The Tuma Underworld of Love Erotic and Other Narrative Songs of the Trobriand Islanders and Their Spirits of the Dead |
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| Author:
| Senft, Gunter |
| Series title: | Culture and Language Use Ser. |
| ISBN: | 978-1-283-31478-7 |
| Publication Date: | Nov 2011 |
| Publisher: | John Benjamins Publishing Company
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| Book Format: | Ebook |
| List Price: | USD $270.00 |
Book Description:
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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...
More DescriptionThe 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 L finally settling the virgin birth controversy. It also documents the ritualized and highly poetic wosi milamala L the harvest festival songs. They are sung in an archaic variety of Kilivila called biga baloma L 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.