Demon Research Articles

This paper examines how the characteristic behaviors of late 19th- and early 20th-century café-concerts and music halls shaped the portrayal of women in post-revolutionary Soviet silent cinema. While some Russian scholars have noted the relative neglect of performer imagery during this period, the present study hypothesizes that some female performers in these films symbolized the vices of the “old world” or highlighted the corruption around them, while others represented the “new woman,” reinforcing Soviet ideals. These “imperfect” dancers, through their movements and poses, either heightened the positive qualities of the perfect Soviet hero or created a stark contrast. The primary focus is on Evil Spirit, analyzed here for the first time, along with The Happy Canary and The Bear’s Wedding. For comparative purposes, the study also includes The Doll with Millions, The Ice House, and The Devil’s Wheel. Furthermore, Soviet films are compared to French and German silent films from the 1910s and 1920s, which similarly employed cabaret and variety show imagery. The study concludes that cabaret and its performers served as both the setting and the means (locus and modus agendi) for criticizing pre- revolutionary morals and highlighting the positive aspects of the “new Soviet man.”

Traditional and religious beliefs are essential in mental health discourse and help-seeking behaviour. The study explored the impact of traditional and religious beliefs on mental illness and help-seeking behaviour, in Ife Central LGA. The Health Belief Model (HBM) was adopted as the theoretical framework for the study. The study used a phenomenology research design. Qualitative data was collected from 12 key informants who were purposely selected for the study. The data was analyzed while outlining the key point presented by the key informant. The study revealed that stigma and discrimination are often associated with mental illness and help-seeking behaviour in Ife Central LGA. Mental illness is widely stigmatized and misunderstood. The study also revealed that perceived causes of mental illness include drug abuse, possession by evil spirits, inherited through the family, and punishment from God. The study concluded that misconceptions about the causes of mental illness might consequently lead to misconceptions about treatment. Religious and traditional beliefs in supernatural causes and remedies of mental illnesses influence people’s knowledge and attitudes towards mental illness and help-seeking behaviour. The study recommends the decentralization of mental health care services from urban areas down to rural health centres where mental health services can be rendered with psychiatric services as well. There is a need for community education of the people on the causes of mental illness. It is due to ignorance that most people wrongly believe that mental illness must have some spiritual undertone.

The community that adheres to the naturalistic concept assumes that a person suffers from illness due to the influence of the environment, food, lifestyle, and imbalance in the body. Meanwhile, the community that adheres to the personalistic concept assumes that the emergence of illness is caused by the intervention of an active agent that can be a non-human creature (ghost, spirit, ancestor, or evil spirit). This research aims to identify the perception of health and illness of the Jember community based on the theory of transcultural nursing in the scope of personalistic and naturalistic. This research is a descriptive study with a case study and a qualitative type of research. Data were obtained by conducting interviews with in-depth interview guide instruments. There were four main participants in this study and two additional participants. The steps in conducting research are preliminary studies, data collection, and conclusions. This research uses the Colaizzi method analysis technique. The study results show that the community believes that illness is caused by a person's biological condition, which is influenced by environmental conditions, adequate nutrition, lifestyle, body imbalance, and congenital diseases (naturalistic). The treatment method based on the naturalistic concept allows the community to get a cure for their illness by seeking treatment from modern medical health services, such as going to a doctor or buying medicine at a shop. People who understand and comprehend the meaning of illness and the causes of illness will determine their choice of treatment, whether naturalistic or personalistic.

The article attempts to find out the mystical universe of short prose for children by V. Koroliv-Staryi. It establishes that mystical elements form a specific emotional tone of the texts, captivating the reader with the invisible and sending the imagination to an irrational dimension. The name and content of the collection "Evil Spirits" is related to folk demonology. The titles of a number of works include the names of mythical creatures, testifying to their mystical content: "Mara", "Didko", "Perelesnyk", "Terchata" and others. The study notes that the artistic world of the collection "Evil Spirits" is filled with representatives of the demonic cosmos, which are interpreted in a unique way by the author's imagination, acquire positive traits (kindness, generosity, humanism, etc.) and in difficult life situations take the side of the offended and weak. The artist specifically interpreted the Ukrainians' vision of evil spirits, which is based on pagan beliefs, reflected the dualism of the people's worldview. The mystical space of the collection is expressed through the reproduction of real and unreal worlds. The article establishes that the irrational topos correlates with the mythological beliefs and ideas of Ukrainians. The author does not detail the appearance of demonic images, which, according to religious art, have a zooanthropomorphic likeness. The existence of the invisible world is organized according to a hierarchical principle, where the subordination of some demonic forces to others is determined by experience, years and skill. The author emphasized that in the works written for children, the author continued neo-romantic trends, and his individual style testifies to his closeness to the folk tradition. One of the relevant forms of artistic representation of the mental space of Ukrainians in the works of emigrant writers was the appeal to folklore and mythological primals. Such an appeal to pre-cultural depths in the conditions of emigration can be regarded as a kind of strategy of national self-identification.

