Environmental Adaptations of the Zulu and Andean Indians

Zulu Population

The Zulu Environment

The Zulu people live in the northern regions of kwaZulu-Natal, on the eastern seaboard of South Africa. Also called Zululand, the Zulu climate consists of a warm sub-tropical climate for most part of the year. Summer temperatures (November to February) are hot, ranging from 24 to 30 degrees Celsius (about 80 degrees Fahrenheit). The winter temperatures hover around a comfortable 20 degrees Celsius (about 70 degrees Fahrenheit). The winter night temperature dips to around 11 degrees Celsius (about 52 degrees Fahrenheit). The rest of the year has very hot days and high humidity levels due to the fact that the Zulu population is subject to sunlight throughout the entire year. The total number of average rainfall days in Zululand in one year is 115 days.

Zulu Physical Adaptation

Zululand is located just south of the equator, resulting in lots of sunlight reaching this part of the Earth. Due to this abundance of sunlight, the Zulu people acquire new physical traits that occur through evolutionary processes over generations of time. It involves actual genetic change in an entire population in response to consistent environmental stress and change over a long period of time. The trait they acquire is the production of more eumelanin, melanin that produces dark brown to black colored skin. This darker colored skin allows for more ultraviolet radiation blockage, which is prominent where the Zulu people live. Although this shielding of light is good, complete blockage of ultraviolet radiation results in negative effects for the Zulu people. A little bit of the radiation needs to be absorbed by the body to keep adequate amounts of Vitamin D. New evidence suggests that vitamin D may help prevent a wide range of cancers, including those of the colon and breasts. Since the Zulu people are at risk to sun exposure, this increase in melanin production helps maintain their homeostasis. 

A photo of the dark-skinned Zulu people to help combat their intense exposure to ultraviolet radiation.

 Zulu Cultural Adaptation

As said before, the Zulu culture is subject to year round sunlight. The Zulu have adapted their way of dressing by using clothes that show a lot of skin and keep them as cool as possible. They even build their clothes straight from their natural environment. The use of minimal clothing in the warm temperatures allows the Zulu people to remain at a normal, homeostatic body temperature. If they were to wear large, fur coats like other cultures, they would overheat and become at risk to death and bodily harm.

Typical Zulu Clothing.

 The Zulu Race

 I would describe the Zulu people as being part of the Negroid race. The Negroid race is characterized by the brown to brown-black skin, usually a long head form, varying stature, and thick, everted lips. The Negroid peoples are found in the part of Africa that is south of the Saharan desert. I think the Zulu people fit perfectly in this category because they are from Zululand which fits the description of where the Negroid race is found. In addition, the Zulu people show the physical signs of being in the Negroid race.

Andean Indians

The Andean Environment

The Andean Indians inhabit Central America (South of Guatemala) and the northern coast of South America. The area is located largely within the tropics. The seasons are classified by extreme changes in rainfall more than extreme changes in temperature. The lower parts of the Andean environment tend to be hot, while the elevated regions maintain cooler temperatures. Areas of heavy rainfall support dense forest, whereas a few dry regions support little more than sparse grass. Elevation plays a key role in the environment one will see where the Andean Indians live.

Andean Physical Adaptation

Since the Andean Indians live in high elevated places, they have physically developed traits that counteract the effect of oxygen deprivation at high altitudes. Common humans began to lose oxygen at an altitude of around one to two miles. Some regions in the Andes are up to three miles high. The Andean Indians haev develpoed traits over thousands of years that give them the advantage to live at such a high altitude. The Andean Indians have a skin surface that is red because they are making more red blood cells on the skin's surface to get the needed amount of oxygen to their tissues. These people have additional red blood cells and capillaries to carry more oxygen.  The lungs increase in size to facilitate the osmosis of oxygen and carbon dioxide.  There is also an increase in the vascular network of muscles which enhances the transfer of gases. These adaptations help the Andean people survive in their unique environment.

Red skin surface for increased oxygen supply.

Andean Cultural Adaptation

Since the Andean people live at high altitude in the mountains, most farmland is hard to find because of the slope or the elevated areas. Sporadic periods of rainfall make it even tougher to find the right times to farm. This makes it very difficult to grow adequate food for proper nutrition. To aid these tough conditions, the Andean Indians have come up with a system of forecasting the rains using simple astronomical
observations. These observations of when the rain will come and go are remarkably reliable and give the Andean people a way to grow food.

Typical Andean Farmers.

The Andean Indian Race

The Andean Indians can be described as part of the Mongoloid race. The Mongoloid race includes most peoples of Eastern Asia and the indigenous peoples of the Americas. The description of race for these people is described as affron to yellow or reddish brown in skin color, of medium stature, with a broad head form. The hair is dark, straight, and coarse; body hair is sparse. The eyes are black to dark brown. The epicanthic fold, imparting an almond shape to the eye, is common, and the nose bridge is usually low or medium. I feel the Andean people fit this classification of race.

Summary – Adaptation vs. Race

Comparing the two types of classification of people, I think the classification using physical and cultural adaptations is better than using race. The classification using the adaptions towards one's environment gives much more explanatory information towards many actions and ideals the culture is accustomed to. On the other hand, race is a very general way of describing people, only basing it on their outward appearance. This generalization of appearance does not account for their adaptive difference to their respective environments one would be missing if they did not describe them. I think the environmental adaptation approach is a much more effective way of describing populations for anthropologists.

Sources

Zulu Environment: http://www.zulu.org.za/index.php?districthome+29++57984 
Zulu Environment: http://www.zoover.co.uk/south-africa/kwazula-natal/zululand/weather 
Zulu Physical Adaptation: http://anthro.palomar.edu/adapt/adapt_4.htm
Zulu Cultural Adaptation: http://www.zulu-culture.co.za/zulu_clothing.php
Zulu Race: http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/society/A0860612.html
Andean Environment: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/102247/Central-American-and-northern-Andean-Indian
Andean Physical Adaptation: http://anthro.palomar.edu/adapt/adapt_3.htm
Andean Cultural Adaptation: http://www.des.ucdavis.edu/faculty/orlove/New%20Publications/2002%20American%20Scientist.pdf
Zulu Race: http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/society/A0860612.html