Between Local and Global Teyyam Goes Cyber and Beyond

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to introduce the hypothesis that mutations and adaptive behaviors peculiar to teyyam, a trance-possession danced ritual that originated in Kerala (South India), might call into question or falsify our ideas about local and global praxis. This process involves also a martial art, kaḷarippayattu, the Internet, cognitive and neuroscience research on emotion and empathy, and further developments in the so-called “new technologies”. A secondary hypothesis is also advanced, according to which this mutation may also propagate itself by means of contagion, thereby spreading to other performances in the relevant geographical area.

Keywords

• Teyyam
• dance
• ritual
• trance
• possession
• performance