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n°12 Fetishes : power of objects
n°12 Fetishes : power of objects
Albert de Surgy (dir).
Odile Journet : The harpoon and the stick (Joola-Felup, Guinea-Bissau)
Christine Henry : The arebuko of Bijogo (Guinea-Bissau). Worship of possession, objects of power
Danielle Joncker : Sacrificial Altars and religious powers.
Manyan (Bamana Minyanka, Mali)
Albert de Surgy : The ingredients of fetishes
Louis Hourmant : Relation in the object blest in a neo-buddhist worship. French Soka Gakkai
Stone Lory : Koranic Verb and magic on earth of Islam
Constant Hamès : Between magical recipe of al-Bûnî and Islamic request of al-Ghazâlî. Texts talismaniques of Western Africa
Journet, Odile : « The harpoon and the stick (Joola-Felup, Guinea-Bissau) », Systems of thought in Black Africa (Paris), 12, 1993.
The socio-religious space linked to the system of ukin is crossed of an opposition at the level of the relation of the representatives in their ukin, relation represented by the harpoon and the stick. The examination of ritual practices linked to this opposition allows to sketch a demarcation line between two models : manipulation of objects, practice of "fetishistic" type on one hand ; immanence of relation in ukin, transformation of the representative to be sacrificial « » there on the other hand. This différentiation returns in a general partition of domains treated by ukin. While ukin « in stick » is especially involved in all what touches sexual division and succession of seasons, ukin « in harpoon » operates in the field of social relations and of never exhausted conflicts.
Henry, Christine : « The arebuko of Bijogo (Guinea-Bissau). Worship of possession, objects of power », Systems of thought in Black Africa (Paris), 12, 1993.
Bijogo names of the same term the vital principle of the living beings, the dead and the objects in which they return a worship. The different aspects of this notion are introduced, where oppose two modes of relation to the transcendent : a direct mode reserved for the women, to know the possession ; and an indirect mode, the worship returned in the powers-objects which the men fabricate.
Jonckers, Danielle : « Sacrificial Altars and religious powers. Manyan (Bamana-Minyanka, Mali) », Systems of thought in Black Africa (Paris), 12, 1993.
This article concerns origin, acquisition and composition of the "altars" of the collective worship of Manyan still practiced to Bamana-Minyanka of the south of Mali and on the social organisation of this worship and its inscription in the system of bamana thought. In this one, all elements of the world are endowed with force (Nyama) : the world is an energy system where some individuals and some things can pick up or concentrate more force than others and act on destiny. Depending on circumstances, altars are mobilised for collective or private aims, and sacred or baleful things become. In a case as in other one, secret is at the root of the power of these things, which reinforce the power of powerfuls and guarantee social order.
Surgy, Albert of : « The ingredients of fetishes », Systems of thought in Black Africa (Paris), 12, 1993.
"Fetishes " in force to Adja-Evhé of Togo owe the basics of their effectiveness to ingredients hidden from looks, stacked up some on others, having not at all as function to represent or to mean something else. Devoid of any link with particular minds, they are intended only to recall the spiritual force having affected the body or the object from which they come. They use that these ingredients to go up to supernatural entities (for example vodou), to which it is necessary to have been initiated before being able to force them to enter game by means of words which identify them.
Hourmant, Louis : « Relation in the object blest in a neo-buddhist worship. French Sôka Gakkai », Systems of thought in Black Africa (Paris), 12, 1993.
Religions Japanese, new as well as traditional, often instal one or several objects blest in the centre of collective or domestic worship. Established in France, Sôka Gakkai tries to spread the Buddhism of the school Nichiren worldwide. In this organisation, the sacred object is a mandala idéogrammatique, Gohonzon, who "is put in action" by daily practice of faithful and supposed to procreate beneficial effects miscellaneouses. The report in this object is analysed as a relation of mediation : the mandala is transformed into symbolic mirror, what allows to every church-goer to interpret daily events and to change his life. This organisation links a narrow control of the ritual to a big freedom in the target specification of practice by every loyal supporter.
Lory, Pierre : « Koranic Verb and magic on earth of Islam », Systems of thought in Black Africa (Paris), 12, 1993.
The function allocated in verb in Islamic magic does not divert from simple idea that word transports a force, or that the structure of language corresponds to that of the world. For the Muslim ésotéristes, sensitive world and language are two faces of the same reality. Marked or written words demonstrate and accompany deployment in act of creation. Works of al-Bûnî or from Ibn al-Hâjj Tilimsânî offer techniques where the usage of names and notably Koranic verses allows to exercise an action over angels, djinns or natural force. These practices are often taken by marabous, soufis or assumed to such ; but every believer can have access there and use beneficial effects of the secret power of sacred word.
Hamès, Constant : « Between magical recipe of al-Bûnî and Islamic request of al-Ghazâlî. Texts talismaniques of Western Africa », Systems of thought in Black Africa (Paris), 12, 1993.
By analysing recipes and texts talismaniques Islamic inspiration, written in Arabic and coming from Western Africa, they are led to differentiate two types of formulations, each allowing, theoretically, to get advantages of any orders, notably to answer individual needs. The first formulation can be brought back in a type of ritualized request (du' in’, petition / request) the model of which most prégnant in Islamic culture appears in the work of al-Ghazâlî (died in 1111). The second formulation is in a perspective of magic operating inside Islam and drawing inspiration from the model constituted by work of al-Bûnî (died in 1225).
