What anthropology and history tell us about stress and resilience early farmers
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Ancient & Early Farmers
Intense physical labour and corporal hardship
Average lifespan: Neolithic farmer (~10,000 years ago) – 35 yrs old; �1920’s Farmer (100 years ago) – 60 yrs old
Significantly more likely to die on the job (10 – 15x more likely)
Fewer hours per year but significantly less output (household and community farms)
Famine, disease and war
Less social isolation (believe it or not)
Natural disasters and weather uncertainty
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How Early Farmers Coped
Spiritual meaning and ceremony �(ritual spaces, seasonal celebrations and shared grief ceremonies, a belief in “offerings” to ward off anxieties about the upcoming season)
Shared labor and processing
Frequent engagement in community wellness activities
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Key Takeaways
Participation in Community matters
Rhythm and rest matter
Shared meaning builds resilience
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Discussion
What feels familiar / what pressures remain the same?
What has changed?
What are the most useful tools we have that they didn’t?
What are the most useful tools they had that we don’t / they used, that we don’t?
What are the classic strategies that have worked best over time?