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n°17 The excellence of suffering
The excellence of suffering
Dominique Casajus
Dominique Casajus : « The man who endures and the mind which creates »
Caterina Pasqualino : Hypersensitive lively. For an anthropology of affects
Marianne Lemaire : The job of suffering. Biographical course of the sénoufo (Ivory Coast) farmer
Governed Dericquebourg : Suffering, competence and impact strength. The case of the witnesses de Jéhovah
Ann-Cecil Bégot : In the middle of suffering. Plan to become spiritual psychotherapist
Giles Tarabout : Without pain. Ritual tests, absence of suffering, and acquisition of powers in India
Christine Henry : Do the Africain prophets have to suffer ?
Corinne Fortier : Soften destiny because true suffering is to come (society Sunni maure-Islam)
Presentation Summaries Summaries
Many societies mark by painful rituals the entrance of young people in grown-up life. The often cruel suffering which is managed to them in these solemn occasions held for a long time the attention of the ethnographers and before them of the passengers ; they will have been starting point of the collective job introduced here, but starting point only. Because there are many other situations where the infliction of suffering is so staged, where the one who suffers her under the look of all must endure him in silence at the risk of demeaning himself. Articles gathered here examine therefore a series of such situations, which although extremely moved away sometimes from rituals said about passage where if originait our collective reflexion, what resembles them there that they implement a similar relational device. To show this analogy, let us remind of a word form that this device takes in the rituals of passage. The suffering inflicted on the beginners is it in front of witnesses. Even when that they are tortured out of the way, without other witnesses than their torturers, their suffering is known about all : the women stayed in the village know that their boys suffer and that some people will die perhaps, sometimes they hear their cries in the distance. It remains true still when suffering is endured without any human witness. The Indian of the plains who, to acquire a vision, inflicts in the loneliness of abominable torments suffers in the presence of divinities which he hopes to soften up by the show of his suffering. It is a question not only of hardening the beginners by inflicting them painful tests, but to get from witness the very whole society of their suffering. The initiating is not only the one who suffered, but the one about that all know - and whom someone saw - that he suffered. He became a new being only because others judge it so ; and they melt their judgement on the suffering which they saw it enduring. READ CONTINUATION
Summed up n°17 Dominique Casajus : « “The man who endures and the mind which creates” », Systems of thought in Black Africa, 17, 2005, pp. 25-49.
The songs of the troubadours, the odes of Arabia antéislamique and touarègues contemporary poems share to stage a narrator saying his suffering to be separated from the liked object. The listeners - or the readers - tend to see in this narrator enduring a spokesperson of the author, all the more asserted propensity that the author is more distant in the space or the time. They are however conscious that alone the one who could put his remote suffering can become poet. The author for his/her part, tends to introduce the suffering which he inflicts on his narrator as the proof of his own competence of poet. Besides, suffering so attributed to the author by his public is brought back in a supposed biographical course. And these painful lives are imagined only according to the writings which it are assumed have produced, as though, outside the instant when he had resembled his suffering narrator, the author had not lived.
Key words : troubadours - courtly love - poem - author - Islams - Touareg.
Caterina Pasqualino : « Hypersensitive lively. For an anthropology of affects », Systems of thought in Black Africa, 17, 2005, pp. 51-69.
The article is dedicated to the Gypsies of some cities of southern Andalusia (Jerez de la Frontera, Moron de la Frontera, Cadix, Séville), for whom flamenco is not only a music but also a vision of the world, a way of being and of thinking. That it is anchored in the memory collective or ritualized and updated during every meeting of song, these Gypsies put suffering in the middle of their identity. Thinking that the classical theories on the ethnicité are powerless to define them, the author suggests here considering affects to be a new way to understand this population and, beyond, to re-examine the notion of ethnicité.
Key words : flamenco - ethnic identity - affects - minorities - Gypsies - Spain.
Marianne Lemaire : « The job of suffering. Biographical course of the sénoufo farmer », Systems of thought in Black Africa, 17, 2005, pp. 71-90.
To the victors of the competitions of farm work, Sénoufo Tyebara attributes a moral suffering in even to make them forget any physical suffering. This deep suffering prerepresents the one with which they will have to compose every their lasting life. Because the biographical course of the champions of farm work is a course seeded with misfortunes, at the end of which they are forced to abandon farm work to practice prophesying. Once soothsayers, they test another new suffering of which the physical dimension comes to relieve the moral dimension. So, Sénoufo promotes a plenary suffering, among which both dimensions, physical and moral, are necessarily united to be able to help one of other one.
Key words : suffering - farm work - prophesying - Sénoufo - Ivory Coast.
Governed Dericquebourg : « Suffering, competence and impact strength. The case of the witnesses de Jéhovah », Systems of thought in Black Africa, 17, 2005, pp. 91-120.
