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Rawitawan Pulam

Bio: Rawitawan Pulam is an academic researcher. The author has contributed to research in topics: Folklore & Folkloristics. The author has an hindex of 1, co-authored 1 publications receiving 1 citations.

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TL;DR: Archaeology of Intangible Heritage by Francisco Vaz da Silva International Folkloristics, Vol 4 New York: Peter Lang, 2008 191 pp as discussed by the authors is a densely argued book, which explores the root meanings of the metaphors commonly used in our cultures and, in so doing, recover the lost connections to our "intangible heritage".
Abstract: Archaeology of Intangible Heritage By Francisco Vaz da Silva International Folkloristics, Vol 4 New York: Peter Lang, 2008 191 pp In this densely argued book, Francisco Vaz da Silva invites us to uncover die root meanings of the metaphors commonly used in our cultures and, in so doing, recover the lost connections to our "intangible heritage" Although the book's title appears to be paradoxical, since archaeology should deal with "tangible" artifacts, the author competently applies archaeological methodology to investigate the "intangible," conceptual dimension of familiar metaphors and imagery that we regularly use without acknowledging their cosmic connotations In so doing, Vaz da Silva asks questions that might sound relatively childlike, such as "why should horns and cuckoos be the attributes of the unhappy husband?" (7) Yet his answers to such questions are sophisticatedly formed through careful analysis and examination of key literary works, documents, popular religious texts, and ritual practices from the classical period to contemporary folk beliefs, in Europe as well as in Melanesia This highly impressive assortment of primary sources, along with Vaz da Suva's archaeological approach to the concepts, helps restore back from oblivion the mythical meanings of otherwise apparently trivial metaphors This book is divided into three parts The first part, "Physiology," begins by investigating the notion of the transmissible sexual horns and thereby introduces the reader to the world of esoteric folklores and folk practices Vaz da Silva focuses in particular on the human body, sexuality, and gender relations in all their grotesque details The chapters abound with tales of bodily fluids and secretions, drawn widely from sources across time and space Through such an archaeological project, the reader is brought face to face with a folk theory of anatomy and the gender hierarchy inherent in such a theory Vaz da Silva convincingly takes the reader on a trip from specific cultural beliefs and practices to a universal folk frame of reference that struggles to explain human existence and connect various observable phenomena under a single, coherent worldview Semen, milk, and menstruation become linked to the wider world of seasons, plants, and animals This interconnected worldview is precisely what we have lost as metaphors seep into general usage and are reduced to words without meaning The second part, aptly named "Metaphysics," moves on from the physicality of the first part to the realm beyond the physical Vaz da Silva takes off from the folk worldview at the end of part one to explore female dominance of the cycle of life and men's struggles to define their existence and superiority within this cycle The cycle of life then becomes another step in Vaz da Suva's argument to propose that the key characteristic of folk worldview is the cyclical cosmos The folkloric world that Vaz da Silva describes has no beginning and end …

1 citations


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TL;DR: The authors connect the current theoretical movements in posthumanism with those in mythology, in line with Graham Harvey's call for a re-appraisal of the role of non-human agency and culture.
Abstract: Contrasting with much of Western discourse, Native American myths frequently ascribe world-creating deeds to non-human animals. Further, Native American stories display a remarkable slippage between the worlds of the human and non-human animals, a slippage that continues into worldview, rituals, and everyday life. Using these stories as a starting point, this article seeks to connect the current theoretical movements in posthumanism with those in mythology, in line with Graham Harvey’s call for “academic animism”, a re-appraisal of the role of non-human agency and culture. New developments in animal studies have revolutionized the way scholars perceive of non-hominid mental lives and abilities, which has led to challenges to traditional Western beliefs and practices. Many of these new concepts would be old news to Native Americans, whose traditions fundamentally and categorically posit radically different relationships than the non-native. In short, this paper will present a mytho-evolutionary blueprint for broadening our understanding of culture and narrative far beyond the human, yet including the human as well, as part and parcel of cultural life on earth.

4 citations