Animism

Animism has been used in a number of ways since Edward Tylor used it (in 1871) as a label to define the essence of religion as the 'belief in spirits' (i.e. metaphyisical, non-empirical or imagined entities). The majority of this entry discusses the original term, and the changes in its definition over time. The more recent use of the term derives from a more respectful engagement with people who treat the world as a community of living persons, only some of whom are human. This animism labels particular cultural attempts to relate respectfully with the persons (human, rock, plant, animal, bird, ancestral, etc.) who are also members of the wider community of life. This 'new animism' is discussed in more detail towards the end of the entry. The adjectives 'old' and 'new' relate to the theorising / writing about whatever it is that is labelled 'animism'. The data or practices or cultures or whatever may be contemporary or ancient.

Evil spirits

Side by side with the doctrine of separable souls with which we have so far been concerned, exists the belief in a great host of unattached spirits. These are not immanent souls that have become detached from their abodes, but have instead every appearance of independent spirits. The Australian Aborigines believe in innumerable spirits and outback bogies, which wander, especially at night, and can be held at bay by means of fire. With this belief may be compared the ascription in European folk belief of prophylactic properties to iron.

Related Topics:
Australian Aborigines - Outback - Iron

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These spirits are at first mainly malevolent. Side by side with them we find the spirits of the dead as hostile beings. At a higher stage the spirits of dead kinsmen are no longer unfriendly, nor yet all non-human spirits. As fetishes, naguals (see totem), familiar spirits, gods or demi-gods (see also demonology), they enter into relations with man. On the other hand there still subsists a belief in innumerable evil spirits, which manifest themselves in the phenomena of possession, lycanthropy, disease, and so on. The fear of evil spirits has given rise to ceremonies of expulsion of evils (see exorcism), designed to banish them from the community.

Related Topics:
Fetish - Nagual - Totem - Familiar spirit - Demi-gods - Demonology - Possession - Lycanthropy - Exorcism

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