07/29/2010 (4:49 am)
African Cosmology Best answer on the web
also... Where can I find Critique of 'the Bell curve' by Charles Murray?
As for me, African cosmology is good - I know little or nothing about bell curves.
If you want both answered at the same time, it is a fact of life, you may wait a long time for that to happen. I'm not saying that is so, just a high probability.
should help you
Thank-you for asking such an interesting question.
TURKANA COSMOLOGY
The main cosmology of the Turkana is their traditional religion. Akuj is their God who has power to send or withhold rain and is associated with the sky and mountain tops. In periods of drought animals are sacrificed to him, as they are when other disasters strike, in the hope that he will stop being angry. Rain and cool air are gifts to be thankful for and may be celebrated in song at the sacrificial ceremonies.
The 'emuron', or dreamers, interpret Akuj's intentions and mediate between him and the rest of the Turkana people. The emuron feel called to their role, undergo an initiation period during which they leave their homestead and develop an ability to dream in a new way. Then they 'see' and 'speak' what their dreams tell them about Akuj's wishes and act as prophets for the tribe. They also diagnose and treat disease, and use the entrails of sacrificed animals for divination.
Dead ancestors may also help mediate between Akuj and their descendants. Like Akuj and the other spiritual beings - Akuj Nameri (God of the Stars) and Nipen or Ngiapan (spirits) - they are considered to live in the sky. Sometimes they are angry and need to be offered a sacrifice, but they may be persuaded to act on behalf of the living.
There have been Christian missionaries working with the Turkana, setting up much needed health centres, for instance. They have converted some people in the settlements but the Turkana are still predominantly believers in Akuj.
TURKANA WOMEN
While their menfolk are in charge of the all-important cattle, Turkana women take care of the family's sheep and goats. They not only look after the home but build the daytime and sleeping huts too. These used to be made entirely from branches and animal skins but now tarpaulin and plastic may be used. The homestead - called an 'awi' - is the women's main workplace as well as their home.
Girls and women weave baskets and produce beautiful, intricate beadwork. They wear a lot of brightly colored beads as well as neckrings. The older girls collect firewood and fetch water. Food preparation is a job for women and girls; they make dried milk (edodo) by boiling fresh milk and allowing it to dry on skins. Dried meal is made with crushed berries, which can be mixed with blood and made into cakes. Babies are given camel milk since it is easy to digest.
Between 15 and 20 a girl will be married - the wedding ceremony is a huge event which may last a couple of days - and when her first child learns to walk there will be a further, smaller ceremony confirming and finalizing the marriage. The girl's family is paid 'bridewealth' in cattle, maybe as many as 50, plus goats and a camel or donkey too. Men who can afford to, may take as many as 10 wives. Within the awi there will be a separate hut for the man and his first wife. There has been some argument amongst Western visitors about how comfortable the wives themselves are with this arrangement. This is the view of one travel writer:
"Among Turkana women, a wife "generally considers it an economic advantage for her family to have additional co-wives since the women help each other in doing domestic chores and in caring for their animals. The cowives may also help their husband find a new bride. They interview young women with a goal of finding one who will be compatible with them and hard working. Their husband usually must have their approval before going ahead with the wedding. For him, an additional wife also has disadvantages. The co-wives may get together, gang-up on him, and force him to do things that he does not want to do. More wives can mean more potential domestic trouble for a husband."
The older women are respected as a source of advice and wisdom. A few women may be 'ngamurok', or prophets, though this is more commonly a male role.
A useful online resource on the Turkana is the website of a professional travel writer, Jens Finke:
The Turkana (click on menu on the left for different topics)
http://bluegecko.crosswinds.net/kenya/tribes/turkana/
FURTHER INFORMATION
You might find these helpful:
'Sacrifice and Prophecy in Turkana Cosmology', by Tony Barrett. Pauline's Publications (1998)
"This book offers a challenge to the existing theories on sacrifice. Although the title mentions the concept of sacrifice only, it tackles the entire life of the Turkana. It gives an outline of the social organisation and tries to describe the understanding the Turkana have of God."
book catalogue including Barrett's book on Turkana Cosmology
http://www.paulinesafrica.org/catalogue/africanstudies.htm
'Kakuma, Turkana: Dueling Struggles: Africa's Forgotten Peoples', by Daniel Cheng Yang. Pangaea (2002)
Turkana - a photographic journal
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1929165501/qid=1037192218/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/002-9563958-6992848?v=glance&s=books
People: Turkana
http://www.blissites.com/kenya/people/turkana.html
An article including a paragraph showing older Turkana women's knowledge and authority: Changing Customary Land Use in Turkana
http://www.monitorinternational.org/Turkana.htm
Notes on a film 'A Wife among Wives'
http://www.therai.org.uk/film/catalogue_2/80_wives.html
I hope this is helpful. Please feel free to ask for clarification if anything needs explanation.
Regards - Leli
Much material on the internet has a medical or missionary perspective, see this search on 'Turkana women': ://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=turkana+women&btnG=Google+Search&meta=
Also "Turkana religion OR beliefs"
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=turkana+religion+OR+beliefs&btnG=Google+Search&meta=
Search on "turkana cosmology"
://www.google.com/search?q=turkana+cosmology&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&btnG=Google+Search&meta=
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