Spirits and Slaves in Central Sudan The Red

This historical ethnography of Central Sudan explores the century-old intertwining of zar, spirit possession, with lives of ex-slaves. Despite very different social and cultural contexts, it has continued to be shaped by the experience of slavery. As the treatment of last resort, zar addresses a wide range of problems brought predominantly by women through participation in colorful and often opaque ritual events. Drawing on field research spanning three decades and laced with participants' own narratives, Kenyon shows how zar continues to embody subaltern memories of Ottoman Egypt, which shape and support the structure of contemporary beliefs and practices. At the same time, it is the effective articulation of these memories, with the impact of global capitalism and shifting Islamic realities (both political Islam and Sufism), that accounts for zar's ongoing popularity.

Susan M. Kenyon is a professor emerita of Anthropology at Butler University. In addition to her long-term interests in Sudan, she has carried out research in British Columbia, Indonesia, and Costa Rica. She is the author of The Kyuquot Way: A Study of a West Coast (Nootkan) Village (1981) and Five Women of Sennar: Culture and Change in Central Sudan (1991, 2004). She presently lives in St Kitts.

"The fruit of decades of anthropological fieldwork with a set of families in Sennar, Spirits and Slaves in Central Sudan is a valuable ethnohistorical resource. This is a rich and rewarding ethnography, beautifully written and highly accessible. It is a welcome addition to the literature on Sudan, on zar, and on Sudanese women." - Janice Boddy, professor and chair, Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto

What is included with this book?

The New copy of this book will include any supplemental materials advertised. Please check the title of the book to determine if it should include any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.

The Used, Rental and eBook copies of this book are not guaranteed to include any supplemental materials. Typically, only the book itself is included. This is true even if the title states it includes any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.

FREE SHIPPING

Rent More, Save More! Use code: BBRENTAL

5% off 1 book, 7% off 2 books, 10% off 3+ books

Spirits and Slaves in Central Sudan The Red Wind of Sennar

Summary

Author Biography

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials