Ancestor Worship Research Articles

Local Wisdom in Kebangru'an Rites in Pringgabaya East Lombok

This paper discusses the local wisdom in the Kebangru'an rite, a traditional procession of the people of Pringgabaya District, East Lombok Regency in overcoming trance disorders. The method used is qualitative ethnography where the researcher is involved and interacts directly in in the community whom is the object of research, to find out the historical value, form of presentation, local wisdom and challenges in the entire series of Kebangru'an Rites. Data collection was conducted by means of observation and in-depth interviews. Observations were made by observing various actions that were patterned and reflected the thinking system of the Kebangru'an Rite activists which included speech, expressions, statements, perspectives on life, and their life history. The results show that as a sacred ritual, the Kebangru'an Rite is identical to the ancient belief of animism. The form of the Kebangru'an Rite is dominated by elements of art: dance and musical accompaniment. A possessed person will dance endlessly to the music of Kebangru'an. Ritus Kebangru'an has its own wisdom for the supporting community: (1) as a medium of transcendental communication between the community and ancestral spirits, (2) as an expression of tradition that contains messages about the description of the cycle of life to death. The wisdom values contained in the Kebangru'an Rite are: (1) as a healing therapy for people in trance, (2) as a source of information from ancestral spirits, (3) as a medium of alternative medicine for the community, (4) foster a sense of concern for others, (5) foster an attitude of mutual cooperation, (6) foster an attitude of discipline and order, and (7) improve religious attitudes. Meanwhile, threats to the sustainability of the Kebangru'an Rite arise from three groups: (1) Ultra modernists who consider that traditional ritual offerings to be something old-fashioned, (2) Puritan religious groups who view the Kebangru'an Rite as a form of shirk and contrary to Islamic teachings. (3) Pragmatic attitudes, namely those who think practically, quickly and instantaneously.

Study of Shamanic Witchcraft (Santet) Culture in the Indonesian Archipelago

Various ethnic groups in Sumatra also possess shamanic traditions that involve traditional rites and the involvement of shamans or individuals with specialized skills in countering black magic. Each of these ethnic groups possesses distinct practices and beliefs. The Batak tribe has diverse ethnic subgroups, including Toba Batak, Karo, Mandailing, and others. Within Batak culture, there exist shamanistic rituals, and individuals who perform these rituals are referred to as "datu" or "Batak shamans." The shaman has a crucial function in upholding social and spiritual equilibrium within society. They possess the ability to retaliate against dark sorcery or provide healing for ailments through their expertise and spiritual wisdom. The Minangkabau tribe upholds robust traditional customs, which encompass shamanic rituals associated with the veneration of ancestors and nature deities. Within Minangkabau society, there exist individuals known as "bundo kanduang" who possess specialized expertise in countering the effects of black magic and healing ailments by traditional means. The Bukit Barisan tribe is an indigenous population dispersed over the Bukit Barisan region, encompassing a significant portion of Sumatra Island. Their religious system encompasses shamanic ideologies and rituals that revolve around the veneration of nature spirits and ancestral figures. Shamans, or spiritual leaders, play a crucial role in upholding social and spiritual equilibrium within their communities. It is crucial to bear in mind that these shamanic rituals exhibit variations among different ethnic groups and subgroups in Sumatra. Moreover, the impact of religions like Islam and Christianity has also had an influence on certain shamanic activities within these communities. Shamanic practices encompass a range of functions, including customary rituals and endeavors to address societal and metaphysical discord. Gaining insight into this cultural legacy and shamanistic customs enables us to value the cultural variety in Indonesia and the ongoing evolution and adjustment of various cultures in response to changing circumstances.

