| 释义 |
‖ Zar, n.|zɑː(r)|
[Arab. zār, ad. Amharic, said to be ad. jār, name of a sky deity in a Cushitic language.]
a. In several N. African countries, a malignant spirit, possession by which is a traditional explanation for attacks of (usu. religious) mania, esp. in women, and formerly for some diseases.
b. Any of various ceremonies associated with possession by or propitiation of such spirits, esp. a variety of whirling dance. Freq. attrib.
1868W. C. Plowden Trav. Abyssinia vi. 114 Consumption is not very frequent.., the Abyssinians naturally attribute it to a Zar, or some other devilment. 1913L. Frobenius Voice of Afr. II. xxvi. 571 Zar and Desatir may be identified with the Bori. 1931B. Thomas Alarms & Excursions in Arabia v. i. 261 ‘Art thou Zar?’ asks Umm az Zar. ‘I am Zar,’ comes the reply through the mouth of the possessed. Ibid. 262 If he has been possessed by a female zar, only the blood of the ox or ram will do. 1931Times Lit. Suppl. 2 Apr. 263/1 The Zar ceremony in which the participants drink the blood of their sacrifices. 1966Guardian 14 Mar. 18/4 The Dervish dancers, with castanets, tambourines and all the trimmings of their famous Zar dance; a swoop of movements, a whirling and spinning which makes their embroidered robes float out horizontally seemingly in defiance of gravity. 1989J. Boddy Wombs & Alien Spirits iv. 131 Zār rituals are always fraught with tension and surprise. |