The article analyzes one of the most clearly presented topics of the plan for the content of the non-verbal part of the Middle Polissia spring ritual, the theme of purification, implemented primarily in the rites of Pure Thursday. The diversity of this theme is associated with a significant number of magical actions that arose on the basis of ancient mythological ideas about the magical properties of water and fire, about the need for physical and spiritual renewal before important periods of the national calendar, about protection from evil spirits. According to popular ideas, the concept of purification reflects various semantic components: the achievement of physical purity; deliverance from sins; destruction of the old as a condition of renewal; prevention of penetration of negative into the living space; expulsion of evil spirits, as well as snakes, insects, etc. Objects of cleansing rites could be a person (his body and state of mind); the space in which she was; household items that he used in everyday use. In ethnolinguistics, studies of the phenomena of traditional folk spiritual culture as integral cultural texts in the unity of all diverse components are relevant, therefore, the article provides a description of the main representatives of the topic of purification of – units of the actional, real, attributive, locative, temporal, agency plans (ritual actions, objects, signs, time, space, characters), as well as the plan of states, feelings, processes, phenomena representations in relation to verbal components. The following oppositions are implemented in the units of the plan for expressing the topic of purification: pure: dirty, new: old, light: dark, own: alien.

Entre Georges Gaillard et moi, des affinités plutôt que des connivences : ce sera le fil rouge de mon texte. Je me réfère ici à l’histoire du mot « connivence », qui signifia d’abord « fermer les yeux », au sens d’une « indulgence coupable », avant de prendre son sens actuel : un accord tacite, qui va sans dire. Or, l’essentiel, même s’il n’est pas dicible, ne va pas sans dire…

In the article, the forms of the personification of impure forces are analyzed based on the materials of two N. V. Gogol’s short stories named Viy and The Portrait. The image of the devil in Gogol’s works is diverse, so we are making an attempt to identify the specifics of his image in these stories. The article examines in detail the spatial structure of the two plots, their dynamics, changes in values and the embodiment of evil spirits at the lexical level. A comparison of the two works in these aspects will help to better understand the evolution of the depiction of evil spirits in Gogol’s work.

Microbial Keratitis (MK) is a leading cause of corneal blindness due to infection and its consequences, with a higher incidence in resource-limited nations. Hospital-based patient records from different parts of Nepal suggest patients often use traditional eye medicine to treat MK. Traditional healers (TH) within the community are often the first point of care for MK management. Little is known of their practice, perceptions, and knowledge around MK management. We aimed to understand the role of traditional healers in the management of MK in south-eastern Nepal. A cross-sectional, mixed method, descriptive study was conducted in the Siraha district of Nepal. A total of 109 traditional healers consented to participate in a survey of knowledge, attitude, and practices. Some participants were also invited to participate in in-depth interviews and focus group discussions. Interviews and focus groups were conducted and recorded in the Maithili language by a native speaking interviewer and transcribed into English. Descriptive analysis was performed for the survey. Data saturation was considered the endpoint for qualitative data collection, and a thematic was analysis applied. Traditional healers believe that infection of the eye can be caused by trauma, conjunctivitis, or evil spirits. They were unclear about differentiating MK from other eye conditions. They provided various types of treatment. Some were confident that they could treat severe ulcers that had not responded to medical therapy, while others thought treating larger diameter ulcers would be difficult. Although there were mixed responses in referring patients with MK, the majority of TH were willing to refer. In a weak health system, traditional healers may help address barriers to healthcare access and reduce delays to definitive care, upon integration into the formal health system and referral pathway.