When Gods Drown in Plastic

Since the turn of the twenty-first century, the category animism has seen a remarkable resurgence in Western scholarship, capturing the interest of many anthropologists, scholars of religion, and philosophers. Some authors have argued that animism can provide a model for a new environmental ethics that acknowledges more-than-human agencies and interdependencies. However, the question remains as to how so-called animist ontologies can transform not only individual moralities, but also the extractivist economic-political structures underlying the current crisis. In this article, we assess some of these claims by examining an Asian ritual tradition that is arguably animistic, while also containing elements of Buddhism, Daoism, and ancestor worship: the worship of whales, widespread along the coast of South and Central Vietnam. Fishing communities here believe that whales are divine beings, incarnations of the maritime god Ông Nam Hải (Lord of the South Sea)—also known as Cá Ông (Lord Fish)—who rescue people in distress at sea. When fishers find beached whales, they offer them elaborate funeral ceremonies and enshrine their bones in local temples. Whale worship constitutes a way of relating to the physical environment, and rituals help people respond to problems such as coastal erosion and overfishing. However, there is no evidence suggesting that this particular animistic belief system has given way to environmentalist action, let alone induced systemic change. Animistic ontologies certainly have ethical dimensions, and they may provide ways for people to make sense of and cope with Anthropocenic crises, but that does not mean they teach people how to act sustainably. At the very least, that would require an active process of translation and adaptation.

Pre‐Manichaean Beliefs of the Uyghurs II: Other Religious Elements

The original beliefs of the Uyghurs, which have been overshadowed by their conversion to Manichaeism and Buddhism, have not been thoroughly studied until recently. However, Uyghur inscriptions as well as Chinese and Islamic sources provide us with some information regarding their beliefs. In the first part of this article series, the Uyghurs' belief in various cults related to celestial and natural beings was explored. In this second part, other religious elements will be analysed. The Uyghurs possessed a cult of ancestors, in which souls were believed to fly away. Funeral ceremonies called yoγ are noted to contain animal and human sacrifices as well as self‐harming activities. Worship included animal sacrifice and idol worship. Qam (shamans) performed rituals, including fortune telling and weather magic. Religious terminology included qut (divine fortune), ülüg (destiny), yol (luck), and yazuq (sin). They held the numbers seven and nine in high esteem as sacred numbers, while sacred lights descending from the sky and the sacred consort of a mythological ruler were important motifs. Although some scholars have written that Buddhism was practiced by the Uyghurs before their conversion to Manichaeism in the 760s, further research has shown that this was not the case. This article also reveals how their ancient beliefs survived even after their conversions to major religions.

Cultural Beliefs on Cleft lip and/or Cleft Palate and Their Implications on Management: A Systematic Review.

This article examines and summarizes the published epidemiological literature on cross-cultural variations. Particular emphasis was put on addressing cross-cultural beliefs on the causes, management, and attitude toward cleft lip and/or cleft palate. A healthcare provider's awareness of these cross-cultural attitudes and beliefs is vital for promoting effective collaboration with patients' families and ensuring a favorable medical outcome. Systematic review. Not applicable. Patients with cleft lip and/or cleft palate, their families, their communities, and healthcare providers. Not applicable. Not applicable. All relevant and eligible studies were identified using PubMed and Google Scholar databases. The cultural belief was categorized and measured using Murdock's Theories of Illness. The study was reported in compliance with PRISMA guidelines. The quality of the selected studies was evaluated in accordance with the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme criteria (CASP). Fourteen articles covering thirteen countries on four continents met the inclusion criteria. In diverse communities, cleft lip and/or cleft palate was attributed to natural (infection, medication, improper diet, smoke, or radiation) or supernatural (God, eclipse, ancestral spirit, and curse) causes. Reported consequences include stigmatization, inappropriate treatments, leaving patients untreated, and infanticide. Cultural beliefs are the main cause of misconceptions surrounding a cleft lip and/or cleft palate. There is also a need for public health care providers' intervention to educate society about the natural causes and ease of management, thereby increasing opportunities for patients substantially.

Indigenous Peoples and Customary Law in Lolayan District, Bolaang Mongondow Regency in a Modern State

Indigenous peoples are an orderly unity in which members are not only bound to the place of residence where a particular area, both in worldly terms as a place of life and in spiritual relations as a place of worship of ancestral spirits (territorial), but also bound to hereditary relationships in blood alliances and the same familiarity of a customary relationship (genealogical). Each indigenous community has customary Law that is used to regulate all problems that occur within the familiar environment. The second use in legislation is that indigenous peoples and customary Law are often used interchangeably in laws and regulations but lead to the same subject. Some argue that customary Law is a law left over from the past so that it is less comfortable with modern life like now, which is entering the era of modernization. Such an opinion is not wrong, but not all are true. Sayskan is right because it is recognized that customary Law is traditional, while life in the current era demands everything modern. This is not entirely true because there are several laws formed that are introduced from Customary Law. These two entities, both customary communities and Customary Law, include the same people and live on the same earth therefore, naturally, indigenous peoples also get the same rights as other countries, such as equality of public services and law enforcement. Related to the relevance of global customary Law in the global era. In the age of globalization, it is necessary to follow the pattern of becoming a peer again. Therefore, the continuity of customary Law becomes very important. Customary Law is no longer limited to indigenous Indonesian Law that must be maintained. Still, more than that, traditional Law should have a function as a "filter tool" for the entry of foreign influences into Indonesia. This filtering is what we do not currently have as a great nation.

