The Elementary Forms of the Religious Life

CHAPTER II

Chapter 689 wordsPublic domain

TOTEMIC BELIEFS--(_continued_)

_The Totemic Animal and Man_

I.--Sacred character of the totemic animals--Prohibition to eat them, kill them or pick the totemic plants--Different moderations given these prohibitions--Prohibition of contact--The sacred character of the animal is less marked than that of the emblem 128

II.--The man--His relationship with the totemic animal or plant--Different myths explaining this relationship--The sacred character of the man is more apparent in certain parts of the organism: the blood, hair, etc.--How this character varies with sex and age--Totemism is not plant or animal worship 134