Book
Village of curers and assassins: on the production of Fala Kpelle cosmolotical categories
Mouton and Company • The Hague • Published In 1975 • Pages: 196
By: Bellman, Beryl Larry.
Abstract
This is a methodological, theoretical investigation into what the author calls 'the production of cosmological categories' by the Fala Kpelle speakers of Sucromu, Liberia. What the author means by this is discussed in much detail in the two parts making up the bulk of this source. In the first part, Bellman delves into Kpellean philosophy and epistemology, deducing a number of formal properties inherent in various aspects of consociate or face-to-face interactions in the society. These special properties are then discussed from the standpoint of their importance in the practice of secrecy (ifa mo) in the society. The second part deals more with the objective meaning of the cosmological categories than does part 1. Here Kpellean medicine and the numerous spirits of the cosmological universe are described, and both concepts analyzed as these topics appear in normal conversation and whether or not members of the society refer to their personal experiences with them as being in the 'world of dreams' or the 'world of reality' (p. 7).
- HRAF PubDate
- 2009
- Region
- Africa
- Sub Region
- Western Africa
- Document Type
- Book
- Evaluation
- Creator Type
- Ethnologist
- Document Rating
- 5: Excellent Primary Data
- Analyst
- John Beierle ; 1984
- Field Date
- 1967-1973
- Coverage Date
- 1960-1975
- Coverage Place
- Liberia
- Notes
- By Beryl Larry Bellman
- Includes bibliographical references (p. [190]-192)
- LCCN
- 75322980
- LCSH
- Kpelle (African people)--Social life and customs/Kpelle (African people)--Religion/Folk classification--Liberia