Book Description

This book that addresses some of the questions often asked of a uniquely diverse culture and of its beliefs in sorcery, or Sanguma as it is colloquially known in PNG. At the same time the book attempts to bring to light the increasing problems associated with this evil phenomenon: accusations of sorcery and witchcraft, witch hunts, trials, torture, and brutal killings. PNG people, whether illiterate or educated, urban or rural, are not satisfied with merely natural explanations for bad events. This deep hunger for "the real answer" will continue to give rise to accusations of sorcery, with all their deadly consequences. The fact that it is embedded in our traditional belief system shows that we are dealing not only with the specific issue of sorcery and witchcraft but with the traditional belief system of the whole community and/or clan. As a result, it is going to be difficult to get rid of the phenomenon of sorcery. This edition of Point 33 is the second volume of a two-piece dissemination from a five year research project into sorcery and witchcraft in Papua New Guinea carried out by the Melanesian Institute from 2003 to 2007. This book comprises seven chapters outlining a detailed, more investigative report from Mekeo and Roro (Central Province), the Kuanua language speakers (Gazelle Peninsula, East New Britain Province), Plains Arapesh and sections of the East Sepik Province, Induna and Bwaidoga (Goodenough, Milne Bay Province), K'te (in Finschafen, Morobe Province) and the Kuman- Golin-Siane language speakers (Simbu Province) on the phenomena of sorcery and witchcraft. These groups of people were chosen on the basis of three major criteria: That different culture areas be well represented; that these cultures had already been studied to allow for comparisons over some time, that Christianity had been in those areas for different lengths of time. They finally represented three major Christian denominations.