Victor Turner’s “planes of classification in a ritual of life and death” is an analysis of the ritual and symbols among the Ndembu people of Northwestern Zambia. In the article, he describes Isoma- a ritual about female reproduction to expel bad spirits such as the death of infants.
The multi-vocal quality of Ndembu symbols contributes to the ritual efficacy in their cultural context. The use of symbols among the Ndembu is extensive. Turner notes that the symbols are the "basic building blocks, “the molecules” of ritual” (Turner 14). The Ndembu use symbols to elaborate on three main areas; - condensation, unification of disparate referents and polarizing of meaning (Turner). The condensation issue of symbols comes in to show that one concept can represent many things. The red rooster/the white hen represent male and female. In addition, the death and life as well as blood/water, ghosts/living and novices/adepts all represent binary issues. In light of issues being some unification of disparate referents, the symbols are used to represent things that are not related. For instance, the white rooster/red hen can use used to refer to experiences from familial, sexual or political backgrounds.
Some symbols show polarized meanings through its unification of psychological, social and moral experiences. The Mudyi tree is a symbol to represent milk and matriliny. The Mukula tree represents blood from circumcision ritual and masculine maturity. In such as case, the symbols “unite the organic with the socio-moral order, proclaiming their ultimate religious unity, over and above conflicts between and within these orders.” (Turner 52)
The symbols help to achieve ritual efficacy because the ritual symbols retain specific properties of ritual behaviors. The symbol is structured to match closely with the ritual context it represents because it can have several meanings and unifying traits. For instance, the Mudyi tree which represents a girl's puberty rituals is divided not several parts. The tree’s normative pole represents motherhood or womanhood for a young woman undergoing some initiation into complete womanhood. The sensory pole of the tree represents breast milk and interestingly the tree produces milky latex. As such, the tree’s natural qualities increase the efficacy with which it is used as a symbol for rituals. The rituals for which it is sued include girl’s initiation ceremonies, rituals to address female reproductive disorders and other rituals on reproduction.
The Musoli Tree is a symbol of intellect merging with ecology and it is a sign that the Ndembu have interpreted some issues to act as medicines and handle their health conditions. Turner noticed that the Ndembu unified ecology with intellect. He mentions of the Musoli tree which the local people use during the Isoma to “make children appear” (Turner 27) as such, the people’s knowledge intertwines with environmental factors such as plant and animals. Other trees in the community which are used to help the people understand ritual meaning are the Mudyi tree -milk and matriliny and the Mukula trees which represent to represent blood from circumcision ritual and masculine maturity.
Turner views the Ndembu rituals as highly complex because one symbol can have several different meanings although all tend to be in the same context. Turner talks about “liminality, marginality and structural inferiority” as conditions characterized by the generation of myths, philosophical systems, symbols, rituals and art. He notes in numerous societies as it happens among the Ndembu, the above cultural forms provide the people with sets of templates or models of reclassifying realities and helping people form stable societies in line with their ecosystem.
Works cited
Turner, Victor. Planes of classification in a ritual of life and death. 1986. Print
Turner, Victor. Liminality and Communitas Form And Attributes Of Rites Of Passage. London: Aldine, 1969.Web 28 March 2016 http://faculty.dwc.edu/wellman/Turner.htm
