As an undergraduate in cultural anthropology at Leiden University in 1964, Hans van den Breemer was asked to participate in a research project on the most efficient distribut¡on of new water wells... Show moreAs an undergraduate in cultural anthropology at Leiden University in 1964, Hans van den Breemer was asked to participate in a research project on the most efficient distribut¡on of new water wells in rural Niger. This brought him unforgettable contact with Hausa people and to some extent also with Fula and Touareg. A second defining experience was his research, from 1972 * L974, on agr¡cultural innovation among the Aouan of lvory Coast. This resulted in his doctoral dissertation "Onze Aarde houdt niet van Rijst" (Our Earth does not like Rice). The third phase of his anthropological career began in 1986 with his role in organ¡zing and supervising the research trainings ¡n Senegal and The Gambia for cultural anthropology and development sociology studenE from Leiden University. This participation led to close contacts w¡th Mandinka people predominantly, but also with people of Diakhanke, Fula, Wolof, Soninke, Serer and other origins. This book focuses on the third and last phase of his professional career. The dual aim of his participation in the training - coaching students and doing research himself- is reflected in this book. Van den Breemer shares the training staff's ideas and his personal motivations and exper¡ences with regard to the superuision and coaching of young students embarking on the¡r first anthropological research in an unfamiliar culture. He also offers his personal reflections on rural society in Senegal, its structure, social processes and problems. In an account sure to engage anthropologists and non-anthropologists alike, Hans van den Breemer reveals the realities of anthropological fieldwork and the kinds of understandings it may lead to. Show less
During his fieldwork in Mali in the 1990s, the author found that many discussions among Malian Muslims about Islam centred on general questions of piety and the "correct" ways of being a pious... Show moreDuring his fieldwork in Mali in the 1990s, the author found that many discussions among Malian Muslims about Islam centred on general questions of piety and the "correct" ways of being a pious Muslim. There seemed to be considerable concern with - and often debate about - the public signs of piety. One such sign was the 'seere', a dark, sometimes circular spot or mark on some Muslims' foreheads. Many Malians noted that such a mark indicates regular prayer and presumably appears from touching the forehead to the ground. The author focuses on these publicly visible signs of piety not only because they were the subject of considerable discussion in Mali but also because they are not limited to any one group of Muslims. Before doing so, he gives an outline of Islam in Malian history, Muslim preachers and the spread of public sermons during the colonial period, Muslim associations and Muslim intellectuals who began to enter the public arena in new ways in the 1950s, and the public sphere and standardization of Islamic practices in the postcolonial period. [ASC Leiden abstract] Show less
In this chapter the author explores how the inhabitants of Lusaka, the capital of Zambia, have used their church organization to create a viable social texture for themselves, serving political,... Show moreIn this chapter the author explores how the inhabitants of Lusaka, the capital of Zambia, have used their church organization to create a viable social texture for themselves, serving political, economic and kinship goals way beyond the letter of the gospel. In Zambia, towns only came into being during the colonial period. The author starts with a discussion of the relative importance of continuity and transformation in the urban social structure of rural patterns of social relations. He then presents a long monologue of just one urban protagonist, recorded during fieldwork in 1972-1973. Mrs. Evelyn Phiri lives in the township of Kapemperere in Lusaka, and is a member of a well-established church body, the Roman Catholic Church. Her monologue highlights the discussion of elements of continuity and transformation. The church appears as a local formal organization, as a structure of material and ideological/spiritual assistance, and finally as a structure of social control. It assumes functions which can only be understood against the background of preexisting rural traditional patterns, yet caters for needs of crisis support, conflict regulation and the expression of group identity and an emerging class structure. This provides a framework within which to identify urban social processes such as they manifest themselves in the social drama evocated in Mrs. Phiri's monologue. Notes, ref Show less
This thesis gives an overview of the Maasai livestock economy as it has developed between 1890 and 1990. Particularly, it analyses the processes and policies of land use and landownership of the... Show moreThis thesis gives an overview of the Maasai livestock economy as it has developed between 1890 and 1990. Particularly, it analyses the processes and policies of land use and landownership of the Maasai pastoral areas in Kajiado district, Kenya, from the arrival of the Europeans until the recent massive individualization of land tenure. The loss of grazing pastures due to increased cultivation, the establishment of game parks and mineral exploitation is said to undermine the livestock economy of Maasai pastoralists in Kajiado district. Furthermore, the recent subdivision of group ranches into too small individual holdings, it is feared, will result in the selling of land to outsiders. This study examines the outcome of this process as well as the Maasai response of economic intensification and diversification, including increasing the productivity of the herd, cultivation, wage employment, outmigration, etc. Fieldwork for the study was carried out in 1988-1989. Show less
V.W. Turner's theory of ritual symbolism among the Ndembu Lunda (1958) is analysed with regard to its applicability to urban ritual. Main purpose in this paper is not to provide a thorough summary... Show moreV.W. Turner's theory of ritual symbolism among the Ndembu Lunda (1958) is analysed with regard to its applicability to urban ritual. Main purpose in this paper is not to provide a thorough summary and evaluation of Turner's work, but to consider only one limited portion of it, use it to introduce some of the major theoretical problems which both Turner's and the author's own work are facing, then move away from Turner's work and proceed to indicate the direction from which a part solution may be expected in future. The results of the analyses are brought into the context of the experience gathered by the author during fieldwork among the Nkoya (some 250 km. away from the Ndembu). Manipulation of ritual concerning illness and death seems to provide a major basis for power in the social structure of the village, particularly between members of different generations. The same situation obtains among urban Nkoya. The Nkoya data demonstrate weak spots in the body of establishe theory and suggest an alternative approach. Understanding of the non-ritual basis of ritual may well provide a lever for change. Ref Show less
