ANTH 0780 (CRN 35171)

Angela Lockard Reed

Parallel Worlds Study Questions

Chapter 4

1.  What was the Protestant missionaries' view of Beng religion?  Why did this view bother Philip and Alma?

2.  What did Amenan tell Alma about the birth of twins?

3.  What is the significance of the names Wamya and Sunu?

4.  Why was Amenan an ideal informant and friend to Alma?

5.  How is palm wine harvested?

6.  Describe a typical Beng field.

7.  What was the purpose of the meeting of elders from Asagbé and Sangbé?  What did it reveal about relationships between Beng villages?

8.  Why did Philip visit a diviner?  Describe the visit.

9.  What troubles did Alma have witnessing a village ritual with visitors covered with white powder? 

Chapter 5

1.  Why did Yacouba think it was unusual that Philip and Alma left all their belongings unguarded when they left the compound?

2.  What was a problem with the government’s decision to ban new homes from having thatched roofs?

3.  Why were the Beng villagers surprised that Philip rode a bike to get Alma when Kona hurt his eye?

4.  Why was Amenan worried about her sixth pregnancy?  Give two explanations.

5.  What was a Beng woman ritually expected to do when her engagement is announced?

6.  Why did the mechanic, Dramane, remind Philip that Africa was a palimpset?

7.  What did Alma learn the elders of Kosangbé had told the residents before her arrival?  How did this make her reinterpret Jean’s actions?

8.  What was Amenan’s explanation for Amlakro’s unusual behavior?  How are person’s in her condition definitively identified?

9.  Why did Ajua stop her divination dance?

10.  What inequities did Alma observe in the Beng arranged marriage system?  Use both Afwé and Akissi’s situations as examples.

11.  What was Clifford Geertz’s turning point in his research among the Balinese?  Did Alma feel her meeting with the village elders was also a turning point?

Chapter 6

1.  In what ways do you think the Beng girls impromptu cooking party was an example of enculturation?

2.  What did the diviner say was the cause of Apu being bitten by a snake?  Philip and Alma’s windshield breaking?

3.  Describe the women’s rituals conducted after Aya’s death during childbirth.

4.  Describe the situation Alma and Philip observed between Nakoyan, her family, and her husband, Gaosu.  Why was Alma torn by her reaction?  How did Gaosu feel about his actions?

5.  What did Alma learn from Wuru San about blofwés from his younger days.  Do you think this affected her ability to do work among the Beng?

6.  After talking to Amenan, Alma found that babies needs are listened to very attentively.  Why?

7.  Why did Philip have trouble explaining one of his short stories to the Beng?  Be sure to consider Bohannan’s Hamlet example.

8.  Describe the alufyé, gagon, and bonzo spirits.

9.  Why is it considered taboo to have sex in the forest?  How are offenders punished?

10.  How are yam mounds formed?  By whom?