article
The Ocimbanda, or witch-doctor of the Ovimbundu of Portuguese southwest Africa
Journal of American folk-lore • 12 • Published In 1899 • Pages: 183-188
By: Dorsey, George Amos.
AbstractBrief abstract written by HRAF anthropologists who have done the subject indexing for the document
This source deals with the role of the Ocimbanda, the 'witch-doctor,' a combination diviner, magician and medical practitioner, among the Ovimbundu of Angola. The data presented are based on an ethnological collection obtained by a Rev. T.W. Woodside and secured by the Field Columbian Museum. The author discusses the training, garb, and ritual paraphernalia of the Ocimbanda; his role as medical and magical therapist and as diviner. Data are presented regarding the administration of poison ordeals in establishing guilt or innocence in connection with accusations of witchcraft.
- SubjectsDocument-level OCM identifiers given by the anthropology subject indexers at HRAF
- Preventive medicine
- Medical personnel
- Sacred objects and places
- Revelation and divination
- Magicians and diviners
- cultureCulture name from the Outline of World Cultures (OWC)
- Ovimbundu
- HRAF PubDateThe date HRAF published the document
- 2002
- RegionThe area the document pertains to
- Africa
- Sub RegionThe more specific area the document pertains to, which is located within the Region
- Southern 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.
- 4: Excellent Secondary Data
- 5: Excellent Primary Data
- AnalystThe HRAF anthropologist who subject indexed the document and prepared other materials for the eHRAF culture/tradition collection
- Eugene Lerner ; 1956
- Field DateThe date the researcher conducted the fieldwork or archival research that produced the document
- none
- Coverage DateThe date or dates that the information in the document pertains to
- 1899
- Coverage PlaceLocation of the research culture or tradition (often a smaller unit such as a band, community, or archaeological site)
- central Angola
- NotesAdditional notes
- George A. Dorsey
- LCCNLibrary of Congress Control Number
- 17028737
- LCSHLibrary of Congress Subject Headings
- Mbundu (African people)