Browse Titles - 2 results
The Taste of Blood: Spirit Possession in Brazilian Candomblé
written by Jim Wafer, in Contemporary Ethnography (Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1991, originally published 1991), 237 page(s)
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written by Jim Wafer, in Contemporary Ethnography (Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1991, originally published 1991), 237 page(s)
Field of Study
Anthropology
Content Type
Ethnography
Contributor
Jim Wafer
Author / Creator
Jim Wafer
Date Published / Released
1991
Publisher
University of Pennsylvania Press
Series
Contemporary Ethnography
Topic / Theme
Brazilian, Brazilian people, Spirituality, Religion, Spiritual possession, Candomblé, Ethnography, Jews
Copyright Message
Copyright © 1991 by University of Pennsylvania Press
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Duminea: A Festival for the Water Spirits
directed by Robin Horton, fl. 1966 and Frank Speed, 1918-2006; produced by Frank Speed, 1918-2006 and Robin Horton, fl. 1966 (London, England: Royal Anthropological Institute, 1966), 18 mins
The communal rituals of most villages of the Eastern Niger Delta focus on two great classes of spirits - the heroes and the water people. The heroes once lived with the men, founded their institutions and brought them their characteristic means of gaining a livelihood. Today, as spirits, they continue to maintain...
Sample
directed by Robin Horton, fl. 1966 and Frank Speed, 1918-2006; produced by Frank Speed, 1918-2006 and Robin Horton, fl. 1966 (London, England: Royal Anthropological Institute, 1966), 18 mins
Description
The communal rituals of most villages of the Eastern Niger Delta focus on two great classes of spirits - the heroes and the water people. The heroes once lived with the men, founded their institutions and brought them their characteristic means of gaining a livelihood. Today, as spirits, they continue to maintain the established institutions and the skills with which people wrest a living from their environment. The water people, by contrast, hav...
The communal rituals of most villages of the Eastern Niger Delta focus on two great classes of spirits - the heroes and the water people. The heroes once lived with the men, founded their institutions and brought them their characteristic means of gaining a livelihood. Today, as spirits, they continue to maintain the established institutions and the skills with which people wrest a living from their environment. The water people, by contrast, have never lived with men: they are the creators and owners of the rivers and creeks, controlling the state of the waters and the abundance of fish. The little village of Soku, hidden in the heart of the eastern Delta, has a group of heroes headed by Fenibaso, and its creeks and rivers are controlled by the water-spirit Duminea. This film shows some highlights of the annual ritual for Duminea. As in most Kalabari festivals, spirit possession features prominently in the proceedings. The possession behaviour is controlled by public expectations, which lay down the stage of the proceedings at which each spirit will climb on his priest, as well as the patter of behaviour the latter will display once possessed. This type of possession, indeed, seems best considered, not as a primitive abnormality but as a public chore for which the community commandeers the bodies of perfectly normal citizens.
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Field of Study
Anthropology
Content Type
Documentary
Contributor
Robin Horton, fl. 1966, Frank Speed, 1918-2006
Author / Creator
Robin Horton, fl. 1966, Frank Speed, 1918-2006
Date Published / Released
1966
Publisher
Royal Anthropological Institute
Topic / Theme
Nigerian, Spiritual possession, Guardian spirits, Community events, Rivers, Religious festivals, Religious rites and ceremonies, Ethnography, Nigerians (Nigeria)
Copyright Message
Copyright 1966. Used by permission of Royal Anthropological Institute. All rights reserved.
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