The Gebusi Tribe
The Gebusi
In the rugged and tropical island of Papua New Guinea, lived an extraordinary group of people called, The Gebusi. In the 1980’s, The Gebusi tribe was anything but modern and acculturated. The Gebusi had their own individual and unique rituals and traditions that they practiced and followed. The Gebusi tribe participated in ritual homosexuality, sorcery and/or witchcraft was highly regarded and practiced, and they participated in preferential sister-exchange marriages. By 1998-99, The Gebusi tribe had established a new way of life. The Gebusi had become acclimated with new cultural beliefs that changed their lives forever.
In the 1980’s kogwayay best described the core of the Gebusi culture. Kogwayay is divided into three …show more content…
unique meanings which include; kog, wa, and yay. Kog, was referred to as togetherness, friendship, and similarity. Wa, came from the Gebusi root of wa-la which means, to talk. Yay, was the exclamation point or excitement, such as to cheer, yell, joke and cry out loudly. Together kogwayay was the core belief for the Gebusi. Kogwayay centered on all the highly regarded Gebusi values such as; togetherness, talking, and cheering.
Kogwayay was a practice that was dominated by the men. The men were the ones who yelled and cheered, gathered in large groups to socialize and determined who would create togetherness with whom. The men were also in charge of the spirit séances, dances, initiations and ritual feast which are strongly associated with kogwayay. The women were typically restricted to whispering and cramped living quarters away from the men. The women were banned from participating in spiritual séances and dance, as the men would evoke gorgeous female spirits who enticed the men to have sexual relations with them. The Gebusi men in this spiritual fantasy could act out their sexual fantasies with the female spirits. The women/wives were often able to hear the men acting out sexual fantasies, hollering and dancing through the women’s quarters, but could be beaten if they tried to participate.
General, balanced and negative reciprocity all connect at some point to kogwayay. In kinship the Gebusi descendants are traced only through the male line. The term brother and sister only work as long as the generations are from the fathers, not mothers. For example, a first cousin on the father’s side is either a brother or sister, but if the first cousin is on the mother’s side, they are not recognized as a member of the clan at all. Mother and child are also used in a different way. A daughter born of a maternal uncle is known as their own mother while a boy or girl born to a paternal aunt is also known as their own child.
The Gebusi believed that you cannot marry into your descent line that your own father or sister married into. Because of the way the kinship is developed, the Gebusi believed if you married into your descent line, you were marrying someone that you referred to as your mother or child. The Gebusi figured out that if you wait a generation, you would be okay to marry into your descent line.
The Gebusi also practiced preferential sister-exchange marriages. This occurs when a women will marry into a clan which a sister of the husband will also marry a brother of the bride. The Gebusi practice this type of marriage so that each clan will not be losing a woman, they will be gaining one back. Kinship and Marriage in the Gebusi belief system are practicing a form of balanced reciprocity. There is an even exchange between sister exchange marriages and a balance between kinship.
In 1998-99, the Gebusi have become more acclimated to a modern culture. Kogwayay seemed like an ancient term to the Gebusi as they were now a more structured and disciplined culture. The Gebusi wore more modern/western civilization clothing. The Gebusi now participated in recreational sports (soccer and rugby), which were played by the young boys and men. Women had more freedom; they were allowed to sell produce and products at market for money. They no longer practiced sorcery and/or witchcraft; they now believed in God and were practicing faithful Christians. The children participated in schooling. There was no longer a central dwelling where the Gebusi would meet and socialize. Nuclear families and even extended families now lived separately in their own individual homes, although the Gebusi were still maintaining their kinship ties. As the core of kogwayay was togetherness, talking and cheering; the Gebusi now each had a new focus that was not centered on togetherness. The Gebusi seemed to have traded one lifestyle for another.
The greatest example of the Gebusi no longer practicing togetherness would be with religion.
