Gender Studies in Plains Anthropology: A Commentary to the 1987 Symposium

Abstract

This paper presents a commentary on papers concerning gender issues in Plains anthropology first read at the 1987 Plains Conference in Columbia, Missouri and published in this volume. Relatively little has been published on this topic. The present volume presents a marked contrast to a 1977 Plains Conference symposium, in that mostof the papers represent an attempt to deal with gender archaeologically. Examination of ethnographic accounts suggests considerable variation in gender roles among aboriginal groups. It is argued that questions regarding thenature of variation in gender roles and the circumstances under which they change are viable research topics in Plains anthropology.