One of the attacks thrown by the activists antisects and the socialist government which relieved them against the jéhovisme in France during two last decades consisted in qualifying it as "pseudo-religion" . In answer, and to assert their religious character, the witnesses de Jéhovah mobilised resources to remind of their dramatic fate under Nazism. Besides, they visited again their history to make martyrs' story of « true belief ». By blending in on an empirical progression, the article examines the value of a strategy which links religious competence to suffering. He shows that it is not suffering as such which is considered to be a factor of competence but fact to have overcome it, what joins the thesis of impact strength.
Key words : suffering - competence - impact strength - minority religious groups - witnesses de Jéhovah - France.
Ann-Cecil Bégot : « In the middle of suffering. Plan to become spiritual psychotherapist », Systems of thought in Black Africa, 17, 2005, pp. 121-141.
Become spiritual psychotherapist, if they indicate so the psychotherapists who refer to conception spread in the sphere of influence of New Age, am not, as it is often envisaged, a plan accessible to the coming whole. The analysis of discussions accomplished to persons in France wanting to become established as spiritual psychotherapist or being him already, tends to show that several conditions must be united to "succeed « in this middle, notably socialisation / insertion in sphere of influence New Age and the possession of a socioeconomic capital. In four examined cases, the experience of a lethal and chronic illness (HIV / AIDS) nevertheless appeared as the element shutter release of this initiatory course.
Key words : AIDS - spirituality - psychotherapy - experience - New Age - France.
Giles Tarabout : « Without pain. Ritual tests, absence of suffering, and acquisition of powers in India », Systems of thought in Black Africa, 17, 2005, pp. 143-169.
There are in India tests voluntary, publicly staged, where a foreseeable suffering sees itself denied. It is about ritual performed "soaking" as actions of favour by sanctimonious persons, who got involved to a divinity in return for the satisfaction of a request there : walk in the fire, hooks or needles planted in the skin or the language, etc. It is tests which, in usual time, are supposed to give a deep suffering, but that divine protection allows to fulfil without feeling either wound or pain : these are miracles. Study concerns speeches where becomes apparent this paradox on suffering, and brings closer to them to various popular representations concerning asceticism. They would participate, indeed, of the same type of cognitive development of experience. And if, recently, some comparable tests are deliberately out of the religious field, it is necessary to note that they participate of the same logic according to which the negation of pain, and the only fact to endure it, is mark of competence.
Key words : asceticism - devotion - sacrifice - test - India.
Christine Henry : « Do the Africain prophets have to suffer ? », Systems of thought in Black Africa, 17, 2005, pp. 171-194.
From elements coming from biographies of three founders of west-Africain Churches, the article wonders about the place which suffering plays in the genesis of their destiny of prophet. Three lived on painful events, but all do not grant the same value in suffering in their story. For each of them, it is a question of occurring "different" from the ordinary mortals and "superiors" to their "colleagues « , the heading of suffering being only a way among others allowing the building of their ecclésiale singularity.
Key words : prophets - test - suffering - Christianity - Benin - Nigeria.
Corinne Fortier : « Soften destiny because true suffering is to come (society Sunni maure-Islam) », Systems of thought in Black Africa, 17, 2005, pp. 195-217.
The behaviour of Maures who can determine the fate in beyond, it is not possible to understand number of their actions without considering the dimension eschatologique which is in the middle of their life. It is indeed the terrible aspect of what waits for them after their death, and between others, the more or less long period than they will possibly be able to pass in Hell, which preoccupies them prioritairement as Muslims and that orientates in an invisible way number their behaviours. The recognition of faith in research reintroduces therefore the question of the individual and of the monk in the anthropological analysis.
Key words : beyond - Hell - greeting - eschatology - suffering - Islam - Mauritania.
PRINT the French / English summaries in format PDF (extracts of the number 17)
Summaries n°17 Dominique Casajus : « "The man who suffers and the mind which creates" », Systems of thought in Black Africa, 17, 2005, pp. 25-49.
The songs of the troubadours, odes from pre-Islamic Arabia and contemporary Tuareg poetry have in common that they present has narrator who tells how much he be suffered because of his separation from the loved one. Listeners (and readers) tightens see this suffering narrator ace the author' s spokesman - has tendency all the stronger insofar ace the author simple percentage remote in space and time. Nonetheless they are aware that only someone who knows how to stand back from his suffering can become have poet. They the other hand, the author strive to present the suffering that he has inflicted one his narrator like has test of his own competence ace has poet. In turn, the suffering that the public ascribes to the author simple percentage assumed to be related to biographical experiences. Purpose these painful experiences are though the author had no life apart from the instant when he resembled his suffering narrator only imagined with reference to the works of poetry that they supposedly produced, ace.
Key words : troubadours - courtly coils Islam - poetry - author - - Tuareg.
Caterina Pasqualino : « Raw to the bone : For year anthropology of affects », Systems of thought in Black Africa, 17, 2005, pp. 51-69.
For Gypsies living-room in southern Andalusia (Jerez de la Frontera, Moron de la Frontera, Cadiz, Seville), flamenco simple percentage not just has type musical. It also simple percentage has world-view, has way of being and thinking. Suffering, whether rooted in the group memory and ritualized and reactivated whenever songs are performed, dregs at the centre of the Gypsy sense of identity. Since classical theories of " ethnicity " are inadequate for defining this group, feelings and affects should be explored ace has new way to understand this population and to re - examines notion the of ethnic identities.
