Spirit Possession and Personhood among the Kel Ewey Tuareg
February 16, 1995 DOI: 10.1017/cbo9780511521140 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Ethnography |
|---|---|
| Population | Tuareg people in the Air Mountain region of Niger |
| Key findings | 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.