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Peter Fitzpatrick's life and work encourages reflection on the enduring myth of the father, including as it appears in contemporary debates about the place of canonical figures on university syllabi. I suggest that a simple call for the destruction of father figures misses one of the key insights offered by Fitzpatrick: the story of the father is the ur-myth of modernity. As we criticise the legacies of fathers, whether in the canon or otherwise, we miss this revelation and, inadvertently re-circulate monumental stories of patriarchal and colonial origins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This short article on Peter Fitzpatrick's conception of "responsive law" analyzes the ambiguous temporality that Fitzpatrick discerned in modern law. On the one hand, law makes the claim of being fully present and therefore already and completely contained in itself. This aspect of law reflects the law's claim to "immanence," that is, its claim of always being able to rely strictly on its own operational terms without having to take recourse to any consideration not already contained within itself. It is this aspect of law that renders the ideal of the "rule of law" feasible. On the other hand, the law's claim to doing justice to every unique and therefore every new case also demands that it takes leave of that which is already settled within it. This aspect of law can be called its "imminence." The imminence of the law concerns the reality that law always finds itself on the threshold of that which has not yet been said and must still be said. The article shows how Fitzpatrick relied on Freud's concept of the totem to explain the "wondrous" unity of its immanence and imminence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article endeavors to elucidate the mechanisms by which vestiges of mythology become embedded in the morphology of Chinese characters. It represents a foundational study aimed at explicating how oral mythological traditions and archaic mythical cognitions manifest themselves through the concrete graphemic structures of Chinese characters. The research focuses on the analysis of the characters "Yi (一)," "Yi (壹)," "Yi (羽 / 能)," and "Yi (鳦)," which are cognates. Through this examination, the study demonstrates that these graphemes are reflective of ancient Chinese veneration of the gourd, as well as bear and bird totemic traditions. To substantiate these claims, the methodology of "Chinese character archaeology" is employed, which integrates etymological analysis of the characters themselves with traditional textual sources, archaeological findings, and anthropological data. This approach can be extended to encompass a diverse array of totems, including plants, dragons, tigers, and horses. The ancient Chinese characters that encapsulate these totemic traditions are of particular significance as they offer insights into primordial modes of thought that predate the genesis of philosophical literature. Furthermore, this research potentially elucidates, through graphemics, the hypothesis that Chinese ancient civilization originated simultaneously in various regions with distinct totemic traditions, gradually converging into a predominant civilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article explores the concept that the first relations falling under the subject of private international law originated in the primitive period. These relations include exogamy and incest taboos, the institution of hospitality and exchange agreements. Exogamy and incest taboos are fundamental relationships that emerged parallel to the development of society and law, forming he cornerstone of these constructs. These represent the earliest interactions involving “foreign persons” and are characterized by personal non-property character. Hospitality ties are linked to exogamy while exchange relationships follow subsequently. Intergroup agreements serve as primary mechanism for regulating these relations and lay the groundwork for the inception of the initial choice-of-law rules. The conflicts are not interstate but rather intergroup (intercommunal), similar to contemporary interpersonal or interlocal disputes. The author applies a number of methods such as comparative analysis, reconstruction, formal-logical, dialectical, natural science and historical analysis in this research. In conclusion, the author asserts that three key institutions emerged in the pre-state era, forming the foundation of modern PIL: exogamy (cross-border marrital and family relations), hospitality (foreigners’ law), and exchange (international contract law). During this period the first conflict resolution rules also emerged. The principle method for addressing conflict issues in primitive societies is the unified substantive approach through intergroup agreements. Additionally, archaic law incorporated conflicting principles like personal law and the law of the place where the action occurred. These conclusions are drawn through a reconstructive approach and are supported by archeology, genetics, anthropology, as well as domestic and foreign scholarly research on legal genesis.

This article explores the evolution of totemic symbolism in contemporary visual art and its profound link with religious concepts, particularly the image of God. It examines how artists reinterpret sacred themes through totems, reflecting both historical religious traditions and modern societal transformations. Through a review of totemic representations from ancient to contemporary artworks, this study illuminates the evolving portrayal of divine figures – from traditional religious icons to more personalised spiritual symbols. This evolution not only signifies changes in artistic expression but also suggests a deepening societal understanding of divinity. The analysis highlights the totem’s role as a mediator between the human and the divine, offering insights into the spiritual connections that transcend conventional religious frameworks. This research not only enriches the discourse on the relationship between art and religion but also underscores the dynamic interaction between cultural heritage and contemporary artistic exploration. Contribution: This study enriches the field of art history and religious studies by tracing the transformative representation of totems in art from ancient symbolism to modern reinterpretations. It underscores the totem’s role as a dynamic symbol in contemporary visual culture, facilitating deeper spiritual connections and dialogues across various cultural and religious landscapes. The findings of this study provide a nuanced understanding of how contemporary art mediates complex theological concepts, thus offering new perspectives on the intersection of art, religion and spirituality.

The belief in totems is very common in Ghana and other regions of Africa. This study looked at the development of Totemism over time in Ghana and Africa. The purpose of this research was to uncover the significance of Totemic climate smart adaption methods used in development discourse in Ghana’s ‘Wasipe’ Traditional Area of the Savanna Region. This has the potential to provide certain societal benefits related to climate-smart adaptation. The study adopted the Ethnographic theory as seen in Dewan and Haverkort’s conceptual approach to measure the relationship between nature and Totemism. At the same time, Ethnographic research provides insight into the cultural and social context in which people live and work. Both quantitative and qualitative data analysis were used for the study. The ‘Wasipe’ traditional area was purposively selected for the study because of the cultural background and experiences of the diverse endogenous knowledge systems and practices in the area. The target population consisted of traditional chiefs and opinion leaders who actively participate in the Community’s cultural, traditional and customary activities. Key among the findings include: “Wasipe” traditional area is divided into clans and groups according to Totemic beliefs. They mentioned leopard, tiger, rivers, tortoise, hawk, python, mudfish, electric fish, baobab tree, chameleon, parrot, spear, kapok tree, and some forms of tree species as totems in that traditional area. Totems help them to be able to forecast short, medium and long-term weather changes. It is recommended that multiple layers of actors and stakeholders should be involved in the planning and implementation of Ghana’s adaptation action. The paper concluded that Totemism continues to play a significant part in the day-to-day socio-political economic orientation, defying the effect of Western norms in our societies. This paper has shown that climate-smart adaptation strategies are cross-disciplinary and multidisciplinary.

