article
Local narratives of a great transformation: conversion to Christianity in Manus, Papua New Guinea
Folk : journal of the Danish Ethnographic Society • 40 • Published In 1998 • Pages: 71-97
By: Otto, Ton.
Abstract
Otto has written a history of a famous Manus leader and prophet, Paliau Maloat (1910-1991), and the movement named after him, the Paliau Movement. The movement was a reaction to the inequities of colonialism, although Paliau began his public life by strongly critiquing his own culture. As a young man, Paliau worked for Chinese traders and later became a police officer. He organized a village fund to pay taxes and discouraged village leaders from engaging in inter-village hostilities. During the Second World War, The US Navy set up a base and offered wage work to the locals. The work experience away from their home villages and the tremendous wealth displayed by the US military made a big impression on the Manus. They felt betrayed by the missionaries who they thought had been holding out on them. One reaction was to form a new religion and after the war when the military left, to secure their own wealth through cargo-cult rituals.
- HRAF PubDate
- 2005
- Region
- Oceania
- Sub Region
- Melanesia
- Document Type
- article
- Evaluation
- Creator Type
- Ethnologist
- Document Rating
- 4: Excellent Secondary Data
- 5: Excellent Primary Data
- Analyst
- Ian Skoggard ; 2004
- Field Date
- 1986-1988
- Coverage Date
- 1910-1991
- Coverage Place
- Manus Province, Papua New Guinea
- Notes
- Ton Otto
- Includes bibliographical references (p. 94-97)
- LCCN
- 61025545
- LCSH
- Manus (Papua New Guinea people)