Vol. 36, No. 1, Spring 1998- "Geography of Religion Part II"

IT IS ALL SACRED: FOOTHILL KONKOW PERCEPTIONS OF SACRED PLACES

(pp. 5 - 29) 

Dr. Kari Forbes-Boyte

Dean, Behavioral and Social Sciences

Sacramento City College

Sacramento, California

Abstract

American Indian religions are spatial, with Indians perceiving the land as endowed with spiritual power. This spirituality is structured on a recognition of sacred places. This paper will contribute to the notion of sacred place by describing the religious landscape of the Foothill Konkow of northern California. Information about this sacred landscape was gathered through ethnographic interviews with Foothill Konkow individuals. These interviews revealed a rich world view that identified a diversity of sacred places including holy grounds, subsistence gathering areas, and burial grounds. In addition, this paper describes the significance of these sacred places through an emit analysis and discusses their pertinence to the Foothill Konkow mythological tradition, their symbolic interpretations, and their psychological incorporation into the society. Moreover, this paper will take some of the concepts and characteristics of sacred places as defined by scholars such as Yi-Fu Tuan, Mircea Eliade, and Belden Lane, among others, and apply it to Foothill Konkow notions of sacred place.

THE SYMBOLIC LANDSCAPE OF VIJAYANAGARA

(pp. 30 - 54)

J. McKim Malville

Department of Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences

University of Colorado

Denver, Colorado

Abstract

The imperial capital of Vijayanagara was built within a spectacular landscape containing important Shaivite pilgrimage shrines as well as sites associated with major events of the Ramayana. Four major hills and the gorge of the Tungabhadra river dominate the area and have shaped its ritual activity. As the city evolved, the symbolic depth of the region appears to have been enhanced through a mixture of planned and spontaneous processes involving kings, architects, priests, and pilgrims. GPS measurements of major sites are used to document the symbolic patterns that are embedded in the landscape.

SACRED JOURNEY AND FAITHSCAPE: AN EXPERIENCE OF THE PANCHAKROSHI PILGRIMAGE, VARANASI (INDIA)

(pp. 55 - 91)

Rana P. B. Singh

Department of Geography

Banaras Hindu University

Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India

Abstract

In India, the act of pilgrimage is one of the most popular motives for journey since the days of the Mahabharata, c. 5thcentruy B.C. The Panchakroshi pilgrimage path delimits the cosmic circuit of Varanasi, one of the most sacred cities of India, and it covers a distance of 88km which the pilgrims traditionally complete within a period of five days. There are 108 shrines and temples along this path. This journey is elaborated in a 16thcentury text, the Kashi Rahasya. The special season for this journey is the intercalary month, which falls every third year of the lunar cycle. During this month around fifty thousand pilgrims perform this sacred journey. Devotees can be categorized into two groups; 1) the footpilgrims who walk for five days, and 2) the pilgrimage-tourists who use motor vehicles to complete the journey within a day. In 1996 a detailed survey was made of the pilgrims' route, and 482 devotees were interviewed. Thus, this paper will provide a descriptive explanation of this historically important religious journey in India.

A GEOGRAPHICAL INTERPRETATION OF NOAH'S FLOOD BASED ON THE LITERATURE AND LEGENDS

(pp. 92 - 123)

Simon R. Potter

American Studies and Slavic Studies

Saitama University

Saitama City, Japan

Abstract

This essay creates a plausible geographical scenario of a composite Flood story based on evidence in two Mesopotamian versions, Genesis, and the Koran and from legends primarily concerning Mounts Ararat and Judi. The Flood is assumed to have been a regional catastrophe and geographical information has been extracted from the literary sources to devise the scenario. A problem is determining where the literary vessel finished its voyage, so the stories and legends are examined in conjunction with Ptolemy's "Geography" and the topography north and east of southern Mesopotamia to determine the most likely resting-place of Noah's Ark. 

MOVING A MONASTERY IN MODERN TIMES: THE ABBEY OF ST. WALBURGA, COLORADO

(pp. 124 - 134)

Dennis P. Tobin

Front Range Community College

Westminster, Colorado

Abstract

This paper reveals a current event in both geography and religion. It examines the recent relocation of a Benedictine abbey in the Front Range of Colorado. The moving of the abbey to a more remote location illustrates the historical movement of religious contemplative activities away from secular population centers. The necessity of this movement can be qualified and quantified by revealing a dramatic increase in the population surrounding the abbey. The purpose of this paper is to identify the reason St. Walburga nuns moved their abbey.

BUILDING BLOCKS OF A LEGENDARY BELIEF: THE BLACK CHRIST OF ESQUIPULAS, 1595-1995

(135 - 147)

Oscar H. Horst

Department of Geography

Western Michigan University

Kalamazoo, Michigan

Abstract

A renown image of a Black Christ is housed in an impressive Basilica in Esquipulas, a small town located in eastern Guatemala. Accounts of miraculous cures attributed to the image since its arrival in Esquipulas in 1595 have resulted in the spread of its fame throughout Central America and Mexico. Today the image is popularly referred to as the "Crucified Black Christ of Esquipulas." Although historical accounts assert that the "Crucified Christ" was crafted with a dark skin tone, recent examinations of the image confirm that the original flesh tones were "light" rather than "dark" in color. Research into the evolution of devotion to the "black" Christ in Esquipulas allows one to delve into a number of issues. These include (1) legends versus reality, (2) the response of the Church and pilgrims to changing times as well as (3) circumstances that bear upon the future of adherence to the devotion of similar images. It is to be hoped that a consideration of these issues may be instructive in advancing the study of how "black" Christs, located in mainland Middle America as well as elsewhere, contribute to an historical emergence of the identity of place. 

THE RELIGIOUS GEOGRAPHY OF EVANGELICAL CHRISTIANS IN NORTH AMERICA

(pp. 148 - 168)

Johnathan Bascom

East Carolina University

Greenville, North Carolina

Abstract

This article examines the concept and experience of sacred place among evangelical Christians, a religious community that represents nearly 20% of the American population. Why, and on what basis, they define or deem a specific place to be sacred is the central question of this study. Several prominent themes emerge from evangelicals' concept and experience of sacred place. The prevailing temporal perspective of the Old and New Testaments — one of hope, existence as part of linear history, and the anticipation of a positive space that lies ahead — has an important corollary. If time is seen as a progression, then less power is accorded to sacred place. While evangelicals historically have focused on the lives of believers as the primary locus of God's presence, the current generation demonstrates intensified convictions about sacred place. In the private sphere, the primary application of a spatial theology involves deliberate consecration of specific places to holiness. But in the public square, the kingdom of God is the point of departure for their spiritual geography. In fact, evidence suggests that a new "ecclesiastical geography" is emerging whereby cities are the foci for spatially-sensitive methods of evangelism.