Religion, Morality And The Person: Essays On Tallensi Religion (essays In Social Anthropology)

Essays in Social Anthropology Religion, morality and the person Meyer Fortes (1906—1982) was one of the foremost anthropologists of this century, who for many years worked among the Tallensi of northern Ghana. Although he published seminally important monographs on Tallensi family and kinship and on political organization, his work on their religion has hitherto remained confined to disparate journals and edited volumes. This collection brings together for thefirsttime in one place his major writings on religion. The compilation is important both ethnographically, in terms of what it adds to the corpus of literature on a people who have been highly significant in the development of anthropology, and theoretically. Trained as a psychologist, Fortes was particularly concerned with the relationship between psychoanalysis and anthropology, and this volume both explores that relationship and presents his psychologically-oriented approach to the anthropology of religion. It also examines the moral implications, both personal and cultural, of religious action and belief in simple societies. Although the material included in the volume is drawn mainly from his work on the Tallensi, Fortes is throughout concerned with the wider, comparative implications of the particular case for understanding religion in other societies, including our own. The collection will appeal to all readers interested in the anthropology and psychology of religion, as well as in religious studies generally. Essays in Social Anthropology I. M. Lewis: Religion in context Meyer Fortes: Religion, morality and the person: Essays on Tallensi religion Religion, morality and the person Essays on Tallensi religion Meyer Fortes Late William Wyse Professor of Social Anthropology in the University of Cambridge Edited and with an introduction by Jack Goody The right of ihe University of Cambridge to print and sell all manner of books was granted by Henry VIII in 1534. The University has printed and published continuously since 1584. Cambridge University Press Cambridge New York New Rochelle Melbourne Sydney CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS Cambridge, New York, Melbourne, Madrid, Cape Town, Singapore, Sao Paulo, Delhi Cambridge University Press The Edinburgh Building, Cambridge CB2 8RU, UK Published in the United States of America by Cambridge University Press, New York www.cambridge.org Information on this title: www.cambridge.org/9780521335058 © Cambridge University Press 1987 This publication is in copyright. Subject to statutory exception and to the provisions of relevant collective licensing agreements, no reproduction of any part may take place without the written permission of Cambridge University Press. First published 1987 Re-issued in this digitally printed version 2008 A catalogue record for this publication is available from the British Library Library of Congress Cataloguing in Publication data Fortes, Meyer, Religion, morality, and the person. (Essays in social anthropology) Bibliography: 1. Tallensi (African people) - Religion. I. Goody, Jack. II. Title. III. Series. BL2480.T3F67 1987 299'.683 87-9382 ISBN 978-0-521-33505-8 hardback ISBN 978-0-521-33693-2 paperback Contents List of figures vi Introduction by Jack Goody vii 1 Divination: religious premisses and logical techniques 1 2 Prayer 22 3 Ritual festivals