RITUAL OF ’’RUSALJE’’ - VIEW FROM A NEW ASPECT Cover Image

РУСАЉСКИ РИТУАЛ – ПОГЛЕД ИЗ НОВОГ УГЛА
RITUAL OF ’’RUSALJE’’ - VIEW FROM A NEW ASPECT

Author(s): Danijel Sinani
Subject(s): Customs / Folklore, Cultural Anthropology / Ethnology, Culture and social structure
Published by: Институт за етнологију и антропологију
Keywords: rusalje; ritual; spirit possession;exorcism; mediumship; witchcraft; career; ritual officials; vertical social mobility;

Summary/Abstract: The paper is dealing with the ritual of "rusalje” as a manifestation of a spirit possession phenomena. It is argued that for the categories of oppressed and deprived people this ritual represents the channel to exert mystical pressure upon their superiors, but also one of the few channels available to them for gaining some vertical social mobility. In it’s most developed forms the ritual becomes the channel for making special kind of career - becoming the ritual official in the community.

  • Issue Year: 8/2008
  • Issue No: 1
  • Page Range: 117-139
  • Page Count: 23
  • Language: Serbian