A propos du totémisme autour de la Mer de Corail / Concerning Totemism Around Coral Sea - article ; n°1 ; vol.40, pg 107-117

Archives des sciences sociales des religions - Année 1975 - Volume 40 - Numéro 1 - Pages 107-117
After referring to the accepted views of totemism, this article outlines the basic differences between the « guilt civilization », represented by Christianity with its linear time, and the « shame civilization », represented by totemism with its mythical time.
The classification system of totemism may not organize its hierarchy with man at the top, but initiation will emphasize man's dual relationship with his ancestors (who are present in the paintings, singing, and dancing, and the final banquet, the ancestor's flesh) and with nature in which he must find his place : through rhythm (the initiated person participates in the time cycle), through dancing (he occupies his place in space), and through ornaments and dancing (he becomes a part of the rhythm and space of nature).
Recalling the importance of the major feasts (pilou, etc.) in these societies who have a display economy rather than a survival one, the A. uses an aesthetic approach to initiation ceremonies to stress the importance of the « double » (in other words, the same). This « double » has the same appearance as the initiated person who with his festive costume (body paintings, ornaments, etc.) becomes « the same », that is, a real man, and through his decorations a creature of beauty. This festive costume and the way it is worn govern the ethics of the totemized person. The A. suggests the neologism « calliontique » (from ?????? = beautiful, and ??, ????? = creature) to express the particular situation of the totemized person and to help counter the general tendency to limit totemism by associating it exclusively with religious systems.
11 pages
Source : Persée ; Ministère de la jeunesse, de l’éducation nationale et de la recherche, Direction de l’enseignement supérieur, Sous-direction des bibliothèques et de la documentation.