Untitled Quiz

Podcast

Play an AI-generated podcast conversation about this lesson

Questions and Answers

What is animism?

A belief in spirit beings, which are thought to animate nature.

What is animatism?

A belief that the world is animated by impersonal supernatural powers.

What does illness represent in the cultural context?

A culturally made conception of how you are feeling.

Define society.

A group of people who occupy a specific locality and share a common cultural tradition and language. Signup and view all the answers

What does the term holistic imply in anthropology?

A particular approach in anthropology that looks at an idea in as close and broad a context as possible. Signup and view all the answers

Who is a prophet?

A Prophet generally has a personal call whose authority is founded on revelations and personal charisma. Signup and view all the answers

What is a shaman?

A religious specialist and healer with power derived directly from supernatural sources. Signup and view all the answers

What does the term myth refer to?

A sacred narrative explaining how the world came to be in its present form. Signup and view all the answers

How is religion defined?

A set of rituals rationalized by myth which mobilizes supernatural powers for the purpose of achieving or preventing transformations of state in people and nature. Signup and view all the answers

What does witchcraft explain?

An explanation of misfortune based on the belief that certain individuals possess an innate psychic power capable of causing harm. Signup and view all the answers

What is polytheism?

Belief in more than one deity. Signup and view all the answers

What does the term liminal mean?

Betwixt and between. Signup and view all the answers

Define monotheism.

Belief in one deity. Signup and view all the answers

What is kala jadu?

Black magic. Signup and view all the answers

What does cosmology refer to?

Concepts of the general order of existence. Signup and view all the answers

What is mal ojo/Mal de ojo?

Evil eye. Signup and view all the answers

Define mal ser.

Evil spirit. Signup and view all the answers

What does as'sihr mean?

Islamic sorcery. Signup and view all the answers

What is a ritual?

Prescribed formal behavior for occasions not given over to technical routine, having reference to mystical beings or powers. Signup and view all the answers

Define barrida.

Ritual sweeping. Signup and view all the answers

What are priest/esses?

Ritual leaders oriented to some sort of personalized supernatural being or beings. Signup and view all the answers

What is latmiya?

Ritualized self-flagellation of the body in grief. Signup and view all the answers

What does salvation cocktail refer to?

Strychnine consumed as a profession of faith for snake handlers. Signup and view all the answers

What are multivocal symbols?

Symbols with many meanings. Signup and view all the answers

Define syncretism.

The blending of two or more belief systems where the product is neither one nor the other but something new. Signup and view all the answers

What is a symbol in ritual terms?

The smallest unit of ritual which still retains the specific properties of ritual behavior. Signup and view all the answers

What does mana refer to?

The Force. Signup and view all the answers

Define culture.

The values and beliefs that people use to interpret experience and generate behavior. Signup and view all the answers

What is possession in a religious context?

Trance state where malevolent or curative spirits enter the body. Signup and view all the answers

What does cultural relativity mean?

Viewing another culture through their eyes, their cultural lens. Signup and view all the answers

Define ethnocentrism.

Viewing another culture through your own eyes, your cultural lens. Signup and view all the answers

What is the definition of magic?

When supernatural power can be compelled to act in a certain way for good or evil purposes. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Key Concepts in Magic, Witchcraft, and Religion

Animism:
- Belief in spirit beings that animate nature.
Animatism:
- Concept that the world is energized by impersonal supernatural forces.
Illness:
- Culturally defined perception of health and emotional states.
Society:
- Group of individuals sharing a local environment, culture, and language.
Holistic Approach:
- Anthropology perspective that examines ideas comprehensively.
Prophet:
- A religious leader characterized by personal revelations and charisma, leading social change through religion.
Shaman:
- A religious healer with supernatural powers, often identified through unique physical traits or symptoms.
Myth:
- Sacred stories that explain the origins and current state of the world.
Religion:
- A system of rituals backed by myths that harness supernatural forces for transformation in nature and people.
Witchcraft:
- Belief that individuals possess psychic abilities to inflict harm and cause misfortune.
Polytheism:
- Belief in multiple gods or deities.
Liminal:
- State of being in transition; "betwixt and between."
Monotheism:
- Belief in one supreme deity.
Kala Jadu:
- Refers to the practice of black magic.
Cosmology:
- Understanding of the fundamental structure of the universe.
Mal ojo/Mal de ojo:
- Concept of the evil eye that causes harm through envy.
Mal ser:
- Reference to malevolent spirits.
As'sihr:
- Islamic context of sorcery practices.
Ritual:
- Formal behaviors related to mystical elements, distinct from ordinary routines.
Barrida:
- Ritual sweeping, often to cleanse an area of negative influences.
Priest/ess:
- Ritual leaders with knowledge passed down through designated family lineages.
Latmiya:
- Ritual self-flagellation expressing grief.
Salvation cocktail:
- A controversial drink used by snake handlers as an act of faith.
Multivocal Symbols:
- Symbols that carry multiple meanings in different contexts.
Syncretism:
- Blending of belief systems resulting in a new, unique system.
Symbol:
- Fundamental unit of ritual that encapsulates various ritual properties.
Mana:
- Concept referring to a spiritual force or power.
Culture:
- Collective values and beliefs that shape behavior and experiences.
Possession:
- State where spirits, whether benevolent or malevolent, inhabit a person's body.
Cultural Relativity:
- Understanding a culture based on its own values and perspectives.
Ethnocentrism:
- Judging another culture through the lens of one's own.
Magic:
- Manipulation of supernatural powers to influence events for beneficial or harmful ends.