The origins of the Tsetseqa in the Baxus : a study of Kwakiutl prayers, myths and ritual
department or school: Arts, Faculty of
department or school: Anthropology, Department of
data provider: DSpace
degree campus: UBCV
creator: Reid, Katerina Susanne
issued: 2010-02-12T17:59:33Z
issued: 1976
related degree: Doctor of Philosophy - PhD
degree grantor: University of British Columbia
description: Purpose of Investigation: In using the terms baxus and tsetseqa Kwakiutl make an explicit nature/culture distinction. The winter season, tsetseqa, is dedicated to communal ritual. In the Summer--baxus--Kwakiutl disperse to gather food. The thesis is an investigation into the conceptual significance Kwakiutl give to the distinction. Its purpose is to elucidate how the baxus is related to the tsetseqa; how great social rituals like the winter dance originate in a conception of man's relation to the natural world. Data and Method: To this end three kinds of texts have been examined: prayers to animals and plants used for food, myths about man's relation to animals, and rituals welcoming animals. Most of the texts are George Hunt's, Boas' Kwakiutl helper. Their analysis is not primarily a formal undertaking, but an attempt at the translation of culture. Kwakiutl conceptions are examined both as part of the expressive system that contains them and for their accessibility and validity in a universal rational framework. The method of analysis is adapted in every case to the type of text. Each type is analysed as a genre in itself and for its relation to the thought of the tsetseqa. The investigation is therefore also a contribution to the question of genre-classification. Analysis is carried out on the lexical and structural levels, focussing on the differentials in the distribution of semantic load and the principles by which textual units are combined. Findings: The nature/culture dichotomy, expressed as baxus and tsetseqa raises for Kwakiutl the issue of determinism. Baxus life confronts them with an ethical problem they cannot solve: they find themselves destroying beings they reverence in order to sustain their lives, and so contract a debt to the animals under the laws of necessity. The texts attempt to define the nature of human boundness and find ways of transcending it. Two ways of resolving the dilemma stand out: a symbolic situation consisting of a scheme of gui…
aggregated CHO: https://circle.library.ubc.ca/rest/handle/2429/20169
note: THE ORIGINS OF THE TSETSEQA IN THE BAXUS: STUDY OF KWAKIUTL PRAYERS, MYTHS AND RITUAL by KATERINA SUSANNE REID THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR DF PHILOSOPHY i n the Department of Anthropology and Sociology We accept t h i s t h e s i s as conforming to the requ i r e d standard THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA March, 1976 (c) Katerina Susanne Reid, 1976 In p r e s e n t i n g t h i s t h e s i s in p a r t i a l f u l f i l m e n t o f the requirements f o r an advanced degree at the U n i v e r s i t y of B r i t i s h Columbia, I agree that the L i b r a r y s h a l l make i t f r e e l y a v a i l a b l e fo r reference and study. I f u r t h e r agree t h a t permiss ion fo r e x t e n s i v e copying o f t h i s t h e s i s f o r s c h o l a r l y purposes may be granted by the Head of my Department or by h i s r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s . It i s understood that copying or p u b l i c a t i o n o f t h i s t h e s i s f o r f i n a n c i a l ga in s h a l l not be a l lowed without my w r i t t e n p e r m i s s i o n . Department of fr ^ H» ITT|) (TV, The U n i v e r s i t y of B r i t i s h Columbia 2075 Wesbrook Place Vancouver, Canada V6T 1W5 i ABSTRACT Purpose of I n v e s t i -g a t i o n Data and Method Findings In using the terms baxus and tsetseqa Kwakiutl make an e x p l i c i t n a t u r e / c u l t u r e d i s t i n c t i o n . The winter season, t s e t s e q a , i s dedicated to communal r i t u a l . In the Summer--baxus--Kwakiutl dis p e r s e to gather food. The t h e s i s i s an i n v e s t i g a t i o n i n t o the conceptual s i g n i f i c a n c e Kwakiutl give to the d i s t i n c t i o n . I t s purpose i s to e l u c i d a t e how the baxus i s r e l a t e d to the tse t s e q a ; how great s o c i a l r i t u a l s l i k e the winter dance o r i -g inate i n a conception of man's r e l a t i o n to the n a t u r a l world. To t h i s end three kinds of t e x t s have been examine…
has type: Thesis/Dissertation
is shown at: 10.14288/1.0093929
language: eng
degree discipline: Anthropology
provider: Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library
publisher: University of British Columbia
rights: For non-commercial purposes only, such as research, private study and education. Additional conditions apply, see Terms of Use https://open.library.ubc.ca/terms_of_use.
scholar level: Graduate
type: Text
identifier URI: http://hdl.handle.net/2429/20169