Full Description
The Trobriand Islanders' eschatological belief system explains what happens when someone dies. Bronislaw Malinowski described essentials of this eschatology in his articles "Baloma: the Spirits of the Dead in the Trobriand Islands" and "Myth in Primitive Psychology". There he also presented the Trobrianders' belief that a "baloma" can be reborn; he claimed that Trobrianders are unaware of the father's role as genitor. This volume presents a critical review of Malinowski's ethnography of Trobriand eschatology - finally settling the "virgin birth" controversy. It also documents the ritualized and highly poetic "wosi milamala" - the harvest festival songs. They are sung in an archaic variety of Kilivila called "biga baloma" - the baloma language. Malinowski briefly refers to these songs but does not mention that they codify many aspects of Trobriand eschatology. The songs are still sung at specific occasions; however, they are now moribund. With these songs Trobriand eschatology will vanish.
Contents
1. Acknowledgments; 2. Introduction; 3. Chapter 1. Death on the Trobriand Islands and the Trobriand Islanders' belief in a "baloma" spirit; 4. Chapter 2. The spirits of the dead and their underworld life on Tuma Island: Trobriand eschatology; 5. Chapter 3. The wosi milamala; 6. Chapter 4. The moribund language of the spirits of the dead and its consequences for the Trobriand Islanders' culture; 7. Appendix I; 8. Appendix II; 9. References; 10. Index
