Contrary to nature : Inuit conception of witchcraft
The present contribution to the phenomenology of witchcraft will depend for its data on the traditional conceptions, rites, and folklore of witchcraft among the Inuit (Eskimo) of Čanada and Greenland. A phenomenological definition of witchcraft may be obtained through recognition of its position wit...
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1987
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Online Access: | https://journal.fi/scripta/article/view/67169 https://doi.org/10.30674/scripta.67169 |
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fttsvojs:oai:journal.fi:article/67169 2023-05-15T15:08:26+02:00 Contrary to nature : Inuit conception of witchcraft Merkur, Daniel 1987-01-01 application/pdf https://journal.fi/scripta/article/view/67169 https://doi.org/10.30674/scripta.67169 eng eng The Donner Institute https://journal.fi/scripta/article/view/67169/27467 https://journal.fi/scripta/article/view/67169 doi:10.30674/scripta.67169 Copyright (c) 1987 Daniel Merkur https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0 CC-BY-NC-ND Scripta Instituti Donneriani Aboensis; Vol 12 (1987): Saami Religion; 279-293 2343-4937 0582-3226 Inuit Indigenous peoples -- Canada Eskimos Arctic regions Witchcraft Shamanism Shamans Magic info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion 1987 fttsvojs https://doi.org/10.30674/scripta.67169 2020-05-29T23:18:42Z The present contribution to the phenomenology of witchcraft will depend for its data on the traditional conceptions, rites, and folklore of witchcraft among the Inuit (Eskimo) of Čanada and Greenland. A phenomenological definition of witchcraft may be obtained through recognition of its position within Inuit religion. Like many native North Americans, the Inuit epitomized their religion in the concept of balance. The Polar Inuit understood religion to have the function "to keep a right balance between mankind and the rest of the world". Without exception, the rites of Inuit witchcraft were rites of Inuit religion that were made unnatural, through the alteration of one or more features. Because counterclockwise ritual motions were specific to witchcraft, the expression "contrary to nature" may be understood to epitomize the Inuit's own appreciation of witchcraft. Whether witchcraft depended on deliberate violations of traditional observances, on malicious uses of magic formulae and songs, and/or on ritual motions, witchcraft proceeded "contrary to nature". Thus, witchcraft can be defined as special practices, which together with the beliefs and folklore surrounding them, are believed to be innately disruptive of the balance between mankind and the numina. Because it is contrary to nature, witchcraft is innately anti-social. The disruption of the balance of mankind with the numina is not the private act of the witch against a victim, but a danger for the entire community. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic eskimo* Greenland inuit Federation of Finnish Learned Societies: Scientific Journals Online Arctic Canada Greenland Scripta Instituti Donneriani Aboensis 12 279 293 |
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Open Polar |
collection |
Federation of Finnish Learned Societies: Scientific Journals Online |
op_collection_id |
fttsvojs |
language |
English |
topic |
Inuit Indigenous peoples -- Canada Eskimos Arctic regions Witchcraft Shamanism Shamans Magic |
spellingShingle |
Inuit Indigenous peoples -- Canada Eskimos Arctic regions Witchcraft Shamanism Shamans Magic Merkur, Daniel Contrary to nature : Inuit conception of witchcraft |
topic_facet |
Inuit Indigenous peoples -- Canada Eskimos Arctic regions Witchcraft Shamanism Shamans Magic |
description |
The present contribution to the phenomenology of witchcraft will depend for its data on the traditional conceptions, rites, and folklore of witchcraft among the Inuit (Eskimo) of Čanada and Greenland. A phenomenological definition of witchcraft may be obtained through recognition of its position within Inuit religion. Like many native North Americans, the Inuit epitomized their religion in the concept of balance. The Polar Inuit understood religion to have the function "to keep a right balance between mankind and the rest of the world". Without exception, the rites of Inuit witchcraft were rites of Inuit religion that were made unnatural, through the alteration of one or more features. Because counterclockwise ritual motions were specific to witchcraft, the expression "contrary to nature" may be understood to epitomize the Inuit's own appreciation of witchcraft. Whether witchcraft depended on deliberate violations of traditional observances, on malicious uses of magic formulae and songs, and/or on ritual motions, witchcraft proceeded "contrary to nature". Thus, witchcraft can be defined as special practices, which together with the beliefs and folklore surrounding them, are believed to be innately disruptive of the balance between mankind and the numina. Because it is contrary to nature, witchcraft is innately anti-social. The disruption of the balance of mankind with the numina is not the private act of the witch against a victim, but a danger for the entire community. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Merkur, Daniel |
author_facet |
Merkur, Daniel |
author_sort |
Merkur, Daniel |
title |
Contrary to nature : Inuit conception of witchcraft |
title_short |
Contrary to nature : Inuit conception of witchcraft |
title_full |
Contrary to nature : Inuit conception of witchcraft |
title_fullStr |
Contrary to nature : Inuit conception of witchcraft |
title_full_unstemmed |
Contrary to nature : Inuit conception of witchcraft |
title_sort |
contrary to nature : inuit conception of witchcraft |
publisher |
The Donner Institute |
publishDate |
1987 |
url |
https://journal.fi/scripta/article/view/67169 https://doi.org/10.30674/scripta.67169 |
geographic |
Arctic Canada Greenland |
geographic_facet |
Arctic Canada Greenland |
genre |
Arctic eskimo* Greenland inuit |
genre_facet |
Arctic eskimo* Greenland inuit |
op_source |
Scripta Instituti Donneriani Aboensis; Vol 12 (1987): Saami Religion; 279-293 2343-4937 0582-3226 |
op_relation |
https://journal.fi/scripta/article/view/67169/27467 https://journal.fi/scripta/article/view/67169 doi:10.30674/scripta.67169 |
op_rights |
Copyright (c) 1987 Daniel Merkur https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0 |
op_rightsnorm |
CC-BY-NC-ND |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.30674/scripta.67169 |
container_title |
Scripta Instituti Donneriani Aboensis |
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12 |
container_start_page |
279 |
op_container_end_page |
293 |
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1766339804494036992 |