article
Mesquakie witchcraft lore
Plains anthropologist • 6 (11) • Published In 1961 • Pages: 31-39
By: Fugle, Eugene Milton.
Abstract
The author attempts to show in this article how certain cultural patterns in Fox society, generally considered to be non-aggressive in character, are in fact covertly aggressive. Witchcraft lore is one of these patterns. The covert aggressiveness of this pattern is shown in the training of the shaman, who is considered to have a complete knowledge of all medicines both for good and evil. Since he may easily choose to perform evil magic rather than good, he is never fully trusted in the society. Disease as well as disasters of various kinds may be attributed to the working of the sorcerer, often resulting in 'witchery' feuds between families and secret societies and distrust between individuals. The author attributes the lack of aggressiveness between individuals in face to face situations as due to fear of inciting sorcery as a counter response. The resulting social effects of this covert aggressiveness is lack of individual cooperation and a backlog of unresolved grievances. Fugle concludes that there is '…little doubt that witchcraft is the scapegoat for all sorts of hostility and rationalization in Mesquakie society (p. 39),' and serves, therefore as a way of releasing generalized tensions in the society as well as those tensions more specific to the social structure.
- HRAF PubDate
- 2014
- Region
- North America
- Sub Region
- Eastern Woodlands
- Document Type
- article
- Evaluation
- Creator Type
- Ethnologist
- Document Rating
- 5: Excellent Primary Data
- Analyst
- John Beierle ; Marlene Martin ; 1977
- Field Date
- 1954
- Coverage Date
- 1954
- Coverage Place
- Tama County, Iowa, United States
- Notes
- Eugene Milton Fugle
- Includes bibliographical references (p. 39)
- LCCN
- 66038259
- LCSH
- Fox Indians