Bowen (Bohannan) and Davis’ notable work “Return to Laughter” Essay Example for Free

Bowen (Bohannan) and Davis notable work way out to Laughter EssayBowen (Bohannan) and Davis notable works withdraw to Laughter and The Serpent and the Rainbow respectively, serves as reliable references principally for the field of anthropology. In both books, the authors dealt with exploring the practice of witchcraft from separate parts of the world Bowens semi-fictional impudent covered Nigerian witchery, alongside someoneal-based experiences while Davis was of entirely non-fiction, focusing on the secret societies of Haitian voodoo, zombies, and witching(prenominal).Witchcraft, by definition, is the alleged use of magic or supernatural powers. Throughout history, common people often women and children argon accused and condemned for using spells, acquiring human body parts, and the like, with no concrete proof. With even the slightest suspicion, a person will immediately be disowned, otherwise executed, by their community, and even by their own family. peck regard it as evil its a condemning quality for their ordination. Oftentimes, witch accusations rise from (simple) genial tensions or unexplained misfortunes. Though witch trials and executions have already been illegalized in the contemporary world, Wiccan activities continue to be greatly frowned upon one cannot simply eliminate it off certain cultures in a way, its already embedded in their system.This is as evident in Bowens Return to Laughter, a critical account of her experience living with a Nigerian primitive bush tribe it revealed how she struggled to learn and understand local culture and beliefs, whilst handling the conflicts it caused with her own how she made it through being ostracized by the locals because of being involve with a supposed witch and how her decision changed the course of her study greatly.She wasnt only on that point, she was out at that place she witnessed firsthand societys conviction over such practice and realized how much of a big deal it was i n their argona. As for Davis case, his study highlighted especially on the Haitian process of zombification the psychiatrical condition in which the victims believe that their awareness is retained in a bottle or quaver while their bodies are enslaved by the bokor, the voodoo sorcerer who summoned them.This was seen as a form of witchcraft condescension the obvious physiological causes (though there are still some specifics left unclear). The bokor in Haitian Vodou, an natural religion, refers to a sorcerer or a houngan (priests) for hire, said to be able to practice both corking and dark magic, though some sources plainly refer to them as the evil opposites of houngan. Due to these claims, they, too, are nix by their community.In studying social relationships in their corresponding communities, both authors used witchcraft as their basis perhaps because of the fact that witchery is (nearly) the center of the communities belief systems they mightve tried to understand the co nstitution of that particular society through how they react towards the people theyve categorized as witches. They try to see how society accepts those in or how those out are reprimanded alleged witches being of the out crowd.Despite both areas aforesaid(prenominal) claims of involvement in the practice of witchcraft, there are still differences to be noted. For one, theres no concrete proof for the existence of witches or their said witchcraft the locals only bases are anothers unusual habits and such then, they also say that witches can perform magic even without solid nourishment they can cause misfortune to befall upon their enemy without physically doing anything and they can cause famine, rain, landslides, etc.whenever. similarly these, they also say that power of witchcraft can be passeed on to whomever. For the bokor, on the other hand, their bare magic is almost limited to the creation of zombies and ousngans, talismans that house spirits and their rank isnt simpl y passed on to anyone but only to those believed to posses great power at birth. The said creation of zombies is rattling plausible Haitian zombies arent literal dead-people-come-to-life.In fact, theyve never been dead in the first place theyve been drugged, putting them in a state of deep coma thus, giving the impression of being dead later, theyre bring forth with an indefinite set of chemicals and awakened in a state of emotional and mental detachment forthwith giving the impression of being reanimated. So unlike witches, the bokors existence can actually be detected. Furthermore, witches are common people while the bokor are highly ranked in their society.Still, there are specific similarities apparent too both witch and bokor deal with spirits and magic and are said to be able to perform both good and evil magic also, they perform dedicated rituals and carry talismans and so on. Religious wouldnt exactly be the term I would use to delimit how I see the Nigerian and Haiti an belief system based on the gathered training above I wouldnt say that its all superstitious either but Id rather go with this point.From where I stand, these people see witchery as a produce of the devil, which I believe, still counts in religious beliefs however, their way of finding fault in a person is but irrational, its already of the superstitious kind the peculiar habits or the unusual appearance of a person doesnt make a person any less humanBesides, the witch and bokor are conflicted between good and evil, and their purpose in the great cosmos isnt clear too therefore, their manufacturing business involvement is, overall, uncertain and thats going against the definition of religious. Witchcraft, magic, zombies, talismansthese terms are already passe and ridiculed in the 21st century setting but they continue to survive amongst todays trends. not to mention that they still maintain a long line of followers.Nonetheless, in spite of its relative manage of adverse effec ts today, it is still living proof of our ancestors exertions in reaching the extent of their imagination to fill up their curiosity and thats certainly something Bibliography Agar, M. (1996). The Professional Stranger An Informal Introduction to Ethnography. New York Academic Press. Bowen, E. S. (1964). Return to Laughter an Anthropological Novel . New York Anchor Books. Craven, W. (Director). (1988). The Serpent and the Rainbow Motion Picture.