1st Edition

Magico-Religious Groups and Ritualistic Activities A Guide for First Responders

By Tony M. Kail Copyright 2008
    168 Pages 82 B/W Illustrations
    by Routledge

    A woman lays unconscious on the floor surrounded by charcoaled symbols, burning candles, a bowl of viscous red liquid, and an array of dried herbs. Was this a healing ritual gone wrong or just straightforward foul play? Increasingly, first responders must deal with foreign practices and cultures that are often disturbing in their unfamiliarity. Understanding cultural variations and nuances can make the difference between much-needed emergency treatment and the aggravation of an already sensitive situation.
    The first book of its kind, Magico-Religious Groups and Ritualistic Activities: A Guide for First Responders provides a cultural bridge for emergency personnel when interacting with various magico-religious cultures. More than just a litany of artifacts, rituals, and symbols, this valuable book draws from cultural anthropology and religious studies to unearth hidden meanings and place the information in a context relevant for the first responder. It offers crucial keys for improving communication, assessment, and treatment in culturally sensitive situations.
    Beginning with an introduction to the importance of trans-cultural communication, the book devotes subsequent chapters to the common and contrasting elements of several magico-religious groups. It considers the practices of Neo-Paganism, Santeria, Bantu religion (Palo Mayombe), Voodoo, and Curanderismo. The book separates fact from fantasy regarding sacred spaces and dates, ceremonies, group structure, sacred objects, cultural taboos, and beliefs about sickness and healing. It also includes a detailed review of the common herbs used in healing and ritual, as well as a glossary of cultural terms and an index of symbols.
    Promoting functional cultural competency, this book gives public service agencies and emergency responders the tools to properly assess situations, open lines of communication, protect cultural diversity and beliefs and, above all, provide effective emergency treatment.

    Introduction
    First Responders
    View from the Patient’s Perspective
    Risks for First Responders
    Solutions
    An Introduction to Religious Culture for Responders
    Cultural Competency
    Anthropological Terms
    Magico-Religious Cultures
    Neopaganism
    Beliefs and Practices
    Neopaganism
    History of Wicca
    Traditions
    Group Structure
    Ritual Tools
    Rituals and Ceremonies
    Holy Days
    Sacred Spaces
    Health and Sickness
    Articles of Comfort
    Responder Issues
    Santeria (Regla de Ocha)
    History of Santeria
    Beliefs and Practices
    Group Structure
    Rituals and Ceremonies
    Holy Days
    Sacred Spaces
    Healing and Sickness
    Articles of Comfort
    Responder Issues
    Palo and Kongo Religions
    Bantu Traditions
    Beliefs and Practices
    Sacred Spaces
    Group Structure
    Articles of Comfort
    Healing and Sickness
    Responder Issues
    Voodoo
    Beliefs and Practices
    Group Structure
    Ritual Tools2
    Ceremonies
    Sacred Days
    Sacred Spaces
    Health and Sickness
    Responder Issues
    Curanderismo
    Beliefs and Practices
    Group Structure
    Healing and Sickness
    Responder Issues
    Closing Issues
    Behavior
    Language
    Patience
    Communication
    Appendix A: Index of Symbols
    Appendix B: Glossary of Cultural Terms
    Index

    Biography

    Tony M. Kail