Taboo Guide, Meaning , Facts, Information and Description

For the Taboo boardgame, see Taboo (game).

A taboo is a strong social prohibition (or ban) relating to any area of human activity or social custom declared as sacred and forbidden; breaking of the taboo is usually considered objectionable or abhorrent by society. The term was borrowed from the Tongan language and appears in many Polynesian cultures. In those cultures, a tabu (or tapu or kapu) often has specific religious associations. Its first recorded use in English was by James Cook in 1771.

When an activity or custom is classified as taboo it is forbidden and interdictions are implemented concerning the topic, such as the ground set apart as a sanctuary for criminals. Some taboo activities or customs are prohibited under law and their guilt often carry severe penalties.

Taboos can include dietary restrictions (halal and kosher diets, religious vegetarianism, and the prohibition of cannibalism), restrictions on sexual activities and relationships (homosexuality, incest, zoophilia, pedophilia), restrictions of bodily functions (flatulence), restrictions on the use of psychoactive drugs, restrictions on presence of genitalia (circumcision, sex reassignment), and restrictions on the use of offensive language.

No taboo is known to be universal, but some (such as the incest taboo) occur in the majority of societies. Taboos may serve many functions, and often remain in effect after the original reason behind them has expired. Some have argued that taboos therefore reveal the history of societies when other records are lacking.

Taboos often extend to cover discussion of taboo topics. This can result in taboo deformation or replacement of taboo words. Marvin Harris, a leading figure in cultural materialism, endeavoured to explain taboos as a consequence of the ecologic and economic conditions of their societies.

Also, Sigmund Freud provided a ground-breaking analysis of taboo behaviours, highlighting strong unconscious motivations driving such prohibitions. In this system, described in his collections of essays Totem and Taboo, Freud unearths a highly persuasive link between forbidden behaviours and the sanctification of objects to certain kinship groups.

Table of contents

1 Taboo and art 2 See also 3 External links

Taboo and art

Many contemporary artists deal with taboo including:

• Matthew Barney
• Maurizio Cattalan
• Damien Hirst
• Joel Peter Witkin
• Bill Viola

and film makers:

• Pedro Almodóvar
• Luis Bunuel
• Derek Jarman

See also

• bias
• censorship
• natural law
• prejudice
• prohibition
• sacred
• social stigma

External links

• Review of taboos around the world and their history

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