The study of humanity and its development is of particular interest to the study of various disciplines. This process provides a more detailed understanding of what motivators and forces for development are, what factors affect it most and how society can influence it. During the educational course, the examination of the book Deeply Rooted in the Present by Mary Lorena Kenny provided valuable information about aspects such as heritage, memory, and identity of Brazilian Quilombos populations (Kenny, 2018). The study of this work contributed to the development of the science of anthropology and theoretical approaches related to it, as well as provide an understanding of the formation of the culture and identity of the Quilombos people.
Particular importance should be given to the title of Kenny’s book. The author gave the title to her work, Deeply Rooted in the Present, which directly refers to the author’s main findings. Thus, Kenny focuses on studying various phenomena based on the present rather than the past. This, however, does not negate its significance for the subject under study, but it is not a leading aspect. This is due to the fact that the events taking place in the present strongly affect the formation of identity and the revised values and importance of heritage.
Mary Lorena Kenny’s book contributed significantly to the study of anthropology and anthropological theories. The approach used by the author provided an understanding that to study a certain subject, it is necessary to focus on what connections it has with other phenomena (Cochrane, n.d.). Remarkably, this happened through the study of Brazilian Quilombos, whose culture and identity were primarily influenced by slavery persecution, discrimination, globalization, history, and culture of these people. The analysis of Quilombos took place through cultural heritage, occupations, and political and social prisms of anthropological theories (Kenny, 2018). This helped to understand which aspects are most important in these theoretical approaches and how they can be used to find factors influencing the selected population.
Special attention is also paid to various biases that may arise during anthropological research. Therefore, the author emphasized her difficulties in examining and analyzing the culture and history of a race to which she does not belong. This has become one of the main barriers and challenges that I faced when writing the book (Kenny, 2018). In anthropology, as in any other scientific discipline, getting rid of personal judgments and opinions allowed people to look at the influence of the past and present on the development of people objectively and productively.
Therefore, Mary Lorena Kenny’s book Deeply Rooted in the Present is a valuable anthropological study that focuses on the Brazilian people called Quilombos. The work indicated the importance of taking into account the fundamental factors that influence the culture, identity, and heritage of these people. At the same time, the author also conducted an in-depth study of the impact of such aspects as discrimination and slavery, which are products of Quilombo’s past. The Legacy examined by the author makes a vital contribution to the formation of awareness about the preservation of culture and traditions in the era of globalization. The use of anthropological concepts and theories allowed the author to provide critical insight that emphasizes the importance of studying the development of humanity and the factors influencing it.
Reference
Kenny, M.L. (2018). Deeply rooted in the present: Heritage, memory, and identity in Brazilian Quilombos. University of Toronto Press.
Cochrane, L. (n.d.). Chapter 13 – Seeing like an anthropologist: Anthropology in practice. OER Services. Web.