Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Manioc And Fish: A "Methiononian" Compromise In Amazonia?, Tom Langdon

Nebraska Anthropologist

Protein as a limiting factor in Amazonian diet has met with considerable discussion and argument (e.g., Beckerman 1979; Chagnon and Hames 1979; Johnson 1982; Gross 1975, 1982; Spath 1978, 1981; Werner et al. 1979). The intent of this paper is to continue the discussion of protein as a limiting factor in Amazonia with respect to two dietary staples, manioc and fish. More specifically, does bitter manioc become a factor in determining aquatic resource utilization in Amazonia?

Human Adaptations In The Andes: A Look At Nutrition And Brain Function With Respect To Coca And High Altitude Physiological Adaptations, Barrett P. Brenton

Nebraska Anthropologist

Throughout the span of human evolution the brain has allowed itself to be controlled by nutritional intake. This correlation between nutrition and the brain has led me to believe that the human brain has allowed itself to be manipulated and controlled by an individual's dietary intake in order to successfully adapt to the environment. In looking at the indigenous peoples of the South American Andes, I found surprising parallels between human physiological adaptations to high altitude hypoxia and cold stress and the correlating control of neurotransmitters to the brain by dietary intake.

In a study of this type it becomes …

The Nebraska Anthropologist Volume 6 (1983) Contents

Nebraska Anthropologist

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .............. i

HUMAN ADAPTATIONS IN THE ANDES: A LOOK AT NUTRITION AND BRAIN FUNCTION WITH RESPECT TO COCA AND HIGH ALTITUDE PHYSIOLOGICAL ADAPTATIONS (Barrett P. Brenton) .............. 1

Introduction .............. 2

Biochemical Aspects of Tryptophan and Serotonin .............. 2

Nutritional Control of Brain Tryptophan and Serotonin .............. 3

Food and Nutrition in the South American Andes .............. 7

Diet Composition and Tryptophan/Serotonin Production .............. 9

The Affects of Coca Chewing and Serotonin in Thermoregulation .............. 16

Possible Effects of Coca Alkaloids and Serotonin in Hypoxia .............. 18

Conclusion............... 23

References .............. 25

MANIOC AND FISH: A "METHIONONIAN" COMPROMISE IN …

The Plow And Its Influence On The Rise Of Civilization, Tom Langdon

Nebraska Anthropologist

In the magical land of Toosuiter, Butane worked his small garden. He worked with his little digging stick clearing the patch of eternal rock that seemed to multiply from one season to the next. Then he'd sing the little redundant ditty: "Little poke here, little seed there, little poke here, little seed there."

He planted his seeds and delicately covered them up with the fresh fertile earth. Yams were a delicacy. They really "tasted good" with the fresh meat that Pamela, his wife, would hunt in the surrounding forest. It was a magical life, and the land and the forest …

African Influence In Mexican Folktales, Carla Mundt

Nebraska Anthropologist

Despite the fact that many African slaves were brought to the Jew World, there have been very few studies done on how their presence affected studies that have and influenced the indigenous cultures. The been done concentrate on the areas where there was an extremely large Black population like Cuba and Brazil. Very little has been done in places like Mexico or Chile and those that have been done are often inaccurate. This paper is an elementary attempt to take a close look at how the importation of African slaves affected the culture of the New World.