Different "seeing” – similar "hearing”. Ritual and sound among the Pemón (Gran Sabana/Venezuela)

Abstract

This paper discusses the theory of "perspectivism” (Viveiros de Castro) and its application to interpretation of the myths of the Pemón-speaking groups of the Gran Sabana (Arekuna, Kamarakoto, Taurepán); the paper aims to compare ontological conceptions of "seeing” and "hearing”. Performances of the shamanic healing ritual, the hunting ritual (parishara), and recent orekotón rituals (areruya, cho’chiman) serve as examples for understanding "hearing” and related practices of sound production (speech, singing, imitation of animal sounds, etc.). Whereas the particular representations of yaukarü (spirit/ Arekuna) or yekatón (spirit/ Taurepán, Kamarakoto), such as enek (animal), pemón (human being), and mawarí (spirit of the tepuy), illustrate different concepts of "seeing”, the use of the same communicative devices consisting of intelligible (speech, singing) and/ or unintelligible sound structures demonstrates the possibilities of communicative interaction between these representations. Along with my own material, contemporary indigenous discourses concerning Koch-Grünberg’s recordings from 1911 will be presented in an attempt to (re-) construct, or rather (re-)interpret, the healing ritual and the parishara and orekotón performances.