chant

shaman

writing

nationality

French

occupation / innovator as

anthropologist

ethnographer

surrealist

innovator in the field of

surrealism

intellectual movement

Collège de Sociologie

Surrealism

ethnologist

scientific organization

College of 'Pataphysics

poet

diarist

cause of death

natural causes

anthropology

is a vocal form which has nothing to do with music. It is a matter of tone more than music.

One of the primary characteristics of chant, as Leiris defines it, is precisely that it has nothing to do with music: make no mistake about it: when I speak of 'singing,' I do not at all mean to speak of expressing oneself melodiously, as in verse or harmoniously compose sentence.' 'Chant and 'music' Operate on different levels... the 'vocality' of chant is a matter of tone more than of music in the strict sense.' Listening in: Music, Mind, and the Modernist Narrative By Eric Prieto 115)

is very often only someone who is deprived, but who takes an astonishing revenge on destiny, as a result of his being absolutely the only one who is hand in glove with the spirits.

In certain respects, he reminds one of the shaman, who, originally, is verey often only someone who is deprived, but who takes an astonishing revenge on destiny, as a result of his being absolutely the only one whi is hand in glove with the spirits' (leiris in 'the college of sociology' : 28)

is like bullfighting, for the courage required of the participants.

I read that Michel Leiris, in a book called Manhood, compared writing to bullfighting, for the courage required of the participants. This is priceless. The only thing in common between the torero and the writer is the word ‘bull’.

Michel LeirisThinkers

Michel Leiris