Difference between revisions of "Taboo" - New World Encyclopedia

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Defintion of Taboo

A taboo is a strong social prohibition (or ban) relating to any area of human activity or social custom declared as sacred and forbidden; breaking of the taboo is usually considered objectionable or abhorrent by society. The term was borrowed from the Tongan language and appears in many Polynesian cultures. In those cultures, a tabu (or tapu or kapu) often has specific religious associations. It was a word brought back by Captain James Cook in 1777 after a long sea voyage to the South Seas and introduced it into the English language.

When an activity or custom is classified as taboo it is forbidden and interdictions are implemented concerning it, such as the ground set apart as a sanctuary for criminals. Some taboo activities or customs are prohibited under law and transgressions may lead to severe penalties. Other taboos result in embarrassment, shame, and rudeness.

Descriptions of Taboos

Taboos can include dietary restrictions (halal and kosher diets, religious vegetarianism, and the prohibition of cannibalism), restrictions on sexual activities and relationships (intermarriage, miscegenation, sex between people of the same sex, incest, animal-human sex, adult-child sex, sex with the dead), restrictions of bodily functions (burping, flatulence, restrictions on the use of psychoactive drugs, restrictions on state of genitalia such as circumcision or sex reassignment), exposure of body parts (ankles in the Victorian British Empire, women's faces in Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan, nudity in the US), and restrictions on the use of offensive language.

No taboo is known to be truelyuniversal, but some (such as the cannibalism and incest taboos) occur in the majority of societies. Taboos may serve many functions, and often remain in effect after the original reason behind them has expired. Some have argued that taboos therefore reveal the history of societies when other records are lacking.

Taboos often extend to cover discussion of taboo topics. This can result in taboo deformation (euphemism) or replacement of taboo words. Marvin Harris, a leading figure in cultural materialism, endeavoured to explain taboos as a consequence of the ecologic and economic conditions of their societies.

Also, Sigmund Freud provided an analysis of taboo behaviours, highlighting strong unconscious motivations driving such prohibitions. In this system, described in his collections of essays Totem and Taboo, Freud postulates a link between forbidden behaviours and the sanctification of objects to certain kinship groups. Freud also states here that the only two "universal" taboos are that of incest and patricide, which formed the eventual basis of modern society.

Taboo Consumption

Meat

Various religions forbid the consumption of certain types of meat. For example, Judaism prescribes a strict set of rules, called Kashrut, regarding what can and cannot be eaten. Certain sects of Christianity also hold to these or similar rules. In Islamic practice, the laws of Haram and Halal dictate, among other things, certain foods which may not be eaten. Hindus, Jains and Buddhists often follow religious directives to observe vegetarianism and avoid eating meat. Since Hinduism lacks a central dogma, many Hindus do eat meat. However among many modern Indian Hindus, all meat is considered a taboo except mutton (usually in India the goat's flesh, or sometimes sheep's flesh), chicken and fish.

Cultural taboos against the consumption of some animals may be due to their species' standing as a pet or animal companion. For example, dog meat is taboo in the United States and Europe, but is common in Southeast Asia. Similarly, horse meat is rarely eaten in the US and UK, but is common in some parts of continental Europe and is considered a delicacy in Japan (basashi). Within a given society, some meats will be considered taboo simply because they are outside the range of the generally accepted definition of a foodstuff, not necessarily because the meat is considered repulsive in flavor, aroma, texture or appearance.

Some authorities impose cultural food taboos in the form of law. This is alleged to be dietary persecution and possibly human rights abuse. For example, even after resumption to Chinese rule, Hong Kong has not lifted its ban on supplying meat from dogs and cats, imposed in colonial times.

Health reasons may also contribute to a taboo. For example, eating undercooked pork has a risk of trichinosis, while many forms of seafood can cause extreme cases of food poisoning. Scavengers and carnivores are frowned upon in many taboo systems, perhaps from their potential to pick up disease and parasites from other creatures.

Medical food taboos come from professionals' advice that some food is known to exacerbate an illness, make a person more vulnerable to one or impede treatment.

Human Meat

Main article: Cannibalism

Of all the taboo meat, human flesh ranks as the most proscribed. Historically, man has consumed the flesh of fellow humans in rituals, and out of insanity, hatred, or overriding hunger— never as a common part of one's diet.

