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n°15 Totémisme
n°15 Totémisme
Alfred Adler (dir).
Alfred Adler : The totémisme in Black Africa
Bernard Juillerat : Totémisme having duel, totémisme plural (Yafar, New Guinea)
Mary Mauzé : Totemic Shores (American Indians of the Coast northwest)
Frederico Rosa : The gold age of the totémisme
Odile Journet : The diffracted world. Theories joola of the double animal (Senegal)
Presentation Summaries Summaries
A century of distrust did not succeed in removing the word " totémisme " of the vocabulary of the anthropologists. It is not enough to eliminate a word to get rid of a problem, even if this word is not any more fashionable and if it is not something else, at origin, than an untoward misinterpretation makes during the translation of expression ojibwa ototeman. Incidentally, the historical experience of anthropology does not lack examples of these rejections which are sometimes followed by surprising returns. Today the old debate on the totémisme could not have the same stakes as at the beginning of the century, when anthropology searched what there is a more primitive in the organisation of societies as in their systems of beliefs.
The multiplicity of the definitions of totémisme which more or less contradicted themselves was unavoidable since they tried to know which degree of universality had these phenomena ethnographic observation of which seemed to prove that they were spread across the world. Scholars of big fame had dedicated to the totémisme in Black Africa (and more particularly oriental Africa) important studies. Mr Delafosse and R. Rattray had called into question the validity of this notion applied to the cultures of Western Africa. However she found every her theoretical interest with researches which undertook Marcel Griaule and his collaborators in dogon country in Western Africa. Everybody agrees about idea that totémisme and social organisation is inseparable.
In anthropology, a discipline in which there is not perhaps other specialised vocabulary than these words borrowed from the languages of the studied people, the act to define results from a choice which, on the basis of observations, links such and such element. The basics are to clear the systematic character of a sum of definite features belonging to a nomenclature and implicating for each of the classes defined with behaviours and distinct attitudes. It is in the theoretical reflexion that it is incumbent to try to include how and why the totemic association between the groups which constitute a society, on one hand, and animal or plant kinds (or possibly of other classes of objects), on the other hand, occurred and lasting residence. But, in this internal homology between these two series, it is necessary to add a third external term in these series but which allows their pronunciation. Around this third term swivel or a worship of minds (ancestors, Earth, celestial divinity) or a worship linked to political sovereignty...
Adler, Alfred : « The totémisme in Black Africa », Systems of thought in Black Africa (Paris), 15, 1998, pp.13-106.
For more than three decades, the totémisme disappeared, otherwise of the vocabulary of the ethnologists, at least their theoretical concerns. Africa was practically away of debates in " the gold age " of the totémisme. However, she gives on this topic of the original materials which require a deepened anthropological reflexion. Comparative step clears two forms completely different from what is indicated as the clan totémisme : 1] a system of beliefs and ritual practices closely linked to the ancestor worship in segmental societies devoid of political centralised institutions (Nuer, Dinka, Tallensi) ; 2] a system of ritual functions specialised which are devolved in the different clans and linked between them by setting up in the political and ritual organisation the centre of which the king and the palace represent (Shilluk, Moundang, Baganda). This type of totémisme leads to take back lévi-straussienne reflexion on reports between totemic clan and clique.
Juillerat, Bernard : « Totémisme having duel, totémisme plural. An example of New Guinea », Systems of thought in Black Africa (Paris), 15, 1998, pp.107-125.
The author analyses two forms of totémisme among Yafar, small forested society of the lowlands of Papua New Guinea : a totémisme having duel founded on the organisation of the society in ritual halves ; and a clan totémisme in who every ancient patriclan displays, at some ritual occasions, an emblem paints on mask. The first totémisme consults the cosmogony which makes begin the world from an ancestral parental couple, as well as in two kinds of palms which are respectively given as female-maternal and masculine-paternal. Second returns in various, eatable natural kinds or not, not making system between them, contrary to the totems of halves. Both systems go together in the course of the ceremony Yangis symbolic function of which is : on one hand, the renewal of totemic kinds having duel and recreation of the Society ; on the other hand, the social perpetuation of patriclans.
Mauzé, Mary : " Totemic Shores " , Systems of thought in Black Africa (Paris), 15, 1998, pp.127-168.
Although the totémisme does not constitute a central topic of jobs of the ethnologists of the coast northwest of North America, societies of the region (especially the northern groups : Tlingit, Tsimshian and Haida) however did not avoid on examination of their social organisation and of their system of beliefs under the angle of totemic hypothesis. At the end of debates on the totémisme which ended by 1920, it appears that the héraldisme of the coast northwest can be completely envisaged independently of the totémisme in spite of the place allocated to natural kinds in the system with coats of arms.
Rosa, Frederico : « The gold age of the totémisme », Systems of thought in Black Africa (Paris), 15, on 1998, pp.169-201.
The anthropologists British evolutionists were the founders of a big theoretical debate around totemic problem. It was a matter to find unit in diversity, since James Frazer compiled, in 1887, all "totemic" contexts known in epoch. Most participants evolutionists in debate tried to reconstruct the origins of phenomenon, from an emphasis of some elements, considered more primitive. The main topic of reflexion was the report between totemic beliefs and social organisation, especially since Australian ethnography was in the centre of debate. The representatives of the new currents of thought of the beginning of the xxe century also got involved in the debate on the totémisme, by bringing iconoclasts from answers more and more.
