Anthropology

Lozi language (Silozi) Lozi language Lozi (Silozi) is a Bantu language of the Niger–Congo family spoken mainly in western Zambia and neighboring countries; it combines Luyana roots with Sotho influences and functions…

Lozi people: history, culture and society of Barotseland's community Lozi people An overview of the Lozi people: their language (Silozi), region in western Zambia, social structure, history of the Barotse kingdom, economy, and notable cultural ceremonies.

Luo people: history, language, society and cultural practices Luo Overview of the Luo (Joluo), a Nilotic-speaking people of western Kenya, northern Uganda and northern Tanzania — covering origins, language, economy, religion, rites and modern lif…

Luwians (Luvians): Anatolian Indo‑European people and their legacy Luwians The Luwians (or Luvians) were an Indo‑European people of Anatolia closely related to the Hittites; they spoke Luwian, used distinctive hieroglyphic and cuneiform scripts, and shape…

Maasai: pastoralist people of Kenya and northern Tanzania Maasai Overview of the Maasai (Maa-speaking) pastoralists: location, social organization, material culture, history, conservation issues and contemporary challenges including health and l…

Macedonians (South Slavic ethnic group) Macedonians Macedonians are a South Slavic people native to the historical region of Macedonia in Southeast Europe, speaking the Macedonian language and with a distinct modern national identit…

Malay race: historical concept, origins, and modern perspectives Malay race Overview of the historical concept of the 'Malay race', its origins in 18th–19th century classification, links to Austronesian peoples, geographic spread, and contemporary views an…

Malayali people: language, culture, history and diaspora Malayali Malayalis are the native Malayalam speakers of Kerala, India, noted for a distinct Dravidian language, rich performing arts, varied religious traditions, high social indicators and…

Malays: an Austronesian people of Maritime Southeast Asia Malays Malays are an Austronesian ethnic group indigenous to Maritime Southeast Asia, sharing related languages, cultural traditions and history across parts of Indonesia, Malaysia, Brune…

Maliar (agrarian community of Pakistan) Maliar Maliar: an agrarian community found in northern Punjab and the lower plains of Hazara Division in Pakistan. The name means 'gardener' in Punjabi; members are largely Muslim smallho…

Man (adult human male) Man An overview of the term 'man' as an adult male human, covering biology, development, social roles, terminology, historical context, and related movements and distinctions.

Evidence as to Man's Place in Nature — Huxley's 1863 study Man's Place in Nature Thomas Henry Huxley's 1863 book arguing that humans and apes share a common ancestor, using comparative anatomy and other scientific evidence to place humanity within natural histo…

Manchu language: history, structure, and contemporary situation Manchu language Manchu is a Tungusic, agglutinative language once used at the Qing court. It is now critically endangered, with few fluent speakers and growing documentation and revival efforts.

Manchu people: origins, history, culture, and modern identity Manchu people Overview of the Manchu—Tungusic people from Manchuria who established the Qing dynasty, their social structures, culture and language, historical role in China, and contemporary st…

Mandé people: culture, history, and regional significance Mandé people The Mandé are a broad West African ethnolinguistic group centered between southern Mali and eastern Guinea, known for their languages, oral traditions (griots), and role in early S…

Māori: Indigenous people of Aotearoa New Zealand Māori Māori are the indigenous Polynesian people of Aotearoa New Zealand. This article summarizes origins, language and social organisation, cultural practices, legal recognition, and co…

Māori people: Indigenous people of New Zealand Māori people Overview of the Māori: origins, social structure, language, arts, modern history and contemporary rights within New Zealand society.

Mapudungun — the Mapuche language Mapudungun Mapudungun is the indigenous language of the Mapuche people of Chile and Argentina. This article explains its classification, structure, history, cultural influence, and current st…

Maroon (people): communities of escaped enslaved Africans in the Americas Maroon (people) Maroon communities are settlements founded by people who escaped enslavement in the Americas. They developed autonomous societies, blended African and Indigenous cultures, and play…

Matricide: causes, contexts, and social responses Matricide Matricide is the act of killing one's mother. This article explains definitions, common motives, risk factors, legal and cultural context, and gaps in research and prevention.

Matrilineality: descent through the female line and its social roles Matrilineality Matrilineality is a system of descent and kinship tracing ancestry and group membership through the mother’s line, shaping inheritance, residence, identity and social organization…

Maya people Indigenous peoples of southern Mexico and northern Central America, heirs of the ancient Maya civilization, speaking diverse Mayan languages and maintaining living cultural traditi…

Mediterranean race A historical anthropological classification from the late 19th–mid 20th century describing a proposed subrace concentrated around the Mediterranean; now regarded as obsolete and un…

Mekan (Maken) — Jat-origin clan of central Punjab Mekan clan The Mekan (Maken) are a Jat-origin clan primarily based in Sargodha District, Punjab (Pakistan). Traditionally agricultural, they are active in local politics, equestrian sports, f…

Ménage à trois A ménage à trois describes a three-person romantic or sexual relationship and household arrangement — often called a throuple or triad — its forms, history, social dynamics, and le…

Menarche Menarche is a girl’s first menstrual period and a key milestone in puberty, shaped by genetics, health, nutrition, and environment.

