Among many peoples, a stranger-however human-was believed to be possessed of special powers. Sometimes these powers were thought to be malevolent, sometimes benevolent, sometimes both; whatever the case, extraordinary ceremonies, often involving long periods of time, were called for (Van Gennep, 1960:26-35; Frazer,

XREF: Connects to Turner's ritual theory and Van Gennep's liminality framework — the stranger as liminal figure.

Lyn H. Lofland, World of Strangers_ Order a…, loc. 58