article

Fires, tricksters and poisoned medicines: popular cultures of rumor in Onitsha, Nigeria and its markets

Etnofoor : a Dutch anthropological journal11 (2) • Published In 1998 • Pages: 111-132

By: Bastian, Misty L..

Abstract
This is a study of the discourse surrounding market fires based on Bastian's doctoral research (see her dissertation, document no. 46.) The Igbo are inveterate traders and open air markets, some as large as 3,000 stalls, are a major Igbo institution. When fires occur they can be devastating. What is said by various people, such as traders, locals, professionals, men, and women, about the tragedy provides a window on their beliefs about witchcraft and pollution, an ambivalence about a growing market economy, and the divisions in Igbo society.
Subjects
Retail marketing
Property offenses
Disasters
culture
Igbo
HRAF PubDate
2003
Region
Africa
Sub Region
Western Africa
Document Type
article
Evaluation
Creator Type
Ethnologist
Document Rating
4: Excellent Secondary Data
5: Excellent Primary Data
Analyst
Ian Skoggard ; 2001
Field Date
1987-1988
Coverage Date
1930-1988
Coverage Place
Onitsha, Anambra State, Nigeria
Notes
Misty L. Bastian
Includes bibliographical references (p. 131-132)
LCSH
Igbo (African people)