shamans, power symbols, and change in Argentine Toba culture 1

Abstract

Despite nearly four centuries of contact with Europeans, the Argentine Toba symbolic system did not appear to be significantly influenced by Western symbolism until recent decades. This paper discusses the nature of that system, particularly as expressed in cosomology, shamanism, and sorcery, and the nature of change introduced by Pentecostalism. Emphasis is placed upon the communication processes involved when different symbolic systems confront each other through human interaction. Ambiguity is treated as the crucial factor in the communication process.