Students of social anthropology often distinguish two kinds of magic. The first kind which is named by Frazer is called imitative or homeopathic magic, whereas the second is called contagious. Describing the two kinds of magic Herskotvits writes:
Both are held to operate in accordance with a principle of ‘like to like’ also called a ‘principle of sympathy’. ‘Contagious’ magic is exemplified when a hunter drinks the blood of his kill to acquire its craftiness or its strength.
‘Imitative’ magic would, let us say, be found in the performance of a dance in which the simulated killing of an animal was enacted so as to assure success in hunting.
The two kinds of magic as above neither constitute the entire field, nor are they absent from certain practices to which the term ‘religious’ is customarily given.
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Yet another typology of magic is that of ‘black’ and ‘white’. Black magic has some evil intentions. According to it, the victim is inflicted with some injury. The second type, white magic, is beneficent in its intent. In social anthropological literature much emphasis is placed on black magic. “The reason for this is two-fold.
There is the challenge to the investigator to uncover what his informants are least willing to divulge. More than this, though, is the dramatic appeal of black magic for the people themselves.
Once a willingness to talk about it is established, informants will dwell on the subject with relish and exuberant detail, leaving ‘white’ magic as something taken for granted.”
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The horror shows which are presented with different names on television depict several of the practices of black magic. If revenge has to be taken, a magician makes a clay image of the victim and gives it all kinds of pains.
These pains, in turn, are experienced by the victim. We have innumerable instances of magic reported from different parts of the world.
However, the instances of white magic are very few. This category of magic is also extended to include much of native medicine. Surprisingly, there is prevalence of white and black magic among the literate peoples too. However, with the increase in literacy and education, many of the magical practices are going out of vogue.