article

Hair-raising stories: the trickster in Uyghur oral tradition

Asian anthropology • 3 • Published In 2004 • Pages: 13-38

By: Bellér-Hann, Ildikó.

Abstract
This article is a study of “scald-head” Taz, a trickster figure in Uyghur oral tradition. Taz is an anti-hero who violates social rules and taboos, and undermines social hierarchies. There is lengthy discussion of the rich meanings of hair and baldness in Uyghur culture, such as how any departure from the prescribed means of caring for one’s hair was a sign of deviant social behavior and lack of control. The author concludes by comparing Taz to trickster figures from other cultures.
Subjects
Personal grooming
Verbal arts
Ethnoanatomy
Sexuality
Texts translated into english
culture
Uyghur
HRAF PubDate
2023
Region
Asia
Sub Region
Central Asia
Document Type
article
Evaluation
Creator Type
Ethnologist
Document Rating
4: Excellent Secondary Data
Analyst
Ian Skoggard; 2014
Field Date
not applicable
Coverage Date
1850-1995
Coverage Place
Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, People's Republic of China
Notes
Ildikó Bellér-Hann
Includes bibliographical references (p. 34-38)
LCCN
2002227206
LCSH
Uighur (Turkic people)