Rituals are valued by students of culture as lenses for bringing facets of social life and meaning into focus. Jane Monnig Atkinson's carefully crafted study offers unique insight into the rich shamanic ritual tradition of the Wana, an upland population of Sulawesi, Indonesia. "This book is a marvelous counterpoint to the rich scholarship that has developed on the 'center' in Southeast Asian societies, providing for the first time an in-depth study of the play of personhood and power and their historical transformations on the Indonesian 'periphery.'" Toby Alice Volkman, Social Science Research Council "A very important work, not only for the specialists of island Southeast Asia, but also for the general anthropologist. Atkinson accomplishes a number of tasks in fresh and innovative ways." George E. Marcus, Rice University "Impressively informed by major theoretical issues, Atkinson's work at the same time brings her readers into the everyday world of the Wana in Sulawesi, Indonesia." Renato Rosaldo, Stanford University "This book is a marvelous counterpoint to the rich scholarship that has developed on the 'center' in Southeast Asian societies, providing for the first time an in-depth study of the play of personhood and power―and their historical transformations―on the Indonesian 'periphery.'"―Toby Alice Volkman, Social Science Research Council "A very important work, not only for the specialists of island Southeast Asia, but also for the general anthropologist. Atkinson accomplishes a number of tasks in fresh and innovative ways."―George E. Marcus, Rice University "Impressively informed by major theoretical issues, Atkinson's work at the same time brings her readers into the everyday world of the Wana in Sulawesi, Indonesia."―Renato Rosaldo, Stanford University Jane Monnig Atkinson is Associate Professor of Anthropology at Lewis and Clark College. The Art and Politics of Wana Shamanship By Jane Monnig Atkinson University of California Press Copyright 1992 Jane Monnig Atkinson All right reserved. ISBN: 0520078772 1 Summoning Powerful Allies Setting the Stage The decision to hold a mabolong is typically made by a household that wishes to host a ceremony, in conjunction with a shaman who is willing to perform. The performance may be held in the hosts' house or, if that dwelling is too small to accommodate a throng, in a larger house in the settlement. Preparations include securing a drum and gongs, locating appropriate "foods" for the spirit familiars of the shamans who are likely to perform, and notifying others in the settlement that the event is about to take place. The drum and gongs, essential for a mabolong performance, are generally shared within settlements. Questions of ownership arise only if communities divide. The wooden drum, covered on each end with the skin of a python, large lizard, or monkey, can be made locally. Gongs, made elsewhere, are in short supply. If it is necessary to borrow an instrument from another settlement, an invitation is extended to members of that community to come "party" (malae ).1 As for the "rice of the spirits" (baku mwalia ), this typically consists of plants from the foresttender shoots, glossy leaves, pretty berries, and the hallmark of all Wana spirit familiars, a fragrant basil called wunga . Individual shamans and their familiars have particular tastes, which are known to their hosts through experience (if the shaman is a member of the community) or inquiry (if he is a visitor from elsewhere). A shaman's children are often a useful source for this information and, if young, may be prevailed on to search for special items. The decision to stage a mabolong, especially in the event of an illness, is often sudden. Sometimes neighbors learn of the performance only when the drum and gongs mark its start. Generally word spreads informally as people visit one another's houses, meet on the trail, or congregate at the water at day's end. Should there be visitors to the settlement, or should people have errands at other farmsites, invitations may be extended to other communities. If the mabolong is being held in fulfillment of a vow (see Part Three) and food supplies are ample, then plans are generally made at least one day and often several days in advance and care is taken to circulate news of the event in other settlements. Whether one receives a direct or formal invitation to a mabolong is unimportant. It does not matter how or from whom one receives notice. The hosts want the event to be well attended. A well-attended performance will last longer, entice more shamans to perform, and generate enough rice beer to keep the shamans entertained and entertaining. People go to mabolong to enjoy themselves, to receive treatment, and to demonstrate kasintuwu , "mutual support," an important social val