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Introduction to Anthropology

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Introduction to Anthropology Introduction to Anthropology ANTH 101 ProfESSOR Kurt Reymers O. Religion, Magic and Witchcraft 1. Religion and Magic a. Religion, magic and/or witchcraft are cultural universals • All cultures have ideas about the supernatural. • All cultures have patterned rituals to help people get through life. O. Religion, Magic and Witchcraft b. Belief Systems can be typified as: Rational = Instrumental and Materialistic Supernatural = Faith-Based and Idealistic Most belief systems are a combination of the two. i. Science is instrumental and based on a rational understanding of nature. ii. Magic is also instrumental, but based on supernatural powers invoked through words or acts (coercive spells and rituals). iii. Religious experience is based purely on faith in a supernatural being or beings. ‹#› O. Religion, Magic and Witchcraft c. World Religions: In order of number of followers, they are: Christianity: 2.1 billion Islam: 1.3 billion Secular/Nonreligious/ Agnostic/Atheist: 1.1 billion Hinduism: 900 million Confucianism: 394 million Buddhism: 376 million Others… O. Religion, Magic and Witchcraft d. Anxiety Theory of Religion (Clifford Geertz) Religion is a result of the necessity of human beings to moderate the unpredictability of harsh and unforgiving social and environmental conditions. Example: Deities of fire Example: Mountains of God - Oldoinyo Lengai (Masai, Tanzania) O. Religion, Magic and Witchcraft 2. Sacred Beings and Divine Power a. Animatism: supernatural powers do not inhabit animals, plants or objects, but are beyond nature. Common in complex societies. ex: belief in heaven or hell. vs. Animism (nature religion) attributes to all of nature, animate and inanimate vital spiritual powers (animals, plants, rocks or clouds). Common in tribal cultures. ex: A pool in the forest inhabited by spirits b. There is typically a clear hierarchy of sacred beings: i. God(s): they typically possess human-like characteristics Monotheism vs. Polytheism ‹#› O. Religion, Magic and Witchcraft 2. Sacred Power & Divine Beings ii. Spirits: they are “closer” to humans in terms of their power to directly effect our lives; Ancestral spirits, ghosts are very common (almost culturally universal); can be good or evil iii. Soul Matter Vital essence, spirit power, cosmic energy; examples include: !Kung: “n/um” (can mean energy, power, medicine, or anything out of the ordinary) Dani: “edai egan” (seeds of singing); Christianity: “soul” (created by God); Hinduism and Buddhism: reincarnated soul. iv. Mana An impersonal, impermanent supernatural force. For example, Melanesian luck & misfortune, or a baseball player’s superstition. “The Force” in Star Wars! O. Religion, Magic and Witchcraft 2. Sacred Power v. Taboos The word taboo comes from Polynesia and refers to something that is forbidden. It originated in Polynesia. Tabu described a supernatural force, or mana, that was too powerful for people to control, and thus forbidden (i.e. black magic). O. Religion, Magic and Witchcraft 3. Human mediators of Sacred Power a. Shamanism – (aka „medicine man‟ or „witch doctor‟) a vague term describing the role of spiritual/physical healer found in many cultures. May use hallucinogenic substances to evoke consciousness-raising from “patient”. They follow the religious-hippocratic oath of “do no harm”. Example from South America (Peru) b. Witchcraft – Traditionally, sorcerers (using magical words), witches, and warlocks (using psychic powers to conduct magic) are traditionally known to make harm come to victims of their magic. Contemporary witches (wiccans) seek to dismiss this “myth,” or dis- affiliate themselves with it. Very popular in contemporary media. (Buffy, Charmed, etc.) ‹#› O. Religion, Magic and Witchcraft 3. Human mediators of Sacred Power c. Augury (Divining) – a technique to magically secure knowledge that cannot be gained scientifically. Examples are the frontiersmen‟s divining rods, Naskapi scapulamancy. Augury aids in randomizing choices to (1) mediate responsibility and (2) affect a random course of action where no known course is predictable. d. Mediums/Psychics – popular in many contemporary western cultures, psychics channel spirits through objects (animism) to reach the “other side.” O. Religion, Magic and Witchcraft 4. Body Art as Religious Communication Body art always expresses some cultural meaning or belief, including: - rites of passage (e.g. the Murle) - mythic expression (spiritual identification); - conformity with beauty standards; - ethnic or personal identity; - personal rebellion. Body Art can be: i. Temporary (ephemeral): haircuts, makeup, body paint. ii. Permanent: tattoos, scarification, piercing, plastic surgery. O. Religion, Magic and Witchcraft 5. Rituals: the function of ritual is to give meaning to life. a. Rites of intensification Rites of intensification provide a reason for communal gathering and enhance the social network of its members through a public display of celebration, reverence, and social status. Examples of rites of intensification are holidays or funerals, which include for example the “wake”- from Old Norse vaka "vigil, eve before a feast” and then the commensuality (or social eating) of the feast itself. ‹#› O. Religion, Magic and Witchcraft 5. Rituals b. Rites of passage i. A rite of passage helps individuals through transformational life-stages. Most common between cultures is a rite associated with the movement from youth to adulthood, e.g. commencement. The rite includes a movement from pre-rite state, to a transitional, or liminal, state (V.Turner), then to the post-ritual state of personal transformation. ‹#›.
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