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Family Resemblances, Practical Interrelations and Material Extensions: Understanding Sexual Prohibitions, Production and Consumption in Kilimanjaro

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 March 2011

Knut Christian Myhre
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Abstract

Through the ‘procreative paradigm’, sexuality and its relationships to other social practices have recently regained importance in the study of sub-Saharan Africa. Despite its apparent novelty, I argue that this paradigm invokes an anthropological approach that harks back to the discipline's beginnings. In an attempt at a fresh departure, I use Ludwig Wittgenstein's late philosophy to investigate the meaning of sexual prohibitions among the Chagga-speaking people of Rombo District, Kilimanjaro Region, Tanzania. Starting from local linguistic usage, I describe the multiple ‘language-games’ of the vernacular notion of ‘power’, horu. In this manner, I demonstrate how production, reproduction and consumption are conceptually, practically and materially intertwined through the ‘family resemblances’ of this local concept. Horu is expended through productive practices; in multiple ways it is converted, transferred and exchanged between adults and children in reproduction; and it is replenished through the consumption of specific ‘powerful’ foods. By means of different objects, the activities of work, sex and feeding enable ‘power’ to flow between persons. The multiple vernacular usages of the notion of horu, and its practical and material concomitants, interrelate diverse spheres of social life in such a manner that they constitute an overlapping network that extends laterally. Human capability and well-being are constituted through participation in these activities, and engagement in the mutual flows, conversions and exchanges of ‘power’ that encompass humans, livestock and vegetable matter. The sexual prohibitions of Rombo regulate and channel these flows and conversions, in order to ensure their beneficial effects for the parties concerned. I therefore argue that the sexual prohibitions are not ex post facto interpretations or justifications that explain or control preceding experiences, but rather that they are constitutive of the local mode of life. An appreciation of lateral relationships between concepts, practices and objects enables an evasion of some of the problems that arise from the procreative paradigm.

Résumé

À travers le “cadre procréatif”, la sexualité et ses rapports à d'autres pratiques sociales ont récemment regagné de l'importancedans l'étude de l'Afrique sub-saharienne. Malgré son caractère nouveau apparent, ce cadre invoque, selon l'article, une approche anthropologique qui rappelle les débuts de la discipline. Cherchant à marquer une rupture, l'article se sert de la philosophie de Ludwig Wittgenstein dans sa phase derniere pour examiner le sens des interdictions sexuelles chez les peuples de langue chagga du District de Rombo dans la région du Kilimanjaro, en Tanzanie. à partir de l'usage linguistique local, l'article décrit les “jeux de langue” multiples de la notion vernaculaire de “pouvoir”, horu. Il démontre ainsi comment la production, la reproduction et la consommation sont étroitement li ées d'un point de vue conceptuel, pratique et matériel à travers les “ressemblances familiales” de cette notion locale. Horu est prodigué par des pratiques productives; de façons multiples, il est converti, transféré etéchangé entre adultes et enfants dans la reproduction; et il est reconstitué par la consommation d'aliments “puissants” spécifiques. Au moyen d'objets divers, les activités de travail, de sexe et d'alimentation permettent au “pouvoir” de circuler d'une personne à une autre. Les usages vernaculaires multiples de la notion de horu et ses éléments pratiques et matériels mettent en corrélation diverses sphères de la vie sociale de telle manière qu'elles constituent un réseau partiellement commun qui s'étend latéralement. La capacité humaine et le bien-être se forment par le biais de la participation à ces activités et de l'engagement dans les flux, conversions et échanges mutuels de “pouvoir” qui couvrent les hommes, le bétail et les matières végétales. Les interdictions sexuelles de Rombo régissent et canalisent ces flux et conversions afin d'en garantir les effets bénéfiques pour les parties concernées. L'article soutient par conséquent que les interdictions sexuelles ne sont pas rétrospectivement des interprétations ou justifications qui expliquent ou contr ôlent les expériences précédentes, mais plutôt qu'elles sont constitutives du mode de vie local. Une appréciation des liens latéraux entre les concepts, les pratiques et les objets permet d'éviter certains des problèmes qui découlent du cadre procréatif.

Type
Research Article
Information
Africa , Volume 77 , Issue 3 , August 2007 , pp. 307 - 330
Copyright
Copyright © International African Institute 2007

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