This study discusses the local wisdom values contained in the ondel-ondel art as part of the Betawi community culture in Jakarta. Ondel-ondel, which originally had a sacred function as a medium to ward off evil spirits, has undergone a transformation in function into a cultural icon and a means of entertainment, especially in the context of tourism and communal celebrations in Jakarta. The purpose of this study is to identify and analyze the local wisdom values in the ondel-ondel art and to understand how the Betawi community interprets and preserves this art in the midst of modernization. The research approach used is descriptive qualitative with data collection techniques through in-depth interviews, field observations, and literature studies. The results of the study show that ondel-ondel contains spiritual, social, and cultural values that reflect the identity of the Betawi community. Spiritual values are seen in the role of ondel-ondel as a symbol of protection; social values are reflected through togetherness and mutual cooperation in making and presenting ondel-ondel; while cultural values are reflected in the use of ondel-ondel as an expression of unique Betawi identity. However, commercialization and changes in the function of ondel-ondel in the modern era have obscured its original meaning, so that preservation efforts are needed so that local wisdom values are maintained. The conclusion of this study emphasizes the importance of the role of communities and governments in preserving ondel-ondel art through educational programs and cultural promotions that maintain its traditional values.

For Balinese people, traditional weapons such as keris are considered to have high spiritual value, so it is not surprising that the Balinese people themselves greatly glorify these traditional weapons. Keris is considered a symbol of resistance against evil spirits. Keris is also commonly used as a complementary weapon for Hindu religious ceremonies. One of the keris SMEs targeted by the Community Partnership Empowerment activity is the Bali Tapa Karya Pande Keris Craftsmen Group. The location of this PKM Partner is on Jalan Ratna Gang Pacar Denpasar. Based on the results of observations and interviews, the problems faced by partners are low knowledge of the concept of entrepreneurship, lack of understanding of managerial aspects, especially simple bookkeeping techniques for SME actors. Lack of basic entrepreneurship education and training for SME actors and assistance in calculating the cost of finished products. There are three activities carried out in Community Partnership Empowerment, namely providing counseling and training in bookkeeping, mentoring and direct practice regarding the process of calculating production costs, education regarding the importance of management in business and literacy of basic entrepreneurial concepts. The results of the program implementation show that after mentoring and socialization activities, partners are able to make financial records more structured, thereby reducing errors during the financial recording process and being able to calculate the cost of products, can improve business management to be effective and efficient, and increase entrepreneurial motivation.

The study enquired about extra but relevant information about blood culture of the Ga-Dangbe tribe of the Greater Accra-Region of Ghana .The cultural practices involving the innovation and application of certain type of blood from specific animals for certain rituals. The performance and purpose remain mysterious and confidential with less information and any social economic consequence of the practice. The research team selected this topic to unearth the mystery and the conceptual framework of the research topic as well as any relevant information to the academic fraternity .To accomplish this expectations the research team reviewed a number of literature on blood culture from the ancient Greece ,Crete,Egypt,Israel and certain tribes in Africa and in Ghana .Most importantly about cultural practice of the Ga –Dangbe. As a fundamental issue, the team used much of exploratory and qualitative research methods. They also participated, granted interviews to mostly traditionalist and knowledge persons involved in traditional practices in Ghana. The team organized research objectives on the subjects relating to blood cultural practices of the Ga-Dangbe tribe ;to identify the source of the blood ;to investigate of any economic and entertaining actions accompanying the practice. The team found out that blood was used by the Ga-Dangbe people for mainly cultural activities in nature from birth to death of certain specific persons and for certain specific cultural practices .The animals used for such practices were goat, sheep, cow and crow .It must be emphasized that no human sacrifice(human blood) was mentioned or uncovered during the research work .Meanwhile, blood was poured out onto a child of royal birth, spiritualist in the cleansing stage ,for atonement etc. More so, it was used for spiritual cleansing ,healing process, achievement in any competition and in dispelling evil spirits. It was recommended that further research be conducted for further revelation of unknown practices which this research team could not capture on the concept of blood culture of the Ga-Dangbe traditional practices.

