Combat, ritual, and performance : anthropology of the martial arts / edited by David E. Jones.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Jones, David E., 1942-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Martial arts--Anthropological aspects.

Martial arts.

Martial arts--Cross-cultural studies.

Genre:

Cross-cultural studies.

Physical Description:

xiv, 242 pages : illustrations ; 25 cm

Place of Publication:

Westport, Conn. : Praeger, 2002.

Summary:

All cultures possess some forms of martial arts, although these have not been commonly studied by anthropologists, which is an oversight that the present collection of papers seeks to remedy.

Contents:

Introduction: Toward a Definition of the Martial Arts / David E. Jones xi

1. Toward a Theory of Martial Arts as Performance Art / Deborah Klens-Bigman 1

2. The Ayyars: Warriors of Seistan (Afghanistan) / Homayun Sidky 11

3. Competitive Performance and Cultural Identity in Southwest Tanzania / James G. Ellison 21

4. The Women's Army of the Dahomey / Catherine Hodge McCoid, Yvonne J. Johnson 53

5. Wave People: The Martial Arts and the American Imagination / John J. Donohue 65

6. Pehlwani: Indian Wrestling and Somatic Nationalism / Joseph S. Alter 81

7. Ritual and the Ideal of Society in Karate / Michael Ashkenazi 99

8. Dangerous Encounters: Ritual Battles in Andean Bolivia / Elayne Zorn 119

9. Theater of Combat: A Critical Look at the Chinese Martial Arts / Charles Holcombe 153

10. Bwang: A Martial Art of the Caroline Islands / William A. Lessa, Carlos G. Velez-Ibanez 175

11. War Clubs and Falcon Warriors: War Club Use in Southeastern Native American Chiefdoms / Wayne Van Horne 209

12. Herding the Ox, Wielding the Sword / John J. Donohue 223.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

089789779X

OCLC:

49760676