Although the term "totem" constituted a key term in classical theories of religion, it has not played a notable role in the recent material turn in the study of religion. This essay offers a critical reconsideration of the term by comparing its function in Durkheim's sociology of religion with David Chidester's postcolonial analysis of its function in religion and Religious Studies from a South African location. The comparison not only highlights problematic uses of the term in its history, but also sheds light on the question whether the term might be rehabilitated for use in the study of material religion. In assessing the term's genealogy as well as its possible use in the study of material religion, the ethical question is of paramount importance: informed by critical theories of race, class and gender, which values may serve in our assessment? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Wooden cantilever covered bridges are known for their marvelous shapes and manufacturing technique. Many wooden cantilever covered bridges were constructed during Ming and Qing Dynasties in Anhua province, China, due to the “Tea-Horse Trade” policy. The excellent performance of wooden materials and exquisite building techniques have kept these wooden bridges well-preserved and worthy of investigation. This paper conducted a comprehensive review of wooden cantilever covered bridges in Anhua, especially for the eight bridges listed as historical and cultural heritage protected at the provincial or the national level. The discussions covered the historical background of the bridges, their locations and dimensions, and the details of their structures including the cantilever systems, corridors, and roofs. Moreover, the cultural background was introduced to better understand the meaning of the decorations carved on the bridges and the logic of location selections.

This paper is a comparative study of Chukwuemeka Ike's The Bottled Leopard and Chịkodịlị Emelụ-madụ-'s Dazzling. The thrust of the paper is found in the study of the protagonist's transformation from adolescents into their roles as leopard personalities. The crucial aspects identified of their development include: the unity of life in the Igbo worldview and their understanding of the cosmological realities depicted in the novels. The theory adopted for the study is magical realism. The findings reveal that the transition into their inherited roles is made easier with the knowledge of Igbo traditions, mythology and initiation rites. Second is that Emelụmadụ's story shows evidence of individualism and syncretism in the depiction of cosmological realities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Totemism is a belief in an animal or plant’s guiding spirit that is linked to a person’s character and destiny. Totemism manifests itself in tattoos as body decoration and symbols of hope, such as Yakuza tattoos (irezumi). This research aims to reveal the representation and meaning of totemistic irezumi worn by three Yakuza characters (Kazuma Kiryuu, Akira Nishikiyama, and Goro Majima) in two Yakuza-themed game series: Yakuza 0 (2015) and Yakuza Kiwami 1 (2016). These games provided the primary data in the form of images and conversations. Ricoeur’s hermeneutic theory was applied to examine the data, along with qualitative descriptive and interpretative methods. Analysis revealed differences between the meaning of tattoos shown in the Yakuza games and those existing in the real world. Kiryuu’s dragon tattoo represents the burden of responsibility; Nishiki’s koi tattoo represents the burden of being a great individual; and Majima’s tattoo represents an emotional burden. Thus, the entities shown in those irezumi can be said to represent psychological burden and influence their bearers’ as personal totems.

In the article, we consider the image of a movie hero from the perspective of its multidimensionality, as well as the systemic nature of its influence—in the past and in the present. The researched segment of material allows us to present the universal matrices, according to which the image of the hero of the future is constructed. Different stages and epochs of civilizations in various cultures are marked by seminal, iconic ideals, many of which represented and/or personified the status of a hero. The image of a hero has been interpreted in all sorts of ways and transformed through a variety of forms of visualizations. In this paper, we consider a hero in the context of understanding the specificity of a film hero. The image of a “hero of the day” consolidates and refracts a complex of ideals, preferences and perceptions, the model and style of behavior, which are characteristic not only for a particular historical period, but also for a particular community. The phenomenon and concept of a hero and, as a consequence, the image of this hero, has a logically explainable structure, a pattern of formation and becoming. This pattern is interconnected with historical, social, cultural aspects and phenomena, as well as perceptions characteristic for a particular time and society. The character, the image, the style and the model of behavior of the hero, as well as the criteria of his or her assessment depend on the complex of spiritual culture of a particular community, the level of its development and value orientations. The specifics of age-old composition of the images of “a hero of the old/present days” reveal some regularities—universal anthropological constants, allowing to form a set of distinctive qualities of a hero actual for the specific time and location. In this article, we trace such consistent patterns and introduce the typology of four universal atemporal types of heroes (masculine, intellectual, warrior, superhuman), aimed at different audiences. Статья посвящена рассмотрению многомерности образа телегероя и системности его воздействия — в прошлом и настоящем. Предложенный авторами исследовательский срез дает возможность представить универсальные матрицы, по которым выстраивается образ героя будущего. Разные этапы и периоды цивилизаций, а также культуры народов отмечены знаковыми культовыми идеалами, многие из которых являли и/или олицетворяли статус героя. Образ героя был по-разному интерпретирован и преобразовывался через многообразные формы визуализаций. В настоящей работе герой рассмотрен в контексте понимания специфики телегероя. В «герое времени» консолидируется и преломляется сложный комплекс идеалов, предпочтений и представлений, модель и стиль подобающего поведения, характерных не только для определенного исторического периода, но и для конкретной общности. Явление и понятие «герой» и, как следствие, образ этого героя, имеет логично объяснимую структуру, закономерность формирования и становления, взаимосвязанную с историческими, социальными, культурными факторами и явлениями, а также характерными представлениями для конкретного времени и общества. Характер, образ, стиль и модель поведения героя, как и критерии его оценки, зависят от комплекса духовной культуры конкретной общности, уровня развития и ценностных ориентиров. Специфика многовековых построений образов «героя своего/нашего времени» обнаруживает ряд закономерностей — универсальных антропологических констант, что позволяет формировать набор актуальных для места и времени характерных качеств героя. Авторами статьи прослеживается закономерность и вводится типология существования четырех универсальных вневременных типов героев («маскулинный», «интеллектуальный», «воин», «сверхчеловек»), ориентированных на разную аудиторию.

