This historical ethnography from Central Sudan explores the century-old intertwining of zar , spirit possession, with past lives of ex-slaves and shows that, despite very different social and cultural contexts, zar has continued to be shaped by the experience of slavery.

Autorentext
Susan M. Kenyon is professor emerita of the Department of Anthropology at Butler University, USA.

Inhalt
PART I: BACKGROUND Remembering Spirits and Sufis in Central Sudan PART II: THE HOUSE OF ZAINAB The Ottoman Ranks Colonialism and Colonization Independence, Islamism, and Modernity PART III: THE HOUSE OF SPIRITS The World of Red Spirits Nations of Spirits Serving the Spirits PART IV: DEALING WITH POWER Bargaining with Power Spirits at Play Sacrifice PART V: NOT A MOMENT TO LOSE Slavery Remembered: Lessons from the Zar