Abstract Background Epilepsy remains one of the most common neurological diseases in the world but seems to be widely misunderstood, especially in low-income countries. Patients with epilepsy can face considerable stigma in society, Parents’ knowledge on care of children greatly influences the health status of a child by reducing the mortality and morbidity rate. Aim of the Work Assess the attitude and knowledge toward paediatric epilepsy amongst parents of paediatric patients with epilepsy and other parents seeking advice in the out-patient clinic, Assess the effect of educational program of home management of seizures on knowledge and practice of parents. Patients and Methods This comparative cross-sectional study included 100 parents of children with epilepsy who follow up in Paediatric neurology clinic, Ain Shams University (Group A) and 300 parents of normal children who sought advice in Paediatric outpatient clinic, Ain Shams University (Group B) in which sociodemographic characteristics were collected and a validated questionnaire was distributed before and after an educational session about epilepsy facts and its first aid. Results The study revealed significant difference between study and control groups in their baseline knowledge about epilepsy, in terms of “epilepsy being an organic disease, rather than a psychiatric illness or an evil spirit” (67.0% vs. 39.8%, P < 0.001) respectively, and management of a child experiencing a seizure where 6% of group A answered “do not know” vs 74.6% of group B, P < 0.001). Regarding attitude towards epilepsy, both groups showed negative attitude towards epilepsy; 78% of group A and 66% of group B agreed that epilepsy is a factor that strongly impair child learning. Similarly, 81% of group A and 65% of group B reported that epilepsy can strongly limit sports and leisure activities. In terms of effect of educational effect, group A showed significant difference in number of correct answers regarding manifestation and first aid measures for a child with seizure before and after education (12% vs 51% P < 0.001 & 45% vs 75% P = 0.009) respectively. Moreover, group B showed significant difference in correct answers for both topics after education (0% vs. 49.2 % P, 0.001 & 0% vs 71.2% P < 0.001). Conclusion Our results highlight the need for educational programs and targeted awareness campaigns, to reduce misconceptions and promote a more supportive environment for individuals with epilepsy.

ObjectivesSynthesise literature related to perceptions of hearing loss and hearing technology (hearing aids, cochlear implants) among the general public and healthcare providers who do not specialise in ear and hearing...

This research is motivated by the implementation of the tradition of rejecting reinforcements in the Nagari Mandeh community which is still ongoing in the modern era. In addition, the people of Nagari Mandeh also believe that the empty chart is caused by the many "ubili" or evil spirits that come to the Nagari Mandeh area so that the implementation of the ceremony of rejecting reinforcements is the only (preventive) solution so that the catastrophe that occurs in their area can go away. The purpose of this study is to reveal the factors that influence the ceremony of rejecting reinforcements in the fishing community of Nagari Mandeh Tarusan, Pesisir Selatan Regency. This research is a descriptive qualitative research with data collection methods in this study carried out by non-participant observation. Data were collected by observation, interview and document study techniques.In analyzing the factors that influence the ceremony of rejecting reinforcements in the fishing community of Nagari Mandeh, the researcher uses symbolic interpretive theory. The results of this study indicate that the factors that influence the resilience of repelling reinforcements can be seen from the cultural factors of the coastal community's economy and education. These two factors influence each other so that the tradition of the ceremony of rejecting reinforcements in the Nagari Mandeh community is still maintained today even though it is in the modern era. The ceremony of rejecting reinforcements in Nagari Mandeh was carried out for three consecutive days

Mice have accompanied a man throughout much of his history. With the advent of agriculture, mice are pests that must be exterminated by any means and rational means of extermination coexisted with magical ones. Unlike real life, in folklore and cult practice it is a complex and ambiguous character. Mice were used in divination, conspiracies and folk medicine, their image was often associated with death and evil spirits. At the same time, in fairy tales the mouse often acts as a helper, rather than a pest. All this proves the binary perception of mice which were close to the mythological world and its inhabitants and, accordingly, acted as bearers of both harm and good.

One of the most popular folk operas in China is the Nuo opera. Nuo opera, which is distinguished by its distinct elements such as vicious masks, peculiar clothing and jewelry, peculiar language spoken during performances, and enigmatic scenarios, has been named one of China's intangible cultural legacies. The opera is a religious act that is fundamental to the Chinese folk religion known as Nuoism. Nuo opera is performed to ward off evil spirits, illnesses, and other influences. It also serves as a prayer request to the gods for favors. Nuo opera features singing and dancing, as well as masks and costumes for the performers. This research explores Nuo opera, a traditional performance art form that is deeply established in the cultural and social structure of Guizhou using a cross-disciplinary technique that unites art and culture. Sociocultural influence, the study examines how, in a setting that is changing quickly, Nuo Opera acts as an interface for social unity and cultural continuity. The distinct features that this culture exhibits, together with the numerous benefits that the society's sustained growth has brought subsequent such as cultural, social, and economic values, among other significant elements. This study emphasizes interdisciplinary analysis, and its goals are to improve our understanding of the cultural value of Nuo Opera and provide useful insights for ensuring its persistent presence and significance in Guizhou society.

