Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Author(s): T. O. Beidelman
Source: Anthropos, Bd. 86, H. 4./6. (1991), pp. 443-461
Published by: Anthropos Institute
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/40463668 .
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Time
Containing
RitesofPassageandMoralSpace orBachelardamongtheKaguru,
1957-1966
T. O. Beidelman
Abstract.- Variousritesof passage and associated activities etiquetteof everydayactivities.Such claims might
among the Kaguru of East Africaare consideredthroughthe be made regardingall societies since space is a
interlinking mode of space. This encouragesseeing such rites
as a whole, as one cycle of the person utilizedto reproduce "privilegedphenomenon"(see Bachelard on fire,
society.It also linkstheseto broadersectorsof Kaguruthought 1964: 7), pervasivelyinstrumental in explaining
and experience,at one extremethelegendsof social originsand myriadthings.I hope thatsuch an accountof Ka-
ritesof ancestralpropitiation,and at the otherthe activitiesof
guru cosmologycenteringaround space suggests
everydaylife. [East Africa,Kaguru, rites of passage, space, how inextricably
symbolism, gender]
space, time,gender,and ethnicity
are interconnectedfor many people. Elsewhere
T. O. Beidelman, D. Phil. (Oxon), Prof.,Dept. of Anthropol- I touched upon some of the argumentsthat I
ogy,New York University, New YorkCity;- Publicationsin- raise here, but not in so integratedor sustained
clude: Moral Imaginationin KaguruModes of Thought(Bloo- a fashion (1986: chap.4 and 5).2 There I argue
mington 1986); Colonial Evangelism (Bloomington 1982); that myriadeverydayactivitiesand experiences
W. RobertsonSmith(Chicago 1974); ed., The Translationof
Culture(London 1971); The Kaguru (New York 1971), and
informand constructour systemsof beliefs and
numerousarticlesin Anthropos, Africa,Man, CulturalAnthro- values. That argumentowes much to both Witt-
pology,AmericanEthnologist,Historyof Religions,and other gensteinand Mauss. Not surprisingly, my inter-
journals. pretation resembles arguments earlier advanced by
Bourdieu who is also rooted in these same two
predecessors.Unfortunately, Bourdieu's excellent
and perceptiveethnographic accountsand analysis
"Therealdistance between twogenerations is cre- of everydayspace and time among the Kabyle
atedbytheelements they have in common, which of northAfrica are diminishedby a lack of a
the
require cyclicalrepetition of the same expe-
riences,as in thebiologically inherited behavior
ofanimalspecies"(ItaloCalvino:Mr.Palomar)
1 This essay describesKaguru as I lived with themduring
"Manforthefield,andwomanforthehearth . . ." periods between 1957-1966. Two decades of subsequent
(A. L. Tennyson: The Princess) enforcedvillagizationhave drasticallyalteredthese condi-
tions,especiallyregardingsocial space. Variousversionsof
"Geography is thewifeofhistory, as spaceis the this paper were deliveredat the Universityof Iowa, Uni-
wifeof time"(Guy Davenport: The Geography versityof Minnesota,Universityof Illinois,Columbia Uni-
oftheImagination) versity,and Wheaton College, Massachusetts.Colleagues
providedusefulcriticisms.
at all these institutions
In thisessay I use an East Africanpeople's ideas 2 Michael Jackson's work (1989) also at times develops
themesand issues close to thoseof myconcernhere.I differ
about space as an integrating theme to consider fromhim, however,in two ways. I do not see the kinds
rites de passage.1 This then is a "topoanalysis" of profounddivisions between non-Westernand Western
(Bachelard 1969: 8) of a "topocosm"(Frye 1963: thoughtthat he does. Nor do I see Africansocieties as
64) directedtowardideas about space, theperson, being as benign as he does, but ratheras concernedwith
and time. It deals with what Kurt Lewin termed domination,subversion,and betrayalsas we ourselvesare.
A collection of essays edited by ShirleyArdener(1981)
"psychologicallife space" (1936: 18) or "psy- containsmanyprovocativeillustrations but is considerably
chological regions" (93-117). I have chosen the inhibitedin its insightsby being restrictedto one gender.
themeof space because theAfricanpeople at issue, For relevantpassages in Mauss see 1979,, c and in Witt-
the Kaguru of east-centralTanzania, themselves gensteinsee 1963: 36, 1969: 28, 30, n.d.: 11. The present
essay may appear disgressivein its use of ethnographic
appearkeenlysensitiveto spatialmattersin terms referencesto social groupings,ritual,everydaybehaviour,
of how theyview theirworld,in termsof how they and beliefs, but withoutthese one would have a sterile
enact ritesand ceremonies,and in termsof their exercise such as thatof Douglas (1972).
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Kagurubelievetheirdietdistinguishes themfrom
neighbours,eventhoughthisis oftennotactually c) Sexuality and Space
so. More important, Kagurumaintainthatit is
through diet and relatedetiquettethatthey,as ForKaguru,sexualrestraints also definehumanity
socialbeings,aresetapartfromthewildcreatures in thatproperhumansdo not couple randomly
of the bush. When Kagurucriticizesomeone's as animalsare thoughtto do. Rather,rules of
mannerof eating,theycompareher or him to exogamyshouldbe observedandbridewealth and
an outsideror a beast. Propereating involves brideservicesocialize (domesticate) sexual rela-
threeinterlinked acts: cooking,sharing,and re- tions.Householdscannotperpetuate themselves
straint.
Cooking food implies a household hearth butmust relyupon other households and indeed
and thencea proper home. For Kaguru such an uponother matrilineages and settlementsto estab-
enclosedfireis the almostexclusivedomainof lish new units.Such restraints are made visible
women,as is processing thatfood,especiallycon- sociallyatpublicexchanges thatvalidatemarriage.
versionof maize or milletgrainintoflour.For Such unionsare recognizedonlyafterpublicre-
Kagurua meal expressesan integrated domes- ceiptof wealthwhichratifies thematchbutalso
tic unit:a womanhas preparedit at a hearth externalizes information regarding theaimsandre-
(her domain) which in its turn is shelteredby sourcesofthe two groups involved. Despitepublic
an over-arching roofand supporting beam(asso- exchanges ofbridewealth, thesexualactitself, like
ciatedwitha man).Furthermore, theprocessing cooking,is appropriate only in the marital space
andconsuming of foodmovespatiallyin andout at theveryheartof anyKaguruhouse,a spotas
of Kagurudomesticspace. Food is storedin the secretand as secludedas thefood-storage loft.
deepest recessof a house, accessible onlyto a Kaguru remark that sexualrelationsoften pro-
householder, mostoftenthewife.Consequently,duce a senseof shameand dirtiness thatrequires
thetrueamountof a household'sfoodsupplyis themto be hiddenfromview. Even alludingto
secretand thus,implicitly, unsociablyreserved suchmatters indirectly in front of spouses(while
fromoutsidekinand neighbours. For thatreason othersarepresent) is a seriousbreachofpropriety.
Kagurusometimes speakofthesesamefoodstores Morethantheconsumption of food,sexualrela-
as havensforwitches'familiars, presumably ex- tions
are mattersof profound ambiguity. Needsof
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