Music and spirit possession at a Shona Bira
P. Berliner
November 30, 1975 DOI: 10.21504/amj.v5i4.1620 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Ethnography |
|---|---|
| Population | Shona traditionalist villagers in Rhodesia participating in spirit possession ceremonies |
| Duration | Field research during 1971-72 and the summers of 1974 and 1975 |
| Key findings | The author reports attending over thirty Shona spirit possession ceremonies as an observer and sometimes performer, describing villagers' energetic participation and the intense, moving quality of the music. The article aims to describe the ceremonies' purpose, the music, and participant interaction. |
Abstract
During the year 1971-72 and the summers of 1974 and 1975, in which I carried out field research in Rhodesia on mbira music, I had the opportunity to attend as an observer and, at times, as a performer, over thirty spirit possession ceremonies held by members of the traditionalist segment of Shona culture. At these events villagers participate with tremendous energy and the intensity of their music is deeply moving. In this article, my aim is to describe the purpose underlying Shona spirit possession ceremonies as well as the nature of the music and the interaction among participants at these events