essay

Revitalization and the genesis of cults in pragmatic religion: the Kita rite of passage among the Suku

explorations in african systems of thoughtBloomington • Published In 1980 • Pages: 183-212

By: Kopytoff, Igor.

Abstract
This article describes a traditional Suku religious rite called Kita which was typically held following the rise of a new chief. The focus is on the meanings and structure of the ritual, meant to renovate the collective wellbeing of lineage members as they passed from the reign of one chief to the other. The discussion follows Arnold Van Gennep's classic formulation of rites of passage.
Subjects
General character of religion
Ritual
Organized ceremonial
Lineages
Shamans and psychotherapists
Magic
Religious experience
Purification and atonement
Theory of disease
Sacred objects and places
Congregations
Cult of the dead
Life and death
Transmission of beliefs
culture
Suku
HRAF PubDate
2016
Region
Africa
Sub Region
Central Africa
Document Type
essay
Evaluation
Creator Type
Anthropologist
Document Rating
4: Excellent Secondary Data
5: Excellent Primary Data
Analyst
Teferi Abate Adem; 2014
Field Date
1957-1959
Coverage Date
1920-1940
Coverage Place
Kwango district, Bandundu, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Notes
by Igor Kopytoff
Includes bibliographical references (p. 210-212)
LCCN
80007492
LCSH
Suku (African people)