Confusion, Native Skepticism, and Recurring Questions about the Year 2000: “Soft” Beliefs and Preparations for the Millennium in the Arapesh Region, Papua New Guinea

Abstract

This paper is a report on millennial rumors that were circulating in

Israeli Technicians and the Post‐Colonial Racial Triangle in Papua New Guinea

“…In order to reintegrate these factors, Gordon believes it is necessary to learn how people from the original cultural locus of Christianity live, particularly since white Australians are regarded as free from having to negotiate cultural issues. Needless to say, it did not occur to Gordon that Jewish culture may have changed considerably since the time of Jesus of Nazareth, nor that Jews may be shocked to be identified with Christianity (Bashkow :156), even if Melanesians see Christianity as a primary linkage to the wider world community (Dundon ).…”

“…, Golub ). These genealogically delineated and locally situated collectivities then give rise to their own ‘ethno‐theologies’ that resituate ‘ancestral identities and history within Biblical history’ (Scott :102), often still in relationship to local topographical narrative traditions (Bashkow : 149ff). They are also capable of expanding from this localised kin group scale to embrace regional or subregional identities such as the ‘Holy Nation of Bougainville’ (Hermkens ).…”

“…The nation articulates itself and sees itself in the pages of newspapers such as the Post‐Courier , in the travel writings of Paulias Matane or in blogs and Facebook postings. These mass media articulations of social worlds may have a limited audience, yet the ways in which they frame and discuss social issues extend well beyond the individuals who actually read newspapers (Bashkow :148).…”

“…Because of its success as a developed nation and particularly because of its grounding in the historical culture of Jesus, Israel is imagined to be able to play the role of Moral European in advising PNG on the development of a modern national (and Christian) culture. Here, I note the difference between this imagining of reified national cultural characteristics that distinguish PNG from other nations and the lineage‐centred thinking of Bashkow's Arapesh informants who identified Jews (including Bashkow himself) as ‘ wanlain bilong Jisas ’ (belonging to the same lineage as Jesus) and focused attention on Biblical accounts of Jesus's genealogy (Bashkow :151).…”

“…I use Bashkow's term throughout this paper as a convenient gloss for whites as perceived by Papua New Guineans . I note, with Bashkow (:284), that the word reflects the gendered nature of these perceptions, where male agency is privileged and where many of the imagined qualities of whitemen are associated with masculinity.…”