After the Cult

Perceptions of Other and Self in West New Britain (Papua New Guinea)

Nonfiction, Social & Cultural Studies, Social Science, Cultural Studies, Customs & Traditions, Anthropology
Cover of the book After the Cult by Holger Jebens, Berghahn Books
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Holger Jebens ISBN: 9781845458225
Publisher: Berghahn Books Publication: April 1, 2010
Imprint: Berghahn Books Language: English
Author: Holger Jebens
ISBN: 9781845458225
Publisher: Berghahn Books
Publication: April 1, 2010
Imprint: Berghahn Books
Language: English

In many parts of the world the “white man” is perceived to be an instigator of globalization and an embodiment of modernity. However, so far anthropologists have paid little attention to the actual heterogeneity and complexity of “whiteness” in specific ethnographic contexts. This study examines cultural perceptions of other and self as expressed in cargo cults and masked dances in Papua New Guinea. Indigenous terms, images, and concepts are being contrasted with their western counterparts, the latter partly deriving from the publications and field notes of Charles Valentine. After having done his first fieldwork more than fifty years ago, this “anthropological ancestor” has now become part of the local tradition and has thus turned into a kind of mythical figure. Based on anthropological fieldwork as well as on archival studies, this book addresses the relation between western and indigenous perceptions of self and other, between “tradition” and “modernity,” and between anthropological “ancestors” and “descendants.” In this way the work contributes to the study of “whiteness,” “cargo cults” and masked dances in Papua New Guinea.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

In many parts of the world the “white man” is perceived to be an instigator of globalization and an embodiment of modernity. However, so far anthropologists have paid little attention to the actual heterogeneity and complexity of “whiteness” in specific ethnographic contexts. This study examines cultural perceptions of other and self as expressed in cargo cults and masked dances in Papua New Guinea. Indigenous terms, images, and concepts are being contrasted with their western counterparts, the latter partly deriving from the publications and field notes of Charles Valentine. After having done his first fieldwork more than fifty years ago, this “anthropological ancestor” has now become part of the local tradition and has thus turned into a kind of mythical figure. Based on anthropological fieldwork as well as on archival studies, this book addresses the relation between western and indigenous perceptions of self and other, between “tradition” and “modernity,” and between anthropological “ancestors” and “descendants.” In this way the work contributes to the study of “whiteness,” “cargo cults” and masked dances in Papua New Guinea.

More books from Berghahn Books

Cover of the book Gendering Modern German History by Holger Jebens
Cover of the book Cutting and Connecting by Holger Jebens
Cover of the book Foucault's Orient by Holger Jebens
Cover of the book Becoming East German by Holger Jebens
Cover of the book The Romance of Crossing Borders by Holger Jebens
Cover of the book The CSCE and the End of the Cold War by Holger Jebens
Cover of the book Vital Diplomacy by Holger Jebens
Cover of the book Between Prague Spring and French May by Holger Jebens
Cover of the book The Romani Movement by Holger Jebens
Cover of the book Visions of the End of the Cold War in Europe, 1945-1990 by Holger Jebens
Cover of the book Anthropology and Mass Communication by Holger Jebens
Cover of the book Protest in Hitler's “National Community” by Holger Jebens
Cover of the book Ethnographies of Conservation by Holger Jebens
Cover of the book Music and International History in the Twentieth Century by Holger Jebens
Cover of the book Anthropology and Public Service by Holger Jebens
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy