18 research outputs found
Gold Ash: Contested yet Immortal, The Exceptional Potency of Burmese Alchemy
âGold ashâ (shway pya), a substance Burmese alchemists produce through a complex process of the combination and burning of metals, is considered by many Burmese as the most potent medical ingredient existing in the country. In this article, I explore the factors underpinning its exceptional potency. Grounding my analysis on ethnography conducted in Myanmar since 2004, and more specifically on the case study of Master U Shein (1926-2014), the most well-known alchemist of the country, I illustrate the multiple facets of gold medicineâs potency and show how they emerged from the dialogue between the substance and the layers of meanings it has come to acquire by its existence within a specific social and political space. In particular, I show how gold medicine has come to occupy a controversial position given that it both contrasts with the biomedical paradigm and is perceived as a threat to state power. I argue that although this controversial position limits its growth, it also provides it with a specific political power, which, alongside the medical and spiritual power traditionally attributed to it, allows it to circulate in that inimical space. I also show that such resilience has been aided by the blurriness and weakness of the regulatory system as well as the great inadequacy and inaccessibility of the biomedical system
Gold Ash
âGold ashâ (shway pya), a substance Burmese alchemists produce through a complex process of the combination and burning of metals, is considered by many Burmese as the most potent medical ingredient existing in the country. In this article, I explore the factors underpinning its exceptional potency. Grounding my analysis on ethnography conducted in Myanmar since 2004, and more specifically on the case study of Master U Shein (1926-2014), the most well-known alchemist of the country, I illustrate the multiple facets of gold medicineâs potency and show how they emerged from the dialogue between the substance and the layers of meanings it has come to acquire by its existence within a specific social and political space. In particular, I show how gold medicine has come to occupy a controversial position given that it both contrasts with the biomedical paradigm and is perceived as a threat to state power. I argue that although this controversial position limits its growth, it also provides it with a specific political power, which, alongside the medical and spiritual power traditionally attributed to it, allows it to circulate in that inimical space. I also show that such resilience has been aided by the blurriness and weakness of the regulatory system as well as the great inadequacy and inaccessibility of the biomedical system
Canzone d'amore per una cittĂ ...
Jeremy Fernando. 'Canzone d'amore per una cittĂ ...', tradotto da CĂ©line Coderey in Cenobio, 2017
Les maĂźtres du "reste" (la quĂȘte de l'Ă©quilibre dans les conceptions et les pratiques thĂ©rapeutiques en Arakan (Birmanie))
Ă partir de l Ă©tude ethnographique de la maladie en milieu arakanais, cette thĂšse rĂ©flĂ©chit sur le rapport individu-cosmos et sur le caractĂšre pluriel, hybride et intĂ©grateur de ce rapport. Une telle approche, innovatrice pour la Birmanie, s Ă©loigne de toute catĂ©gorisation et suggĂšre en revanche que la mĂ©decine locale, la mĂ©decine d origine occidentale, le bouddhisme TheravÄda, l astrologie, etc. forment un seul et mĂȘme systĂšme de conceptualisation et de maĂźtrise de l Ă©tat de santĂ© comme fruit du rapport au cosmos. La problĂ©matique dĂ©veloppĂ©e s appuie sur le postulat selon lequel la cohĂ©rence structurelle de l ensemble de son hybriditĂ© et de sa souplesse rĂ©side dans le fait que les composantes sont liĂ©es entre elles par des rapports hiĂ©rarchiques et complĂ©mentaires. La hiĂ©rarchie, visible principalement dans l hĂ©gĂ©monie du rĂ©fĂ©rent bouddhique, est nuancĂ©e par le fait qu aucune composante, y compris le bouddhisme, ne se suffit Ă elle mĂȘme ; il y a toujours des restes qui Ă©chappent et qu il revient Ă d autres composantes de concevoir ou de gĂ©rer. Quant au caractĂšre intĂ©grateur du systĂšme, il est ici montrĂ© Ă travers l exemple de la biomĂ©decine dont l intĂ©gration n a Ă©tĂ© rendu possible qu Ă travers de nĂ©cessaires adaptions du systĂšme lui-mĂȘme. La thĂšse est organisĂ©e en cinq parties : la premiĂšre est dĂ©diĂ©e aux conceptions de la maladie ; la seconde partie est consacrĂ©e aux approches mises en Ćuvre par les villageois en vue de maintenir l Ă©quilibre Ă tous les niveaux ; les troisiĂšme et quatriĂšme parties portent sur la diversitĂ© des thĂ©rapeutes, de leurs formations et de leurs pratiques aussi bien en termes de prĂ©vention que de soin et de leur statut social ; la cinquiĂšme et derniĂšre partie est quant Ă elle consacrĂ©e aux itinĂ©raires multiples et complexes des malades.Based on the author s personal ethnographic research on sickness-related conceptions and practices in an Arakanese context, this thesis examines the relationship between the individual and the cosmos with particular emphasis on the plural, hybrid and integrating nature of such relationship.This approach, rejecting any form of categorisation, represents an innovation in the context of Burma and suggests that both Burmese and Western medicine, as well as Buddhism, astrology, spirit cult, etc. form a single system of conceptualisation and management of the state of health as a fruit of the relationship with the cosmos. The central point of this structure its hybridity and plasticity relies on the fact that the links between the various components are hierarchical and complementary. The hierarchy, notably the hegemony of Buddhism at various levels (conceptual, practical and of values) is counterbalanced by the fact that no component is enough to cope with all factors; there is always something missing, a remainder that other components can conceive and manage. The integrative nature of the system is showed through the example of western medicine, whose integration has produced some changes in the previous system.This thesis is structured in five parts : the first part is dedicated to sickness related conceptions, the second one to the practices the villagers rely upon in order to maintain the balance at all levels, while the third and the forth parts examine different kind of healers, their trainings, their (preventive and healing) practices and their social status; finally in the last one, health seeking behaviours of sick people are discussed.AIX-MARSEILLE1-Bib.electronique (130559902) / SudocSudocFranceF
Effects of Feeding Level and Diet Energy Density on Cattle Exposed to Heat
Under hot environment conditions, individually fed steers maintained lower body temperatures and grater intakes when limit fed when compared to steers fed the same diet ad libitum
Maladie et pratiques thérapeutiques en contexte bouddhique arakanais (ouest de la Birmanie)
Based on a specific case study, this paper shows that, in Arakan, illness is perceived as the result of a combination of multiple factors and that it is dealt with by making use of a range of practices originating in diverse fields of knowledge and techniques. To cure a disease, patients and healers resort to TheravÄda Buddhism, astrology, alchemy, witchcraft, esoteric knowledge and practices, as well as local and scientific medicine. This is accomplished within the framework of a therapeutic process that implies a hierarchical relationship between these various domains and
that aims at securing the most effective recovery and protection by addressing all the factors that caused the disease.En sâappuyant sur une Ă©tude de cas spĂ©cifique, cet article montre quâen Arakan la maladie est un phĂ©nomĂšne conçu comme rĂ©sultant dâune imbrication de facteurs et gĂ©rĂ© par une variĂ©tĂ© de pratiques issues de diffĂ©rents domaines de savoirs et de techniques. Pour la soigner, malades et thĂ©rapeutes font appel aux ressources du bouddhisme theravÄda, de lâastrologie, de lâalchimie, de la sorcellerie, des savoirs et pratiques Ă©sotĂ©riques, de la mĂ©decine indigĂšne et de la mĂ©decine scientifique dâorigine occidentale â cela dans le cadre dâun parcours thĂ©rapeutique qui implique
une articulation entre ces différents domaines et dont la finalité est de garantir au
malade une protection-guĂ©rison aussi complĂšte que possible en intervenant sur tous les facteurs Ă lâorigine de la maladie.Coderey CĂ©line. Maladie et pratiques thĂ©rapeutiques en contexte bouddhique arakanais (ouest de la Birmanie). In: AsĂ©anie 24, 2009. pp. 33-60
Du karma aux planĂštes
En Arakan, les conceptions de la maladie et les pratiques thĂ©rapeutiques relevant du bouddhisme theravÄda, de lâastrologie, du culte des esprits, de la mĂ©decine et de bien dâautres domaines forment un ensemble signifiant et hiĂ©rarchisĂ©. Ensemble signifiant parce que malades et thĂ©rapeutes considĂšrent ces conceptions et pratiques comme indissociables les unes des autres et devant donc ĂȘtre combinĂ©es afin de mener Ă bien le processus de guĂ©rison. Ensemble hiĂ©rarchisĂ© car, Ă lâintĂ©rieur de celui-ci, le bouddhisme occupe une place hĂ©gĂ©monique au niveau des valeurs. NĂ©anmoins, dans le domaine thĂ©rapeutique, son apport est limitĂ©. Ce nâest que combinĂ©es aux pratiques astrologiques, mĂ©dicales, etc. que les pratiques bouddhiques peuvent contribuer Ă la prĂ©vention et au soin des maladies. Lâattention est ici portĂ©e sur la maniĂšre dont laquelle cette totalitĂ© signifiante et hiĂ©rarchisĂ©e sâexprime dans les pratiques des thĂ©rapeutes. Sur la base dâune Ă©tude de cas, lâarticle montre que souvent les thĂ©rapeutes cumulent plusieurs formations et pratiques plus ou moins hĂ©tĂ©rogĂšnes afin de pouvoir intervenir sur le plus grand nombre possible de facteurs de la maladie : dĂ©sĂ©quilibre des Ă©lĂ©ments corporels, mauvais karma, influences planĂ©taires nĂ©fastes, agressions par des puissances malĂ©fiques.In Arakan, sickness-related conceptions and therapeutic practices issuing from Theravada Buddhism, astrology, spirits cult and medicine form a meaningful and hierarchical whole. This whole is meaningful because patients and healers consider that it is the combination of various conceptions and various practices which makes sense and which guarantees the succes of the healing treatement. The whole is hierarchical because conceptions and practices are organised into a hierarchy where Buddhism occupies an hegemonic position. Nevertheless, in the healing field its contribution is limited. Only if combined with astrological, medical,..practices, buddhist practices can contribute to the prevention and the healing of sickness. Our attention is focused on the way this meaningful, hierarchical whole takes form into the practices of arakanese healers. By illustrating a case study, this article shows that healers often comulate various eterogeneous learnings and practices in the aim of acting at different dimensions of sickness : unbalance between bodyâs elements, bad karma, bad planetary influence, agressions by evil beings
The Authority of Influence. Women and Power in Burmese History, Jessica Harriden
Au cours des deux derniĂšres dĂ©cennies, un nombre croissant de spĂ©cialistes, y compris des historiens, sâest intĂ©ressĂ© Ă la place occupĂ©e par les femmes dans les sociĂ©tĂ©s du Sud-Est asiatique. Tout en sâinscrivant dans cette lignĂ©e, Jessica Harriden se veut fortement novatrice : son ouvrage est de fait le premier Ă explorer le rapport entre genre et pouvoir dans lâhistoire birmane depuis lâĂ©poque prĂ©coloniale jusquâĂ aujourdâhui. En sâappuyant sur les travaux de spĂ©cialistes en histoire classi..
