article
Spirit possession as an indigenous religion in Japan and Okinawa
Senri ethnological studies • (11) • Published In 1984 • Pages: 75-84
By: Sasaki, Kokan, Kokuritsu Minzokugaku Hakubutsukan.
AbstractBrief abstract written by HRAF anthropologists who have done the subject indexing for the document
In this study of spirit possession in Japan and Okinawa, the author Sasaki examines different cases of spirit possession and the state of psychological distress called KAMIDARI that precedes the initial experience of possession. Sasaki argues that social acceptance of episodes of insanity serves an important function in relieving personal frustration and maintaining social order. On Okinawa one finds only women shamans and priestesses, whereas men occupy roles of political leadership, reflecting a fascinating institutionalization of gender relations.
- SubjectsDocument-level OCM identifiers given by the anthropology subject indexers at HRAF
- Adjustment processes
- Comparative evidence
- Shamans and psychotherapists
- Revelation and divination
- cultureCulture name from the Outline of World Cultures (OWC)
- Okinawans
- HRAF PubDateThe date HRAF published the document
- 2000
- RegionThe area the document pertains to
- Asia
- Sub RegionThe more specific area the document pertains to, which is located within the Region
- East Asia
- Document TypeMay include journal articles, essays, collections of essays, monographs, or chapters/parts of monographs
- article
- Evaluation
- Creator TypeThe type of person writing the document, e.g. Ethnographer, Missionary, Archaeologist, Folklorist, Linguist, Indigenous Person, and so on.
- Ethnographer
- Document Rating A ranking done by HRAF anthropologists based on the strength of the source material on a scale of 1 to 5, as follows: 1 - poor; 2 - fair; 3 - good, useful data, but not uniformly excellent; 4 - excellent secondary data; 5 - excellent primary data.
- 4: Excellent Secondary Data
- 5: Excellent Primary Data
- AnalystThe HRAF anthropologist who subject indexed the document and prepared other materials for the eHRAF culture/tradition collection
- Ian Skoggard ; 2000
- Field DateThe date the researcher conducted the fieldwork or archival research that produced the document
- Not Specified
- Coverage DateThe date or dates that the information in the document pertains to
- not specified
- Coverage PlaceLocation of the research culture or tradition (often a smaller unit such as a band, community, or archaeological site)
- Japan
- NotesAdditional notes
- Kokan Sasaki
- Includes bibliographical references (p. 83-84)
- LCCNLibrary of Congress Control Number
- 82641261
- LCSHLibrary of Congress Subject Headings
- Ryukyuans