Taboo vegetables

In certain versions of Buddhism, onions and chives are taboo. Specifically, Kashmiri Brahmans forbid "strong flavored" foods. This encompasses garlic, onion, and spices such as black pepper and chili pepper. Brahmans believe that pungent flavors on the tongue inflame the baser emotions.

In Yazidism, the eating of lettuce and butter beans is taboo. The Muslim religious teacher and scholar, Falah Hassan Juma, links the sect's belief of evil found in lettuce to its long history of persecution by Muslims and Christians. The Caliphs of the Ottoman Empire carried out massacres against the Yazidis in the 18th and 19th centuries, with the faithful slain in the lettuce fields then dotting northeastern Iraq. Another historical theory claims one ruthless potentate who controlled the city of Mosul in the 13th century ordered an early Yazidi saint executed. The enthusiastic crowd then pelted the corpse with heads of lettuce.

Taboo drinks

Coffee and tea

In addition to alcohol, coffee and tea are also taboo drinks for members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and some other Mormon groups. For some Mormons this taboo extends to cola and other caffeinated beverages, but usually not to chocolate.

Alcohol

Some religions—most notably Islam, Sikhism, the Bahá'í Faith, Latter-day Saints, the Nikaya and most Mahayana schools of Buddhism and some Protestant denominations of Christianity—forbid or discourage the consumption of alcoholic beverages.

Blood

Drinking blood is a strong social taboo in most countries, often with a vague emotive association with vampirism (the consumption of human blood). Followers of Judaism, Islam, and Jehovah's Witnesses are forbidden to drink blood or eat food made with blood.

The Maasai and Batemi people of Tanzania drink cow's blood mixed with milk as a major part of their diet. In Kenya, camel blood is drunk. In many areas such as Brazil, the Philippines, and Mexico blood is a main ingredient in favorite dishes such as Dinuguan (Philippines) and fritada a Mexican soup made from blood and offal.