Cet article qui examine l’émergence de l’option diaspora au Cameroun contribue à un nombre croissant d’analyses critiques sur les migrations et le développement, et en particulier sur les diasporas et leur potentiel pour le développement. En mobilisant notamment la notion de « concept magique » à titre principal, ce travail montre comment la littérature en administration publique permet d’enrichir et de compléter la critique de l’option diaspora. Cette analyse, qui s’appuie sur une enquête auprès d’une quinzaine de fonctionnaires, d’experts et de professionnels, postule que dans un contexte où les défis et contraintes à surmonter pour une valorisation effective des potentiels de la diaspora sont nombreux et non complètement pris en charge par les autorités publiques, l’option diaspora peut être perçue comme un concept magique ou un totem promu par l’État et les organisations internationales.

One of the most complex issues in understanding the evolution of human society is religion. However, religion in this sense is not the spiritual dimension of confessional or rhetorical form; rather it is a social phenomenon that has long been considered as one of the fundamental components of human society. Archaeological excavations often lead to the unearthing of movable and immovable objects that bear an obvious symbolic insignia; this is suggestive of the roles of beliefs and convictions in the formation of these objects. For instance, during the Neolithic period in some archeological sites such as Catalhoyuk in Anatolia, Sheikhiabad in Kermanshah and a number of other sites in the Near East, some objects were found that can be considered as symbolic made for specific purposes according to humans' rituals and beliefs. In the present article, we study the views and theories of anthropologists and sociologists about religions, and the views of archaeologists about symbolism and religion in the contemporary world and in the beginning of the Neolithic period. Employing an interpretive approach, we examine and analyze possible intentions behind construction and functions of these symbolic objects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article describes functional mechanism of heroine’s metempsychosis in the Oriental and Occidental Cinderella fairy-tale. According to the classification of Aarne - Thompson, these tales belong to the type 510 A “persecution of the heroine”, which is associated with a complex of other plots (510 B, 511, 511 A). We limit our research only to those tales in which the identification of the heroine occurs by the shoe. The origins of this literature phenomenon are disclosed in terms of religious conception and traditional believes of the representatives of the thai-kadai language group (IX-XIX centuries). For analysis the Zhuang, Thai and Lao versions of Cinderella fairy-tale were taken, the ritual and mythological aspect of fairytale narrative is disclosed on the material base. The article also describes functions of ancestors’ cult and discusses totemic attitude of the people of the East and South-East Asia in the functioning system of the oriental fairytale which all together form the metempsychosis conception. On the ground of the ethnographic data the author substantiates the choice of animal and plants (namely, a bird/parakeet, bamboo, quince tree, hazel, palm tree, dove) which were used for the sequence of character’s incarnations in the tales. If in oriental tales the heroine’s soul is transmigrated into animals and plants, in Western European fairy tales the heroine is transformed thanks to the help of a plant or bird - the reincarnations of her mother. Only Ch. Perrault, following the rationalistic spirit of the times, does not use metempsychosis directly, but his tale also contains transformations of the inanimate into the animate: plants and animals turn into coachmen and lackeys. The metempsychosis’ final aims of the magic fairy-tales are formulated. An appeal to the European tradition (Basile “The Cat Cinderella”, 1634; Perrault “Cinderella”, 1697; the Brothers Grimm “Cinderella”, 1812), in which metempsychosis is partially preserved, confirms the eastern origin of the tale and allows a deeper understanding of its folkloric origins.

