Amhara Traditions of Knowledge: Spirit Mediums and Their ClientsAmhara Traditions of Knowledge - Spirit Mediums and their Clients is a study of how knowledge is socially organised and used among the Amhara peasants in Yefat (North Shawa). A major challenge in analysing knowledge and practices related to curing and divination with the help of mystical, spiritual powers, is their complexity and enormous variation. Unlike most studies of Ethiopian spirit possession, the author takes the ambiguities and variation as his start-ing point. The analysis combines a hermeneutical and processual approach and is based on detailed ethnographic data with an in-depth study of one spirit medium (bala weqabi) and the ebbs and flows of the cult that developed around his activity. The variation in spirit beliefs and knowledge systems among the Amhara can be understood in view of the nature of knowledge transmission and management within the spirit cults. Amhara Traditions of Knowl-edge can also be read as a study of the dynamic relationship be-tween great and little traditions; between the long traditions of the Ethiopian church and state on the one hand, and the syncretic creativity of folk religion on the other. |
Contents
INTRODUCTION | 1 |
THEORETICAL ANALYSIS AND THE EMPIRICAL WORLD | 10 |
A LITERATURE REVIEW | 26 |
THE HISTORY OF ETHIOPIA AND NORTHERN SHÄWA | 41 |
LOCAL EXPRESSIONS OF THE BIG TRADITION | 69 |
POSSESSION CURE AND PUNISHMENT | 116 |
THE BALÄ WEQABI PRACTICE THE CASE OF ENGEDA | 134 |
Common terms and phrases
Abäbäch adbar Addis Ababa Addis Ababa University Agaw akfay Amhara analysis animal anthropology aräqé awraja balä weqabi Barth buda ceremony ch'eda chapter Christian church clergy coffee compound conflict cult cultural Däbrä däbtära Dahna däj t'enat Därg diyaqon elements Engeda enjära Ethiopian Orthodox Church Ethiopian Studies evil experts Falasha female client fieldwork Fredrik Barth Gäbreél Galla Gänät gathering gender guests haja holy household Islam knowledge system korma krestena land Lay Gänät Leslau Levine Lewis Mafud magic mahbär male client mäs'haf mediumship Morton Muslim Nägäst normally Northern Shäwa observed occasions Oromo Orthodox peasants Perham person present priests problems qäbälé Qemant qés qurban relatives religious ritual S'ehay selät servants served sessions Shäwa sickness slaughter social society spirit cults spirit medium spirit possession t'äbäl t'äla tabot term tradition Trondheim wät weqabi bét weqabi cults wofa women zar ceremony zar cult