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- Title
Disrespecting the Dead and the Living: Iban Ancestor Worship and the Violation of...
- Authors
Wadley, Reed L.
- Abstract
Traditional Iban religion revolves around the worship of ancestors and the maintenance of cosmic order through the proper observance of rituals and taboos. Taboo violation is generally met with sanctions said to restore cosmic and social balance and to avert supernaturally-caused misfortune. From the perspective that religious behaviour involves communication among the living within the context of important social relationships, this article examines ancestor worship and the violation of mourning taboos among Iban in West Kalimantan, Indonesia. Of particular focus are the social circumstances behind cases of taboo violation and how the breaking of mourning taboos may show disrespect towards the dead and the living. Furthermore, how Iban treat individual cases of taboo violation reveals much about how social relations structure people's interpretations of disrespect.
- Subjects
BORNEO; DEATH; RELIGION; ANCESTOR worship; MANNERS &; customs
- Publication
Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute, 1999, Vol 5, Issue 4, p595
- ISSN
1359-0987
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.2307/2661150