1. Introduction There are various theories about what is holy and is unholy, and their causative agents. Generally, due to these theories, it can be said that communication with supernatural forces, differentiation, perfectionism, and being free from any contamination, are the most important holy attributes leading to a sense of fear and attraction in believers. These attributes in the Islamic culture go back to the nature of God, and accordingly, the creatures are sanctified to the extent that they possess this divinity. Based on these definitions, one of the holy manifestations can be the tree. The nature of the tree as a masterpiece of creation has always been admired and respected by various peoples, as much as it has been praised as a totem. Accordingly, this article attempts to examine the concept of holy issue, methods and holiness factors of the tree in the popular culture of the people in the field of civilization of Halil Rood. 2. Methodology According to the field of study of this paper - which is popular culture – the method of collecting data is the field method. In this way, the authors have gathered information on this subject by attending among people and visiting holy places and phenomena. The research method is also descriptive and analytical method. It means that firstly by describing the holy phenomena, the characteristics of the holy trees are shown. Then we analyze the reason and condition of the holy issue according to a semiotic approach. "Semiotics is the study of everything that points to something else. Semiotics is associated with the production of meaning and representation- as the Meta-analysis- seeking to show how meaning is constructed through the interaction of signs with one another. Meaning is influenced by systems and codes, so it is necessary to reach the methods of meaning, to obtain the codes or systems that govern the phenomena or texts. Accordingly, the goal of semiotics is to classify and regularize the structure of texts in order to achieve systems that consciously or unconsciously create meaning in the texts. Myth, too, has a very high capacity for semiotic analysis because it wants to provide a symbolic response to ontological and metaphysical ambiguities. Myths consist of signs that symbolically represent the ideal human world. Although different myths differ in details, but derived from human mind, it can admit that they are similar in structure and pattern. The holy issue- as already mentioned - is the basis of religion and mythology, which has manifested itself in various forms and traditions in the mental structure of man and mythology. Accordingly, the semiotics of myth is an attempt to achieve the unifying structure of the human mind and the integration of its mental products. From a semiotic point of view, any phenomenon that enters into the mythical structure, based on the contradictory structure of the human mind, enters into one of the holy antithetical categories, and accordingly constitutes a part of the myth as a whole. The holy and the unholy are also understood in this way through the contrast. 3. Discussion Sanctification (holiness) is a kind of cultural process that connects man with the meaningless nature in a supernatural sense. So every sacred thing is as a material symbol that is accompanied by an immaterial (spiritualistic) sign. This transforms sanctification into a process of sign that is achieved through the co-existence and succession of signs. The Sanctification of the tree also has a symbolic mechanism. It means that the tree, through its succession and communion with the sacred phenomenon, transcends its material status and becomes an immaterial (spiritualistic) phenomenon. Old age and greenness are the factors that can distinguish one tree from the other, and this distinction gives the tree a new and unmistakable image and brings it into the sacred structure. This distinction results in the "perfection" of the tree. One of the trees with this feature is the cypress tree. Being old and green as a distinctive and natural characteristic of the cypress and its association with saints such as Prophet Zoroaster is one of the main factors of sanctification of the cypress in Iranian culture. Trees and other plants, not through themselves, but for the sake of what they discover, become manifestations of power and take on a sacred aspect as a religious matter. One of these discoveries is the medicinal and medical properties of some trees. Linked to the phenomenon of human life, death, and immortality, this gives the tree a symbolic aspect. Symbolism of the tree with the sacred and the cosmic issue has appeared in the myths in the form of the body of God in the form of a tree, depicting the plant gods. The medicinal property of the tree is the characteristic that separates and transfers the tree from the natural status to the sacred or holy status. Any phenomenon can be sanctified by being replaced by the divine, such as the old age and the medicinal properties mentioned before because it indirectly replaces the immortality of God. Sometimes the sanctification (holiness) of the phenomenon is made not by the substitution property, but by the proximity and co-existence of the sign with the sacred or holy issue. Lotus, for example, is sanctified because of its proximity to burial places or Imamzadeh or Ghadamgah for "something else" on it. In other words, by its presence in the proximity of the sacred or holy place and by the natural property of its tree (resurrection) it repeats and renews something superhuman (female fertility) and becomes a symbol and allegory as a matter of divinity. In the structure of religions, this sanctification (holiness) usually manifests itself in the form of specific individuals (prophets, imams, devotees, etc.). Any phenomenon that somehow falls into the companionship of these people can have the attributes of the sacred or holy issue. The attribution of the palm tree to Ali (AS) is one of the reasons for the holiness of this tree. In the field of Halil Rood, any tree that is in any way related to the world of the dead and the world of jinn, and in general to the mysterious forces, is taboo and sacred. This means that it simultaneously evokes a sense of admiration and fear. The source of this fear is the belief in the supernatural and evil force that exists in the tree. 4. Conclusion The main reason of the holiness or sanctification of the tee comes from the natural and intrinsic properties of the tree itself, such as the constant growth, renewal, and greenness of the tree that has led to an animistic and vibrant thinking about it and has found a supernatural power. In some cases, the communion and succession of the holy tree has made it sacred. From a semiotic point of view, it can be said that the meaning of the holiness of the tree is formed by differentiation and difference. That is, the distinction that creates a supernatural belief about the tree and turns it into a sacred concept. The results of this study show that this distinction and holiness in the tree is mostly made through the process of companionship and in some cases by substitution with the sacred issue. Until the tree enters into the sacred structure of myth through the human mind, it is a sign as other signs without any particular meaning, but becomes a holy and meaningful element upon entering the sacred structure. This structural character is not just limited to the tree and can encompass other broader contexts such as place, time, objects, rituals, and so on. In the cultural domain of Halil Rood, this sacred inclusive structure is present.

We describe the discovery of the odderon, by the D0 and TOTEM Collaborations by comparing elastic differential cross sections measured in and interactions at high energies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Language, the first cultural phenomenon, received textual expression in myths, of which the oldest tell of the mystical relationship of the tribe with the animal. Consideration of the concepts that arose on this basis, and then of “conceptual myths” (OM Freidenberg) about the totem-ancestor makes it possible to analyze their semantic-semantic fields. Moreover, we relied on the cultural-historical concept of G.G. Shpet, which allowed us to trace the evolution and subsequent transformation of the semantic-semantic fields of myth and thus reveal the algorithm for the formation of the mythopoetic tradition, its fading and eternal return. In the center of this work is semantic-semantic fields of myths about the Heavenly deer / moose cow, the cult which stretched over the more than six millennia. Observing the astral objects that served as a spatial-temporal reference point in the hunting and reindeer herding, primitive tribes felt their unity with the star ancestors. For example, two constellations of seven stars, which served the primitive hunters and reindeer breeders as a guide on the way, began to be identified in the russian North with the horned Reindeer Mother / moose cow and her daughter, from which the well-being of people depends. The attempt of comparative-historical reconstruction of semantic-semantic fields in article based on the material of myths about totems-forefathers made it possible to distinguish three main layers. These are 1) the energetically “charged” field of the myth of the shaman visiting the fantastic deer in labor, in which the religious and mythological consciousness received expression; 2) a semantic-semantic field of myths that belong to the artistic and heroic consciousness and narrate about a cultural hero who is ready for a feat for his family-tribal community; 3) the semantic-semantic field of the myth of the Horned mother-deer in the story of Ch. T. Aitmatova’s “White Steamboat (After the Tale)”, the rescue of orphans who became the ancestors of the Bugu tribe (‘deer’), and contains deep thoughts of the author, the bearer of cultural-historical and philosophicalcultural consciousness. As for the semantic-semantic fields, specific to the various interpretations of plots about a moose cow and a calf, close to a household fairy tale, a hunting story and a joke, so they correspond to the scientific and technical type of consciousness that has lost its connection with myth.

