According to the Pueblo Indians the spirits of he dead return to this world as Kachinas; where they take on cloud form-become "cloud people"-and bring the life-giving rains. These rain deities stand at the center of Pueblo religious experience. Without their intervention the crops will not grow; the cisterns will not be filled; the rivers will not flow; the people will not survive. In Kachinas in the Pueblo World; fourteen scholars examine the role of kachinas in the cultures of the Rio Grand; Zuni; and Hopi pueblos. They examine the origins of the kachina cult; trace the figure of the kachina to a Mesoamerican original; and look at the fortunes of the rain deities after the Spanish and subsequent Anglo conquests of the Pueblo homeland. In addition they discuss the transition of the kachina doll form religious to art object; and consider the role of the kachina in allowing elements of Puebloan belief to endure in the modern world. Forty-one color plates boldly illustrate the many manifestations of kachinas in the Pueblo world.
#526584 in Books State University of New York Press 1983-06-30Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.02 x .66 x 5.98l; .82 #File Name: 0873955773292 pages
Review
4 of 6 people found the following review helpful. Good Until Chapter FourBy Matthew T ThompsonHandelman`s book is excellent until she delves into Pauline theology and the basic tenets of Christianity. She establishes a number of rookie straw man arguments of which someone (a notable N.T. scholar) should have already chided her. At first; I thought it might simply be her misunderstanding of N.T. genre; Koine Greek; and traditional Orthodoxy. However; I began to believe she was simply being disingenuous. As an example; she partly quotes Romans 7:7 so as to support her argument that Paul is antinomian and is attempting to make the law the culprit for his sin (i.e.making the law and agent of evil). She; of course; leaves out the necessary portion of that scripture that clarifies that Paul is NOT saying the law is evil. In fact; he say God forbid to such a claim! She also does not take note of Romans 3:31 where Paul states that faith DOES NOT destroy the law but establishes it. As a result; this undercuts her theory of spiritual substitution (Pauline) replacing literal meaning (pg. 88) In N.T theology; the law is not destroyed by the person of Christ but fulfilled through Christ. Once an individual is born again (justification through the finished work of Christ); then the Spirit lives within that person and allows the person to fulfill the law through the indwelling of the Spirit (sanctification). She confuses Law for purposes of justification and sanctification (which is understandable given the Rabbinic view). In neither case is the law destroyed. The key here is that man can`t fulfill the law without God doing it through him. One required a particular act that satiates wrath and provides positional perfection while the other does not bring manifest perfection here but determines eschatological reward. This centers on a huge theological difference between Judaism`s anthropology and Christian anthropology. It is unnecessary to discuss her misunderstanding of the person of the Spirit and His correlation with spiritual exegesis (this is a train wreck). In conclusion; she makes evident that she is unfamiliar with Koine Greek in a critical passage about Pauline hermeneutical practice in Gal 4:24. She takes the RSV reading that states "Now this is an allegory." Handelman does not know that the greek term for allegory is a present passive participle in an adverbial relationship to the main verb "to be." It should read something like; "these things may be treated allegorically." As a result of this understanding; it is not only incorrect but dangerous to say that Paul is stating that the original historical account WAS an allegory. Paul is simply using this historical account to illustrate a point while not destroying the original historical meaning. With all of that said; the rest of the book is quite good.0 of 1 people found the following review helpful. not easy reading; demands intense concentration thereforeBy Dr. Karen L. Siegelagain; not easy reading; demands intense concentration therefore; considerable time rereading contemplating. Worth it so far!0 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Five StarsBy thomas e.Quality book that arrived in a timely way and in an as-advertised condition. Thanks.
