ipl-logo

Ancestral Lines Chapter Summary

614 Words3 Pages

In chapter 4 of Ancestral Lines by John Barker, Barker discusses the two main guides of reasoning used by the Maisin of Papua New Guinea; Christianity and older traditional views. He describes how although both are different methods of thinking, both are used in harmony to describe the everyday occurrences encountered by the Maisin people (Barker 2008:134). Christianity, as described in the ethnography, is used wholly to motivate the Maisin intrinsically through the abolishment of fear, and to instill morals and values (Barker 2008:133-134). In times of need, Christianity was often relied on to seek solace and comfort (Barker 2008:124). For instance, the Maisin often used sacred objects (charms) that were said to protect them from sorcery; …show more content…

They offer an explanation when presented with the death of a young adult, or when someone who seems to be of relatively good health becomes ill (Barker 2008:129). For example, the death of a young woman named Mona was blamed on sorcery in order to provide an explanation to the villagers since there were given no medical reason (Barker 2008:125). Barker concluded that although Christianity does not believe in sorcery, and both methods of understanding have different views, they can and do coexist in harmony within the Maisin people (Barker 2008:134). Hedican’s textbook “Social Anthropology” discusses the coexistence of Christianity and traditional beliefs among the Mi’Kmaq. Hedican discusses the initial arrival of the British along with missionaries who successfully converted the Mi’Kmaq; which incidentally also happened to the Maisin (Barker 2008:117, Hedican 2012:225). But upon conversion, like the Maisin, the Mi’Kmaq did not give up their traditional values (Hedican 2012:225). Rather such, they adopted Christianity in such a manner that it conjoined with their traditional views in order to answer a broader array of questions (Hedican

Show More
Related
1195 Words | 5 Pages

Robin Bailey, an Indigenous girl and Daunis’s former hokey partner pass away due to meth addiction and her funeral is held at a church. Daunis says, “Her parents are Catholics who don’t follow Ojibwe traditions about the four-day journey. ” (Boulley, 287) In this quote, the intergenerational impact of colonization on Indigenous families can be seen on families such as Robin Bailey’s family, who no longer follow and believe in Ojibwe religion and traditions. It can be seen how their ancestors are traumatized by the colonizers through residential schools, where kids are abused in order to forget Indigenous culture and become Christians.

Read More
949 Words | 4 Pages

Though his efforts have yet to take root, his work is important because it “helps mediate the world for a new group, those younger, more acculturated, mixed-blood people who are more empowered and struggling to keep their place in the white world” (Kane, 220). Therefore, the role of this religion as well as his efforts to unite traditional practices of the Paiute to Christian values are integral to determining what type of religious identity the Paiute people will have in the

Read More
879 Words | 4 Pages

This poses a problem among the European settlers because according to the Bible life was created by God, a man not a woman; which is absurd since women are the ones who give life and birth” (1). This single detail creates a huge contrast of beliefs between the two tribes. The Seneca’s “The Origins of Stories” narration coincides with Christianity’s depiction of Jesus Christ., because in the Bible Jesus was described as a master storyteller.

Read More
595 Words | 3 Pages

The play The Crucible written by Arthur Miller, is a story that takes place in Salem during the time when witches were real. The story of these people accusing each other of witchcraft to cover up their own story of attempting witchcraft which leads to innocent people being hanged for something they are not. Those people would rather die than to lie about confessing they have been with the Devil, because only cowards lie and the brave keep to the truth till the end. John Proctor’s wife Elizabeth is accused of witchcraft by Abigail. Because John rejected

Read More
932 Words | 4 Pages

Those who did convert did so in fear of their own lives. While they did convert to Christianity in fear, many did not truly convert and still practiced their own religion in private. The struggle still remained between the indigenous peoples and the missionaries. Indigenous people were seen as having lower morality and an inferior way of life.

