FREMTRÆDELSES-FORMER: Åndebesættelsen som mimesis og performance

Abstract

Inger Sjørslev: Forms of Representation.

Spirit Possession as Mimesis and

Performance

The title of the article plays on the literal

meaning “stepping forward” of the Danish

word “fremstilling” for representation. It

analyses the phenomenon of ritual spirit

possession as stylistic behavior and a form

of communication, and as an embodiment of

sociality, in the sense that the possessed incamates

forces and sentiments of the whole

group. The possessed are not dissociated

from themselves as much as they are morethan-

themselves in this sense of being -

framed by the ritual performance - fetishlike

incamations of both positive sentiments

of the group, as when possessed by gods, and

negative ones, as sometimes when possessed

by marginal entities and strangers.