Cr eat baht tcatia tolfo@yahoo.com.br Pad:10011-341 oe Mes Pn | 1060 534 pags. 325-32 /Pereberg Ry / Umbanda and peychoaralyss as diferent ways of interpreting ental iness[¢denteado) MEDLINE pr 7437362] Fonte de referencia (dentiicado) MEDLINE pmié aS7382 ‘Sita, Susi Astolfo Rua D 7, quadra 13 Santa Isabel 78150-322 - Varzea Grande ~ MT BRASIL iphone ns ieee) Seo rai BRIT30813 saistovogyatoo.com.tr AMMO Peal: 130011-361 I Br J Med Peychol 1980 63(4) pags. 323-32 Perelberg Ru / Umbands and psychosnaiysis as diferent ways of ntrpretng | nia tees Getic) MESUNE oi sea) Loca 814 Sptee BR.178R27 4 8R79R4 tei Paginas: | ria eet Mes sna) Q (rair2 | Jo? 13639 Avo ;ra sal f Moy (9) 58, 33-32 Pd Get ly ms ‘Umbanda and psychoanalysis as diferent ways of interpreting mental illness Rosine Jone Peretberg ‘One of the most important contribution made by the socal sciences tothe study of mental iss (and other forms of deviant behuviout) had bee tbe analysis of meatal lest 983 role, confreed on the individual by the group (Becker, 1963). Mental illness peeved a the result of a process of seal interaction in which specific individuals are ‘Gesignated mentally il in erms of « model of normality held by the group that clases them at such. When examined Irom this perpective mental illness doesnot refer to 8 reality which is empirically observable, tutto a socal representation, Sociological analysis ‘hus emphasiod thatthe evaluation of physical phenomena involves a relationship Between the individual whois considered to be i and the cin. "The aim ofthis paper isto describe and discuss some ofthe ideas about mental ilbess ald by patients and their fares attending the popehate wit of = horpital in Rio de Jani, Braz. The aim isto unalseveresentations developed bythe fais about what is happening tothe patient. Here “representations are regarded as codes that guide and ‘organize social life and transform its seasory dimensions into ineligible ones, and randomness into order (Lévi-Strauss, 1958, 1962; Douglas, 1966; Durkheim & Mauss, 1969), The interpretations piven by the file are considered to be acral part of the ‘phenomenon (madnes). The evens are recognized, named and classi and this prooes is an integral part of ts definition. Families develope specific attudes towards illness which were related to thet experiences of life and to the groups and networks to which they were articulated, and thus had ther own categories in tems of which they explained what was happening tothe patient, That the category madness" was recognized by the families is attested toby the Yery fae thatthe peope tured tothe psychiatric hospital. Bu there is a0 ‘necessary correlation between the perceptions of the fais and those of the staf. ‘One of the main concerns of the familes was to identify specifi causes and to allocate responsibilities, It is sugested that discasions about the origins of mental illes pint to |Parcular conceptions about the role ofthe individual in ration to the events in which be involved shall dseibe the Brain sting i which observations were made, and then ‘summarize statements made by patients and their families about mental ile. Particular “intrest cette onthe implications ofa system of bei called Umbanda, and itis hap to outline the main characteris of tht system, Umbanda “The name ‘Umbanda’ originated in Angola (West Afica) where Mbanda signifi priest Inthe days of slavery in Brazil there seems to have been a separation between Quimbsnda ‘used for il purposes) and Umbanda. Nowadays, however, this distinction does not seem to exist (Guedes, 1974; Velho, 1975; Penterg, 1976). Umbanda is thus considered to be aan Afro-Braiian Cul, inked with spirism. "The main ides exprewed in Umbanda is that everyone canbe a medium andi ‘therefore, potentially able to contact cerain divinities (The Oris). This possi, "however, hus to be developed through "works (an ation done in a slate of posesion) ‘and “obligations (oflerings presented toa deity) in teres (the house where the rituals 00720442510 32190 1980 The Beh Pro ely324 Rosine Jozef Porter f performed). The person, when posed, his certain power which may be eter ood ‘Sr evil This power enables the holder to aft others to provoke health o les, poverty or wealth. However, this power isnot unlimited. A sirong element of soil contro ‘perates to impede the absolute veralization ofthe social relations. The med cannot ‘ommit exces, He has control over only erin number of sprit. Each medium ean reveve certain Orduds only. Via posession the medium is tansformed into a veil oF ‘hort’ of Ortds In situation in which medians sre in conic, each wil try t0 ‘sctivte” or ell on his own Ori ina allenpt to cancel ost ation of hit opponents Orixds (Ven 1975, p. 79. Furthermore, the medium tres 1o prevent his opponent from ‘incorporating his Orde i hi “horse” (the medium). The identity of the medium is bat up through his lationship with hs Ovids. Thus, i a medium loses contact with his (Orieds, he also loses his idensty ata person The diferent Oris ae a soil task which ‘he medium wears, in the sense sugested by Marcel Maus. “This mask reveals the ‘ferent socal roles developed by the medi, the persone (Velho, 1975 p. 0) ‘Ther ae sven ‘nes’ in Umbanda, each of which i headed by its own Oni. The seven lines of Umbanda ae: The line of man (Queen ofthe sea), oF Yangd (thunder) of (Oxowse (which represents indigenous figures), he line of Ogu (representing war) of. Pretos-Velhs (representing the exslves of Baz), the line of the elem and the ine of Evi (epresenting good and evil)* Each ine hs its own chief who leads a group of subordinates, und is associated wth place, a colour, a day ofthe wee and a type of fod. Esc ine is subdivided into seven fangs, which subvde themselves each into seven falanetas and 0 on, a sucha way hat The Oecd vide themselves ato thousands of spirits with the same name. "That's why’ they canbe inal the rereiros at the same time’, explained one informant. “If hee are 80 terriras with Ogun Mere, those 30 ‘errevos wll have "received Ogun Megé, because Ogum Meg, the big chief, subdivided Dims into several other Orums to represent Hmsll. The che himself doesnot come, he isthe Administrator, he is ikea directo, with his secretaries and assistants," (These lines ae accounted for in several dierent ways and disagreements exist about which ines Should be included ~ se, for example, Pres, (974) "The head of an Umbanda ferero i elle me de santo or pal de santo (eotheinsainthood of fathern-ainthood). The mediums ae referred 1 a las (sons and daughters). The mae pequena of pai pequea (ile mother o itl fahe) is he lender's closer assistant. In the rereiros de Umbanda (the places at which Unnbands situa are performed) diferent activites take place on diferent days (ef. Velho, 1975, p. 33). One is the ‘consultation, at which people sek advice frm an Orda about a specie problem. The Orixd can respond with varius states. Sorimes the person has to be discharged” of "ad uid caused by the evi eye (fp). Hess tld to smoke a pipe, or alternatively the {uta (Oris) passes hie hand over the person's body, thus entracting the bad fe Sometimes bathing in certain herbs is preseribe. The terreias are usually open in the evenings as most oftheir members, and the meslums, have jos during the day. The