The Forest of Symbols: Aspects of Ndembu Ritual

Description

A pioneering work of high quality, this collection of anthropological studies provides one of the most detailed records available for an African society―or indeed for any group―of the semantics of ritual symbolism. It combines unusually detailed ethnographic description, based upon field work among the Ndembu of Zambia, with remarkable theoretical sophistication. Professor Turner describes the ritual phenomena in terms both of practice and of their sociological and psychological implications within a preliterate society. Case histories illustrate the function of ritual in creating community harmony. Data on circumcision rites and medical practices and an essay on color classification have wide implications for comparative analysis. Excellent photographs and useful diagrams complement the text. Dedication Acknowledgments Contents List of Illustrations List of Diagrams Correspondances Introduction PART ONE I Symbols in Ndembu Ritual II Ritual Symbolism, Morality, and Social Structure among the Ndembu III Color Classification in Ndembu Ritual: A Problem in Primitive Classification IV Betwixt and Between: The Liminal Period in Rites de Passage V Witchcraft and Sorcery: Taxonomy versus Dynamics PART TWO VI Muchona the Hornet, Interpreter of Religion VII Mukanda: The Rite of Circumcision VIII Themes in the Symbolism of Ndembu Hunting Ritual IX Lunda Medicine and the Treatment of Disease X A Ndembu Doctor in Practice Index