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What type of ritual, as described in "Ritually Orchestrated Seascapes," involves persuading animals to approach hunters through the use of charms or sensory contact?

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Final answer:

The ritual involves the use of charms or sensory contact in animistic practices to persuade animals to approach hunters, as in the ritualistic behaviors of the Yukaghir elk and reindeer hunters. Such rituals serve to interact with animal spirits and provide a sense of control and reduced anxiety for the hunters.

Step-by-step explanation:

The type of ritual described in "Ritually Orchestrated Seascapes" that involves persuading animals to approach hunters through the use of charms or sensory contact falls under animistic practices. These rituals are conducted with the belief that everything in the environment has a spirit and that humans can interact with these spirits to their advantage. In the case of the Yukaghir elk and reindeer hunters in Siberia, recorded by anthropologist Rane Willerslev, hunters would employ various ritualistic behaviors such as taking a sauna bath, using special language, and "feeding" a fire with alcohol and tobacco to perfume the air. These actions were believed to seduce the animal spirit and thus make the hunt more successful. Additionally, personal rituals to control anxiety in uncertain or dangerous situations, cited in examples such as the kula ring of the Trobriand Islanders or the 'baseball magic' among athletes, demonstrate the psychological aspect of rituals in providing a sense of control and comfort.

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