Meskwaki (Fox): people of the Red Earth and the Great Lakes region Meskwaki Meskwaki (also spelled Mesquaki or Fox) are an Algonquian-speaking Native American people historically of the Great Lakes; known as the ‘Red-Earths,’ they maintain cultural and pol…

Mesolithic — the Middle Stone Age transition between Paleolithic and Neolithic Mesolithic Mesolithic: the postglacial, hunter‑gatherer phase between Paleolithic and Neolithic, marked by microlithic tools, changing environments, regional variation and steps toward sedent…

Mestizo Mestizo: a term for people of mixed European and Indigenous American ancestry originating in the Spanish colonial era; a major demographic and cultural identity across Latin Americ…

Métis people: history, culture and contemporary identity Métis people Overview of the Métis people — an Indigenous group of mixed Indigenous and European ancestry in Canada and parts of the United States, with distinct history, language (Michif), cul…

Mexican Americans: history, culture, distribution, and identity Mexican Americans An overview of Mexican Americans: origins, demographic distribution in the U.S., cultural traits, historical development, identity distinctions, language, and contemporary issues.

Mexican Canadians People in Canada of Mexican ancestry or birth, forming vibrant communities that contribute culturally, economically and socially across Canadian cities and regions.

Mi'kmaq people Mi'kmaq Indigenous people of northeastern North America, the Mi'kmaq (Míkmaq) have a distinct language, territory (Miꞌkmaꞌki), history of treaty relations, and continuing cultural presence…

Miani (Pashtun tribe) The Miani are a Pashtun tribal group concentrated in the Gomal plains of Tank District, Pakistan, with smaller communities in Dera Ismail Khan region and adjacent areas of Afghanis…

Middle age: definitions, features, and social significance Middle age Middle age describes the adult life stage between youth and old age, typically spanning roughly from about 40 to 65. This article explains its definitions, physical and social chan…

Middle Angles An Anglo-Saxon people who settled in the English Midlands, the Middle Angles retained a distinct identity inside Mercia and had their own rulers and a bishopric based at Leicester.

Migrant worker A migrant worker is a person who moves away from their usual residence to work. This article explains types, causes, legal protections, economic roles, vulnerabilities and distinct…

Misanthropy: distrust or dislike of humanity — meanings and context Misanthropy An overview of misanthropy: definitions, psychological and cultural forms, historical references, typical causes and social effects, and distinctions from related concepts.

Miscegenation: history, meaning, and modern perspectives Miscegenation Miscegenation historically denotes mixing of racial groups by marriage, relationships or procreation. The term is now considered outdated and offensive; modern discussion uses term…

Mitochondrial Eve The matrilineal most recent common ancestor of all living humans, defined by mitochondrial DNA; a genetic and paleoanthropological concept used to trace maternal lineages and human…

Mixe–Zoque languages Mixe-Zoque languages A family of indigenous languages of southern Mexico, spoken by roughly 300–400k people across several related languages and dialects; notable for internal diversity and cultural si…

Mixed race (multiracial identity) Mixed race An overview of mixed-race identity: definitions, common terms, historical context, social experiences, distinctions from ethnicity, and contemporary cultural and legal issues.

Mizrahi Jews (Jews of the Middle East and North Africa) Mizrahi Jews Jews originating in the Middle East, North Africa and parts of Central Asia, with shared and diverse traditions shaped by local languages, liturgies, migrations and modern identity…

Modesty (social behavior and cultural norms) Modesty Modesty is the practice of avoiding attention to oneself—through dress, speech, or conduct—shaped by social, religious, and historical norms and debated for its role in identity an…

Moghol people: history, language, and contemporary situation Moghol people The Moghols are a small Mongolic-derived community in Afghanistan's Herat region. Descended from Mongol-era soldiers, they speak the endangered Moghol language and have largely ass…

Mohican (Mahican): Indigenous people of the Hudson River Valley Mohican Overview of the Mahican (Mohican) people: language, traditional territory on the Hudson River, 17th–19th century migrations, the Stockbridge-Munsee community in Wisconsin, and cult…

Mongolic languages Concise overview of the Mongolic language family: distribution, classification debates, linguistic features, writing systems, history, and contemporary diversity and preservation e…

Mongoloid (historical racial classification) Mongoloid (race) Historical anthropological label once used for peoples of East and Southeast Asia, the Arctic, the Americas and the Pacific; now rejected by modern science and considered outdated…