Spirit Possession and Personhood among the Kel Ewey Tuareg
February 16, 1995 DOI: 10.1017/cbo9780511521140 (opens in new tab)
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractAmong the Tuareg people of Niger's Air Mountain region, women are sometimes possessed by spirits called 'the people of solitude'. Evening curing rituals involve drumming and song before an audience of young men and women, who joke and flirt during the ceremony. The author analyzes the symbolism and aesthetic values of this tolerated but unofficial cult, provides case studies of possessed women, and reviews local interpretations of possession's meaning.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Ethnography |
|---|---|
| Population | Tuareg people in the Air Mountain region of Niger |
| Key finding | Argues that possession by 'the people of solitude' spirits among Tuareg women is a tolerated but unofficial cult with specific symbolism and aesthetic values, as analyzed through case studies and local interpretations. |
Abstract
Among the Tuareg people in the Air Mountain region of Niger, women are sometimes possessed by spirits called 'the people of solitude'. The evening curing rituals of the possessed, featuring drumming and song, take place before an audience of young men and women, who joke and flirt as the ritual unfolds. In her analysis of this tolerated but unofficial cult, Susan Rasmussen analyses symbolism and aesthetic values, provides case studies of possessed women, and reviews what local people think about the meaning of possession.