The document discusses how the film The Lion King can be analyzed as an ethnography depicting rituals of passage. It summarizes the plot of the film, focusing on the protagonist Simba's journey from birth, exile after his father's death, rediscovery of his identity, and eventual battle to reclaim the throne. The document then explains rituals of passage as rituals that mark the transition of individuals through different stages of life and social roles. It analyzes Simba's experiences in the film through the framework of the three stages of rituals of passage: separation, liminal period, and integration.

1. THEOLOGY &
CINEMA
Lion King
and
Rituals of
Passage
1
Dr. Georgios Gaitanos
Lecturer of Religious Studies
e-mail: gaitanosg@yahoo.gr

2. IS IT POSSIBLE?
 Is it possible to study a movie (especially a
movie for children) as an ethnography?
 The film “The Lion King” presents the story of
a lion king, but according to its creators it
relates to human situations as well as human
myths.
2

3. THE STORY-THE CYCLE OF LIFE (1)
Mufasa,
animal king,
has as a
successor to
his throne,
Simba
However, the
king's brother,
Scar, arrives
to steal the
throne.
Setting up the
perfect trap,
he kills his
brother.
3

4. THE CYCLE OF LIFE (2)
He removes his
little nephew in
voluntary exile,
and takes the
throne.
Little Siba now
lives in the desert
in an oasis trying
to forget the past.
His world view is
'akuna matata'
and follows a
carefree life.
According to the
magician, he is
the heir to the
throne and must
succeed his father
4

5. THE CYCLE OF LIFE (3)
After receiving
signs from the
community
magician and
seeing his father
in vision,
he fights with
Scar for the
throne.
He wins the
battle, becomes
king and gets
married, so he
can have his
own family and
successor.
5

6. CASE STUDY
 The points of interest are not the acquisition of
the throne or the battle for its acquisition.
 What interests us is the passage - the passing
of the protagonists from one period of their life
to another, and from one social situation to
another.
 Issues such as birth, adolescence, marriage,
death, exile, enthronement are those that will
concern us, as ethnographic data provides us
with rich material for rituals of passage.
6

7. RITUALS OF PASSAGE
 Rituals of Passage are a category of rituals,
which mark the passage of a person through
the life cycle, from one level to another and
from one social position to another.
 The rituals reveal the relationship between
human and cultural experiences with
biological fate: birth, reproduction, death.
7

8. STRUCTURE
• Contact of sacred-
secret symbols of the
communal unity and
continuity:
• a. Exhibition of
objects
• b. Instructions (myths,
catechesis, puzzles)
• c. Acts
(representation of
myth, dance, drama)
Separation
• Removal of sanctity
and reconfiguration of
family cultural
formations
Liminal
• Simplifying of
structural - social
relations:
• a. Absolute power of
the older over the
younger
• b. Communitas
among the initiates
Integration
8

9. PROCESS OF RITUAL
 The individual sometimes participates in the ritual alone, or is a
member of a group.
 People may wear special costumes during the ceremonies,
such as the wedding dress.
 Separation ceremonies may include a specified cut
(circumcision, rope cut, etc.) or may include walking from one
place, where one was in the old state to another, which his/her
condition will change.
 So, he/she may be accompanied by people that used to
associate with in the old state, such as the bride walking down
the aisle next to her father.
 The phases of integration of the ritual may include knots,
joining objects, etc. The bride's ring and the first kiss are good
examples. 9

10. THE ROLE OF RITUALS OF PASSAGE
 Rituals of passage are mainly ways of
enabling change in social status without
causing the symbolic structure of the
community.
 The rituals of either passage or maintaining
status are aiming at stability and harmony.
 Clearly, some changes are inevitable (birth,
marriage, death, illness). But the purpose of
rituals is to maintain cultural stability and
non-destructive change.
10

11. TRY TO PUT THE MOMENTS OF SIMBA’S LIFE
INTO THE STRUCTURE OF RITUAL OF RASSAGE
?Separation
?Liminal
?Integration
11

12. 12