ANTROCOM

Volume 13, Number 2, 2017

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 La cerimonia Okipa tra gli Indiani Mandan

by  MARCO MENICOCCI

The Okipa ceremony of the Mandan Indians has numerous characteristics that differentiate it from the general model of the Sun Dance. This paper analyzes its founding myths and rituals and shows how the theme of the relationship with the buffaloes constitutes the nucleus at the base of various symbolic economic, anthropological, and cosmic codes. With the celebration of the Okipa it was possible to open the hunting season and refound and restore the values connected with this activity; the human group was renewed through initiatory elements and its identity was reshaped; the boundaries of the cosmos were redefined, evoking and overcoming potential catastrophes. In this way the ritual acted on the mutable, producing the stability of the cosmos for a whole year and annually rebuilt the presence of the Mandan in the world.

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Viaggio tra la Dea e lo sciamano. Note a margine di La strada dai molti canti. Filosofia e sciamanesimo greco di Roberto Baldini

by SANDRA BUSATTA

“This article was supposed to be a simple review of the book by Baldini, but after reading it, it developed into something different and more extensive, I would say an ‘extended’ review. When I bought it, I thought I would read a book that combined philosophy and anthropology, but after a few pages it was clear to me that it did not speak about neither of them, and that I was confronted with a book of a religious nature, impregnated with profound mysticism. Baldini inscribes his research into that religious movement known as Neo-Paganism, which also includes Neo-Shamanism, the Movement of the Goddess, Wicca, etc., but which has its roots in the European mystical, esoteric and traditionalist intellectual currents, American trascendentalism, joined by forms of oriental mysticism, Hindu universalism, as well as Native American and Central Asian/Siberian neo-shamanism. In the 1960s-1970s these currents formed the New Age, that is what Bloom calls Californian orphism, a minority but important current of the post-Christian West, which has influenced both part of the feminist movement and a number of counter-cultural intellectuals and grass roots as well.

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Aspects Of The Self-Referent Thought In Italian Speleologists

by FRANCO VIVIANI and TOMMASO DE VIVO  

Some aspects of the Self-Referent Thought such as Body Image (BI) and Body Satisfaction (BS) are not well known in subjects widely using their bodies for working or leisure purposes. It is hypothesized that they are lesser biased that those commonly found in literature. In order to gain insights on BI and BS, to a cohort of Italian professional speleologists (189 males and 69 females aged 18-68 years old) a modified versions of the Fallon & Rozin’s Test (1988) test and the Body Part Satisfaction Scale were administered on line. Vital statistics and curricular data, height and weight and the degree of physical activity carried out weekly were ascertained with questionnaires. Subjects were subdivided on the basis on the level of performance reached, after a thorough scrutiny of their previous curricula. Data were compared with those available in literature for Italians. On the average, speleologists tend to conform to their professional body typology, even if their ideal physique for cave explorers is more ectomorphic. Despite the high physical variability found, these professionals detain a correct vision of their bodies and show a good degree of satisfaction regarding their own body and its different parts. Results appear to becongruent with the undertaken activity, as speleology involves the whole body. This suggests that the positive influence of this activity on BI and BS.
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Gli scalottati di Vicenza. Analisi antropologica dei resti rinvenuti a Palazzo San Michele

by ALBERTO ZANATTA and FABIO ZAMPIERI  

In 2016, during the restoration of San Michele Palace in Vicenza, several human bones were found in two types of different burials: the first is a mass grave with more than 1100 bone elements arranged chaotically, while the second burial concerns an isolated hole with inside skulls with clear signs of craniectomy. Anthropological and historical investigations have focused on clarifying why these skulls were without skullcap.
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Sacred groves as rich pockets of biodiversity in the Kodagu district

by S. MAHADEVA

Sacred groves, known as Devarakadu ( which literally means God’s forest) in Kodava language, are rich forest pockets in the Kodagu district. It is a legacy of the people of Kodagu who understood the importance of the forest and bio diversity. The Kodavas usually install the stone idols of Bhadrakali and Aiyappa in sacred groves. All the villagers worship these deities periodically and on special occasions. Village temple committees are also formed to protect the sacred groves and perform the rituals. The first survey of the sacred groves was conducted in 1873 by the British administrators – scholars. They located 873 groves covering a total area of about 4398 hectares. In the second survey in 1905, the area was found to be 6277.73 hectares. These groves were transferred to the Revenue Department in the same year. In 1985, the groves were again handed over to the Forest Department..

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A Comparative Study of Nutritional Status among the Eastern Indian Type 2 Diabetes and Diabetic Nephropathy Patient Population of West Bengal

by PULAKES PURKAIT

To examine the association between nutritional status and type 2 diabetes disease phenotype in Eastern Indian patients’ population of West Bengal. Methods: Present study cover 718 participants, out of which 168 type 2 diabetic nephropathy patients on hemodialysis (T2DNH), 246 type 2 diabetes patients without nephropathy (T2DM) and compare with 304 unrelated healthy controls (CON).Participants are born in Bengalee family at Kolkata and surrounding area. Data were analyzed by the use of ANOVA and Post Hoc tests to explore the inter and intra group differences. Results: The type 2 diabetic (T2DM) and diabetic nephropathy (T2DNH) patients are relatively shorter ( P for trend < 0.01) while Controls are taller ( P < 0.01) and heavier ( P < 0.01) than patients groups. The T2DNH patients have higher readings of systolic and diastolic blood pressure compared to T2DM patients and Controls ( P < 0.01). The basal metabolic rate also differs significantly between the study groups recording relatively higher mean value among Controls ( P < 0.01). As expected glucose level is significantly higher in T2DM groups ( P < 0.01). Comparatively higher percentages (14.29 %) of participants are found to be underweight among the type 2 diabetic nephropathy patients group. Conclusion: This study directly shows a positive association between short stature with type 2 diabetes and diabetic nephropathy diseased groups of the Eastern Indian population of West Bengal.

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Lakoraj. A study on ethno-botany of the Esfedan in the east of Iran

by SOMAYYEH SAMEHSALARI, KOOHYAR MOHSENPOUR, ZAHRA SOLTANI LARKANI and MOHAMMADHADI MANSORI

The ethnobotany of the medicinal plants of Esfedan in the South Khorasan province is significant to understand the cultures and traditions of the Esfedan people. We documented 19 medicinal plant species belonging to 12 families and also focused on the specification of the application, preparing, treatment and administrative mode of the native plants in the area. The botanical names, family names, local names, parts of the plants used are provided in this paper. We recorded the traditional knowledge and use of medicinal plants from herbal practitioners, traditional healers and village seniors in Esfedan. The obtained results were compared with traditional medical plants of Sirjan, Kerman Province.

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Socioeconomic and Demographic Factors associated Women’s Labor Force Participation in Rural Bangladesh

by DALI RANI SUTRADHAR, RIPON K. SARKER and ELIAS HOSSAIN

This paper assesses the socioeconomic and demographic factors influencing married women’s participation in labor market. Using the logistic regression this study found that women’s age, head of the household, women’s education, poverty status, small family size, husband’s unemployment, and rural locality have a significant positive effect on labor force participation. On the other hand, ownership of the household and husband’s education has shown a negative effect. Poverty in an overall perspective is found to be the major determinant of the labor force participation of married women.

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Recensione. 2016. Alessandro Atzeni. Gherreris. Dai bronzetti alle statue di Mont’e Prama. Condaghes Edizioni

by GABRIELE MAESTRI

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