Текст мемуаров как выражение языковой личности автора (на примере воспоминаний И. Г. Тинина)

Based on the memoirs “Genesis. Exodus. Deuteronomy…” by I. G. Tinin, the research aims to characterise the author as a linguistic personality. The paper utilises the model of organisation and description of a linguistic personality proposed by Yu. N. Karaulov to examine the linguistic means that reveal the structural-linguistic, linguo-cognitive and pragmatic levels of I. G. Tinin’s personality. The research is novel in that it is the first to use the memoirs of a person who was born and formed in the environment of the Russian white émigré community, in the traditions of noble Russia, participated in World War II, lived in the post-war Soviet and post-Soviet country and was known in Volgograd and the Volgograd region as a cultural figure, educator as the research material. As a result, the researcher finds that the author masters the entire stylistic palette of the Russian literary language, he is familiar with non-literary forms of the common language and has knowledge of foreign languages. The use of stylistically marked forms, foreign expressions is determined by the speech situation, the author’s goals and objectives. The study highlights the author’s interest in and attention to language, the use of its expressive resources, the utilisation of stylistic devices, word play, a variety of precedent names that are significant for Russian and world culture, which indicates the author’s broad outlook, his system of views and a complex and rich worldview. The important values of the memoirist are identified, including respect for people, reverence for ancestors, love for one’s family and homeland, the desire to soften negative emotions and evaluations with subtle humour and an orientation towards the interlocutor.

Solidaritas Sosial Dalam Ritual Kepercayaan Masyarakat Adat di Desa Juhu Kabupaten Hulu Sungai Tengah

Juhu village is a traditional village and maintains belief rituals that have meaning as a binder and controller of the indigenous way of life. The purpose of this study is to analyse rituals that contain social solidarity values in indigenous groups. This research uses a descriptive qualitative approach, with a field research type. The research was conducted in Juhu Village, Batang Alai Timur Sub-district, Hulu Sungai Tengah Regency. Data collection techniques used participant observation, interviews and documentation. The data analysis technique went through the stages of data reduction, data presentation and conclusion drawing. The results showed that the rituals performed by indigenous people in Juhu Village are a form of expressing gratitude to the guardians of the forest, as well as their respect for the spirits of ancestors. The form of respect results in rituals that are believed and still consistently performed by the community. The famous rituals are puja tampa, puja kariwaya, farming ritual, marriage ritual and death ritual. In the implementation of rituals, there are values that can control the social life of the people of Juhu Village. The existing values produce a community order that has strong emotional bonds. The emotional bonds are naturally built due to the similar responsibilities of each member of the community. In addition, the indigenous people in Juhu Village are able to fulfil their needs independently, so they are not so dependent on the outside community. Overall, it can be said that the indigenous community in Juhu Village is a community bound by mechanical solidarity.

Penghormatan Terhadap Leluhur: Perspektif Masyarakat Batak Kristen Terhadap Ritual Mangongkal Holi Di Desa Sinom Hudon Tonga

The aim of this research is to find out the meaning of respect for ancestors contained in the mangongkal holi ritual of the Christian Batak community. The research method used is qualitative research with a socio-theological approach. The current understanding of the Christian Batak community regarding the mangongkal holi ritual is very different, especially after the arrival of Christianity to Batak land, some think that this ritual contains animism or something else and there are also those who think that this ritual is contrary to Christianity. This ritual cannot be said to be in conflict with Christianity, but on condition that in the ritual there is no hasipelebeguon or things related to ancestor worship because in essence, as a Christian Batak society, they must be able to balance ritual and religion. This research explains what the meaning and purpose of the mangongkal holi ritual is for the Batak people, how the ritual and things related to mangongkal holi are carried out and their relationship with Christianity, and this research also explains how ancestors are respected biblically and also in Toba Batak ways. The result of this research is to examine socio-theologically the mangongkal Holi ritual by taking the example of moving Joseph's bones, which is about how respect for ancestors is depicted.

