Types of Hanitu Left or right spirits of people. Wandering spirits Spirits of land and objects that predated humans Ancestral spirits Agitator spirits Land Hanitu The land contained spirits before human habitation, and governed hunting, agriculture, and inhabitation. There were human spirit mediums who communicated with these formless hanitu. Hanitu of Objects Objects , such as guns, had formless hanitu. The hanitu of such objects were 'invited' by ritual to take lives of animals and people. It was believed a person could not force a gun to take a life, that it was the work of the hanitu of the gun. If the killing was not intentional, the shooter was not seen as guilty, rather the gun itself was evil, and would be buried. Of people Human hanitu came from the father. There was a formless hanitu on each shoulder, as well as an isang or soul in the middle of the chest. The isang was unrelated to the parents. The Bunun believed that each person had two spirits, one good/amicable/communal (masial) one bad/irritable/self-serving (makuang), but the ultimate arbiter was the isang/soul, which grew stronger with maturity and taboo observance. These would leave after death, and could act independently of the person's will, and could cause conflict or indecisiveness. The hanitu left the body during dreams , and could communicate with other hanitu during dreams (incl. objects). Of ancestors Hanitu of ancestors depended upon how descendants treated them during life. Violent death could cause wandering spirits. These hanitu were fed but not worshipped . Category: Deities and spirits Category: Austronesian mythology Category: Taiwanese culture Category:Austronesian spirituality Category:Tutelary deitie
Types of hanitu Left or right spirits of people. Wandering spirits Spirits of land and objects that predated humans Ancestral spirits Agitator spirits Land hanitu The land contained spirits before human habitation, and governed hunting, agriculture, and inhabitation. There were human spirit mediums who communicated with these formless hanitu. Hanitu of objects Objects , such as guns, had formless hanitu. The hanitu of such objects were 'invited' by ritual to take lives of animals and people. It was believed a person could not force a gun to take a life, that it was the work of the hanitu of the gun. If the killing was not intentional, the shooter was not seen as guilty, rather the gun itself was evil, and would be buried. Of people Human hanitu came from the father. There was a formless hanitu on each shoulder, as well as an isang or soul in the middle of the chest. The isang was unrelated to the parents. The Bunun believed that each person had two spirits, one good/amicable/communal (masial) one bad/irritable/self-serving (makuang), but the ultimate arbiter was the isang/soul, which grew stronger with maturity and taboo observance. These would leave after death, could act independently of the person's will, and could cause conflict or indecisiveness. The hanitu left the body during dreams and could communicate with other hanitu during dreams (incl. objects). Of ancestors Hanitu of ancestors depended upon how descendants treated them during life. Violent death could cause wandering spirits. These hanitu were fed but not worshiped . Category: Austronesian mythology Category: Indigenous culture in Taiwan Category:Tutelary deitie
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Hanitu
hanitu
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Hanitu
hanitu
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Objects Objects
objects Objects
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and
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,
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worshipped
worshiped
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Deities and spirits Category:
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Taiwanese culture Category:Austronesian spirituality
Indigenous culture in Taiwan