Graceful Exits: Spirit Possession as Personal Performance in Mayotte
Culture July 8, 2021 DOI: 10.7202/1078798ar (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Ethnography Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Malagasy speakers of Mayotte (Comoro Islands, East Africa), specifically spirit mediums and performers of possession ceremonies |
| Key findings | Argues that spirit possession among Malagasy speakers of Mayotte can be understood as creative performance, with style shaped largely by frame management. A skilled performer articulates her identities as character, medium, and person, as seen at two problematic moments: the closing of a possession ceremony and the closing of a career in old age. Focusing on exits offers a non-deterministic alternative to the epidemiological slant of much existing literature. |
Abstract
In what ways can spirit possession among the Malagasy speakers of Mayotte (Comoro Islands, East Africa) be said to be a creative performance? Situating trance episodes in the broader life context of the performer enables us to see that style is in large part a product of frame management. A good performer provides a clear and resonant articulation of her identities as character, medium, and person. Such an articulation is examined at two problematic moments—the closing of a possession ceremony and the closing of a career in old age. The focus on exits marks a departure from the epidemiological slant characteristic of much of the literature and provides a novel way of dealing with trance practice in a non-deterministic framework.