A study of the West African Hauka - spirits that grotesquely mimic and mock "e;Europeans"e; of the colonial epoch. The author considers spirit possession as a set of embodied practices with serious social and cultural consequences. Embodying Colonial Memories is the first in-depth study of the West African Hauka, spirits in the body of (human) mediums which mimic and mock Europeans of the colonial epoch. Paul Stoller, who was initiated into a spirit possession troupe, recounts an insider's tale of the Hauka with respect and "e;brotherly"e; deference. He combines narrative description, historical analysis, and reflections on the importance of embodiment and mimesis to social theory, with particular reference to the Songhay peoples of the Republic of Niger.
| ISBN: | 9781136652592 |
| Publication date: | 2nd January 2014 |
| Author: | Stoller, Paul |
| Publisher: | Taylor and Francis |
| Format: | Ebook (PDF) |