AN237 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Fairy Tale, Rationality, Syncretism
Document Summary
Women and the accused the accused: chickens. Don"t get too ahead: it"s a leveling mechanism it brings people back down. Because poison kills: they have to fit the system it"s the ultimate authority. How do witchcraft accusations and consultation of oracles help the azande cope w/ uncertainty. Keeping to traditional practices helps: also leveling mechanism, the men are in control (women do not have access to any of the oracles). Even though christianity is accepted, this is not a reason to reject the old (witchcraft practices). You can consult oracles and believe in witches and still be christian . It"s just as rational as any other religion. There is also a lot of manipulation going on. Ghanaian witches: talks about the banished accused witches: even though she gets cured, she is still a member of a community of outcasts. Witch censer: he is part prosecutor, part priest.
