The !Kung are a part of the San people, living in the southern part of Africa. They are mostly hunters and gatherers, who have maintained their practice to modern times in spite of having been constricted to one small location by the governments. They face diseases and hunger, and their culture is at risk of being consumed by the European one. However, some of them still foster their culture despite tough times. Taking a look at the !Kung, it is possible to assume that the women are more advantaged than the men.

The !Kung women are not oppressed by the men because there is no definite government structure there. According to their culture, there is no individual, who holds a position of power over the rest of the !Kung people (Thomas, 2010). This also means that there is no law that puts the men above the women, thus making them equal. To add to this, there is no position of power that is masculine dominated, making it clear that the women are not under oppression. In some communities, there used to be a hierarchy of power, which placed the women under the men. As a result, the women had to do what the men said or they would be punished according to their law. This practice was common in ancient African cultures, but it is not present among the !Kung people.

Moreover, the women are not oppressed by the men because they have specific roles to play. In order to determine whether these roles are oppressive to them, it is important to observe their attitude towards their roles. The !Kung women enjoy performing their roles because it offers them an opportunity to socialize and talk (Shostak, 2014). They work together for the good of the community, taking care of the children and looking for food and drink. These are roles that bring the women together in joy. It also shows the happy mood of the women, and people under oppression would not be so happy.

In addition, the women are not under oppression because they make their own choice in marriage. The first marriage of the !Kung women is arranged according to their culture. However, they have a final say as to whether they will remain married or divorce. Their newlywed husband will not force them to remain in the marriage (Shostak, 2014). Women’s attitude towards the arranged marriage is not negative, which becomes a strong point that shows their freedom and disclaims their oppression. They are well aware that if they are not content with the practice, they can easily walk away from it. If they choose to divorce, they can decide themselves whether they would like to get married or remain single. All of these show that the !Kung women are not under male oppression.

On the contrary, the men are under oppression from the women because they have no say in marriage. The marriage is arranged, which means that it is not the men who decide whom they marry but the parents . Even after going through the ceremony, a man has no say in the direction of his marriage. He cannot talk and try to convince his new wife to remain married to him if she decides to leave. Divorce does not just apply to newlyweds. Even an older woman can decide to walk out of the marriage at any time. This type of powerlessness towards something as important as marriage is enough to warrant the men as the oppressed in the !Kung community.

In addition, the men are under oppression because they are expected to provide for the female’s family. There are a few important points when it comes to the !Kung’s arranged marriage. The first is that the female’s family decide whether a man is good for them. This is based on his ability to provide for them through hunting or, if the game is scarce, through trade. This will force any man without expertise in trade to lose his beloved. Furthermore, the people who are supposed to get married have no say in the decision that affects their lives. This also adds to the man’s pressure to support his family and the girl’s family without having a choice, which is a clear indication of oppression. The man is obliged to provide the dowry in the form of game meat. This is also a type of marriage where the wife can leave at any moment, while the man has spent so much on her and her family. These points show that the !Kung males were greatly oppressed.

The !Kung men are also oppressed because there is an inequality in the performance of the set roles. The !Kung have specified gender roles, namely hunting for the men and gathering for the women (Lee, 2014). However, the men are expected to aid in the gathering practice, while the women are in no way expected to help with hunting. The men cannot decide whether the game is there or not and, therefore, should not be subjected to the female practices. However, this is not the case, proving the men’s oppression in the !Kung community.

In conclusion, the !Kung people live in the southern part of Africa and comprise a part of the San. They are majorly hunters and gatherers with the men hunting and women gathering foods. They practice arranged marriages, but the women can opt out of it if they feel it does not suit them. The women have been given enough freedom of choice in marriages unlike the men, who do not have this freedom.