Personal Religion and Magic in Mamasa, West Sulawesi

The Search for Powers of Blessing from the Other World of the Gods

In Personal Religion and Magic in Mamasa, West Sulawesi, Kees Buijs describes the traditional culture of the Toraja’s, which is rapidly vanishing. The focus is on personal religion as it has its centre in the kitchen of each house. In the kitchen and also by the use of magical words and stones the gods are sought for their powers of blessing.

This book adds important information to Buijs’ earlier Powers of Blessing from the Wilderness and from Heaven (KITLV/Brill, 2006, Verhandelingen 229).