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Jinn Pinn Dance in the Floods: Perceptions of Flood Disasters Among the Kalasha of Pakistan

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Dealing with Disasters

Part of the book series: Palgrave Studies in Disaster Anthropology ((PSDA))

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Abstract

The chapter explores the Kalasha eco-cosmological ideas, socio-historical transformations, and interpretations of environmental catastrophes. States of impurity such as menstruation, birth, death, and bloodshed attract the jinn pin or aphat bala, distinct categories of evil spirits. Entry into the pure zones without observing necessary purification rites and rules results in the spread of ritual impurity and pollution which may affect shrines, goats, and alpine pastures. The offensive transgression—considered to be a ritual pollution (pragoik)—may result in immediate warning strikes from the spirit world in the form of sudden winds, earthquake jolts, rock falls, hailstorms, rains, and minor flash floods.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Social Anthropology, Panteion University Athens, Athens, Greece

    Taj Khan Kalash

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  1. Taj Khan Kalash
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Social Anthropology, Panteion University, Athens, Greece

    Diana Riboli

  2. Department of Anthropology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

    Pamela J. Stewart

  3. Department of Anthropology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

    Andrew J. Strathern

  4. Department SARAS (Storia Antropologia Religioni Arte e Spettacolo), Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy

    Davide Torri

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Kalash, T.K. (2021). Jinn Pinn Dance in the Floods: Perceptions of Flood Disasters Among the Kalasha of Pakistan. In: Riboli, D., Stewart, P.J., Strathern, A.J., Torri, D. (eds) Dealing with Disasters. Palgrave Studies in Disaster Anthropology. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-56104-8_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-56104-8_5

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  • Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-56103-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-56104-8

  • eBook Packages: Social SciencesSocial Sciences (R0)

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