Cogender
Encyclopedia
Cogender is a term customarily applied by anthropologists to Native South Americans (also, Indonesian and other) shamanism
in the same sense that the term two-spirit
is applied (by Native North American themselves) to Native North American shamanism -- in both cases it refers to usually crossdressing (and sometimes homosexual) persons who achieve and maintain shamanic relations with a deity (spirit, spirit guide
) through such extraordinary behavior, that particular deity (spirit, spirit-guide) being attracted, fascinated, or even "seduced" by such conspicuously strange, extraordinary display.
in La Araucanía, in addition to heterosexual female "machi" shamanesses, there are homosexual male "machi weye" shamans, who wear female clothing. These machi weye were first described in Spanish in a chronicle of 1673 A.D. Among the Mapuche, "the spirits are interested in machi's gendered discourses and performances, not in the sex under the machi's clothes." In attracting the filew (possessing-spirit), "Both male and female machi become spiritual brides who seduce and call their filew -- at once husband and master -- to possess their heads ... . ... The ritual transvestism of male machi ... draws attention to the relational gender categories of spirit husband and machi wife as a couple (kurewen)." (In ISKON -- the International Society for Kṛṣṇa Consciousness -- male premin-devotees are likewise regarded as quasi-female "wives" of the god Kṛṣṇa.) As concerning "co-gendered identities" of "machi as co-gender specialists", it has been speculated that "female berdaches" may have formerly existed among the Mapuche.
) in the island of Sulawesi (Celebes), Indonesia, there are homosexual male toburake tambolang shamans; although among their neighbors the Mamasa (western Toraja) there are instead only heterosexual female toburake shamanesses. Among the Iban
of Sarawak (in the island of Borneo, Indonesia), there are homosexual male shamans.
Shamanism
Shamanism is an anthropological term referencing a range of beliefs and practices regarding communication with the spiritual world. To quote Eliade: "A first definition of this complex phenomenon, and perhaps the least hazardous, will be: shamanism = technique of ecstasy." Shamanism encompasses the...
in the same sense that the term two-spirit
Two-Spirit
Two-Spirit People , is an English term that emerged in 1990 out of the third annual inter-tribal Native American/First Nations gay/lesbian American conference in Winnipeg. It describes Indigenous North Americans who fulfill one of many mixed gender roles found traditionally among many Native...
is applied (by Native North American themselves) to Native North American shamanism -- in both cases it refers to usually crossdressing (and sometimes homosexual) persons who achieve and maintain shamanic relations with a deity (spirit, spirit guide
Spirit guide
"Spirit guide" is a term used by the Western tradition of Spiritualist Churches, mediums, and psychics to describe an entity that remains a disincarnate spirit in order to act as a guide or protector to a living incarnated human being....
) through such extraordinary behavior, that particular deity (spirit, spirit-guide) being attracted, fascinated, or even "seduced" by such conspicuously strange, extraordinary display.
Mapuchen
In Chile, among the MapucheMapuche
The Mapuche are a group of indigenous inhabitants of south-central Chile and southwestern Argentina. They constitute a wide-ranging ethnicity composed of various groups who shared a common social, religious and economic structure, as well as a common linguistic heritage. Their influence extended...
in La Araucanía, in addition to heterosexual female "machi" shamanesses, there are homosexual male "machi weye" shamans, who wear female clothing. These machi weye were first described in Spanish in a chronicle of 1673 A.D. Among the Mapuche, "the spirits are interested in machi's gendered discourses and performances, not in the sex under the machi's clothes." In attracting the filew (possessing-spirit), "Both male and female machi become spiritual brides who seduce and call their filew -- at once husband and master -- to possess their heads ... . ... The ritual transvestism of male machi ... draws attention to the relational gender categories of spirit husband and machi wife as a couple (kurewen)." (In ISKON -- the International Society for Kṛṣṇa Consciousness -- male premin-devotees are likewise regarded as quasi-female "wives" of the god Kṛṣṇa.) As concerning "co-gendered identities" of "machi as co-gender specialists", it has been speculated that "female berdaches" may have formerly existed among the Mapuche.
Indonesia
Among the Saʼadan (eastern TorajaToraja
The Toraja are an ethnic group indigenous to a mountainous region of South Sulawesi, Indonesia. Their population is approximately 650,000, of which 450,000 still live in the regency of Tana Toraja . Most of the population is Christian, and others are Muslim or have local animist beliefs known as aluk...
) in the island of Sulawesi (Celebes), Indonesia, there are homosexual male toburake tambolang shamans; although among their neighbors the Mamasa (western Toraja) there are instead only heterosexual female toburake shamanesses. Among the Iban
Iban
IBAN or Iban may refer to:People* Ibán Espadas , footballer* Iban Iriondo , bicycle racer* Iban Mayo , bicycle racer* Iban Mayoz , bicycle racer* Iban Nokan, anthropologist and ethnographer...
of Sarawak (in the island of Borneo, Indonesia), there are homosexual male shamans.