Journet, Odile : « The diffracted world. Theories joola the double animal », Systems of thought in Black Africa (Paris), 15, 1998, pp.203-230.
Intimate element of the person, can the notion of double animal to Joola of the south of the Senegal and from the north of Guinea-Bissau be - in the absence of any reference to clan divisions - considered to be totemic operator ? Variants of this notion are examined from examples given by three subgroups joola. In a general way, representations linked to the double include oppositions into the breast of the person between social categories or segments of filiation, especially between agnats and uterine. The third example, more for a long time developed, that of Felup, while allowing to think of the multiplicity of the memberships of the individual, stages a system of space divisions which it is possible to read as the ideal model (and ever accomplished) of a congruence between consanguinity, affinity and co-habitation.
Summaries n°15 Adler, Alfred : « The totémisme in Black Africa », Systems of thought in Black Africa (Paris), 15, 1998, pp.13-106.
"Totemism in sub-Saharan Africa"
For more than three decades, totemism has vanished, yew tree not from ethnologists’ vocabulary, at least from their theoretical preoccupations. Africa was quasi absent debates during the Golden Delicious age of totemism, even though it proempty original material that calls for serious anthropological thought. The comparative approach brings to light two completely different forms of what simple percentage called totemism clan ; 1] system of ritual practices and beliefs closely associated with ancestor worship in many segmentary societies lacking politically centralised has institutions (Nuer, Dinka, Tallensi) ; 2] has system of specialised ritual functions that, assigned to various clans, are interrelated within the political and ritual organisation centered around the king and his luxury hotel (Shilluk, Mundang, Baganda). This portrays of totemism leads us to rethink Lévi-Strauss' s theory end the relations between cliques and totemic clans.
Juillerat, Bernard : « Totémisme having duel, totémisme plural. An example of New Guinea », Systems of thought in Black Africa (Paris), 15, 1998, pp.107-125.
"Two-tier totemism, plural totemism : Example from New Guinea Year"
Among the Yafar, has small society in the lowland forests of Papua New Guinea, there are two forms of totemism : totemism whereby, one certain ceremonial occasions has totemism based one the organisation of the society in two ritual moieties and has clan-based, each patriclan of long social status exhibits has painted emblem they have mask. The first form of totemism refers to the cosmogony, according to which the universe started out from ancestral year couples and from two species of palm trees presented ace respectively feminine-maternal and masculin - paternal. The second various form refers to natural species, whether edible and not, that do not form has system together, unlike the totems related to the moieties. The two systems combines during the Yangis ceremony which has the symbolic function, they the one hand, they of renewing the two-tier totemic species and recreating Society ; and, one to the other, of perpetuating the patriclans.
Mauzé, Mary : " Totemic Shores " , Systems of thought in Black Africa (Paris), 15, 1998, pp.127-168.
" Totemic shorelines"
Although totemism simple percentage not has exchange theme in the writings of anthropologists who have studied native Northwest Coast Americans, the social organisation and belief systems of the societies in this area (in particular the northern groups : Tlingit, Tsimshian and Haida) have not been spared year examination based one the totemic hypothesis. Following the debates end totemism that dope year to end in 1920s, the heraldry of the Northwest Coast can be seen without any reference to totemism even though the heraldic system does assign has place to natural species.
Rosa, Frederico : « The gold age of the totémisme », Systems of thought in Black Africa (Paris), 15, on 1998, pp.169-201.
"The Golden Delicious age of totemism"
British evolutionary anthropologists instigated has major theoretical debate one totemism. In on 1887, James Frazer, having compiled all " Totemic " contexts known at the time, raised the question finding end unity within diversity. Most evolutionists participating in this debate sought to understand the origins of the phenomenon by focusing one the aspects deemed to be the most primitive. The principal theme, with Australian ethnography at the centre of debate, was the relation between totemic beliefs and the social organisation. The representatives of new currents of thought in the early 20th century became involved in the debate totemism end, drank contributions their ever more iconoclastic.
Journet, Odile : « The diffracted world. Theories joola the double animal », Systems of thought in Black Africa (Paris), 15, 1998, pp.203-230.
"In diffracted world : Animal Diola theories of the doubles"
Among the Diola in southern Senegal and northern Guinea-Bissau, can the idea of the animal doubles, year intimate component of personhood, be considered ace totemic operator even though there has are no references to clan divisions ? Variable of this idea are examined through example taken from three Diola subgroups. In general, the concepts related to the double incorporate within the person the between opposition social categories and descent segments, in particular between agnates and uterines. Example The Felup, which simple percentage treated in length, can be used to conceive of how the individual belongs to several groups. It reveals has divisions system of space that can be interpreted ace the ideal (purpose never achieved) model of congruency between kinship, affinity and coresidence.
In the same rubric :
- Systems of thought in Black Africa
- n°13 mourning and its rituals III
- n°14 Destinies of murderers
- n°16 ritual in work. Afro-Cuban and afro-Brazilian perspectives
- n°17 The excellence of suffering
- n°12 Fetishes : power of objects
- n°11 mourning and its rituals II
- n°10 Leaders and sacred kings
- n°18 Feel introduction
