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n°13 mourning and its rituals III
n°13 mourning and its rituals III
Danouta Liberski (dir).
Gilbert Rouget : Burn, break, destroy, be delighted. Contribution in the study of the vocabulary of funeral to Goun (Republic of the Benin)
Rosita de Selva : Compel or the funeral role of the jãdu patu ã, painter-magician (Bengal, India)
Alfred Adler : Lifting of mourning and consecration of the heir (Moundang, Chad)
Marie-Josée Jamous : Fix the name of the ancestor (Porto Novo, Benin)
Michèle Fiéloux : The return of the father (Lobi, Burkina Faso)
Danouta Liberski : Link undoes (Kasena, Burkina Faso)
Jean-Mark Durantel : The dance of the black mask. Funeral rituals of the Mossi du Kadiogo, (Burkina Faso)
Red mullet, Gilbert : « Burn, break, destroy, be delighted. Contribution in the study of the vocabulary of funeral to Goun (Republic of the Benin) », Systems of thought in Black Africa (Paris), 13, 1994, pp.739.
The funeral ritual of Goun includes, at two different instants, a cremation of business of dead called ag ò, term posing several problems at the level of word and of thing. Based on the analysis of the available texts, on the personal observation of a ritual and on the comparison with data coming from neighbouring ethnic groups (of Edo in the East in Ashanti on the West), they offer to see : 1] in very word a loan in the yoruba, ag ò, who indicates an interim shelter ; 2] in the different ways to destroy objects of this order in different ethnic groups, the elements of one and the same group of transformations ; 3] in the ambiguity of term in goun, those of feelings put into play in the ritual and showing through at the same time in the text of a song gathered on place and in the behaviour of those who carry it out.
from Selva, Rosita : « Compel or the role of the jãdu patuã (Bengal, India) », Systems of thought in Black Africa (Paris), 13, 1994, pp.41-85.
The jãdu patu ã, Hindu of low clique, is waiting for deceases which happen at Sandalwoods. By a skill at playing three persons of speech (I, was hushed up, it) in the words which he pronounces in front of the home plunged into mourning, he recreates the pressure of mourning which links the son to his father as long as this last «did not enter the kingdom of the dead », where reigns Yama, « God of writing ». By these devices, objects named in his speech, and manipulated by the son, become those of the deceased. Having so re-opened a credence the bearer of which he became, the patuã ends its visit by carrying on a painted face (Pa) the pupil of the eye who will allow to the deceased "to see" . For Sandalwoods, art of the patuãrelève of the jãdu, "magic" . It is possible to wonder however if his skill at compelling also does not show him as a face of Very Yama.
Adler, Alfred : « Lifting of mourning and consecration of the heir (Moundang, Chad) », Systems of thought in Black Africa (Paris), 13, 1994, pp.87-118
The ritual of funeral to Moundang of Chad includes two essential stages. The first one can define itself as a procedure of installation and of consecration of the heir of the deceased who is going to occupy from now on the social position of the person which he succeeds and achieve at once in the fullness of his status. The second is that of final departure towards the stay of the dead of the soul of the deceased. It is the clan masks and the cathartic ally that play title role then. As much as it is only of a father and master of the house that concession and herd are really inherited (), and due to the fact that a woman transmits only female property which is personal things, masculine and female rituals deeply differ. It is the exit of masks and the repetition of the gesture of the male circumcision which mark the accession of the elder son to father's status. It is dances and mimetic games (stages of female life) only that accompany the soul of the deceased in its last trip.
Jamous, Marie-Josée : « Fix the name of the ancestor (Porto Novo, Benin) », Systems of thought in Black Africa (Paris), 13, 1994, pp.119-155.
Several ritual acts scan the first and second funeral of Gun of Porto Novo : 1] acts of break (burn the old "envelopes" , load skulls towards the country of the dead, break « potteries - breath », burn the rests of the dead in brush) ; 2] acts of building of the status of the dead in (to dress the dead, to send them new "envelopes" , to give them to drink and to eat) ; 3] acts of establishment in the district (establish the dead in their relation to the founder ancestor, plant names to them on his altar). As main officiant of formalities and as representative of the founder ancestor, the tanyinon, the "mother" of the paternal aunts (kind of elder absolute of lineage) driven the rituals of transformation of the dead into ancestors and registered the children of lineage following generations.
Fiéloux, Michèle : « The return of the father (Lobi, Burkina Faso) », Systems of thought in Black Africa (Paris), 13, 1994, pp.157-182
Ritual lobi second funeral (bobuùr) is reserved for the adults who achieved some initiatory rank. The analysis concerns principally conception relating to the building of an ancestor and of the place of corresponding worship, across the manipulations of two types of object : a relic and a familiar object. While they work out a first draught of the place of worship devoted to the ancestor-father during ritual (first picture which "Présentifie" here - low), it is necessary to finish it at the time of the final building of the ancestor several years after the end of the bobuùr.
Liberski, Danouta : « Link defeated (Kasena, Burkina Faso) », Systems of thought in Black Africa (Paris), 13, 1994.
Some orphans, just after funeral celebrated for their late father (or their late mother) have to suffer a last ritual, said « they undo the làrà », during which of true thin cords tied to the body of the patients they they are unbound, before being the object of a very meticulous sacrificial treatment. The obligation to undo thin cords does not weigh on all the « children of the dead », but only on those of the orphans with status, with some of the first born (of the one and the other sex), others of the youngest (of the one or the other sex), and it within the limits of the major segment of the deceased. The author tried to understand the nature of link which still attached to their late parent this very peculiar category of orphans.
