because their mobility restriction, women had a lower presence in this type of activities. This hypothesis is addressed through the ethnographic analysis of two specific societies: Yámana/Kawésqar of Southern America and Massim of Papua New Guinea. Moreover, some thoughts are presented regarding the archaeological problems and perspectives of this phenomenon in the field of Prehistoric Europe. We concluded that the restriction of mobility could be linked to the processes of pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding, over which complex cultural processes were created disconnecting the symbolic value of women from the sea. Although these results cannot be extrapolated, we believe that they can be used to generate a future theoretical and methodological reflection.
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