9019: SV: Haiti in Norway/zombification: NOTE FOR YOU (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Anja Vaskinn <anjav@start.no>
 
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Haiti in Norway/zombification

As a Norwegian member of the list I'm far from the action - Haiti is a rare subject in Norway. However, yesterday a documentary on Haiti (forcusing on zombification) was shown on Norwegian television. 
 
The documentary showed two researchers traveling in Haiti, studying zombies. I'm not 100% sure, but one of the researchers probably was Roland Littlewood, as the two reported cases (Wilfrid Dorrisant and Marie Moncoeur) are the same as two of the three cases reported in his 1997 Lancet article (350:1094-96), written together with Chavannes Douyon.   
 
CT scans of WD and MM showed no structural damage to the brain (hence; anoxia not probable)and DNAs could not verify a genetic connection to alleged relatives. The hypothesis on the zombie phenomenon in the documentary is as follows: people with mental retardation or psyciatric problems wander around, get lost and are then "recognized" as a formerly dead family member by grieving families in another part of the country. No poisoning involved and hence a different hypothesis than Wade Davis' (poisoning - apparent death - actual burial - revival).
 
As a clinical psychologist I'm prone to look for psychological/psychiatric axplanation to zombification. And with training in neuropsychology the possibility of cognitive dysfunction in the people showed in the documentary (WD, MM) springs to my mind. I do however realise that as a white psychologist from Western Europe my worldview is one that I might not share with the majority, and that it might be considered reductionistic.
 
I'm interested in viewpoints on zombification, as well as information on how psychiatric problems (according to USamerican/westernEuropean standards) or mental retardation is looked upon and treated (both medically/psychologically - if at all - and as a social phenomenon) in Haiti. Thank you.
 
Anja Vaskinn
Oslo, Norway


----- Original Message ----- 
From: Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>
To: Anja Vaskinn <anjav@start.no>
Sent: Wednesday, September 05, 2001 5:36 PM
Subject: Re: Haiti in Norway/zombification: NOTE FOR YOU


> >From corbetre@webster.edu Sat Nov 25 19:02:24 2000
> Date: Sat, 25 Nov 2000 19:01:13 -0600 (CST)
> From: Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>
> To: Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>
> Subject: Attachments and how to get rid of them
> 
> 
> The post you sent in comes with at least one attachment.  I don't post
> any items to the list which has any attachment

> In order for me to post the note to the list I will need it in
> a form that doesn't come with attachments.

> I hope you can resubmit the post without attachments.
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> Thanks,  Bob Corbett