Australian fire ceremonies: Lartna and Engwura in the Arrernte tribe

Andrzej Szyjewski

Tytuły

Abstrakt

Comparing the cycle of initiation rites in the Arrernte with initiation rituals in the desert tribes, we arrive at the conclusion that they are based upon an analogous symbolism of activities and ideas. The Arrernte initiations are therefore a transformation of the desert rites in which the ritual syntagmas are distributed differently. An example supporting this thesis is the use of tall torches of the witi/widi type in the circumcision rite instead of in the “proper” fire ceremony, the fact that they are not lit despite the presence of the symbolism of fire in the ritual songs, and the role of women in their destruction. The founding myth of the Engwura is at the same time a myth that introduces circumcision (Lartna), and both of these ritual activities are treated interchangeably in variants of the myth. The Engwura itself, as a fire ceremony, has to be considered the final and crowning phase of the initiation processes. It is characterised by the presence, shared with the Western Desert, of a symbolic complex in which a special role is played by the equivalence: adepts ≡ Eremophila ≡ torch fire. Due to the fact that use of Eremophila, on the one hand, refers to the symbolism of the monsoon season (the greenness of the plant) and, on the other hand, to fires of the dry season (the redness of the plant and associations with the emu), it constitutes an ideal operator for the initiation process.

Słowa kluczowe

Australijscy Aborygeni, Arrente, rytuał, mit, symbolika inicjacyjna, subincyzja, Eremophila longifolia, symbolika płci

Australian Aborigines, Arrernte, rituals, myth, initiation symbolism, subincision, Eremophila longifolia, gender symbolism

Bibliografia

Berndt R.M., Love Songs of Arnhem Land, Chicago 1978.

Elkin A.P., The Australian Aborigines, New York 1964.

Hiatt L.R., Secret Pseudo-procreation Rites among the Australian Aborigines, [in:] Anthropology in Oceania: Essays Presented to Ian Hogbin, L.R. Hiatt, C. Jaywerdena (eds.), Sydney 1971, pp. 77–88.

Hilliard W., The People in between: The Pitjantjatjara People of Ernabella, New York 1968.

Kimber R.G., Smith M.A., An Arrernte Ceremony, [in:] Australians to 1788, D.J. Mulvaney, J.P. White (eds.), Fairfax 1987, pp. 221–237.

Mathews R.H., The Burbung of the Wiradthuri Tribes, “Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute” 1896, vol. 25, pp. 295–318.

Mathews R.H., The Keeparra Ceremony of Initiation, “Journal of Anthropological Institute” 1897, vol. 26, pp. 320–340.

Morton J., Totemism Now and then: A Natural Science of Society?, [in:] Scholar and Sceptic: Australian Aboriginal Studies in Honour of L.R. Hiatt, F. Merlan, J. Morton, A. Ramsey (eds.), Canberra 1997, pp. 151–170.

My Dear Spencer: The Letters of F.J. Gillen to Baldwin Spencer, J. Mulvaney, H. Morphy, A. Petch (eds.), Melbourne 1997.

Report on the Work of the Horn Expedition to Central Australia, B. Spencer (ed.), London 1896, vol. IV – Anthropology.

Richmond G.S., A Review of the Use of Eremophila (Myoporaceae) by Australian Aborigines, “Adelaide Botanic Garden” 1993, no. 15 (2), pp. 101–107.

Spencer B., Gillen F.J., Across Australia, London 1912, vol. 1–2.

Spencer B., Gillen F.J., Native Tribes of Central Australia, London 1899.

Spencer B., Gillen F.J., The Arunta: A Study of a Stone Age People, London 1927.

Strehlow C., Die Aranda und Loritja Stämme in Zentral-Australien, Bd. 4, Frankfurt 1913.

Strehlow T.G.H., Aranda Traditions, Melbourne 1947.

Strehlow T.G.H., The Songs of Central Australia, Melbourne 1971.

Szyjewski A., Australijskie ceremonie ognia. Ceremonie Wollunki u Warramunga, “Studia Religiologica” 2016, vol. 49, no. 3, pp. 231–250.

Szyjewski A., Australijskie ceremonie ognia. Gadjari i Buluwandi u Warlpiri, “Studia Religiologica” 2014, vol. 47, no. 3, pp. 197–211.

Szyjewski A., Australijskie ceremonie ognia. Ogień w religii Warlpiri, “Studia Religiologica” 2014, vol. 47, no. 1, pp. 29–42.

Szyjewski A., Mitologia australijska jako nośnik tożsamości, Kraków 2014.

Informacje

Informacje: Studia Religiologica, 2018, Tom 51, Numer 1, s. 67-82

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4467/20844077SR.18.005.9494

Typ artykułu: Oryginalny artykuł naukowy

Tytuły:

Polski:

Australian fire ceremonies: Lartna and Engwura in the Arrernte tribe

Angielski:

Australian fire ceremonies: Lartna and Engwura in the Arrernte tribe

Autorzy

Andrzej Szyjewski

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1190-4035

Instytut Religioznawstwa, Uniwersytet Jagielloński, ul. Grodzka 52 31-044 Kraków

Publikacja: 28.09.2018

Status artykułu: Otwarte

Licencja: CC BY-NC-ND

Udział procentowy autorów:

Andrzej Szyjewski (Autor) - 100%

Korekty artykułu:

-

Języki publikacji:

Angielski

Liczba wyświetleń: 1446

Liczba pobrań: 1153

<p> Australian fire ceremonies: Lartna and Engwura in the Arrernte tribe</p>

Pobierz pełny tekst

Tytuły

Abstrakt

Słowa kluczowe

Bibliografia

Informacje

Autorzy