Masters of "remainder" : the search for balance in the therapeutic conceptions and practices in Arakan (Burma)
Ă partir de lâĂ©tude ethnographique de la maladie en milieu arakanais, cette thĂšse rĂ©flĂ©chit sur le rapport individu-cosmos et sur le caractĂšre pluriel, hybride et intĂ©grateur de ce rapport. Une telle approche, innovatrice pour la Birmanie, sâĂ©loigne de toute catĂ©gorisation et suggĂšre en revanche que la mĂ©decine locale, la mĂ©decine dâorigine occidentale, le bouddhisme TheravÄda, lâastrologie, etc. forment un seul et mĂȘme systĂšme de conceptualisation et de maĂźtrise de lâĂ©tat de santĂ© comme fruit du rapport au cosmos. La problĂ©matique dĂ©veloppĂ©e sâappuie sur le postulat selon lequel la cohĂ©rence structurelle de lâensemble â de son hybriditĂ© et de sa souplesse â rĂ©side dans le fait que les composantes sont liĂ©es entre elles par des rapports hiĂ©rarchiques et complĂ©mentaires. La hiĂ©rarchie, visible principalement dans lâhĂ©gĂ©monie du rĂ©fĂ©rent bouddhique, est nuancĂ©e par le fait quâaucune composante, y compris le bouddhisme, ne se suffit Ă elle mĂȘme ; il y a toujours des restes qui Ă©chappent et quâil revient Ă dâautres composantes de concevoir ou de gĂ©rer. Quant au caractĂšre intĂ©grateur du systĂšme, il est ici montrĂ© Ă travers lâexemple de la biomĂ©decine dont lâintĂ©gration nâa Ă©tĂ© rendu possible quâĂ travers de nĂ©cessaires adaptions du systĂšme lui-mĂȘme. La thĂšse est organisĂ©e en cinq parties : la premiĂšre est dĂ©diĂ©e aux conceptions de la maladie ; la seconde partie est consacrĂ©e aux approches mises en Ćuvre par les villageois en vue de maintenir lâĂ©quilibre Ă tous les niveaux ; les troisiĂšme et quatriĂšme parties portent sur la diversitĂ© des thĂ©rapeutes, de leurs formations et de leurs pratiques â aussi bien en termes de prĂ©vention que de soin â et de leur statut social ; la cinquiĂšme et derniĂšre partie est quant Ă elle consacrĂ©e aux itinĂ©raires multiples et complexes des malades.Based on the authorâs personal ethnographic research on sickness-related conceptions and practices in an Arakanese context, this thesis examines the relationship between the individual and the cosmos with particular emphasis on the plural, hybrid and integrating nature of such relationship.This approach, rejecting any form of categorisation, represents an innovation in the context of Burma and suggests that both Burmese and Western medicine, as well as Buddhism, astrology, spirit cult, etc. form a single system of conceptualisation and management of the state of health as a fruit of the relationship with the cosmos. The central point of this structure â its hybridity and plasticity â relies on the fact that the links between the various components are hierarchical and complementary. The hierarchy, notably the hegemony of Buddhism at various levels (conceptual, practical and of values) is counterbalanced by the fact that no component is enough to cope with all factors; there is always something missing, a remainder that other components can conceive and manage. The integrative nature of the system is showed through the example of western medicine, whose integration has produced some changes in the previous system.This thesis is structured in five parts : the first part is dedicated to sickness related conceptions, the second one to the practices the villagers rely upon in order to maintain the balance at all levels, while the third and the forth parts examine different kind of healers, their trainings, their (preventive and healing) practices and their social status; finally in the last one, health seeking behaviours of sick people are discussed