Animism in Rainforest and Tundra : Personhood, Animals, Plants and Things in Contemporary Amazonia and Siberia

Amazonia and Siberia, classic regions of shamanism, have long challenged ‘western’ understandings of man’s place in the world. By exploring the social relations between humans and non-human entities credited with human-like personhood (not only animals and plants, but also ‘things’ such as artifacts, trade items, or mineral resources) from a comparative perspective, this volume offers valuable insights into the constitutions of humanity and personhood characteristic of the two areas. The contributors conducted their ethnographic fieldwork among peoples undergoing transformative processes of their lived environments, such as the depletion of natural resources and migration to urban centers. They describe here fundamental relational modes that are being tested in the face of change, presenting groundbreaking research on personhood and agency in shamanic societies and contributing to our global understanding of social and cultural change and continuity. Title Page 4 Copyright 5 Contents 6 List of Figures 8 Acknowledgements 10 Foreword • Stephen Hugh-Jones 12 Maps 16 Introduction: Animism and Invisible Worlds: The Place of Non-humans inIndigenous Ontologies • Marc Brightman, Vanessa Elisa Grotti and Olga Ulturgasheva 18 1 Too Many Owners: Mastery and Ownership in Amazonia • Carlos Fausto 46 2 Revisiting the Animism versus Totemism Debate: Fabricating Persons among the Eveny and Chukchi of North-eastern Siberia • Rane Willerslev and Olga Ulturgasheva 65 3 Animism and the Meanings of Life: Reflections from Amazonia • Laura Rival 86 4 Stories about Evenki People and their Dogs: Communication through Sharing Contexts • Tatiana Safonova and István Sántha 99 5 Making Animals into Food among the Kanamari of Western Amazonia • Luiz Costa 113 6 ‘Spirit-charged’ Animals in Siberia • Alexandra Lavrillier 130 7 Shamans, Animals and Enemies: Human and Non-human Agency in an Amazonian Cosmos of Alterity • Casey High 147 8 Expressions and Experiences of Personhood: Spatiality and Objects in the Nenets Tundra Home • Vera Skvirskaja 163 9 Humanity, Personhood and Transformability in Northern Amazonia • Vanessa Elisa Grotti and Marc Brightman 179 10 Masked Predation, Hierarchy and the Scaling of Extractive Relations in Inner Asia and Beyond • Katherine Swancutt 192 Afterword • Piers Vitebsky 212 Notes on Contributors 217 Index 220 Animism And Invisible Worlds : The Place Of Non-humans In Indigenous Ontologies / Marc Brightman, Vanessa Elisa Grotti, And Olga Ulturgasheva -- Too Many Owners : Mastery And Ownership In Amazonia / Carlos Fausto -- Revisiting The Animism Versus Totemism Debate : Fabricatinf Persons Among The Eveny And Chukchi Of North-eastern Siberia / Rane Willerslev And Olga Ulturgasheva -- Animism And The Meaning Of Life : Reflections From Amazonia / Laura Rival -- Stories About Evenki People And Their Dogs : Communication Through Sharing Contexts / Tatiana Safonova And István Sántha -- Making Animals Into Food Among The Kanamari Of Western Amazonia / Luiz Costa -- 'spirit-charged' Animals In Siberia / Alexandra Lavrillier -- Shamans, Animals And Enemies : Human And Non-human Agency In An Amazonian Cosmos Of Alterity / Casey High -- Expressions And Experiences Of Personhood : Spatiality And Objects In The Nenets Tundra Home / Vera Skvirskaja -- Humanity, Personhood And Transformability In Northern Amazonia / Vanessa Elisa Grotti And Marc Brightman -- Masked Predation, Hierarchy, And The Scaling Of Extractive Relations In Inner Asia And Beyond / Katherine Swancutt. Edited By Marc Brightman, Vanessa Elisa Grotti, And Olga Ulturgasheva. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. This volume offers valuable insights into the constitutions of humanity and personhood characteristic of Siberia and Amazonia. The contributors conducted their ethnographic fieldwork among peoples undergoing transformative processes of their lived environments, such as the depletion of natural resources and migration to urban centers.