The author along with his colleagues undertook explorations at various places of Dantan over a long period from 2017 to 2021 and it resulted in the discovery of two large black and red ware sites, one at Satbahini sacred grove at the village, Kusturia and another at the village, Urisal. The article reports on the archaeological sites and the artefacts recovered from the places. Since the sites are a kind of conglomerates of various cultural phases, the article primarily comments on the early medieval Saptamatrika cult and the late medieval cult of Chandi and tries to locate the prehistoric cult of Mother Earth in the immediate context of the region. Based on the prehistoric and ancient artefacts, the author tries to comment on the Chalcolithic material culture of the region and makes an effort at relating them to other BRW sites recently discovered in the adjoining district of Purba Medinipur. Then, in the context of the Subarnarekha river and the larger techno-complex, the author tries to go beyond the material culture in order to explore their social formations based on totemic values. Finally, it seeks to explore the intellectual exercises reflected in the art of image-making and creating symbolic connections and representing through early art from the Chalcolithic times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. The article considers the Bashkir folk ethnogenetic legend of Aina and Gaina supposed to contain ancient mythological views of the ethnos, beliefs and traditions characteristic of archaic epic folklore. Goals. The work seeks to identify the Gaina Bashkirs’ ancient perceptions of the world and nature, their aesthetic traditions and customs traced in surviving variants of the ethnogenetic legend. Materials and Methods. It is known that epics take shape over centuries, passing from generation to generation, improved and polished. But at certain points, some of such epic narratives literally cease to exist as ones. This may be caused by that holistic elements of a once ancient epic simply sink into oblivion. Similarly, the surviving fragment of the once famous epic about the female demiurge Ar ― a mythical foremother of the Bashkir clan Gaina ― and the two brothers Gain and Aina (who saved the Sun) takes the form of a mythological legend, and quite a share of taletellers’ knowledge vanishes, which leads to the destruction of the epic plot, desacralization of ancient beliefs and rituals. Results. The paper shows this may have resulted from that the northwestern Gaina Bashkirs had been isolated from their historical homelands in the Republic of Bashkortostan. Assimilation, introduction of a different language and cultural elements led to the destruction of the archaic worldview and indigenous traditions: no long songs were sung, no epic recited. However, due to somewhat genetic memory of the Gaina people at least a fragment of the ancient epos has survived, even though in a different form. So, the core of the ethnogenetic legend of Aina and Gaina is the once widespread ancient mythological epic about the salvation of the Sun by brothers, their struggle against a mythical being, victory of good over evil, and the hero’s marriage to the mythical creature Аr, resulting in the emergence of the ancient Bashkir tribe.

Soa is a combination of several genealogically territorial eyes of the house. Each Soa usually has a symbol in the form of Totem, which is the identity of each Soa. Soa is still maintained until now. Even every symbol or Totem is still present in implementing traditional ceremonies. This study aimed to discover Soa and its role based on Totem in Negeri Hutumuri, South Leitimur Sub-district, Ambon City. This research is qualitative. The data source was obtained by purposive sampling. The Soa heads and traditional elders were used as informants. Data collection techniques through interviews, participatory observation, and documentation. The results of the study show: 1) Soa in the life of the people of Negeri Hutumuri consists of 5 Soa, namely Soa Pattihutung, Soa Mokihutung, Soa Tutupasar, Soa Lapaut, and Soa Puasel. 2) The role of each Soa is based on the Totem: 1. Soa Pattihutung, with the symbol of the Soa pigeon is role as an honest leader in leadership (King); 2. Soa Mokihutung symbolizes the Soa Mangole bird in charge of maintaining maritime security (Kewang sea/marine police). 3. Soa Tutupasar with the symbol of Soa, namely Soa-Soa, in charge of maintaining forest security (Kewang land/forest police). 4. Soa Lapaut, with the symbol of the Soa snake, is in charge of maintaining security and order (police/soldiers). 5. Soa Puasel, with the symbol of the Soa frog maintaining the cleanliness of water and art in the Negeri Hutumuri.

The values of the parameters ρ p p , σ tot p p and B p p extracted in the region of Coulomb-nuclear interference (CNI) in the ATLAS and TOTEM experiments at energy s = 13 TeV are studied based on the general expression for the Coulomb-nuclear amplitude. Due to the significant differences between these data, we undertake both their joint analysis and the retrieval of parameter values separately for each experiment. A significant incompatibility of these parameters published by the ATLAS and TOTEM experiments is shown. This is especially noticeable in the case of σ tot and the situation is similar to what once happened at the TEVATRON: the values of σ tot A T L A S with account of errors do not overlap with σ tot T O T E M. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper describes a bronze plaque, made in Perm animal style by method of one-side casting. It depicts a rampant winged bear with its paws on the shoulders of a standing man. Being an accidental finding, the plaque comes from the northern regions of the Altai Territory (the village of Vysokaya Griva, Pankrushikhinskiy District). The paper features its composition and plot, which has a complex semantic content. Following other researchers, the authors consider such products a metal reflection of the three-part world structure, characteristic for the peoples at a certain level of social development, and a myth about the origin of the people. A comparative analysis with both neighboring and quite remote areas made it possible to assume that there were different totem animals, ancestors of the major ethnic groups of different Finno-Ugrian peoples. Thus, a bird of prey was the most typical totem animal for the western territories representing a Finnish-speaking population that lived in the European part of Russia. The bird was both the ancestor and the guardian spirit of the ethnic group. A bear was the totem for the eastern territories of the Finno-Ugrian peoples living in Siberia, in the Asian Russia, that represented the Ugrian-Samoyedic population. It is evidenced by the absence of bears on the plaques with encoded myths about the origin of the kindred in Western European regions, and on the contrary, a practically complete absence of birds on similar plaques in the Asian regions. The finding is published for the first time.

