article
Religious involution: internal change, and its consequences, in the taboo-system of the Mentawaians
Tropical man • 5 • Published In 1976 • Pages: 46-81
By: Schefold, Reimar.
Abstract
Basing his analysis on Clifford Geertz's work on involutionary change in agricultural patterns in Java which triggered off reactions in other culture sectors of the society, Schefold attempts to show in this study how the advent of new external conditions, or at any rate external conditions experienced as new, have brought about certain changes in Mentawei religious institutions, particularly in reference to the observance of taboos. These changes "…have a subsequent influence, more or less strong, on other spheres of life. Effected changes reestablish in more complex guise the previous situation. They merely signify a modification of basic patterns already in existence; as a consequence of a pressure which remains to be more closely analysed bring in their wake real evolution. -- Other than in the instance depicted by Geertz, on Mentawai it is also possible to observe counter-tendencies which insure that culture despite involutionary developments will not bog down in a blind alley" (p. 48).
- HRAF PubDate
- 2000
- Region
- Asia
- Sub Region
- Southeast Asia
- Document Type
- article
- Evaluation
- Creator Type
- Ethnologist
- Document Rating
- 4: Excellent Secondary Data
- 5: Excellent Primary Data
- Analyst
- John Beierle; 2000
- Field Date
- 1967-1969
- Coverage Date
- not specified
- Coverage Place
- Mentawei Islands, west of Sumatra, Indonesia
- Notes
- Reimar Schefold
- Includes bibliographical references (p. 81)
- LCCN
- sn90040007
- LCSH
- Mentawai (Indonesian people)