Abstract

PIRES, Flávia. Who’s afraid of ghosts?. Etnográfica [online]. 2009, vol.13, n.2, pp.291-312. ISSN 0873-6561.

This ethnographic paper analyses the belief in ghosts from the children’s and adults’ point of view in the village of Catingueira, Northeastern semi-arid region of Brazil, focusing on how this concept changes over time. It explores the process of becoming an adult, involving the Christianization both of children and of the ideas concerning ghosts (mal-assombros). In addition, it questions who fears such ghosts the most, suggesting the hypothesis of a close relationship between the kinship system and the ontology of the “mal-assombros”.

Keywords : ghosts; children; religion; Christianism.

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