The genesis of the irrational projections of the future, which made a unique imprint on the mystical basis of hope, has been discussed in the article. This genesis includes the projections of future starting from superstition and going to simulacra. It has been shown in the article that the emotional impression of meeting with probable non-being gives the rise to rehearsal practices of understanding the existence’s perspectives. Such practices conflict with the dominant worldview, but they are gradually integrating into it now. The rehearsal design is used in the creation of folk traditions, the development of models of daily behavior, as well as it is used in the process of creating the sociality of hope. It has been determined that prejudices and superstitions are developing actively in the interpretation of life and death and are characterized by the interaction of prejudice and taboo regarding the manifestation of the subject of hope. At the same time, the origins of the visionary being the successor of the totem-image in the irrational basis of the future’s projection have been described by the author. It should be noted that prejudices are both a product of the activity of the totem visionary and a means for its further replacement in a non-personalized vacuum of future existence. The epicenter of the existence’s prejudice is an area of double marginality, when the internal exit to the limit of possibilities is followed by complex conditions of existence. It has been found out that modeling and simulacrum become to be the independent predictions, which help to regulate social relationships and form a hyper-real perspective. Special attention has been paid to the influence of scientific and practical prejudices on the development of prospects for the social coexistence. It has been determined that the stereotype is a step on the way to the construction of a universal projection of the existence prospect – future-type prospect. It is presented as a reflection of the future, which is harmoniously implemented into the social space. This collective projection of the future is connected with the determination of the degree and boundaries of person’s personal life and which are developed through the fractalization of a generalized vision of perspective.

Введение. Основу статьи составляет определение специфики сюжетов сказок о животных в азербайджанском фольклоре и их исследование в аспекте компаративистики. Материал и методы. Материалами исследования послужили образцы, записанные во время экспедиций, организованных сотрудниками кафедры фольклора Бакинского государственного университета и Института фольклора Национальной академии наук Азербайджана. За основу также взяты их варианты в устном творчестве русского народа. Основная цель статьи – определение отличий группы сказок о животных от других групп, выявление типологических особенностей на основе сравнения схожих сюжетов с их аналогами у других народов. Результаты и обсуждение. Указывается, что одной из особенностей, отличающих сказки о животных от других групп сказок, является то, что образы животных выступают как объект и субъект сюжета. В образцах, входящих в данную группу, разговор животных не считается признаком чуда. Напротив, речь животных считается обычным явлением. Это расценивается как первобытные представления древних людей, не отделявших себя от природы. Также подчеркивается, что в диалогах выражается деятельность персонажей. В такого рода сказках не персонаж, а деятельность носит принципиальный характер. Перечисляются коренные различия, прослеживающиеся между европейскими и азербайджанскими сказками о животных. С этимологической точки зрения выявляется связь этих сказок с мифическим мышлением, тотемизмом и занятием древних людей охотой. В статье сравниваются сказки разных народов со схожими сюжетами; стерео типность в поведении персонажей в одинаковых ситуациях расценивается как явление, происходящее независимо от национальности и обусловленное физиологической идентичностью людей и психологическими факторами. Заключение. На основе сравнительного исследования конкретных сказок определяются своеобразные дополнения к известным сюжетам азербайджанского народа, доказывается их связь с мировоззрением, менталитетом и фольклорными традициями. Выясняется, что в сказках о животных основными являются действия персонажей, выражаемые не в повествовательной форме, а диалогами. Выявляется также тот факт, что номинация персонажей приобретает в тексте функциональность.

Sustainable development, a development that meets the needs of the present with­out compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs, has eluded most developing nations in the world today. The world’s countries inlude the devel­oped and developing nations where most African nations fit into the latter category. Attempts have been made to explain the circumstances under which African countries are striving to develop, but the role of Indigenous Knowledge System (IKS) in the entire process has not been exhaustively explored. Indigenous people have responded to ecological and development challenges by using the cultures and knowledge systems transmitted through their indigenous languages. The aim of this paper was to investi­gate how totems, as cultural belief systems, have been used in Africa to promote the conservation of natural resources. Qualitative methods (based on literature) were used to explore the values and perceptions that underlie the use of totems. The information was collected by reviewing some literature on African culture and totems from Kenya and South Africa. The literature reviewed concentrated on the cultural symbolism at­tached to totems among different tribes which were randomly selected from the two countries. Data was analyzed through content analysis and presented thematically. It was found that animal, plant and insect totems in Kenya and South Africa have sym­bolic meanings attached to them. The symbolic meanings are usually accompanied by taboos believed to have special spiritual and cultural associations. Due to these cultural associations and taboos, totems are protected against harm by the respective tribes, conserving species diversity and ecosystem diversity. The study recommends that there is a need to appreciate the cultural values and beliefs that help in sustainable development. Findings of the study could add value to the existing body of knowledge on Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) relating to the management and preserva­tion of indigenous knowledge produced in Africa for sustainable development.

