User:Sr151597/Zar

Zar is a general concept used in Ethiopia, Somalia, Egypt, Sudan, Iran, and other North African and Middle Eastern societies to describe the actions of a person possessed by a spirit. The Zar Ceremony is best described as a "healing cult" which uses drumming and dancing in its ceremonies.

Signs and Symptoms
Persons possessed by a spirit may demonstrate dissociative episodes that may include, but are not limited to yelling, laughing, beating the head against hard objects, singing, or crying. Individuals may show signs of apathy and withdrawal, they may not eat or do activities of daily living or may try to have a long-term relationship with the spirit. Such acts are not thought of as pathological locally. It also is used as a time to share knowledge and charitable society among the women of these very male oriented cultures. In the west the Zar would be known as a version of "Voodoo".

Treatment
The Zar ceremony is used to treat mental illness by contact with the spirit, but is only used as a last resort to other treatments or rituals. Islam itself had a belief in the existence of spirits, which in this religion are known as "jinn". The ceremony must have a leader. This is usually a woman who is not selected, but chosen by a heredity process where mothers pass the role on to the daughters. The leader keeps the ceremony on task and also makes sure it is guided and in compliance with traditions. The leader is often known as "Kodia" in Egypt, a Shaykha or an "Umiya" in Northern Sudan, depending upon the region. The leader is herself possessed. She has come to terms with her "Jinn" or spirit and is able to help others with their possession or illness. In many cases, the possessing spirits are male and the people being possessed are female. The leader of the ceremony is expected to be a trained singer, who knows each of the songs and rhythms of each particular spirit or "Jinn". As she sings each spirit's song, she watches for a reaction, then she is able to diagnose which type of spirit has come into the person and how to "treat" or get rid of it. The musical instruments used are the tar, a version of the tambourine, and the tabla. The number of other backup musicians ranges from three to six and provide rhythmic background. During the zar ceremonies the various spirits are called upon by their own distinctive drum beat (or "thread"). Although men are not the leaders of the ceremony, they also have tasks. They help with the drumming and rhythm of the ritual, the slaughtering of animals in the ritual, or they may be a husband or relative that must make offerings to the spirit. In fact, it may be unfortunate that in cultures where the zar becomes more visible, there is more of a tendency for men to co-lead the ceremonies, and for men to become the leader of Zar Ceremonies. The ceremony is long and exhausting. In the ceremony there is no use of narcotics but there is the use of alcohol. The possessed people dance until they drop from fatigue. In Africa the ceremonies can last for up to seven days. The thought is that since modern medicine can not find a cause, reason, or diagnosis for the odd behavior, pain, or state of mind then a supernatural force must be at work. The Zar ceremonies were well-established in the Sudan by the 1820's. They were banned by Shari'a law in 1983, but instead of the number of ceremonies declining they actually seem to have risen. These ceremonies provide a unique form of relief to women in strict patriarchal societies. Islam itself has always believed in the existence of "spirits", which it calls "jinn". In addition, the zar has been officially banned in the Sudan since 1992, but the drums still beat on - possibly Kenyon says, because of the support of the wives of influential men.

The Zar Ceremony
Zar is described as a healing cult and the trance ceremony of North Africa and Middle East that uses drumming and dancing to cure mental illnesses. Most leaders and participants of Zar are women. Most possessing spirits are male, and most possessed are almost always women. Zar is basically a dance of spirits or a religious dance. The Egyptian Zar is set in a large room with an altar.

Reference:

The Zar Revisited http://www.bdancer.com/zarrevis.html

Reference:

Outline for Cultural Formulation and Glossary of Culture-Bound Syndromes-Appendix I p.903

_____MELANIEJ09 - I READ AND UNDERSTOOD YOUR ARTICLE AND I BELIEVE YOU DID A GOOD JOB CLARIFYING ALL OF YOUR INFORMATION.______ _____BM153108 - THE ARTICLE IS VERY BRIEF AND NEEDS SOME MORE INFORMATION. A GOOD SOURCE I FOUND WAS http://www.bdancer.com/zarrevis.html ._____

KAT163059 - DID YOU FIND ANY INFORMATION PERTAINING TO THE RITUAL IF DRUGS ARE USED TO ENHANCE THE ACTIVITIES AND BEHAVIOR?

CLG1124 THIS WAS A REALLY GOOD ARTICLE. ITS SHORT BUT FINDING THE INFORMATION IS HARD. ALSO WHY ARE THE CEREMONIES NOT RUN BY A MAN?

MISSY071407- THIS ARTICLE IS ABOUT ZAR IN EGYPTIAN FAMILIES

RB155983- Is there no more information about the Zar and its symptoms?