article

The doctrine of souls and disease among the Chinook Indians

Journal of American folk-lore6 • Published In 1979 • Pages: 39-42

By: Boas, Franz.

Abstract
In the summer of 1891 Boas obtained a series of oral texts from one of the last survivors of the Chinook tribe dealing with the doctrine of souls as held by the Chinook Indians. Based on these texts this article presents data on beliefs about sickness and death as caused by soul loss and sorcery, the fate of the soul after death, and the efforts of shaman and their guardian spirits in restoring health to their clients by bringing back the souls of the ill from the world of the ghosts.
Subjects
Theory of disease
Sorcery
Magical and mental therapy
Shamans and psychotherapists
Life and death
Animism
Eschatology
Spirits and gods
culture
Chinookans of the Lower Columbia River
HRAF PubDate
2004
Region
North America
Sub Region
Northwest Coast and California
Document Type
article
Evaluation
Creator Type
Ethnologist
Document Rating
5: Excellent Primary Data
Analyst
John Beierle ; 2002
Field Date
summer 1891
Coverage Date
not specified
Coverage Place
Pacific Northwest coast, United States
Notes
Franz Boas
LCCN
63024221
LCSH
Chinook Indians