Educating traditional cultural values through belief in worshiping the ancestor in the family

The purpose of this study is to determine the values of Belief in worshiping ancestors in the family in order to educating the traditional cultural values of Vietnam in the context of globalization and international economic integration. To this end, this article studies ancient documents and research works of some reputable researchers on Vietnamese beliefs and culture; in-depth interviews (IDI) and focus groups discussion (FGD) were conducted to obtain genuine comprehension of Vietnamese folk belief activities. The data were evaluated using content analysis. This article reported on four aspects of problems: (i) Belief in the immortality of ancestor’s souls; the blessing as well as the punishment of the ancestors’ souls to their descendants; (ii) Education about the sense of origin; (iii) Education on the ethics of gratitude; (iv) Education filial piety in daily life. This study helps understand the values of ancestor worship in the family is the basis for good relationships in the family, relatives, and clan; good behavior keeps people with people in society; thereby educating the good values of Vietnam’s traditional culture in the context of globalization; international economic integration. This study can be used for teaching in the Vietnam education system; contribute to the dissemination of traditional cultural values of Vietnam; shed more light on Vietnam’s value systems; serve as a basis for planning and formulating policies to develop an advanced Vietnamese culture imbued with national identity.

A study of the di sacrifice rite in the Spring and Autumn Period

ABSTRACT The di sacrifice rite (dili 禘禮) is an important traditional Chinese religious ceremony for offering sacrifices to ancestors. The rites of the Shang, Western Zhou and Spring and Autumn Periods have evolved in terms of the person who conducts them, as well as regarding the recipients, forms and the time of the ritual. In the Shang Dynasty, the di sacrifice rite was performed by the king. In the Western Zhou Dynasty, the person who presided over the ceremony was first the King of Zhou, and then the counsellors. The Spring and Autumn di sacrifice rite inherited these practices and understandings. It involves a more detailed ritual: those who preside over the ceremony are first the feudal lords (zhuhou 諸侯), then the counsellors (qing dafu 卿大夫) and finally descending to the rank of officials of counsellors (jiachen 家臣). The di sacrifice addressees are also mainly close ancestors. The di rite eventually evolved to give rise to guan rituals (guanli 灌[祼]禮), auspicious ancestral rites, private di sacrifices, procedures for determining generation order of the clan temple (ding zhaomu 定昭穆), and other rituals.

Enduring violence and commemoration: Korea’s Cheju April 3 Incident

Post-atrocity survivors construct spaces of being through various levels of visibility and stages of construction. Those with inherited memories of their ancestors from mass atrocities share the ability to exert their postmemories that mediates the past memory in its affective force to restore their sociability with their relatives, neighbors, community, and nation. A central medium of postmemory typically comes in the form of commemorative ritual practices that contain a mixture of mourning and re-creation of family and community. Ritual engages informal sociocultural processes outside the purview of the state. Commemoration rituals reflect ordinary people’s attempts to seek moral renewal and social repair to promote social reconstruction and recovery of humanity. This essay considers feminist interventions of intimate memorial scales, enabling us to envision potential alternative historical trajectories in post-massacre commemorations, memorials, reburials, and as mnemonic locations for agonistic testimonies to emerge around a mid-century massacre in South Korea called the “Cheju April 3 Incident.” We take into consideration how the postmemory of the Cheju April 3 Incident is intergenerationally transmitted and ritually re-enacted through family ancestor worship, and the reburial of remains after the exhumation of mass graves. The lessons of postmemory practices are crucial to the foundation of humanity after atrocity.

Budaya Memandikan Hukum Tua Menurut Perspektif Teologi Kristen di Minahasa Utara

The Culture of Bathing (the Village Head) is a culture in Waleo Village, which is a village in the Kema sub-district, North Minahasa Regency, North Sulawesi, Indonesia. This culture is carried out when the long dry season occurs in Waleo village. The people of Waleo Village mostly work as farmers so if a long drought occurs it will have an impact on the jobs and economy of the people of Waleo Village. This tradition has been passed down from generation to generation. The purpose of this research is to find the theological value of the old legal bathing culture, because it is considered as ancestor worship. A contextual theological approach using Schreiter's theory can help researchers see this culture. This Research is qualitative research. The results of the study outline related that the Culture of Bathing (the village Head) is a form of relationship formation between humans (the old Law being bathed), the universe if there is a dry season and God is a form of relationship formation which is a way to convey the understanding of all Waleo people that God works in all daily life -human day, not as worship to the ancestors.

