Batek
The Batek are an egalitarian, immediate-return foraging society in Malaysia.[1] Anthropologist Ivan Tacey reports:
"In Batek life, personal autonomy is highly valued but alongside mutual sharing. So, it's egalitarianism, gender egalitarianism, there's no chiefs, men are not more powerful than women, there's no corporate groups, there's no age sets. People are equal. You can't even boss your children around [...] They are very much anarchists in the way they have these high, high, high levels of individual autonomy (which is not to be equated with individualism) but also extremely high levels of sharing."[2]
The Batek share all food and do not have private property. Marriage is monogamous, and divorce can easily be attained by either partner. Children are raised with enormous freedom, and their minimal restrictions or discipline have to do with safeguarding them from tigers, strangers, and the thunder god. Interpersonal violence is strictly prohibited and violators may be ostracized.[3]
- ↑ James Woodburn, "Egalitarian Societies," Man 17, no. 3 (1982): 433.
- ↑ Ivan Tacey, "Predation and Monstrosity among Malaysian Indigenous Peoples- history, violence and ontology," Radical Anthropology Group," 1 March 2022, https://vimeo.com/686366082.
- ↑ "Batek," Peaceful Societies", https://peacefulsocieties.uncg.edu/societies/batek/.