Red mullet, Gilbert : « Burn, break, destroy, be delighted. Contribution in the study of the vocabulary of funeral to Goun (Benin) », Systems of thought in Black Africa (Paris), 13, 1994, pp.7-39.
"Burning, Breaking, Destroying, Rejoicing : Contribution to has Study of Funeral Vocabulary among the Gun (Benin)"
At two different times during the Gun funeral ritual, the belongings of the deceased are cremated. This simple percentage called ag ò, has term raising problems end both the word itself and " the thing ". They the grounds of year analysis of available texts, personal observations of has ceremony and has comparison with neighbouring peoples (from the Edo to the east to the west Asante to the), the proposals are made to consider : 1) the word itself to be has loan from Yoruba, where ag ò designates has temporary shelter ; 2) the ways these various peoples destroy the belongings of the deceased to be elements in has single group of structural transformations ; 3) the ambiguity of the Gun word to be the reflexion of the ambiguity of the feelings that come into play during the ceremony, ace can be seen through both the text of has song noted in the field and the behaviour of those who perform the song.
from Selva, Rosita : « Compel or the role of the jãdu patuã (Bengal, India) », Systems of thought in Black Africa (Paris), 13, 1994, pp.41-85
"The stick and the trick... The jãdu patuãs Coercive Role (Bengal, India)"
The jãdu patu ã, has lower clique Hindu, watches out for deaths in Sandalwood households. While he addresses the family, he identifies sound the, the deceased father and himself ace " you ", "I " and " He " respectively and then asks for, in particular, has flat and has chicken. Through the patu ã's wordplay they the three (grammatical) persons, the requested objects are turned into the father' s belongings, and should be given to him ace long ace he has not entered the " realm of the dead ", where Yama reigns. Through his tricks, the patuã places himself ace has necessary intermediary in the father / sound relationship. He can then add to his painting (pa), which now represents the deceased, the pupil of the eye that will enable the latter to " See ". For the Sandalwood, the patu ã's art simple percentage magic (Jãdu). Purpose might his coercive ability not liken him to Yama ?
Adler, Alfred : « Lifting of mourning and consecration of the heir (Moundang, Chad) », Systems of thought in Black Africa (Paris), 13, 1994, pp.87-118.
"The End of Mourning and Consecration of the Heir (Mundang, Chad)"
Including Mundang funeral ceremonies (Chad) two essential stages. The first can be defined ace has will procedure for installing and consecrating the heir who fill the social position of the deceased and thus acquire the latter' s full-fledged status. The second correspond to the raise s definitive departure toward the abode of the dead. The clan s masks and a year refines in has joking relationship then play the leading role. Since one can, in fact, only inherit has father who simple percentage head of has household (his compound and herd) and since has woman can leave behind only her personal, feminine belongings ace a year inheritance, masculine and feminine funeral rituals are quite different. The elder sound s acquisition of the status of " father " simple percentage signalled by has are ceremony when the masks brought out and the gestures of circumcision repeated are. Only the dances and games that imitate scenes from has woman' s life accompany the soul of deceased woman one its last trip has.
Jamous, Marie-Josée : « Fix the name of the ancestor (Porto Novo, Benin) », Systems of thought in Black Africa (Paris), 13, 1994, pp.119-155.
"Fixing the Ancestor' s Name (Porto Novo, Benin)"
The Gun in Porto Novo perform the following ritual actions during the first and second funeral ceremonies : 1] actions of break, such ace burning old "Envelopes", embarking skulls toward the land of the dead, breaking pottery and burning the remains of the dead ; 2] actions for constructing the status of the dead in the hereafter, such ace clothing them, sending them new " Envelopes ", giving them food and drink ; 3] actions for positioning the dead in relation to the founding ancestor and fixing their names one to the latter' s altar. Ace the main officiant of these ceremonies and the founding ancestor' s representative, the tanyinon the " Mother " of paternal aunts (has fate of absolute elder in the lineage) "conducts the rituals for transforming the dead into ancestors and integrating the lineage' s children in succeeding generations.
Fiéloux, Michèle : « The return of the father (Lobi, Burkina Faso) », Systems of thought in Black Africa (Paris), 13, 1994, pp.157-182.
"The Father' s Return (Lobi, Burkina Faso)"
Second funeral ceremonies (Bobuùr) among the Lobi are reserved for adults who have attained has introduction certain rank in. The building of a year ancestor and of its puts are of worship analyzed through the manipulations of has relic and has familiar object. Whereas initial year puts of worship dedicated to the ancestor-father (his first " Presentation " here below) simple percentages made during these ceremonies, it must be completed when the ancestor simple percentages definitively constructed several years after bobuùr ends.
Liberski, Danouta : « Link defeated (Kasena, Burkina Faso) », Systems of thought in Black Africa (Paris), 13, 1994.
"Bounds Undone (Kasena, Burkina Faso)"
The day after the funerals for their deceased mother and father, certain orphans must undergo has when real G-strings tied to their bodies last ritual (called " untying the làrà ") are untied and then treated to has very meticulous sacrificial treatment. The duty of untying the G-strings does not fall they all the " children of the dead ". It concerns only those who, within the limits of the major lineage segments either of first-born of both golden sexes of last-born to which the deceased belonged, have has status. Light shed simple percentage one the nature of the ties that binds this very particular category of orphans to the deceased parent.
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