Gender semiology in folklore traditions: Russia, China and Adygea

The article presents an analytical analysis of the linguosemiotic features of the female portrait in the folklore fund of the linguocultures of Russia, the North Caucasus and China in the aspect of the intergender dichotomy "male-female" as the implementation of the policy of "soft power" of the ethnos to preserve its vitality. Hypothesis: The dichotomy of masculinity and femininity in traditional culture is presented as the result of the interaction of ethno-cultural strategies of the ancestral cult, in which the role of a woman is defined as the keeper of the knowledge of the people with the competencies of a housewife who needs help and care from a man. The relevance of the study is due to the growing research interest in the vitality of traditional cultures, which continue to influence the lives of modern women. Chinese, Adyghe and Russian folklore for the first time becomes the object of comparative analysis of the linguosemiotic characteristics of the image of femininity in the form of "feminine" folkloratives identified for the first time. The methodology uses a linguosemiotic approach and the theory of complex metagraphs in modeling the speech-behavioral gender matrix of women through the prism of folklore. The results show that folklore is a reproducible mechanism of "soft power" of gender regulation in the ethno-cultural practice of folk art.

Sacred Groves as the Source of Local Medicinal Plants and Sites of Biodiversity Conservation in North 24 Parganas, West Bengal

A Sacred Grove (SG) is any grove of trees, shrubs and even herbs of special religious importance to a particular culture. SGs are consideredas distinct patches of vegetation (ranging in size from a small cluster of a few trees to a large forest stand spanning several hundredacres) which are venerated in the name of local deities or ancestral spirits, promoting conservation. Conservation of biodiversity insacred groves is a consequence of the sacred physical space of the sacred grove which is communally shared as commons and used toobserve crucial social ceremonies in indigenous societies. While documenting the sacred groves in the district of North 24 Parganas ofWest Bengal through a detailed field survey, plants of local medicinal importance were identified in these patches in which the localpeople traditionally conserved the medicinal plants since time immemorial. An extensive field survey to potential district areas anddocumentation of major flora, including their correct identification and their related Traditional Knowledge (TK) in each SG was done.More than 120 local medicinal plants were found and traditional knowledge associated with these plants was documented whichincluded Adhatoda vasica, Abroma agustum, Andrographis paniculata, Bacopa monnieri, Centella asiatica, Cocculus hirsutus, Gloriosasuperba, Tinospora cordifolia to name very few. Out of these purified aqueous extract of Cocculus hirsutus has also been reported inCOVID-19 treatment in many research papers. Traditional knowledge associated with these plants found in the sacred groves is a hiddentreasure from where further research, learning and dissemination of potential information can ensue. These SGs are examples of in-situconservation traditionally by local people and gene pool for various medicinal plants.

Voice hearing as a social barometer: Benevolent persuasion, ancestral spirits, and politics in the voices of psychosis in Shanghai, China.

The comparative study of voice hearing is in its early stages. This approach is important due to the observation that the content of voices differs across different settings, which suggests that voice hearing may respond to cultural invitation and, ultimately, to learning. Our interview-based study found that persons diagnosed with schizophrenia in China (Shanghai), compared to those diagnosed with schizophrenia in the United States, Ghana, and India, reported voices that were strikingly concerned with politics. Compared to participants in the United States in particular, voices seemed to be experienced more relationally: Shanghai participants reported voices notable for a sense of benevolent persuasion rather than harsh command, and knew the identities of their voices more so than in the United States. The voices were striking as well for their religious content, despite the previous prohibition of religion in China. Our findings further support the hypothesis that voice hearing seems to be shaped by context, and we observe that this shaping may affect not only conceptual content but the emotional valence of the experience.

