Anth 206: The Anthropology of the Supernatural - In Depth Notes

New Animism

• Described by scholars since the 1990s, focusing on indigenous religions.
• Notable scholar: Eduardo Viveiros de Castro.
• Questions posed by indigenous religions: "How should we live with other beings?"
• Graham Harvey's definition of animists: "People who understand the world as a community of persons, most being other-than-human, deserving respect."
• Reclaims and transforms the term animism into an affirmative label.

Wide Context: Pagan Theology vs. Other Theologies

• Michael York's comparative study: Analyzes four schools of thought based on their nature attitudes.
• Abrahamic Religions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam):
  • View God and angels as superior and outside nature.
  • Nature is often seen as evil; humanity given dominion over it.
  • Emphasis on resisting nature's temptations; suspicion around the body and sexuality.
  • Focus on other-worldly salvation.
• Dharmic Religions (Hinduism, Buddhism, etc.):
  • Less antagonistic to nature than Abrahamic religions.
  • Nature seen as part of illusion (maya), aiming for transcendence through concepts like nirvana.
• Irreligion/Atheism:
  • Purely materialistic view; considers nature as non-animate matter.
  • Emphasis on a this-worldly focus with no appeal to other worlds.

Paganism and Indigenous/Folk Religion

• Paganism distinguishes:
  • Seeks the divine in nature rather than beyond it; nature is considered divine.
  • Shares this-worldly focus with irreligion/atheism; deemphasizes transcendentalism and afterlife notions.
• Michael York's concept:
  • Describes Paganism as root-religion; all religious thinking stems from original nature veneration.
• Comparison with other religions:
  • Both indigenous and pagan religions emphasize respect for nature.
  • Despite numerical superiority of imperialistic religions, Pagan and indigenous religions represent vast diversity in traditions.

Jason Josephson-Storm: The Myth of Disenchantment

• Narrative of “disenchantment”:
  • Discusses how this narrative presents disenchantment as a myth.
• Human Sciences critique:
  • Creates a reflexive examination within religious studies and critiques modernity.

Roots of the Folkloric Zombie

• Vodou: Principal unofficial religion of Haiti, stemming from enslaved African traditions.
• Historical context:
  • Enslaved individuals combined disparate cultural practices in their new environment.
• Human Traffic:
  • People from various backgrounds brought to Haiti, forming a common understanding despite cultural differences.

Syncretism in Vodou

• Definition: Combination of two or more cultural practices into a new one.
• Vodou merges West African religious practices with Roman Catholicism due to forced conversions and suppression.
• Example: Ezili Dantò combines African warrior spirit traits with characteristics of the Virgin Mary.

Emergence of the Zonbi

• Etymology: From Kongo nzambi meaning "spirit" or "deity".
• In Haitian folklore, zonbi refers to the "living dead", representing fears of enslavement.
• Role of zonbi: Served to reinforce fear of suicide among enslaved populations.

Legends and Cultural Perceptions of Zonbi

• Bokors: Malevolent sorcerers in stories that revive the dead to create zonbi, stripping them of free will.
• Zonbi Astral: Non-physical zonbi forms can be captured and contained by bokors in spirit bottles.

The Truth Behind the Legend of Zombies

• Cases of zonbi: Rare, characterized by people reanimating after being declared dead.
• Explanatory theories:
  • Material Hypothesis: Physical processes, potentially involving toxins (e.g. tetrodotoxin) causing temporary comas.
  • Social Hypothesis: Reflecting unique societal contexts and beliefs rather than merely toxins.

Material Hypothesis of Zombification

• Research by Wade Davis: Collected zombification powder; identified toxins capable of inducing comas.
• Process: Bokors might use powder to make victims appear dead until they are exhumed and subjected to servitude.

Davis's Theory Critique

• Inconsistency in the powder samples and concentrations; cultural beliefs play a significant role in zombification experiences.
• Not everyone exposed to toxins becomes a zonbi; cultural context influences outcomes.

Zonbi in Social Context

• Context describes how certain individuals (e.g. those with mental health issues) may be labeled as zonbi in family grieving rituals.

Haitian Revolution (1791-1804)

• Marks Haiti's emergence as the first free Black republic.
• Resulted in violence against French colonists, instilling terror among slave-holding nations and promoting demonization of Haiti.

Zombies and Racial Dynamics

• Folkloric zonbi narratives reflect enslaved Black fears about agency and body autonomy.
• Early literary and cinematic portrayals symbolize white anxieties towards Black bodies.

Early Zombie Literature & Film

• "White Zombie" (1932): 1st Zombie film exemplifying early racial and cultural stereotypes.
• "The Magic Island" (1929): 1st zombie novel presented sensationalized depictions of Vodou and Haitian culture, targeting curiosities about black magic.

Themes of Sensationalism and Stereotyping

• Early narratives perpetuated stereotypes of passive or violent characters, highlighted victims as white women, and characterized Vodou in bloodthirsty terms.
• Reinforced perceptions of Haiti as a savage nation.

Shifting Zombie Narratives

• "Night of the Living Dead" (1968): Redefined zombies by combining them with elements of horror genres, addressing themes of societal issues like conformity and exploitation.

Zombies in the New Millennium

• Resurgence in zombie films post-2004, showcasing smarter, stronger zombies reflecting fears of disease and apocalypse, such as HIV/AIDS fears.

Zombie Apocalypse Genre

• Treatment of a pandemic scenario, where a zombie outbreak threatens civilization, focusing on survival amid social collapse.