纪录片《大英博物馆世界简史》 065泰诺仪式用椅（5）

 

And so the gaping¹, boggle-eyed figure at the front of our seat - humanoid but not human - is the link to the cemi, to the spirit or the ancestor.

One of the chief's key roles was to access the domain² of the sacred, the realm of the cemis. Seated on the duho he sniffed³ a hallucinogenic snuff, made from the charred⁴ seeds of the cohoba tree. Within half an hour it begins to work, and the resulting effects last for two to three hours, creating colourful patterns, strange sounds and voices, leading to full dream-like hallucinations.

One of the early Spanish recorders of the Taino culture, and probably the most sympathetic, was Bartolomeo de las Casas. He arrived on Hispaniola in 1502, and he described the rituals in which the duho had its role - he calls the chief a Lord:

"They had the custom of convening⁵ meetings to determine arduous⁶ things, such as mobilising for war and other things that they thought important for performing their cohoba ceremony. The first to start was the Lord, and while he was doing it the rest remained quiet, and were absorbed, while seated on low and well-carved benches they call duhos. Having done his cohoba, which is inhaling⁷ through the nostrils⁸ those powders, he remained for a while with his head turned sideward, and with his arms resting on his knees. He would give them an account of his vision, telling them that the cemi spoke⁹ to him, and certified¹⁰ the good or adverse¹¹ times to come, or that they would have children or that they would die, or that they would have conflict or war with their neighbours."

长凳前端张口瞪眼的形象模仿的并非人类，而是灵魂，泰诺人先祖的灵魂。

?首领的一大职责，便是进入灵魂居住的神圣空间。他们坐在凳子上，深吸一口由烤焦的柯呼拉树种制成的有致幻作用的鼻烟。柯呼拉一般在半小时内便会起作用，效力能维持两三个小时。它能让人看到光怪陆离的色彩，听见奇怪的声音，彻底进入梦境般的幻觉。

巴托洛梅德拉斯卡萨斯是泰诺文化早期的记录者之一，也可算是对他们最为同情的西班牙征服者。他于一五二年来到伊斯帕尼奥拉岛，描述了人们利用都何所进行的仪式，他将首领称为领主：

泰诺人有一个传统，即通过柯呼拉仪式解决棘手事务，如是否发动战争等他们认为需要集会的大事。领主带头行动，其他人都先安静地坐在被他们称为都何的精雕细琢的矮凳上。领主吸完柯呼拉（将这种粉末吸进鼻腔）后，将头扭向一边，双臂置于膝上，在一段时间内保持不动。然后他向大家描述自己看到的景象，告诉他们“灵魂”向他说了什么，预言即将来临的是好运还是厄运，他们是会添丁，还是死亡，还是和邻邦发生冲突或战争。

 

1 gaping   

adj.口的；张口的；敞口的；多洞穴的v.目瞪口呆地凝视( gape的现在分词 )；张开，张大

参考例句：

• Ahead of them was a gaping abyss. 他们前面是一个巨大的深渊。
• The antelope could not escape the crocodile's gaping jaws. 那只羚羊无法从鱷鱼张开的大口中逃脱。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 domain   

n.(活动等)领域，范围；领地，势力范围

参考例句：

• This information should be in the public domain.这一消息应该为公众所知。
• This question comes into the domain of philosophy.这一问题属于哲学范畴。

3 sniffed   

v.以鼻吸气，嗅，闻( sniff的过去式和过去分词 )；抽鼻子（尤指哭泣、患感冒等时出声地用鼻子吸气）；抱怨，不以为然地说

参考例句：

• When Jenney had stopped crying she sniffed and dried her eyes. 珍妮停止了哭泣，吸了吸鼻子，擦干了眼泪。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The dog sniffed suspiciously at the stranger. 狗疑惑地嗅着那个陌生人。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 charred   

v.把…烧成炭( char的过去式)；烧焦

参考例句：

• the charred remains of a burnt-out car 被烧焦的轿车残骸
• The intensity of the explosion is recorded on the charred tree trunks. 那些烧焦的树干表明爆炸的强烈。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 convening   

召开( convene的现在分词 )； 召集； （为正式会议而）聚集； 集合

参考例句：

• When convening the assembly, however, you shall blow without sounding an alarm. 民10:7但招聚会众的时候、们要吹号、不要吹出大声。
• We warmly welcome the convening of Asia-Europe meeting in London. 热烈欢迎亚欧会议在伦敦召开。

6 arduous   

adj.艰苦的，费力的，陡峭的

参考例句：

• We must have patience in doing arduous work.我们做艰苦的工作要有耐性。
• The task was more arduous than he had calculated.这项任务比他所估计的要艰巨得多。

7 inhaling   

v.吸入( inhale的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• He was treated for the effects of inhaling smoke. 他因吸入烟尘而接受治疗。 来自辞典例句
• The long-term effects of inhaling contaminated air is unknown. 长期吸入被污染空气的影响还无从知晓。 来自互联网

8 nostrils   

鼻孔( nostril的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Her nostrils flared with anger. 她气得两个鼻孔都鼓了起来。
• The horse dilated its nostrils. 马张大鼻孔。

9 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

10 certified   

a.经证明合格的；具有证明文件的

参考例句：

• Doctors certified him as insane. 医生证明他精神失常。
• The planes were certified airworthy. 飞机被证明适于航行。

11 adverse   

adj.不利的；有害的；敌对的，不友好的

参考例句：

• He is adverse to going abroad.他反对出国。
• The improper use of medicine could lead to severe adverse reactions.用药不当会产生严重的不良反应。