Anthropological study on ritual as a social device for coping with suffering: the case of Ethiopia

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K12592
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 04030:Cultural anthropology and folklore-related
• Research Institution: Meiji Gakuin University (2020-2022); Tokyo University of Foreign Studies (2018-2019)
• Principal Investigator: Matsunami Yasuo 明治学院大学, 社会学部, 准教授 (90811125)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 儀礼 / 参詣 / オロモ / エチオピア

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The main findings of this study are as follows: 1) Ethiopia experienced economic growth in the late 2000s, but land grabbing by domestic and foreign capital was rapidly progressing in rural areas, and the relationships among people of different ethnic affiliations in these areas were becoming strained. This study reveals that regularly conducted religious rituals held in the area have become a channel of communication not only among community members, but also among ethnic others. 2) Many Christians participate in the Islamic-derived hadra ritual that flourish in the East-Showa region of Oromia. This study discussed the sacredness of the landscape and its constructedness as experienced by the participants in the local pilgrimage rituals practiced by the participants.

Free Research Field

人類学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究はエチオピア農村社会にみられる儀礼の問題解決並びに治癒的側面に注目して、人々の苦悩への対処の実践のあり方を考察した。2000年代後半、エチオピアはアフリカ屈指の経済成長を遂げたが、この間、農村部では、国内外の資本による大規模な土地収奪と農業開発が急速に進んだ。また、2020年前後から政治的に大きな変化が生じたことで国内各地の情勢が不安定化し、民族間対立が激化するなどした。このような状況下で暮らす農村社会の人々にとって儀礼実践がどのような意味を持つのかをフィールドワークに基づき考察した。結果として儀礼実践が民族的他者同士のコミュニケーションの経路となっていることが明らかとなった。