 zobacz powiększenie | DOI 10.12887/33-2020-3-131-13 Andrzej SZYJEWSKI, Poles and Totems: Australian Sacred Constructions Cena brutto: 7,00 PLN za szt. |
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The purpose of the article is to examine the complex meanings of the ceremonial poles in the religious systems of Australian Aborigines. The special position of the poles within these systems is related to their role as organizers of sacred space and social divisions. At the same time, poles are identified with the essence of the ancestor—the founder of rites, in particular with his power to transform reality, being referred to as the spine of the ancestor or his bones, penis or head. Through the poles, the ancestors force the participants to submit to the rigors of initiation and transmit to the environment their prolific regenerating power. Through the symbolism of the Rainbow Serpent, poles are related to the structures of the world, associated with dominant star formations, such as the Milky Way and the Southern Cross. The structures in question are recognized as combining mythical traditions, songs, and ceremonial activities with the structure of the cosmos and society within the idea of The Dreaming. Keywords: Australian Aborigines, totemism, religious paraphernalia, Rainbow Serpent, symbolism Contact: Zakład Fenomenologii i Antropologii Religii, Instytut Religioznawstwa, Wydział Filozoficzny, Uniwersytet Jagielloński, ul. Grodzka 52, 31-044 Kraków, Poland | |
