Indigenous history. Shamans and mythopractice / Historia tubylcza. Szamani Kiczua i mitopraktyka
Journal Title: Etnografia. Praktyki. Teorie. Doświadczenia / Ethnography. Practices, Theories, Experiences - Year 2015, Vol 1, Issue 1
Abstract
The article discusses issues of reproducing history, that is, indigenous strategies and mechanisms of constructing historical narrative among the Quichua in the Ecuadorian Andes. The indigenous historical practices are based on Inca myths and local tales transmitted orally (mythopractice). The background for this practices is constituted by contemporary political and social transformations in Ecuador – indigenous movements, obtaining legal personhood, multicultural policy, all of which offer the indigenous groups new opportunities to redefine themselves. Quichua shamans are also involved in these processes, and their activities have bottom-up and local character. In this paper, the following questions are addressed: how Quichua shamans reproduce history, why they do it, and what mechanisms they use. The responses to these questions allow to disclose and analyse the bottom-up attempts of building an identity and indigenous subjectivity in the postcolonial context of South America. This process is presented against the historical background of colonial policy about indigenous shamans and their involvement in colonial policy. The phenomenon of mythopractice is also explained through fundamental elements of Quichua worldview related to local understanding of time and change. This paper is based on field research on shamanistic practices conducted among the Ecuadoran Quichua in 2010 and 2012.
Authors and Affiliations
Anna Przytomska
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP687945
- DOI https://doi.org/10.4467/254395379EPT.15.005.6470
- Views 117
- Downloads 0
Ticino, jego mieszkańcy i ich tożsamość językowo-kulturowa Ticino, jego mieszkańcy i ich tożsamość językowo-kulturowa / Ticino, its inhabitants and their linguistic and cultural identity
The purpose of the article is to discuss and analyze the linguistic and cultural identity of Ticino and its inhabitants . The text presents the Swiss region and its language(s) from a historical and contemporary perspect...
Tradycyjna kultura rdzennych ludów Australii i Oceanii: perspektywa porównawcza / Traditional culture of the indigenous peoples of Australia and Oceania: Comparative perspective
In this text, I intend to demonstrate the commonalities and differences of traditional cul- ture of the indigenous people of Australia and Oceania in the historical and comparative perspective, with special focus on the...
Arranging the world anew. Re-creation of Tim Ingold’s concept/idea / Ułożyć świat na nowo. Rekonstrukcja koncepcji Tima Ingolda (cz. I)
Tim Ingold is one of the most interesting contemporary anthropologists, whose works became a source of inspiration not only for other anthropologists, but also for architects, archaeologists, and artists. Although Ingold...
Consciousness, Self-awareness, Awareness, and Haptic Sense in Contexts of Culture and Biology /Świadomość, samoświadomość, jaźń a zmysł haptyczny w kontekstach kultury i biologii
In the article the author aims to define three terms that describe activity of the mind and brain: consciousness, self-awareness, and awareness. They are related to cultural and biological conditions and circumstances un...
Writing a life out. An ethnographic meeting with Waleria Prochownik – a writer from Sporysz district of Żywiec / Wypisywanie życia. Etnograficzne spotkanie z Walerią Prochownik – pisarką z żywieckiego Sporysza
“What is writing to Waleria Prochownik?” was the leading question for hours of conversation between me and the writer from Żywiec. The following paper is the outcome of our struggle to confront the writer’s views and fee...