@article{JEF, author = {Kikee Bhutia}, title = { Death by Poisoning: Cautionary Narratives and Inter-Ethnic Accusations in Contemporary Sikkim}, journal = {Journal of Ethnology and Folkloristics}, volume = {15}, number = {1}, year = {2021}, keywords = {}, abstract = {The Sikkimese are a multi-ethnic community in a Himalayan sub-region in India. Even though the majority of the population is Hindu and Nepalese, the minority Buddhist and Bhutia/Lepcha communities are very strong. Death by poisoning is a common occurrence among the Sikkimese, and it is often ambiguous and subject to suspicion. Narrated initially as traditional cautionary tales, these belief narratives have been used against the multi-ethnic communities that reside in Sikkim, leading to real-world accusations. The article explores how belief in, and narratives related to, poison, poisoning, poison keepers and the poison deity are used to justify the demonisation and othering of a community.}, issn = {2228-0987}, pages = {65–84}, url = {https://jef.ee/index.php/journal/article/view/406} }