Journal of Qujing Normal University ›› 2026, Vol. 45 ›› Issue (1): 90-96.
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WU Yanzhu
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Abstract: The African continent in the 1950s emerged as a pivotal field for the development of humanities and social sciences theories due to its unique cultural ecology. Scholars focused on ethnic groups like the Nuer and Azande to explore the formation of modern African state orders. Within this research context, the Pygmies garnered significant attention. However, in his work “The Forest People”, Tylor deviated from mainstream political genesis paradigms, and employed vivid ethnographic cases and empathetic narratives to examine humanistic issues underlying cultural practices, a shift marking the paradigm shift in ethnography from interpretive and scientific writing to experiential and thick description. Tylor's research reveals that the Pygmies' life artistry is deeply rooted in the “interpenetrating” cultural space constructed by the Molimo Dance and music rituals. Under the symbolic system of the “Forest God,” these ritual practices maintained the closed social logic of mechanical ethnic unity, forming a stark cultural contrast with the open, adaptive interactions of village communities. This provides a typical ethnological sample for understanding the relationship between ritual practices and social order.
Key words: ceremonial processes, Molimo, cultural interpretation, remnants
CLC Number:
C958
WU Yanzhu. Ritual Practice and Cultural Interpretation: An Ethnographic Study of the Molimo Dance[J]. Journal of Qujing Normal University, 2026, 45(1): 90-96.
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