Biology:Dema Deity
Dema Deity is a concept introduced by Adolf Ellegard Jensen following his research on religious sacrifice.[1] Jensen was a German ethnologist who furthered the theory of Cultural Morphology founded by Leo Frobenius.[2]
Description
The term dema comes from the Marind people of southwest Papua and has been used to refer to similar concepts in Melanesian religion and elsewhere.[3]
Dema Deities are mythological figures who have given to certain peoples their land, food-crops, totems, and knowledge such as how to cultivate crops, raise poultry, make boats, perform dances, and perform sacred rituals. In some cases, such as in the Hainuwele myth of Seram Island recorded by Jensen, it is claimed that from their dismembered bodies, blood, etc., came the different communities that are now in existence, together with their territory.[3]
Both local culture and natural environment remain infused with the supernatural power of these creative deities.[3]
Examples
- Cronus, from Greek mythology
- Osiris, from Egyptian religion
- Pangu, from Chinese mythology
- Ukemochi, from Shinto religion
- Tiamat, from Babylonian mythology
- Ymir, from Norse mythology
See also
- Culture hero
- Myth of origins
- Religious experience
References
- ↑ Jensen, Adolf Ellegard (1963). Myth and Cult among Primitive Peoples. University of Chicago Press.
- ↑ Stausberg, Michael. "The study of religion(s) in Western Europe II". http://michaelstausberg.net/old_site/Texts/Western%20Europe%20RELIGION%20II%20pre-proof.pdf.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Habel, N.C., ed (1979). Powers, Plumes and Piglets: Phenomena of Melanesian religion. Bedford Park, South Australia: Australia Association for the Study of Religions. ISBN 0-908083-07-6. http://isbndb.com/d/book/powers_plumes_and_piglets.html.
Further reading
- Fortune, R.F. (1979). Sorcerers of Dobu: The social anthropology of the Dobu Islanders of the Western Pacific (reprint ed.). London, UK; Darby, PA: Routledge & Kegan Paul; Arden. http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/657270.R_F_Fortune.
- Williams, F.E. (1940). "Williams, Francis Edgar (1893–1943)". Drama of Orokolo: The social and ceremonial life of the Elema. Oxford, UK: Clarendon Press. http://adbonline.anu.edu.au/biogs/A120559b.htm. NLA 908917. Clarendon Press. 1940. http://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/908917.
- Strehlow, T.G.H. (1971). "Australia". Historia Religionum: Handbook for the history of religions. 2. Leiden: Brill. pp. 609–628. ISBN 9788470571435. https://books.google.com/books?id=2ouYGkiP4rAC&q=STREHLOW,+T.+G.+H.:Historia+Religionum:+Handbook+for+the+History+of+Religions&pg=PA590.
- Seligman, C.G. (1976). The Melanesians of British New Guinea (repr. ed.). Cambridge, UK; New York, NY: Cambridge University Press; AMS. ISBN 0-404-14174-9. http://isbndb.com/d/book/the_melanesians_of_british_new_guinea.html.
- Burridge, K. (1969). Tangu Traditions: A study of the way of life, mythology, and developing experience of a New Guinea people. Oxford, UK: Clarendon Press. ISBN 0-19-823136-9. https://archive.org/details/tangutraditionss0000burr.
- Eliade, M. (1973). Australian Religions: An introduction. London, UK; Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press. ISBN 0-8014-0729-X. https://archive.org/details/australianreligi00elia.
- Elkin, A.P. (1978). Aboriginal Men of High Degree (2nd ed.). St. Lucia, AU; New York, NY: University of Queensland Press; St. Martin's Press. ISBN 0-7022-1017-X. http://isbndb.com/d/book/aboriginal_men_of_high_degree_a02.html.
- Geertz, C. (1976). The Religion of Java. Glencoe, IL; Chicago, IL: Free Press; University of Chicago Press. ISBN 0-226-28510-3. http://isbndb.com/d/book/the_religion_of_java.html.
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