Sorcery and witchcraft were no longer the main focus of dying, death, and cheating spouses, Christianity was. The Gebusi now believed in a fierce God of fire and brimstone who threatened hell and demanded compliance. There are three distinct religious practices followed by the Gebusi; Catholicism, Protestantism and Seventh Day Adventism. Each Gebusi male is allowed to choose which religion he would like to follow, and the males respect each other’s decision. The wives of the men are typically the same religion as their husbands. The Gebusi have embraced individuality over the last ten plus years and they are okay with it. They have traded a world of seclusion for a world of modern intrigue.
According to John Bodley’s research, the Gebusi’s modernization has actually changed their lives for the worst. By becoming more modernized, the Gebusi have increased their chances to succumb to our degenerative diseases. The Gebusi’s risk of suicide, murder, alcoholism and delinquency has increased because of the loss of their core beliefs. The Gebusi have given up on their kogwayay, which increases their chances of becoming discriminated against and exploited by our dominate society. Our industrialized society has impacted the Gebusi clan more negatively than
positively.
Yuway managed to better adapt to the new cultural beliefs than other members of the Gebusi clan. Yuway still held on to the core belief of kogwayay. He was able to incorporate his general beliefs from the 80’s and intertwine them with his new beliefs of the 90’s. Yuway acts with discipline and structure; he enjoys listening to outsiders and is very accepting and understanding of the authority and superiors. He is living a life of togetherness and waiting patiently for future success.
Some of the elders still wanted to hold on to their old culture. They have blended in with the new way of life, but in the background they still questioned why their relatives died and used evil spirits as an excuse instead of natural causes.
The Gebusi path of culture change has not just taken off but practically run circles around its previous scope and scale. In a larger scale; religion, marriage, togetherness, politics and their economy has changed drastically. The Gebusi will not able to become as secluded or independent as they once were. They have now adapted to a life of modern living and curiosity. The Gebusi have had the great opportunity to develop and mature in western culture, but on their own interpretations. The Gebusi people now live in harmony, in a contemporary world filled with new beginnings and individuality.
In the rugged and tropical island of Papua New Guinea, lived an extraordinary group of people called, The Gebusi. In the 1980’s, The Gebusi tribe was anything but modern and acculturated. The Gebusi had their own individual and unique rituals and traditions that they practiced and followed. The Gebusi tribe participated in ritual homosexuality, sorcery and/or witchcraft was highly regarded and practiced, and they participated in preferential sister-exchange marriages. By 1998-99, The Gebusi tribe had established a new way of life. The Gebusi had become acclimated with new cultural beliefs that changed their lives forever.
In the 1980’s kogwayay best described the core of the Gebusi culture. Kogwayay is divided into three …show more content…
unique meanings which include; kog, wa, and yay. Kog, was referred to as togetherness, friendship, and similarity. Wa, came from the Gebusi root of wa-la which means, to talk. Yay, was the exclamation point or excitement, such as to cheer, yell, joke and cry out loudly. Together kogwayay was the core belief for the Gebusi. Kogwayay centered on all the highly regarded Gebusi values such as; togetherness, talking, and cheering.
Kogwayay was a practice that was dominated by the men. The men were the ones who yelled and cheered, gathered in large groups to socialize and determined who would create togetherness with whom. The men were also in charge of the spirit séances, dances, initiations and ritual feast which are strongly associated with kogwayay. The women were typically restricted to whispering and cramped living quarters away from the men. The women were banned from participating in spiritual séances and dance, as the men would evoke gorgeous female spirits who enticed the men to have sexual relations with them. The Gebusi men in this spiritual fantasy could act out their sexual fantasies with the female spirits. The women/wives were often able to hear the men acting out sexual fantasies, hollering and dancing through the women’s quarters, but could be beaten if they tried to participate.
