From the Songsarek Faith to Christianity
Conversion, Religious Identity and Ritual Efficacy
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 11016286 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Erik De Maaker (0000-0001-6371-1297, Radboud University Nijmegen, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2007 |
| Volume | 30 |
| Issue | 3 |
| Pages | 517-530 |
| Publication date | 2007-12-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | South Asia Journal of South Asian Studies (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0085-6401 • E-ISSN: 1479-0270 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/00856400701714104 |
| OpenAlex | W2145531592 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 6 |
Among the Garos of the upland state of Meghalaya, Christianity was introduced more than 150 years ago. Until the middle of the twentieth century it primarily gained importance in the few larger towns where administrative and educational institutions were concentrated. In the decades after the Second World War, primary education was extended to many of the rural areas, and the number of converts quickly increased. By the turn of the millennium about 80 percent of the Garos considered themselves Christians. Nevertheless, there continue to be quite a few rural localities where larger or smaller numbers of people have remained loyal to the local animist religion. In these areas, religion divides matrilineal kin groups. This article analyses the performance of a mortuary ritual in which both Christians and animists participate. It discusses the extent to which animist practices inspire this Christian funeral, and how that affects its religious and social implications. I show that the ritual caters to various religious needs, while at the same time allowing for the expression of shared values that exceed the religious divide
Aesthetics · Christianity · Faith · Identity (music · Religious conversion · Religious identity · Social science · Sociology · State (computer science · Theology · Anthropological Studies and Insights · Asian Geopolitics and Ethnography · Gender Studies · Philosophy · Religious studies · South Asian Studies and Conflicts
| Unique citing works | 6 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 0,43 |
| Citation span | 2012 - 2026 (15) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 6 |