Read More
228 Words | 1 Pages

Rituals- Many aboriginal clans had rituals

Read More
1141 Words | 5 Pages

Part of the appeal of Evangelical Christianity was the degree of personalization the Native Americans were allowed, in contrast to the strictly controlled dogma of other Christian sects. While before conversion had seemed “cultural

Read More
796 Words | 4 Pages

The ancient Marquesans believed the gods controlled everything and were a part of people 's daily lives, dead people became spirits, and even minor spiritual things were important. The ancient Marquesans, like many other traditional cultures, had strong religious beliefs. The Marquesan 's lives revolved around mainly the gods, and less about themselves. This is

Read More
1039 Words | 5 Pages

From traveling to the past, mythical realms, legendary kingdoms, and even strange dimensions, nobody can claim that Sarah Pennington leads a boring life. As the daughter of the Master of the Order of the Griffins, she has had a lot on her plate and had to thwart the evil Clan of the Dragon multiple times in the past. In The Secret Order 6: Bloodline, we learn that Sarah’s mother is a microbiologist who is searching for a special flower deep in the jungles of South America. However, shortly after arriving in South America, Sarah finds herself up against the Dragon Clan once again as they kidnap her mother. It seems that some enemies from her past has their own interest in obtaining the miraculous flower that could give them power over life and

Read More
1046 Words | 5 Pages

By the 1940s, nearly half of the population of Naga tribe had converted to Chris- tianity helping them to develop a modernized nature by adapting education, medicine, and a peaceful religion. Dancing and drum playing was banned and all the heads that they hunted were buried making them to become more peaceful than ever before. Christianity gave Naga tribes a common bond and language “English” but there was also a negative impact of this that Naga tribe lost the traditional culture that provoked the identity crisis that is present to this day. Furthermore, there were certain criticism that was raised by some people of Naga tribe such as a legendary Naga of the Konyak tribe nicknamed Khaopa refused to accept a re- ligion that would force him to abandoned Naga traditions and bury the skulls that symbolized his power. However; step by step the things were getting better.

Read More
1027 Words | 5 Pages

Many traditional Cherokees believe that after one dies, his or her soul often continues to live on as a ghost (Cherokee Indian Religion). They are supposed to have the ability to materialize where some but not all can see them. More fundamental beliefs that they follow is that good is rewarded, and evil is punished, and witchcraft among the Cherokee does not resemble that of non-Indian cultures (Cherokee Indian Religion). Even though they follow a strict belief system and everything had a purpose and was thought out, there are times when punishments cannot be explained. When someone does something right, it is rewarded either by being ranked higher or having individual honors or privileges within the society.

Read More
782 Words | 4 Pages

The author stated on page 61 “ Not only the low-born and the outcast but sometimes a worthy man had joined it. Such a man was Ogbuefi Ugonna, who had taken two titles, and who like a madman had cut the anklet of his titles and cast it away to join the Christians. Another way the missionaries got more Ibo villagers to convert was by accident when they made them doubt their religion on page 61. “The next morning the crazy men actually began to clear a part of the forest and to build their house. The inhabitants of Mbanta expected them all to be dead within four days.

Read More
738 Words | 3 Pages

Their beliefs were rejected by the white-american culture which made it difficult to assimilate or control the tribes by the United States. The U.S. was trying to convert the plains tribes from hunter-gatherers to farmers in the the European-American tradition. Native Americans tends to focus around nature. Their religion includes a number of practices,ceremonies and traditions. Their religion ceremonies included feasts, music, dances, and other performances.

Read More
1379 Words | 6 Pages

It sought not only to bring in a set of religion in opposition to indigenous forms of religious life, but also “it sought to bring labor, gender, and sexual relations into conformity with a particular European pattern”. It seems as if, their efforts to change the minds and hearts of natives were not limited to the act of persuasion. Nonconformist Christian missionaries often possessed a sense of moral self-righteousness that led them to act unjustly and make uninformed judgments on the indigenous norms and values of the Tswana people and the southern African region as well. An incredibly important point to note is that the image of missionary Christianity identified itself with colonialism. “Because colonialism was seen as unjust, oppressive

Read More
1292 Words | 6 Pages

In studying globalization, one major factor that always tends to be present is the role of religion. Undoubtedly, religion played a part in shaping cities/regions, however, it should not take credit for being the force that single-handedly unified people of different faiths. Rather, in viewing religious beliefs and practices, we should not perceive it as something that is black or white in terms of how it shaped or drove phases of globalization. Many outside factors such as trade and power should also be included when discussing the forces behind globalization and unification between two different groups of people.

Read More

More about Ancestral Lines Chapter Summary

Open Document