General, balanced and negative reciprocity all connect at some point to kogwayay. In kinship the Gebusi descendants are traced only through the male line. The term brother and sister only work as long as the generations are from the fathers, not mothers. For example, a first cousin on the father’s side is either a brother or sister, but if the first cousin is on the mother’s side, they are not recognized as a member of the clan at all. Mother and child are also used in a different way. A daughter born of a maternal uncle is known as their own mother while a boy or girl born to a paternal aunt is also known as their own child.
The Gebusi believed that you cannot marry into your descent line that your own father or sister married into. Because of the way the kinship is developed, the Gebusi believed if you married into your descent line, you were marrying someone that you referred to as your mother or child. The Gebusi figured out that if you wait a generation, you would be okay to marry into your descent line.
The Gebusi also practiced preferential sister-exchange marriages. This occurs when a women will marry into a clan which a sister of the husband will also marry a brother of the bride. The Gebusi practice this type of marriage so that each clan will not be losing a woman, they will be gaining one back. Kinship and Marriage in the Gebusi belief system are practicing a form of balanced reciprocity. There is an even exchange between sister exchange marriages and a balance between kinship.
In 1998-99, the Gebusi have become more acclimated to a modern culture. Kogwayay seemed like an ancient term to the Gebusi as they were now a more structured and disciplined culture. The Gebusi wore more modern/western civilization clothing. The Gebusi now participated in recreational sports (soccer and rugby), which were played by the young boys and men. Women had more freedom; they were allowed to sell produce and products at market for money. They no longer practiced sorcery and/or witchcraft; they now believed in God and were practicing faithful Christians. The children participated in schooling. There was no longer a central dwelling where the Gebusi would meet and socialize. Nuclear families and even extended families now lived separately in their own individual homes, although the Gebusi were still maintaining their kinship ties. As the core of kogwayay was togetherness, talking and cheering; the Gebusi now each had a new focus that was not centered on togetherness. The Gebusi seemed to have traded one lifestyle for another.
The greatest example of the Gebusi no longer practicing togetherness would be with religion.
Sorcery and witchcraft were no longer the main focus of dying, death, and cheating spouses, Christianity was. The Gebusi now believed in a fierce God of fire and brimstone who threatened hell and demanded compliance. There are three distinct religious practices followed by the Gebusi; Catholicism, Protestantism and Seventh Day Adventism. Each Gebusi male is allowed to choose which religion he would like to follow, and the males respect each other’s decision. The wives of the men are typically the same religion as their husbands. The Gebusi have embraced individuality over the last ten plus years and they are okay with it. They have traded a world of seclusion for a world of modern intrigue.
According to John Bodley’s research, the Gebusi’s modernization has actually changed their lives for the worst. By becoming more modernized, the Gebusi have increased their chances to succumb to our degenerative diseases. The Gebusi’s risk of suicide, murder, alcoholism and delinquency has increased because of the loss of their core beliefs. The Gebusi have given up on their kogwayay, which increases their chances of becoming discriminated against and exploited by our dominate society. Our industrialized society has impacted the Gebusi clan more negatively than
positively.
Yuway managed to better adapt to the new cultural beliefs than other members of the Gebusi clan. Yuway still held on to the core belief of kogwayay. He was able to incorporate his general beliefs from the 80’s and intertwine them with his new beliefs of the 90’s. Yuway acts with discipline and structure; he enjoys listening to outsiders and is very accepting and understanding of the authority and superiors. He is living a life of togetherness and waiting patiently for future success.
Some of the elders still wanted to hold on to their old culture. They have blended in with the new way of life, but in the background they still questioned why their relatives died and used evil spirits as an excuse instead of natural causes.
The Gebusi path of culture change has not just taken off but practically run circles around its previous scope and scale. In a larger scale; religion, marriage, togetherness, politics and their economy has changed drastically. The Gebusi will not able to become as secluded or independent as they once were. They have now adapted to a life of modern living and curiosity. The Gebusi have had the great opportunity to develop and mature in western culture, but on their own interpretations. The Gebusi people now live in harmony, in a contemporary world filled with new beginnings and individuality.