Bandiyagarh fort is located in Sirohi district of Rajasthan state in India. This research paper is based on new findings in our previously discovered site Bandiyagarh. The discovered structures played an important role in rewriting the history of the Parmar dynasty because Bandiyagarh is approximately 10 km away from the ruins of the capital city site, Chandravati of the royal Parmar dynasty (910 to 1312 AD.). This area was part of the ancient Silk-route trade due to which Sirohi was rich in wealth, resulting in several plunder attacks by invaders and hostile kingdoms. The fort is built on top of a plateau flanked by a chain of mountains and protected by a stronghold fortification wall. Bandiyagarh fort was difficult to capture because, according to the analysis of the geographical obstructions, that fort was surrounded by steep ascents in hills, natural obstruction by water-streams, and the dense forest. Moreover, this forest is also associated with aggressive ethnic societies of Bhils and Garasia. This mysterious fortification is very large in area but has not yet been discovered because of its strategic location. So the reason behind building this fortified city or fortress is for the purpose of camouflage because a military strategy has been observed behind building this fort city in an isolated place. Inside the premises, we found water bodies, temples, structural complex, inscriptions, watchtower and various unidentified structural remains. The cultural remains of the discovered site show that they were believers of Hinduism and a sect of Jainism. Sirohi lies in a cradle-like area so it was easy to block the attacks of several hostile kingdoms; the analysis tells that the Parmar dynasty of Mt. Abu built many forts—few forts meant for war strategy and few for hideout strategy like Bandiyagarh.

The Relevance of Émile Durkheim's Thoughts for Protestant Churches Revitalization Today. This paper will provide some efforts to revitalize Protestant churches today, by analyzing the critical thinking of Émile Durkheim. Durkheim's observations and critiques of Protestantism in his day will be compared to the issues faced by the Protestant church today: the individualistic lifestyle of the congregation, lack of solidarity, individual cults, lack of respect for the sacred liturgy, and church worship including holy communion, and no clear church rules. Furthermore, this paper also offers a systematic-constructive synthesis to revitalize the church, including reconfirmation of symbols, reclarification of the sacred and nonsacred, and also reformation involving new clans in the church.

Our research follows the demonic perspective on Avestiția′s activity and life. Considered today as a demonic character, she is highlighted by an activity defined almost exclusively against the killing of a pregnant woman or a baby, through appearances that cause fright (the disease called samcă) and the disfigurement of the "touched" by the demon. Because her history is unknown, the recent popular tradition has made one, Avestiția being the sister of Saint Sisoe, a murderer of children, and hence the generation of his witchcraft activity, which is why she is punished by her brother and by Archangel Michael. Newer theories claim a Semite origin (Lamashtu and Lilith), but we come with another, a totemic one, generated by the demon's descriptions. Thus, by systematizing the researched elements, we affirm that, starting from a totem (of the bear), dethroned by the masculine cults of Dacia, deity turns into a demon and encounters the demonological Semite elements, prior to Christianity in our country. Subsequent intervention of Christianity "corrects" the history of the character, turning her into a legend, when Sisoe and Archangel Michael appear. This final formula is known by Romanian ethnologists. Christian syncretism almost immediately generates the incantations of samcă and the "Book of Avestiția," a charm that reveals the name and the real history of the demon, which aroused the attention of Christian syncretism when attempting to kill baby Jesus, defrauded by Michael. Sacred folk literature describes her as an extremely dangerous being, Satan's right wing.

Throughout history in all societies, sacrifice has been one of the man’s preferred ways to get closer to God or to communicate with him. Even though the practices on the sacrifice vary from society to society, they have basically remained the same. The Turks’ sense and practice of sacrifice before being a Muslim correspond to ıdık/ızıh. In Siberia, this practice has been continued until recently by non-Muslim Siberian Turks who partly continuing old Turkish beliefs. Izıh sacrifice has individual aspects as well as social aspects. At the same time, the economic dimension of ızıh sacrifice is worth to be examined as it happens in every sacrifice. When considered from this point of view, the latest examples of the above-mentioned practices of sacrifice performed in the USSR have been one of the accelerating factors of complete disappearance. In the belief systems of specifically Khakass Turks and generally Siberian Turks, the disappearance of the sacrifice has greatly affected (in negative sense) their traditional belief systems. Because the practices and rituals about ızıh have included the different dimensions of belief, and its disappearance has caused the disappearance of the other elements that belong to this belief. This article focuses on Khakass beliefs about ızıhs which are dedicated animals to Khakass Turks’ gods and spirits, and religious ceremonies. This research is based on archived documents, field documents and published data. The author dwells on in what ways these beliefs and practices depend on the structures of family and tribe, semantics and their functions.

Single-cell transcriptomics allows unbiased characterization of cell heterogeneity in a sample by profiling gene expression at single-cell level. These profiles capture snapshots of transient or steady states in dynamic processes, such as cell cycle, activation, or differentiation, which can be computationally ordered into a "flip-book" of cell development using trajectory inference methods. However, prediction of more complex topology structures, such as multifurcations or trees, remains challenging. In this chapter, we present two user-friendly protocols for inferring tree-shaped single-cell trajectories and pseudotime from single-cell transcriptomics data with Totem. Totem is a trajectory inference method that offers flexibility in inferring both nonlinear and linear trajectories and usability by avoiding the cumbersome fine-tuning of parameters. The QuickStart protocol provides a simple and practical example, whereas the GuidedStart protocol details the analysis step-by-step. Both protocols are demonstrated using a case study of human bone marrow CD34+ cells, allowing the study of the branching of three lineages: erythroid, lymphoid, and myeloid. All the analyses can be fully reproduced in Linux, macOS, and Windows operating systems (amd64 architecture) with >8 Gb of RAM using the provided docker image distributed with notebooks, scripts, and data in Docker Hub (elolab/repro-totem-ti). These materials are shared online under open-source license at https://elolab.github.io/Totem-protocol ., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

