Lugbara oracles and spirit mediumship

Record summary

John Middleton’s Lugbara Religion documents ancestor concepts, spirit affliction, divination, sacrifice, and the work of ritual specialists among the Lugbara. The material provides a specific comparison point for how illness, misfortune, social accusation, and spirit communication are organized through recognized procedures. Middleton presents these as religious institutions and cultural explanations, not verified paranormal events. The study is tied to a particular historical setting and may reflect the author’s analytic translation of Lugbara categories, making later ethnographic comparison important.