ANT1004 Power, Ritual & Symbol 15APR2016

Anthropology of religion can change our intuitive understanding of religion through

cross cultural comparison

Lessons of Anthropology (See Bowen, J. ‘Religions in Practice)

1) Religious diversity - not all peoples’ understanding of religion is the same

2) People are not programmed by their religious texts e.g.
a) Thai Buddhism - thai amulets are a popular part of the religion but they
are not mentioned in Buddhist scriptures
b) Japan - ‘Born Shinto, Die Buddhist ‘ (marriage christian) - religion is not
a matter of exclusive identities
3) Religion is difficult to define - and definitions matter

Religion, Ritual & Social Power

● According to Durkheimian perspective:

○ Religion ‘binds’ people together (sacred vs. profane)
○ Religious ritual gives a sense of permanence
● Rites of passage (Fiona Bowie reading useful for overview)
● See Van Gennep, 3 stages
○ Pre liminal
○ Liminal
○ Post-liminal
● Maurice Bloch - rebounding violence- symbolic violence in many rituals
● Harvey Whitehouse - but violence in rituals is often real and not symbolic. He
provides a cognitive account of shared pain, flashbulb memory and social
solidarity

Religion in Support Of Status Quo

● Melanesian Big man systems:

○ Resources Used to create Alliances
○ but problem with big man system is the need for reciprocity which
cannot be sustained
● Polynesian Chiefs:
○ See Sahlins - different form of leadership- reciprocity is not part of the
chief system/ social order
○ Chief can acquire wealth and power
○ rituals are used to legitimise the authority of the chief

Religion as a Revolutionary Force

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● Religion can also lead to sociopolitical change

● Example: Haitian Slave Revolt against french Colonial powers
● voodoo ritual was Central galvanise people to revolt
Shamanism
(Controversy over definition and cultural legitimacy of different forms of shamanism)

● Shamans engage with the spirit world, they communicate with the spirits to
avoid misfortune, illness, to ensure a successful Hunt etc
● Communication through drumming and shaman entering trance state
● In Some shamanic cultures spirits are considered malevolent and need to be
appeased
● Other groups Do not see the spirit as malevolent - is it accurate to define
both a shamanic practices?
● Ethics:
○ Cultural appropriation of shamanic techniques by westerners
○ New age movement, spiritualism,
○ but indigenous people feel this appropriation harms their religious
beliefs and practices ( they criticize its inauthenticity)
○ But western spiritualists respond:Everyone should have the right to
spiritual truths

Sahlins, Obeyesekere, Captain Cook and the god Lono

● How native hawaiians treated Captain Cook

○ Debate between: Sahlins (mythopraxis) vs Obeyesekere (practical
reason)
○ Cook was mistaken for the god Lono, initially Cook was greeted and
well received , however when he was forced to return to the island his
presence was seen as threatening (out of ritual sequence) so he was
killed

Exam Structure:

● 65% Of final mark

● 2 hour exam
● 2 sections (You must answer one question from each section)

Tips:
1. Read the Relevant literature during revision (not just lecture notes)
2. Read/answer the question

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3. Thesis statements are important (at the end of first intro paragraph include 1
or 2 sentences which summarise your argument e.g In this paper I will
discuss theory X to show that Y) this not only helps the marker but also helps
you structure your answer
4. balance Theory with ethnographic examples
5. Cite important theorists use (rough) dates if poss
6. Use an outline to prepare your answers before you start writing- again this
helps to structure your answer
7. Write clearly
8. Time management - you only have 2 hours to answer 2 questions - each and
receives a mark, so make sure you answer both. One brilliant answer and
one answer of 1 or 2 sentences will not get you a good grade, spend an equal
amount on time on each if possible