Forest Spirits: signification and the psychological extent of caboclos ritual practice in Umbanda

Author(s)

Raquel Redondo Rotta

• Document type: Master's Dissertation
• Press: Ribeirão Preto.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto (PCARP/BC)
• Defense date: 2010-03-23

Examining board members

Jose Francisco Miguel Henriques Bairrao; Carmen Lucia Cardoso; Jose Jorge de Morais Zacharias

• Advisor: Jose Francisco Miguel Henriques Bairrao

Abstract

Caboclos are spiritual entities widely found in Umbanda pantheon. The aim of this study was to reveal the signification and the psychological extent of caboclos ritual practice in Umbanda. Therefore ethnographic methods and continuous attention to recurrent significants have been combined. Among these significants, some terms were repeatedly noticed as ground, light, water, root, matureness, freedom and ideal, which may carry more than one significance level by means of an image script. Caboclos, as an evidence of their social feature, manifest themselves in a close relation to mediums and to other people and spiritual entities. They interpellate their followers enlightening self-discovery processes that push the completion of potentialities in direction to selfs ideals achievement. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 07/06759-8 - Forest spirits: signification and psychological extent of caboclos ritual practice in umbanda
• Grantee: Raquel Redondo Rotta
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master