Abstract: This article examines the specific poetic dramas that emerge during brujería altar- opening, exorcism, divination, and healing rituals in Puerto Rico. Drawing on performance, poetics, and drama analytical frameworks, it zooms-in ritual dramas that bring together mediums, clients, deities, the dead, and evil spirits in a joint yet indeterminate ritual event. It traces in detail how different voices speak through the bodies of clients and mediums, and the vocal cords of possessed mediums in a conflation of modes of communication, pleads, duels, revelations, negotiations, and assertions. It shows how mediums entice spirits to actively engage in human affairs by offering material gifts, sounds, and emotionally charged poetic forms of cajoling, arguing, testing, and persuading; and how clients, who are one of the objects/addresses of these intense ritual dramas, respond to such multisensory, somatic forms of attention.

The article deals with the analysis of the images of Buddhist entities and their functions in L. A. Yuzefovich’s novel Campaign to Bar-Khoto as part of a large research concerned with studying the “Buddhist text” of the modern Russian literature. The plot of Campaign to Bar-Khoto is a development of “Solodovnikov’s Notes” from the novel Prince of the Wind: in the new novel the writer focuses on and reinterprets those images and motifs (Buddist ones among them), which he created earlier, and the hero has a biography – including the religious one. The angry defenders of Buddhism (dharmapalas and dakinis) (or dark evil spirits who replaced them) and high light entities (buddhas and bodhisattvas) in this book outline the characters who come into contact with them in a specific way, express the complexities of their feelings (Lina’s tempting and conquering sensuality; Solodovnikov’s creative serenity), and partly determine their appearance (the uncertainty of Zunduy-gelun’s and Tsaganzhapov’s gait). They also act as metaphors to reveal the essence of ambiguous phenomena, such as, for example, the desire for national independence evolving into national pride, or the fascination with war and disgust for it. In addition, the Buddhist entities of Campaign to Bar-Khoto are symbols of a transcendent reality, contact with which is conditioned by the inner essence of the hero and at the same time changes his fate (posthumous possible accession to the wisdom of Prince Damdin; acceptance of the world filled with passions and sufferings by Solodovnikov, who plunges into the past and writes his memoirs). Finally, the high Buddhist entities, demonstrating the conventionality of their form and revealing their agential nature, transform the surrounding space in the novel, becoming part of the interior and landscape, light and radiance, dissolving earthly human contradictions. The article also draws a parallel between Leonid Yuzefovich’s novel and Vsevolod Ivanov’s story The Return of the Buddha in terms of the spiritual changes that occur to the protagonist: Solodovnikov and Professor Safonov, correlating with the high Buddhist image, acquire the ability to an otherworldly, supra-worldly view of reality.

The meaning ascribed to death differs from one society to the other. This study adopts the descriptive method in unraveling the ritual of burial practices among the Ilaje people of Nigeria's Niger delta. Based on linguistic similarities, Ilaje people are part of the Yoruba ethnic group of Nigeria's Southwest area. Among the people, burial accorded to the dead is based on how the deceased died. The Ilaje groups death into five distinctive categories - death due to old-age, death caused by witchcraft or evil spirit, death through drowning by accident, death through curse, and death due to suicide. For the people, adult's death has two layers of meaning: sorrow and merriment. We conclude that physical death is viewed as part of the continuum of life's circle; it is the point when the dead pass to the realm of the ancestor who may be reborn into the family in the future.

Abstract Pentecostalism has always struggled to define itself theologically from the beginning. Starting out as a marginal stream within Christianity, early Pentecostals were reluctant to compose statements of faith and were susceptible to a range of new doctrines, a problem that continues to this day. In this article, the author surveys the theological development of Pentecostalism in Australia, giving special attention to a specific Australian-born movement, Christian Revival Crusade, because of its distinctive doctrines of British-Israelism and deliverance of believers from evil spirits. The author concludes with some observations of recent doctrinal developments in Australian Pentecostalism before positing some causes for such changes and drawing some lessons for Pentecostalism as a whole.