article
Amusement and absolution: transforming narratives during confession of social debts
American anthropologist • 93 (4) • Published In 1991 • Pages: 826-851
By: Kratz, Corinne Anne.
AbstractBrief abstract written by HRAF anthropologists who have done the subject indexing for the document
During initiation ceremonies, as a final ritual preceding circumcision, public confession is made by initiates of their "social debts." The confession is handled through an intermediary who questions each of the initiates in turn, then makes a public announcement of their wrongs to the assembled crowd. The audience reacts with shouts, laughter, and often with lewd comments, but then shows its benevolence by anointing and blessing the initiates. In this manner the initiates entertain the listeners, are absolved of their wrongs, and complete a ceremonial process that leads to the ordeal of circumcision, introducing them to adulthood.
- SubjectsDocument-level OCM identifiers given by the anthropology subject indexers at HRAF
- Purification and atonement
- Puberty and initiation
- Verbal arts
- Functional and adaptational interpretations
- Comparative evidence
- Sexuality
- Drives and emotions
- cultureCulture name from the Outline of World Cultures (OWC)
- Okiek
- HRAF PubDateThe date HRAF published the document
- 2014
- RegionThe area the document pertains to
- Africa
- Sub RegionThe more specific area the document pertains to, which is located within the Region
- Eastern Africa
- Document TypeMay include journal articles, essays, collections of essays, monographs, or chapters/parts of monographs
- article
- Evaluation
- Creator TypeThe type of person writing the document, e.g. Ethnographer, Missionary, Archaeologist, Folklorist, Linguist, Indigenous Person, and so on.
- Ethnologist
- 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
- John Beierle; 2012
- Field DateThe date the researcher conducted the fieldwork or archival research that produced the document
- 1974, 1982, 1988
- Coverage DateThe date or dates that the information in the document pertains to
- 1974-1988
- Coverage PlaceLocation of the research culture or tradition (often a smaller unit such as a band, community, or archaeological site)
- Kaplelach and Kipchornwonek Okiek, Mau Escarpment, Narok district, Rift Valley province, Kenya
- NotesAdditional notes
- Corinne A. Kratz
- Includes bibliographical references (p. 849-851)
- LCCNLibrary of Congress Control Number
- 45015602
- LCSHLibrary of Congress Subject Headings
- Okiek (African people)
- Dorobo (African people)