«Objects and rituals in the Himalayas »
Presentation by Adrien Viel
Adrien Viel is a film-maker, anthropologist and research associate at the Anthropology, Archaeology and Biology Laboratory at Paris Saclay. He is best known for a remarkable documentary film about à trois chamanes Nepalese from different ethnic groups: Chepang, Tamang and Gurung.
In 2023, he defended his anthropology thesis entitled :
The shaman in an ancient hunter-gatherer society: a socio-cultural study of the Chepang of Nepal : An essay in filmed anthropology
Shamans are healers and warriors. During healing sessions, he works for the good of his community to reverse the hold of evil entities over humans, in order to re-establish the group's protection. To do this, the warrior-healer sets off in search of a diagnosis, a soul or a battle to fight, evolving in a wild world populated by ancestors and beneficent spirits, demonic creatures and devious ghosts. In order to become a vessel for invisible beings and demonstrate his power to intervene, the shaman adorns himself with accessories and ritual clothing.
We are delighted to welcome Adrien Viel on 3 June for a talk on the ritual attributes - drums, bird daggers, archer's bracelets, etc. - that make up the equipment of shamans and other ritual specialists in Nepal. The objects presented will be on view during the lecture, accompanied by field photographs and film extracts.
Tuesday 3 June 2025 6.30pm
L’OURS ET LA VIEILLE GRILLE
9, rue Larrey 75005 (Métro Place Monge)
See the website
DDM conferences and meetings are free for members and anyone interested (10 euros per admission).
It will be possible to follow the conference remotely using the zoom software. DDM members will receive an access code the day before the conference.