essay
Divination in Bunyoro, Uganda
magic, witchcraft and curing • Garden City, N.Y. • Published In 1967 • Pages: 211-231, 321-330
By: Beattie, John.
Abstract
Here, Beattie discusses in more detail spirit possession and divination rituals (see document no. 5.) Diviners are mostly men who travel the country offering their services. Beattie discusses three different methods of divination: mechanical, augury, and by means of spirits. Mechanical methods involve the use of charms, plant leaves, leather strips, wooden sticks, and cowry shells, the last being the most common. Augury involves the examination of the blood flow and entrails of chickens. Divination by spirits involves sTances in which a spirit answers questions through a diviner. Another form of divination involved the use of fetishes such as magical horns which could talk. It is associated with sorcery.
- HRAF PubDate
- 2003
- Region
- Africa
- Sub Region
- Eastern Africa
- Document Type
- essay
- Evaluation
- Creator Type
- Ethnologist
- Document Rating
- 5: Excellent Primary Data
- Analyst
- Ian Skoggard ; 2002
- Field Date
- 1951-1955
- Coverage Date
- 1951-1955
- Coverage Place
- Western Province, Uganda
- Notes
- John Beattie
- Includes bibliographical references (p. 321-330)
- LCCN
- 67012895
- LCSH
- Nyoro (African people)