Book

Religion, morality, and the person: essays on Tallensi religion

Cambridge University PressCambridge [cambridgeshire]Published In 1987 • Pages: xiii, 347

By: Fortes, Meyer, Goody, Jack.

AbstractBrief abstract written by HRAF anthropologists who have done the subject indexing for the document
This book is concerned with the roles of religion and ritual in shaping the moral life of individuals, domestic groups, lineages and clans among the Tallensi of northern Ghana. The focus is on the meanings and moral implications of Tallensi religious beliefs as reflected in actual practices relating to divination, ancestor worship, succession to political offices and clan totem and taboos. In exploring these issues, the author draw on Marcel Mauss to argue that the Tallensi conceive of 'the person' as first and for most a moral being.
SubjectsDocument-level OCM identifiers given by the anthropology subject indexers at HRAF
General character of religion
Cult of the dead
Avoidance and taboo
Theological systems
Sacred objects and places
Social personality
Personality traits
Kin relationships
Clans
Prayers and sacrifices
Ritual
Ethos
Burial practices and funerals
Spirits and gods
Magicians and diviners
cultureCulture name from the Outline of World Cultures (OWC)
Tallensi
HRAF PubDateThe date HRAF published the document
2010
RegionThe area the document pertains to
Africa
Sub RegionThe more specific area the document pertains to, which is located within the Region
Western Africa
Document TypeMay include journal articles, essays, collections of essays, monographs, or chapters/parts of monographs
Book
Evaluation
Creator TypeThe type of person writing the document, e.g. Ethnographer, Missionary, Archaeologist, Folklorist, Linguist, Indigenous Person, and so on.
Anthropologist
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.
5: Excellent Primary Data
AnalystThe HRAF anthropologist who subject indexed the document and prepared other materials for the eHRAF culture/tradition collection
Teferi Abate Adem; 2008
Field DateThe date the researcher conducted the fieldwork or archival research that produced the document
1934-1937; 1971
Coverage DateThe date or dates that the information in the document pertains to
1930-1971
Coverage PlaceLocation of the research culture or tradition (often a smaller unit such as a band, community, or archaeological site)
Tongo village, Ghana
NotesAdditional notes
Meyer Fortes ; edited and with an introduction by Jack Goody
Includes bibliographical references (p. 327-339)
LCCNLibrary of Congress Control Number
87009382
LCSHLibrary of Congress Subject Headings
Tallensi (African people)--Religion