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Shared experience and magical death: Chipewyan explanations of a prophet's decline

Ethnology25 • Published In 1986 • Pages: 257-270

By: Sharp, Henry S..

Abstract
This source examines the pan-Chipewyan system of supernatural knowledge, power, and thought encompassed by the concept of INKOZE; a system, in the minds of the Chipewyan, closely allied to insanity. Here, the analysis of INKOZE is extended to a prophet figure known as Magic Boy, the supposed reincarnation of the mythical being Lived-with-the-wolves. This individual was active in the northern parts of several Canadian provinces toward the end of the 1960s. A major portion of this paper discusses various Chipewyan explanations for his decline and subsequent loss of INKOZE in the early 1970s (e.g., alcoholism, ghostly vengeance and misfortune in previous reincarnations, and a medicine fight between the prophet and a local man who claimed him to be a fraud).
Subjects
Personality disorders
Life history materials
Sorcery
Sacred objects and places
Prophets and ascetics
culture
Chipewyans
HRAF PubDate
2000
Region
North America
Sub Region
Arctic and Subarctic
Document Type
article
Evaluation
Creator Type
Ethnologist
Document Rating
5: Excellent Primary Data
Analyst
John Beierle ; 1989-1991
Field Date
1970-1973
Coverage Date
1969-1970
Coverage Place
Black Lake, northwestern Saskatchewan, Canada
Notes
[by] Henry Stephen Sharp
Includes bibliographical references (p. 270)
LCCN
64005713
LCSH
Chipewyan Indians