Animism Flashcards
Animism
all of life is animated - there is life all around (can talk to animals)
pre-literate - oral traditions
tribal
Totemism
can take elements of animals and can emulate (link it) to your identity
Linking humans and animals together in tribalism
ufamism
those animals are sacred (don’t harm, do not use the name in vain, respects animal, blessed by animal)
Totem poles
links whole tribe
status, commemorate (wedding - two animals merging, war)
not object of worship
linked at a character, personal level
Vision questing and “power animals”
looking to find a connection to a life form
vision questing: seek out personal totem - off by yourself on a quest to find a vision - animal can be real or mystical
Power animals - personal animal that has personal relevance
no other person knows
Characteristics of animism
Holistic (holism, all of life is integrated)
Spiritual (“evil spirits” in the world and we need to protect ourselves)
Mythical (explanation of the world. no direct historical founder. mythical beginning)
Rhythmical (“rites of passage” - pattern and flow of life, go through stage of life, go through threshold, and can not return) - naming ceremonies
The unseen world
Mana
supreme being and lesser beings
Other spirits
Mana
contend to
impersonal force of power, goal is to collect it and use it for our benefit
do not worship
Cannibalism in warfare
because the person you defeated has power that they want to adopt (taking what they have) - mana
create effigies of the people of their tribe that got cannibalized by another tribe
Hierarchy
Legendary Greats
Dead Dead (bad spirits)
Living dead (people who come back because they want to live again) - good spirits
Living
Unborn
Supreme being and lesser beings
Supreme being - creator, creating force (nature), be afraid
manipulate mana to get what you want, only sometimes do you talk to the supreme being (to create a bargain)
do not pester the supreme being too much or he will squish you
Other Spirits
- offended ancestors become ghosts/evil spirits (DEAD DEAD)
- characterized by unpredictable ambivalence, constant threat, punishing breachers of tradition and tabus as well as any failure to render appropriate honor to ancestors or other spirit beings - Honored ancestors become good spirits (help and protect)
- appear in visions and dreams
- buried in graves
The seen world
Tabu (should not eat, see, touch, say)
Sacred places and objects
sacred words and actions (mantra - used in repetition, what you say matters, homology - study of sound)
Magic vs Religion
Magic
- controlling (controls supernatural)
- coercive (forces things to happen - through ritual which are spoken/spells)
- seeks to dominate the supernatural
- human initiated and human centered
Religion
- gains favor
- supplicative (do not force/begging)
- seeks to influence the supernatural
- Deity-centered
Three kinds of magic
- Fetishistic Magic - empowering the “thing” for spiritual needs
- Shamanistic Magic- shaman (them themself that is empowered by a spirit knowingly) the person can no longer make decisions for themselves
- Popular/Folk Magic - common ways to fix/deal with problems (potions/blessings)
Shaman vs Priest
Shaman= practitioner of magic
Priest= practitioner of religion. stands as administrator of religion
Ecstatic (shaman must go through transstate with the spirit, not normal state) vs non-ecstatic (does duty by studying, doing roles, functions, normal person)
God to human vs Human to God
Self validated vs Office-validated
No Ecclesia vs Ecclesia
(ecclesia - a religious society that gives authority to the person that protects their work)
Shaman = based on if personal works work or not and then lose authority
Part time vs Full time
Shaman = as needed bases, can manage family at same time
Priest = must sacrifice having family, full time
Female vs Male (also works with above)
Serves individuals vs Serves group
2 kinds of shaman
- witchdoctor (doctors those who have been bewitched - conflict with a person or with god)
- wants to do good, spiritual and natural realm, everyone knows who this person is - Sorcerer (go to when you want bad towards someone, curse someone)
- you do not know who the sorcerer is in the community, works against tribal society
Sin and the afterlife
“sin” not used - sin doesn’t impact or how you live now that determines after life, but it is prodigy (social sin and being remembered by others)
anger and greed is biggest “sins” in animism (breaks relationship - important to tribal society)
afterlife is about you impact on others and if you are going to be “reborn” as a good or bad thing
Dialogue with animists
High view of nature
Interdependence with all creation, especially animals
Reality and supreme importance of spiritual world
Miracles are normative
Exploratory questions
- what is the creator or supreme god like?
- what was it like when god was close to humanity, why is God distant now?
- how does one please or offend gods, spirits or ancestors? What are the consequences?
Sacred meals: mana of god?
Spiritual significance of community
Vicarious sacrifice
Possibility of encountering the great creator god
family, children, treatment of non-conformists, healthy and healing, legendary greats, rituals, spirit possessions
