Transcript Ghosts, Souls, and Ancestors: Power of the Dead

Ghosts, Souls, and
Ancestors: Power of
the Dead
Voodoo & Vampires
Ch8 Lehman & Myers
Ghosts, Souls, and Ancestors: Power
of the Dead
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Religions universal belief of life after death
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Universal belief in immortality across cultures
Degree of interaction of living vs. dead varies among cultures
Human basic need to believe in ghosts & worship ancestors
Two attitudes about the dead
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Left the society
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Fear their return
Ancestor as ghosts
Power of the dead
Remain active in society
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A concern for ancestors by the living
Ghosts, Souls, and Ancestors
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Why do people believe in these?
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Duality: good vs. evil
Explanation for misfortune
Fear (social function): social control
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Folklore
Media
Authority/power
Zombies
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Voodoo (Vodoun) from Haiti
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Religious practice with priests and ceremonies.
High reliance on secret societies
Zombies are undead people animated dead by a
Voodoo priest to become slaves.
Ethno biologist Wade Davis investigated the drug
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Main ingredient was tetrodotoxin
Causes paralysis
Voodoo priest returns to dig up the body
The terrified person obeys the priest without argument
Voodoo by
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80 to 90% of people in Haiti- traditional religious
system
Voodoo- African based with Catholic influences
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McCarthy Brown
3 categories: lemo, lemiste, & lemarasa
Languages
Loosely organized priesthood
Goal
Urban vs. rural
Voodoo by
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McCarthy Brown
African Influence
Roman Catholic Influence
Voodoo Spirits
View of the person
The Dead
Ceremonies
Voodoo & Magic
The Real Vampire by Barber
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Real vs. Media Portrayal
Scientific explanations for vampire
conditions
Myths
Conclusion