BAMANA SAND DIVINATION - RECURSION IN ETHNOMATHEMATICS

Ethnomathematics can consider recursion in two senses of the word. Mat hematically, recursion consists of iterated functions, a kind of discr ete feedback loop. Anthropologically, recursion is used in reflexive e thnographic description in which modern analytic methods become part o f their own investigation. By comparing the recursive structure of Bam ana divination techniques to recursion in modern mathematics, we can i nvestigate some of the complex relations that bind technology and cult ure in both modern and traditional contexts.