Thesis Abstract 11/23/2009

Rituals are a compelling window into faith and belief. They are practice, sprituality, belief based activities that exist in the social spehere. Specifically there is Liminality and Communitas, factors of ritual spoken about by Victor Turner, that particularly address rites of passage and the importance of the community in expressing and reinforcing shared values.

Religion, a very global phenomenon, can take many unfamiliar forms. One of those forms is the mystical Carribean practice of Vodoun, melded together from Catholicism, West African mysticism and Native American religion. The tenets of the religion are often misunderstood and have led to such misconceptions of Haitian practitioners as merely vectors for the black magic that they're engrossed in.

An inclusive experience within, and to some degree an anthroppological study of, any ritual process gives the observer more context for its legitimacy. Would a person have a greater understanding of a practice if they were able to interact in it's social space? If a person were able to "play" through the ritual, learning the importance of the rite in a social and cultural setting, would they appreciate the diversity
of belief in society?

Bokor is a adventure game that explores the rich narrative opportunity of Haitian vodoun practice, addressing rituals and potential spiritual power within Haitian communities in order to discover new social commentary through the metaphor of creating a zombie.