Fw: [AASTibet] IATS 2013 panel: Nomads' religious lives

 

----- Original Message -----

From: Gillian G Tan

To: aastibet@virginia.edu

Cc: nicola schneider

Sent: Friday, November 30, 2012 7:01 AM

Subject: [AASTibet] IATS 2013 panel: Nomads' religious lives

Dear all,

Please find enclosed further information on our panel exploring religious practices in everyday life among nomadic pastoralists in Tibet and neighbouring regions. We welcome participation from anyone on this list, please get in touch if you would like to join us.

Thank you and best wishes,

Nicola Schneider and Gillian G. Tan

Nomads' religious lives

 

This panel examines the various ways that contemporary nomads in Tibet and adjacent communities from Mongolia, Nepal and Ladakh practice everyday religion, including daily ritual practices, the observance of communal festivities and events in the life-cycle, such as coming-of-age, marriages and funerals. Referring to works by Ekvall (1964, 1968) and Norbu (1997 [1959]), as well as to works on nomads in other Inner Asian societies (Humphrey and Sneath 1999), we find that religious practices play an important role in the social relations of nomad communities, in nomads' relationships with animals (curing of disease, protecting animal life, etc.) and in their interactions with the physical environment (mountains, lakes, etc.).

We invite papers that offer insight into these concerns among nomads that are still moving as well as those that have been recently settled. Do physical movements influence how nomads deal with metaphysical concerns? In what ways do religious beliefs influence nomads' attitude to nature and environment? Further, what are the implications of nomadic movements to their participation in religious communities, that is, how do nomads create and maintain religious ties? Who are the religious specialists acting among nomadic communities and by what means are they transmitting knowledge and teachings of Buddhism or Bon religion? Particular attention will also be given to the religious revival that occurred in Tibet in the Post-Mao period asking, for example, if distinct features can be observed among nomadic communities in Tibet when compared to agricultural communities or nomads from other Tibetan speaking areas, such as Nepal and Ladakh.

This panel seeks to contribute to a better comprehension of religious life in contemporary nomadic communities. We welcome contributions that ally research on nomadic communities, traditional as well as those recently settled, and religious life.