Masculinity and Marriage: Interrogating Possession among Velichappad Men of Northern Kerala

Abstract

The paper explores the everyday gendered lives of Velichappad men. The focus of the paper is on understanding imprint of rituals of possession beyond the space of enactment to the everyday social and material life of the persons who are possessed. Focusing on the experiences of men gives a deeper insight into the gendered dimensions of possession and its differentiated experiences. In addition, this paper examines the social and economic structures that limit and transform the Velichappads. Meanings of possession are understood by situated ethnography and the non-homogeneity of male experiences is reflected through the narratives. The narratives point toward the need for a conceptual framework that understands possession within the intricacies of gender, caste, and class. Furthermore, this study supports the contention that studies of masculinity be informed by the experiences of the marginalized. Interrogating the experiences of Velichappad men charts the histories of the region’s sexual economies, and its social and material embedding.