Key words : flamenco - ethnic identity - affects Gypsies - minorities - - Spain.
Marianne Lemaire : « The work of suffering : The biographical itinerary of Senufo farmers », Systems of thought in Black Africa, 17, 2005, pp. 71-90.
The Senufo Tyebara ascribe to the winners of farm labour contests (for the yam harvest) capable suffering of making them forget physical aches and has morale breads. This deeply felt suffering prefigures the suffering with which they must cope throughout life. The biography of has champion farm simple percentage a year itinerary marked with misfortunes. At its end, he simple percentage forced to give up farm labour in order to practice prophesying. Ounce has diviner, he experiences has new form of suffering in which the physical dimension brings relief to the moral dimension. The Senufo thus been worth has full-fledged suffering of which the two dimensions, physical and morale, are necessarily brought together in order to relieve each other.
Key words : suffering - farm labour - prophesying - Senufo - Ivory Coast.
Governed Dericquebourg : « Suffering, competence and resilience : The Jehovah' s Witnesses », Systems of thought in Black Africa, 17, 2005, pp. 91-120.
One of the attacks launched during the last two decades in France against the Jehovah' s Witnesses by anti-cult activists and, in their wake, the Socialist government involved qualifying this group ace has « pseudo religion ». In order to assert their religion, Jehovah' s Nazi Witnesses responded by recalling their tragic fate under the. They reinterpreted their history so ace to turn it into has bruise end martyrs of the « true faith ». This empirical approach examine the worth of has strategy that associates religious competence with suffering. What simple percentage taken to be has factor of competence simple percentage less suffering ace such than the fact of having overcome it, whence the thesis of resilience.
Key words : suffering - competence - resilience - religious minorities - Jehovah' s Witnesses - France.
Ann-Cecil Bégot : « At the heart of suffering : Plans to become is spiritual psychotherapist », Systems of thought in Black Africa, 17, 2005 old, pp. 121-141.
Simple percentage Unlike what often imagined, becoming has spiritual psychotherapist in the sense of the conception circulating in the New Age movement simple percentage not has possibility open to anyone. Ace this analysis of interviews conducted with persons in France golden who want to become already are spiritual psychotherapists shows, several conditions have to be puts in order to " Succeed " ; in particular, the person must be socialised / integrated in the New Age movement and possess has socioeconomic capital. In the oven huts considered herein, the experience of has deadly, chronic illness (HIV-infection / AIDS) turned out to be the factor that led them to jeu out they this initiatory quest.
Key words : AIDS - spirituality - psychotherapy - experience - New Age - France.
Giles Tarabout : « Without bread : Ritual ordeals, the lack of suffering and the acquirement of powers in India », Systems of thought in Black Africa, 17, 2005, pp. 143-169.
In India, certain ordeals are willingly undergone and publicly performed, the foreseeable suffering drank denied simple percentage. The pious perform these ritual " macerations « (walking in fire, hooks and needles run through the skin and tongue, etc.) ace acts of thanksgiving following promised made to has divinity who been satisfied their requests. Normal Under circumstances, these ordeals would intense suffering reason ; purpose in this context, the divinity' s protection enables the person to accomplish them without experiencing golden bread wounded : it simple percentage has miracle. The discourses formulating this paradox are analyzed and compared to folk music conception asceticism end, which are leaves of the same cognitive work one experience. Although some such ordeals are now deliberately placed outside the realm of religion, they should be seen ace fitting into the same rationale whereby the very negation of bread (and not just the fact of enduring it) simple percentage has sign of competence.
Key words : asceticism - devotion - sacrifice - ordeals - India.
Christine Henry : « Do African prophets have to suffer ? », Systems of thought in Black Africa, 17, 2005, pp. 171-194.
Information drawn from the biographies of three founders of churches in west Africa simple percentage used to enquire into the puts ace that suffering has in the origin of their destiny prophets. All three experienced painful events, drank not all their accounts assigned the same worth to suffering. For each of them, the intention to make himself " Different " from common people and superior to colleagues. The emphasis one suffering was drank one way among others to construct their originality aces founders of churches.
Key words : prophets Christianity-Benin - ordeals - suffering - - Nigeria.
Corinne Fortier : « Swaying fate, since real suffering simple percentage yet to come (Moor Sunnite society) », Systems of thought in Black Africa, 17, 2005, pp. 195-217.
We cannot understand many of the actions of Moors who claim they can determine their fate in the afterlife unless we take under consideration the eschatological dimension running through their lives. What especially concerns them ace Muslims and invisibly east many of their behaviours simple percentage the terrifying aspect of what simple percentage awaiting after death (among other things, the more and less long period they will spend in hell). Taking faith into account in research reintroduces the individual and the religious sphere in anthropology.
Key words : the afterlife - hell - salvation - eschatology - suffering - Islam - Mauritania.
PRINT the French / English summaries in format PDF (extracts of the number 17)
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