48 Australian voodoo

Geography of Australia

  • Overview of major geographical features and notable locations in Australia.

    • Key Locations:

      • East Timor

      • Arafura Sea

      • Gulf of Carpentaria

      • Coral Sea

      • Great Australian Bight

      • Various Capes including Cape Van Diemen, Cape Arnhem, and Cape Otway.

    • Significant Cities and Areas:

      • Port Rabaul

      • Darwin

      • Brisbane

      • Sydney

      • Melbourne

      • Perth

      • Alice Springs

  • The map illustrates the vast and diverse landscape including deserts, coasts, and mountains.

Aboriginal Australians

  • Historical context of Aboriginal Australians:

    • Occupation of the continent for at least 60,000 years.

    • Existence of small-scale societies without formal government systems.

    • Social behaviors were governed by tradition.

    • Instances of egregious behavior were dealt with socially rather than judicially.

Voodoo Death

  • Concept introduced by Walter Cannon:

    • In cultures with beliefs in sorcery or supernatural punishment, profound fear can lead to death.

    • Physiological reactions such as prolonged shock and a despairing state can affect an individual’s health.

    • Withdrawal of community support can escalate fears and lead to physical decline and death often termed as "voodoo" death.

    • If an individual stops eating and drinking due to this fear, death can follow in a short period.

Voodoo Death in Traditional Societies

  • Insights from Harry Eastwell on Australian practices:

    • Heinous acts within small societies can result in punishment via sorcery, leading to a phenomenon called "mortification".

    • The affected party and their relatives can become convinced of imminent sorcery-induced death, leading to social withdrawal and communal grief rituals.

    • This absence of sustenance leads to physiological decline and eventual death, mirrored by beliefs in sorcery.

Comparative Cultural Practices

  • Ancient Korean social death penalty:

    • Crimes resulted in public execution through boiling, marking the individual’s exclusion from society.

    • The community would conduct a full funeral ceremony, denying the person social interaction afterward.

    • This practice often led to immediate suicidal tendencies in the ostracized individual, similar to the outcomes observed in "voodoo" death situations in Australia.