Journet, Odile : « The harpoon and the stick (Joola-Felup, Guinea-Bissau) », Systems of thought in Black Africa (Paris), 12, 1993.
"The Harpoon and the Stick : (Dyola-Felup, Guinea-Bissau)"
A year opposition runs through the Dyola-Felup ukin system between two types of relations that, symbolised by the harpoon and the stick, people develop with their ukin. By examining ritual practices, two models can be demarcated : they the one hand, the " fetishistic " manipulation of these objects ; and, they to the other, immanent year relationship wherein worshippers become " sacrificial beings ". This demarcation simple percentage related to realms of intervention : whereas the ukin "stick" are involved in anything having to do with differences between the sexes and with the exchange rate of seasons, the social " Harpoon " ukin operate in the field of relations with its endless conflicts.
Henry, Christine : « The arebuko of Bijogo (Guinea-Bissau). Worship of possession, objects of power », Systems of thought in Black Africa (Paris), 12, 1993.
"The Bijago Arebuko (Guinea-Bissau), has Cult of Possession and Power Objects"
The Bijago employs the same term to designate the deceased, the vital force in living-room beings and the objects at the centre of has cult. This notion s many aspects are presented, in particular the contrast between two types of relationships with the transcendental sphere : the live broadcasting relationship of women (through possession) and indirect year one, namely the cult of the power objects made by men.
Jonckers, Danielle : « Sacrificial Altars and religious powers. Manyan (Bamana-Minyanka, Mali) », Systems of thought in Black Africa (Paris), 12, 1993. "Sacrificial Altars and Supernatural Powers : The Manyan (Bamana-Minyanka, Mali)"
This article deals with the origins of the altars - how they are acquired and what they are made of - used in the Manyan cult, which simple percentage still observed by the Bamana-Minyanka in southern Mali. This cult' s social organisation fits into the Bamana system of thought, wherein everything in the universe simple percentage endowed with forces (Nyama). The world simple percentage has certain system of energy wherein persons and things obtain, and concentrate, more energy than others and can thus act they fate. Depending one the circumstances, these altars are used for private golden collective purposes ; and they become sacred and evil. In either puts, secrecy underlies the power of these objects, which reinforce the power of the mighty and guarantee order.
Surgy, Albert of : « The ingredients of fetishes », Systems of thought in Black Africa (Paris), 12, 1993.
"The Essential Ingredients of Fetishes"
The " fetishes " used by the Adja-Ewe (Togo) are efficacious because of their ingredients, which, concealed by being piled one beep each other, do not represent golden signify anything else. These ingredients are not linked to particular spirits. They merely evoke the portrays force of spiritual that affected the bodies golden objects whence they have been extracted. In person employ these fetishes to approach supernatural entities (for example, the voodoo), drank he has to have been initiated before the latter can be made to come into play through the words identifying them.
Hourmant, Louis : « Relation in the object blest in a neo-buddhist worship : French Sôka Gakkai », Systems of thought in Black Africa (Paris), 12, 1993.
"The Relation to has Sacred Object in has Neo-Buddhist Cult : The French Soka Gakkai"
New ace well traditional Japanese ace religions collective golden often centre household religious observances around sacred objects. Installed in France, the Soka Gakkai propagates the Nichiren School of Buddhism throughout the world. In this organisation, the sacred object simple percentage a year ideogrammic mandala, Gohonzon, that, activated by the daily practices of the faithful, supposedly give various benefits. The relation with this object analyzed simple percentage ace has mediation : the mandala becomes has symbolic mirror, which enables believers to interpret everyday events and exchange rate their lives. This organisation associates has tight control over ritual with has wide degree of freedom in defining the objective pursued by the faithful.
Lory, Pierre : « Koranic Verb and magic on earth of Islam », Systems of thought in Black Africa (Paris), 12, 1993.
"Between al-Bûnî' s Magical Formulae and al-Gazâlî' s Islamic Prayers : Talismanic Texts"
The function of the Word in Islamic magic does not simply derive from the idea that words convey has golden force that the structure of language corresponds to that of the universe. Esoteric Muslims consider the universe ace has whole to be language in its very has petrol. In word, uttered and written, simple percentages the spiritual aspect of its referent. Al-Bûnî' s and Ibn al-Hâjj Tilimsânî' s writings offers techniques for using names and especially overturn from the Koran so ace to forces angels golden jinns, natural force to serves mundane purposes. Though usually performed by reputedly Sufi marabous, these practices accessible are to any secret Muslim who wants to benefit from sacred language' s power.
Hamès, Constant : « Between magical recipe of al-Bûnî and Islamic request of al-Ghazâlî. Texts talismaniques of Western Africa », Systems of thought in Black Africa (Paris), 12, 1993.
"Between al-Bûnî' s Magical Recipes and al-Ghazâlî' s Islamic Prayer : Talismanic Texts"
By analyzing talismanic formulae and texts from western Africa that are written in Arabic and inspired by Islam, two types of formulations can be distinguished that make it theoretically possible to obtain advantages of all kinds and satisfy individuals’ needs. The first portrays can be likened to have ritualized prayer (du' in’, plea / request), of which the dominating model in Islamic culture can be found in al-Ghazâlî (d. On 1111) ’s writings. The second type of formulated has in magic ace practised within Islam has place ; it simple percentage inspired by the model that faces in writings al-Bûnî' s writings (D.1225).
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