THE LIVING ANCESTORS
Zeljko Jokic
September 1, 2015 DOI: 10.2307/j.ctt13wwz6f (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Ethnography |
|---|---|
| Population | Yanomami people |
| Key findings | Argues that a holographic principle—the idea that the "part is equal to the whole"—is embedded in the Yanomami macrocosm, human dwelling, multiple-soul components, and shamans' relationships with embodied spirit-helpers. The author contends that focusing on the consciousness involved in shamanism, through firsthand experiential involvement, enriches understanding of this ancient phenomenon and fills a gap in regional study of the Yanomami. |
Abstract
This phenomenologically oriented ethnography focuses on experiential aspects of Yanomami shamanism, including shamanistic activities in the context of cultural change. The author interweaves ethnographic material with theoretical components of a holographic principle, or the idea that the “part is equal to the whole,” which is embedded in the nature of the Yanomami macrocosm, human dwelling, multiple-soul components, and shamans’ relationships with embodied spirit-helpers. This book fills an important gap in the regional study of Yanomami people, and, on a broader scale, enriches understanding of this ancient phenomenon by focusing on the consciousness involved in shamanism through firsthand experiential involvement.