¿Vienen los espíritus cuando se les llama sin bastón? o Cómo mantuvo su identidad de chamán un jaibaná emberá del Chocó (Colombia) cuando efectuó un ritual fuera de regla

Abstract

Within anthropology there are a variety of theories regard­ing the origin, context, significance, function and character of what is considered to be a ritual. In a stricter sense, it is its quality of action, a certain codification of the procedure and the effects of changing what distinguishes a religious ritual from other rituals and activities in cul­tural life. The present article takes these distinctive features for discuss­ing a ritual that has been organized artificially and performed irregularly by a shaman of the Emberá Indians within a community of black people in the Chocó (Colombia). Analysing the ritual from different perspec­tives the article comes to the conclusion that the control over the established procedure and its break as well are integral parts of the ritual itself, which is based on the identity and personality of the shaman who performs it.