The paper considers a set of the totemic beliefs as archaic views spread among ancient Turkic peoples, in particular the Karachays and Balkars. We have studied ways and forms of pagan manifestation in the ethnic traditions, cultural consciousness and Balkar literature. In the course of the study, we have touched upon issues concerning the mythoepic tradition and symbolic generalizations. We have used folklore to trace the continuity of artistic thought-tide in understanding and interpreting symbols (tree, stone, etc.). We have also identified mythologems (mother goddess) through zoomorphic images (deer, she-wolf). One can still find mythology and folklore samples in other nations' literature presenting ancient legends of totem ancestors. They synthesized the rudimentary forms of religion. The characters of the stories were endowed with both zoomorphic and anthropomorphic traits. In addition to the traditional animal cult worshiped by the Turkic peoples there were the cult of ancestors, obeisance to the spirits of the dead. The ritual to distribute the meat portions of a sacrificial animal between members of the same clan also considered as a symbolic act. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The brief triangular love between Nietzche, Salomé, and Rée – as crystallised in the famous photograph of kitsch (literal) horse-play, where the woman is depicted as treating the two men as beasts of burden – allows us to consider the role of ‘creaturely love’ in our more general understanding of the lover’s discourse. That is to say, through such images we can explore the role and figure of the animal within ‘the anthropological machine’, itself designed to produce a sense of the human from the inhuman (especially through mediated forms of intimacy). Further, in the different intermedial relationships between photography, poetry, and philosophy, the Centaur – in the letters and texts circulated by this group (later including Rilke) – provides a charged specific totem for a libidinal ecology of souls, striving to understand themselves as simultaneously creaturely and spiritual. Such a figure allowed both a recognition and a disavowal of the nonhuman basis (and telos) of human affections.

Our proposal, a project to give new life to an abandoned segment of the highway, was focused on the creation of a lane not used as bypass for Vado, equipped with sports facilities for those who in recent years had already been spontaneously using this area, extending and closing it as a ring. The project profits from what already exists, with a linearity and affordability that make it feasible. We thought of a promenade with custom speed for each type of user: from the hare to the tortoise ... everyone has their own pace! The portal points out the presence of access to the planned path. It is an “invitation”, with a shrinkage followed by an opening element inredcolor. Eventhebenchesinparkingareashavethesame profile and color, which all characterize the entire project. The same material and formal concept is designed for the totem, a book-shaped structure that marks the kilometers covered, and for the street lights.

In traditional societies, the custom of worshiping an animal or plant species as the origin of the ethnic people is called totem worship. The paper introduces and analyzes some viewpoints of researchers on totem workship, totemic manifestation and its social meanings as well as behaviors of the general population. The paper also provides a case study of totem worship in Thai ethnic group, one of the ethnic groups in Vietnam who retains a relatively rich spiritual life nowadays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the Dayak Desa people of Kampong Nek Gambang, tapang madu (Koompassia excelsa) is believed as their totem rather than just a bee tree. Being a totem, tapang madu underwent three cultural modifications: social, religious, and psychological. In religious function, tapang madu is considered as the main media for Desa's initiation ritual, as well as having vital position in their myth of origin. In its social function, tapang madu is also a statement of clanship, serving as a family tree which records up to nine late generations of ancestors. Relating to its social function, the tapang produces honey which is invaluable to the Dayak Desa. In its psychological function, tapang madu is protected by a collapsing-taboo. Nevertheless, research shows that even though it is considered sacred, tapang madu totem has been massively demolished by external groups and even the people of Nek Gambang themselves. This ethnographic research is aimed to understand the reason for the fall of tapang madu totem both physically as well as symbolically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Conservation Science in Cultural Heritage / Quaderni di Scienza della Conservazione is the property of Salvatore Lorusso and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Culture plays a significant role in conserving the environment. The purpose of this study was to explore the measures that have been employed by the Tonga people of southern Zambia to sustain their local biophysical environment. The research focussed on investigating the strategies which they use to conserve the soil, water, animals, medicinal and fruit plants, and rangeland. A qualitative research design was used in the study. The data were collected through interviews with elderly Tonga people and herbalists, and through observation and personal participation in the daily life of the Tongas. The study reveals that selective harvesting, totemism and taboos, organic farming, crop rotation and intercropping, sacredness of water sources and traditional authority are the main instruments of environmental conservation amongst the Tonga. The article concludes that governments, policymakers and environmentalists need to give the conservation strategies employed by indigenous people the prominence they deserve for environmental sustainability.

The contraction of Aboriginal people from South Australian deserts is associated with European pastoral expansion. Confined to areas near water, livestock damaged vegetation locally, but introduced rabbits, not reliant on drinking water, spread well beyond pastoral settlement. Thus, rabbits caused almost universal desertification and were an equal factor in disrupting the former food web that sustained Aboriginal people. Within 30 years of the rabbits' arrival, important totemic animals like rabbit bandicoots had disappeared, leaving the people not only short of traditional game but also culturally bereft. A comparative economic approach to Aboriginal totemism explores changes in both ecological and cultural contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A partir dos pressupostos dos estudos antropológicos do consumo – relacionados às estruturas mágico-totêmicas da narrativa publicitária – e das relações míticas entre o homem e o objeto, este artigo, em essência, apresenta uma interpretação plausível para um filme que compõe a campanha 2016 para o carro Honda HR-V, desenvolvida pela agência F/Nazca Saatchi & Saatchi, cujo mote é “A revolução na sua garagem”.

With the aim of measuring the total cross-section and the ρ parameter, TOTEM has performed tests of beam conditions at the LHC injection energy of s = 900 GeV . The tests have revealed complications in setting up the LHC collimators to minimise the background observed in the Roman Pot (RP) detectors, summarised in this article. In two tests a subset of the RPs was exposed to background compatible with the physics requirements. If no improvement of the collimation strategy is found, it is shown that a small retraction of the RPs can significantly reduce the observed background level.

Pleasure is an important motivation for fans to adopt texts. Fannish tattoos function to demonstrate affective investments in a text; they are also a performance of fandom and an example of sacred fan identity. Like engaging in cosplay or wearing clothing that features logos, fannish tattoos mark people as fans of a text. Furthermore, the more obscure the logo or fannish reference, the more performative the tattoo. Fannish tattoos help to construct a sacred fan identity. The sacred experience (as theorized by Émile Durkheim and his concept of the totem) is imbued with meaning through choices that set it aside from the mundane. Within the context of fannish tattoos, fan affect gains similar significance.