Khuluqiyah Values in Sedekah Pedusunan in Strengthening Character Based on Local Wisdom

Local culture is increasingly marginalized, even though it needs to be preserved as an identity because it has many values. This research analyzes Sedekah Pedusunan in strengthening character based on local wisdom. This research uses qualitative methods with an ethnographic design. Data was collected through interviews and observations. Data analysis uses domain analysis techniques, taxonomic analysis, componential analysis, and cultural theme analysis. This research found that this Sedekah Pedusunan is an activity based on culture and rules established by society because culture itself results from a long process through history. The local wisdom of Sedekah Pedusunan is carried out to reject balak and pray for the spirits of ancestors, given for the blessings that have been obtained. Sedekah Pedusunan is carried out in five stages, namely the 1) deliberation stage, 2) the begerai stage (fund collection), 3) the cleaning stages, 4) the implementation stages; and 5) the besekum stage (asking for blessings). The khuluqiyah values in Sedekah Pedusunan include helping, respecting other people's opinions, compassion, gratitude, politeness, forging cooperation, discipline, keeping promises, honesty, responsibility, upholding morals towards neighbors, and acting good to anyone. With khuluqiyah values, it is hoped that community members can live in harmony and peace and continue to preserve local wisdom culture. With this research, it is hoped that the Sedekah Pedusunan will be preserved as an identity.

The Influence of African Tradtional Spirituality on Christian Practices in Africa

Human beings are religious by nature. In the discussion on African traditional spirituality, it provides the proofs on how Africans were and are notoriously religious even before the advent of Christianity. This article provides an overview of the influence of African traditional spirituality on Christian Practices in Africa. It is noted in this article that African traditional spirituality is a diverse and complex set of beliefs and practices that reflect the cultural and spiritual beliefs of the people of Africa. It encompasses a wide range of practices, including ancestor veneration, divination, healing practices, music and dance, and community building. Christianity was introduced to Africa in the 1st century AD, but it was not until the arrival of European colonizers in the 16th century that Christianity began to spread more widely throughout Africa. Today, Christianity is one of the most widespread religions in Africa, with over 541 million adherents on the continent. Christianity in Africa is diverse and complex, encompassing a range of denominations, including Catholicism, Protestantism, and various indigenous African churches. This article explores the ways in which African spirituality has influenced Christianity in Africa, and how this has shaped the religious and cultural landscape of the continent.

Inculturation and Symbiosis Through Ritual Practice: Catholic Funerals in the Northern Delta of Viet Nam

Abstract: Nowadays Vietnamese Catholics worship Jesus while at the same following indigenous practices of non-Catholic Vietnamese such as ancestor veneration, which Vietnamese and other Asian Catholics had previously been prohibited from performing. A relatively new Catholic concept termed “inculturation” has become a primary means of enabling Catholicism to be adopted globally, making possible broader and more inclusive ways of practicing Christianity. . This article explores the practices of Catholic funerals in the Northern Delta of Viet Nam, which follow Catholic traditions for the dead but also incorporate traditional Vietnamese funeral customs. Through field research on Catholic funerals, this article shows how the inculturation process can be seen as furthering the coexistence and development of Catholicism and Vietnamese culture.

LUMINOSITY, SPIRIT, AND THE ROLE OF CLAPPER-BELLS IN THE FORMATION OF A CHINESE METALLURGICAL TRADITION

AbstractThis article explores the manner in which the Eurasian metallurgical tradition was transformed into an indigenous tradition on the Chinese Central Plains. It argues that the association of luminosity with the divine has a cognitive foundation, which accounts for the use translucent stones and shiny metals, including copper, bronze, silver, and gold as mediums for religious artifacts throughout the world. In China, this association was the primary impetus for the development of an indigenous metallurgy based on a piece-mold and coring technology. Although the technology ultimately concentrated on the production of ritual vessels, it was first developed at Yanshi Erlitou 偃師二里頭 for the production of clapper-bells (ling 鈴), which had similar round hollow bodies.We further explore the history of clapper-bells, arguing that they were a development of a Central Plains tradition dating back to the Yangshao 仰韶 period (5000–3000 b.c.e.). We argue that their religious significance at Erlitou lay in the previously unheard sound produced when the two luminous substances, jade and bronze, struck against one another. Thus, religious interlocutors at Erlitou used them to contact the ancestral spirits. Later, in the Yinxu 殷墟 period of the Shang Dynasty (ca. 1300–1050 b.c.e.), bronze clapper-bells were worn by dogs buried in tombs. We propose that their role there was a development of the earlier one; that is, they were used to contact the occupant's ancestral spirits as he was guided by the dog in the underworld.