Download Turner's Theory of Pilgrimage and Sallnow's Criticism: A Comparative Analysis and more Assignments Anthropology of religion in PDF only on Docsity! Ant 373 Magic and Religion Spring 2001 Professor Burdick Question to reflect on while reading Sallnow’s article “Communitas Reconsidered” In the 1970s, Victor Turner developed the theory that the main objective of pilgrimages, throughout the world, was to serve as a very special rite of passage, in which pilgrims would go through three experientially powerful phases. First, they would experience separation from their everyday social role and lives (the removal from “structure”). Then they would enter the moving, liminal state of the pilgrimage itself, in which they experienced intense feeling of absolute equality with their fellow pilgrims (“anti-structure” or “communitas”), despite any social differences they might have experienced back in the world of “structure”. Importantly, this experience of communitas the pilgrims interpreted as the presence of the divine. Thus renewed and refreshed, the pilgrims were ready for the third phase, the return from “anti-structure” back to “structure”. Because they had gone through the experience of comunitas, returning pilgrims would become better, more fraternal members of society. The Turner model of pilgrimage has been very influential, and has also drawn criticism from scholars who wish to complicate it. What is Sallnow’s criticism of Turner’s model? Upon what evidence does he develop his criticism? How do both Turner’s model and Sallnow’s criticism help you understand a pilgrimage in which you have participated? Can Sallnow’s analysis be extended beyond pilgrimages to other kinds of religious rituals, which may “talk a good game”, as it were, of purity and spirituality, but that in fact are vehicles for social distinction and competition? Glossary for Sallnow article Sallnow’s article is full of specialized, jargony language. Here is my best effort to help you wend your way through the thicket of terminology: Existential communitas – according to anthropologist Victor Turner, the universal experience of total human equality, often experienced during the liminal phase of a rite of passage Normative communitas – acc. to Turner, any rituals that make the experience of communitas into a routine: thereby perhaps taking away its excitement, but also making sure that it is always potentially available Ecologically – having to do with the natural environment Monolingualism – having fluency in only one language Mestizo – in Peru, someone of mixed Indian and European ancestry Reversionary rights – upon the death of a landholder, the land reverts to the holding of the whole community/village Patrilateral kin – the relatives that someone traces through their father Ecclesiastical – having to do with church structures Cargo system – a system that exists in many Latin American peasant communities, in which local power-holders gain their authority by hosting religious festivals Liturgical inventory – list of saints used in rituals Syntagmatic differentiation – any way by which neighboring things – from words to villages – are kept distinct from each other Eponymous – name-giving (i.e., something is “eponymous” if its name is bestowed on something else) Pyramidally structured microcosm – a small-scale version of anything that resembles a pyramid Morphology – the physical features of Catchment – the area in which users of something live (as in the devotees of a shrine) Iconologically – having to do with visual imagery Topographical – having to do with features of the physical landscape Theophany – the physical appearance of a divinity Thaumaturgic – having healing powers Cosmologies – fundamental beliefs about how the cosmos is ordered Universalistic – anyone may frequent the shrine Provenance – where the devotees come from Intermontane – valleys between the mountains Novena – the nine days surrounding a religious (Catholic) festival or holy day Octave – the eight days surrounding a religious (Catholic) festival or holy day