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@@ Line 17: / Line 17: @@
 Also, [[Sigmund Freud]] provided an analysis of taboo behaviours, highlighting strong unconscious motivations driving such prohibitions.  In this system, described in his collections of essays ''[[Totem and Taboo]]'', Freud postulates a link between forbidden behaviours and the sanctification of objects to certain kinship groups. Freud also states here that the only two "universal" taboos are that of [[incest]] and [[patricide]], which formed the eventual basis of modern society.
-==Taboo meats==
+==Taboo Consumption==
+===Meat===
 Various religions forbid the consumption of certain types of meat. For example, [[Judaism]] prescribes a strict set of rules, called ''[[Kashrut]]'', regarding what can and cannot be eaten.  Certain sects of [[Christianity]] also hold to these or similar rules. In [[Islam|Islamic]] practice, the laws of [[haraam|Haram]] and [[Halal]] dictate, among other things, certain foods which may not be eaten. [[Hindu]]s, [[Jainism|Jains]] and [[Buddhism|Buddhists]] often follow religious directives to observe [[vegetarianism]] and avoid [[carnivore|eating meat]]. Since Hinduism lacks a central dogma, many Hindus do eat meat. However among many modern Indian Hindus, ''all'' meat is considered a taboo except [[mutton]] (usually in India the goat's flesh, or sometimes sheep's flesh), [[Chicken#Chickens as food|chicken]] and [[fish (food)|fish]].
@@ Line 28: / Line 30: @@
 Medical food taboos come from professionals' advice that some food is known to exacerbate an illness, make a person more vulnerable to one or impede treatment. <!-- Supply examples —>
 ==== Human Meat ====
@@ Line 35: / Line 36: @@
 Of all the taboo meat, human flesh ranks as the most proscribed. Historically, man has consumed the flesh of fellow humans in rituals, and out of insanity, hatred, or overriding hunger— never as a common part of one's diet.
-==Taboo vegetables==
+===Taboo vegetables===
 In certain versions of [[Buddhism]], [[onion]]s and [[chives]] are taboo.  Specifically, [[Kashmiri]] [[Brahman]]s forbid "strong flavored" foods.  This encompasses garlic, onion, and spices such as [[black pepper]] and [[chili pepper]].  Brahmans believe that pungent flavors on the tongue inflame the baser emotions.
@@ Line 41: / Line 42: @@
 == Taboo drinks ==
+===Coffee and tea===
+In addition to alcohol, [[coffee]] and [[tea]] are also taboo drinks for members of the [[Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]] and some other [[Mormon]] groups. For some Mormons this taboo extends to [[cola]] and other [[caffeine|caffeinated]] beverages, but usually not to [[chocolate]].
 ===Alcohol===
 Some religions&mdash;most notably [[Islam]], [[Sikhism]], the [[Bahá'í Faith]], [[Latter-day Saint]]s, the [[Nikaya Buddhism|Nikaya]] and most [[Mahayana]] schools of [[Buddhism]] and some [[Protestant]] denominations of [[Christianity]]&mdash;forbid or discourage the consumption of [[alcoholic beverage]]s.
 ===Blood===
-Drinking [[blood]] is a strong social taboo in most countries, often with a vague emotive association with [[vampirism]] (the consumption of human blood).
+Drinking [[blood]] is a strong social taboo in most countries, often with a vague emotive association with [[vampirism]] (the consumption of human blood).  Followers of [[Judaism]], [[Islam]], and [[Jehovah's Witnesses]] are forbidden to drink blood or eat food made with blood.
-Although [[blood sausage]], or blood made to cake form, is quite popular in many parts of the world, it is considered repulsive in most of the [[United States]].  In China, [[Thailand]] and [[Vietnam]] coagulated chicken, duck, goose or pig blood, known in Chinese as "blood tofu" (血豆腐 xuě dòufǔ) is used in soups, such as the classic Thai dish ''kuay tiaw reua'' (boat noodles). In Sweden, the blood soup [[svartsoppa]] is traditionally eaten on certain holidays. Polish cuisine, has a version, [[czarnina]], which in enjoyed by many adherents, in certain regions. In [[Laos]], and sometimes [[Thailand]] (especially the [[Isan|Northeast]]), a raw version of [[laap]], a meat salad, is made with minced raw-meat, seasoned in spices, and covered with blood.
-Followers of [[Judaism]], [[Islam]], and [[Jehovah's Witnesses]] are forbidden to drink blood or eat food made with blood.
-The [[Maasai]] and [[Batemi]] people of [[Tanzania]] drink [[cow]]'s blood mixed with [[milk]] as a major part of their diet. In [[Kenya]], [[camel]] blood is drunk.
-A special dish called [[Dinuguan]] (literally meaning "of blood") is eaten in the Philippines. It consists of pig or cow intestines, liver, and other organs stewed in pig or cow blood.
-There is one religious sect in the Philippines that is very critical of this practice of eating dinuguan, the Iglesia ni Cristo (Church of Christ). But a majority of the christian populace loves the dish which is deeply rooted in the Philippine culture. Dinuguan is usually eaten with Puto, a type of rice cake.
-In the northern state of [[Nuevo Leon]] in Mexico a soup or stew known as fritada is made with the offal and blood of kid goats ([[cabrito]] in Spanish).
-In Brazil several popular dishes include blood, like ''chouriço'' (a type of  sausage made of pig's guts and blood) and the ubiquitous ''galinha ao molho pardo'' (chicken with dark gravy, the dark of the gravy being given by the chicken's own blood).
-The ancient [[Sparta|Spartan]] [[black broth]] included blood as a major ingredient.
-===Coffee and tea===
-In addition to alcohol, [[coffee]] and [[tea]] are also taboo drinks for members of the [[Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]] and some other [[Mormon]] groups. For some Mormons this taboo extends to [[cola]] and other [[caffeine|caffeinated]] beverages, but usually not to [[chocolate]].
+The [[Maasai]] and [[Batemi]] people of [[Tanzania]] drink [[cow]]'s blood mixed with [[milk]] as a major part of their diet. In [[Kenya]], [[camel]] blood is drunk. In many areas such as Brazil, the Philippines, and Mexico blood is a main ingredient in favorite dishes such as Dinuguan (Philippines) and fritada a Mexican soup made from blood and offal.
 ==External links==