Meera Nimalan
0903568
Barker introduces this chapter with an account of his first attempt at dying tappa with dun (or red dye) he joins a group of Maisin women as they join him in the process of dying the tappa. During this activity he learns of traditional meanings and implications of the dun dying process. This conversation gives barker the insight that no information has been withheld from him all he had to do was ask. This leads to his inquiry on topics related to spirituality. He began with the Maisin view on Christianity, he found that there are those who practice the religion and come to church weekly. He found that his informants accepted the existence of a Christian god, but saw him (god)... Through this inquiry he found more insight on the church’s view on the Maisin traditional religious beliefs and customs. He learned that the Anglican Church practiced a balanced separation, where they tolerated the Maisin beliefs, and incorporated certain customs into special religious days. Upon more investigation on traditional Maisin beliefs. He had learned that to the Maisin who had belief in ghosts, ancestors, bush spirits and magic; humans and spirits all dwelled in the same physical plane. He then went on to discuss the prevalence of traditional healing and sorcery in Maisin communities. As a conclusion to this chapter he ended off by describing the first arrival of missionaries and the attempted purges on magic and sorcery in the Maisin communities. Many Maisin people had recounted their experiences with the supernatural which to them as barker describes …show more content…
This is one that not only the union of two belief systems but is also one that aids in maintain the social and societal relationships in the Maisin community.
Source:
Barker, John. Ancestral Lines: The Maisin of Papua New Guinea and the Fate of the Rainforest.