f t rt E I*

ü. I

ARTICLE 39
Cargo Cults
By Peter M. Worsley

J)atrolsof the,{ustrirliirrrGoverttrnent the shock of t|e elcorrnter rvith the

..rrrtcontrolled.' Wtlites'
f velrturirrg itrto the lr 1reo1;Ie so r.irc|icirlIv c|iíIcr.ent
I cerrtr.irI lriglr|rrItdsof nvervGttineitin fronr thenrie|r'es so infinítelr, rnore
l946 fourrd tlte 1;r.irnítive peo1lle tIrere porver{rt|. Tlre strdden ",r.|
trrrnsitíon fr'om
s\\'el)t t|l) in ll rvitve o[ religious excite. the societr' of t|re cerernotríirl stone ax to
ment. Prop|recy rvirs beingftrlfilled: The the socíeir, of sai|ing ships ancl norv of
irrrivrrl of the whites rvas tl.ie sign that ailplrrnes b:rs not been easv to nrirke.
ttre elrd of the rvorld rvas lrt hlrnd. The Áfter forrr centuries oi. Western ex.
rrirtives proceeded to brrtcher rrll of their pansion. the denselv poprrlated central
pigs_rrrrímnls thnt werc rrot oll|y ir prin. highlands of Nerv Cuinea remirin one of
cipirl sotrrce of subsisteuce but rrlso sym- the ferv regions rvhere the people still
bols o| sociirl stiltus and ritual pre- cillrv on their. pr.ilr-ritíve existence itt com.
erninerrce in their cultule. They killed plete independence of the u'orld otrt-
these virlrred irnimirls in expression o[ the side. Yet as the lgents of the Australian
belief tlrrrt after three drrys of clarkness Government peuetrrrtc iuto ever more
"Cleat Pigs" would appear' [r'om the+il remote mountirilr vnlle1,s, they find these
skv. Food, firewood irnd othel necessi- /-, backrvaters of antiquity rrlreiiclv deeply
ties hrrcl to be stock-piled to see the yleo-*y' clisttlrbcc,I l;v corrtact túth the icleal antl
1.lle through to the llrrival ^t of
^f tlre Grcirt ;7. artifacts
ll.^ ;.^,'.!- ^Í r;.'..^.^''.'
^,.r;f^,'|. o[ Iirrr.opeirrr civílizrrtioIr' L',\-
^i.,;|;.'''r;,'.' For
,,cztrgo,,_Pídgin
Pígs. I{ock rvireless lttttenlr:te o[ birrnboo ,/ English for trrrde grloc|s_
and lope had been electecl to leceive ín-l-r' )ras long
florvecl along the incligenous
rudvirrrce the news of the millennium. / chirnnels of communication from the
\lnrry believed that with the great seilcoilst into the rvilclerness. !\tith it has
tlrey rvould exchirnge tlreir blirck skins traveled the fríghtening knorvledge of
for rvhite ones.
-l=a-*th"
rvhite mrrn's rnrrgical porver. No small
This biznrle episode is bv no means element in the rvhite nran's rnaqic is the
the síngle evertt óf its }iincl in t|re murky hopeful messilge sent abroad bv his mis.
history of the collision of Etrlol;eirn civi- sionaries: the rrervs that a \lessiah rvill
|ízation rvith the íncligenorrs ctrltrrres of come antl thrlt the Present order of Cre-
the sotlthrvest Pacific. Fol',,'ore thlrn l00 ntion rví|| end.
years trlclels and missionaries hirve been
reporting similar clisttrlbances ilmong rfhe people of the central highlands
the peop|es of \Íelilnesiil, the glotrp of r of Nerv Ctrínea ar.e only the latest
Negro-inhnbited islrrrrds (inclrrding New to be gripped in the recurrent religious
Cuinea, Fiji, the Solomons rrnd thc New frenzy of the "cirrgo cults." Horvever
Hebrides) lying betrveen Austlalin irnd vnriotrsly embe|líshed \vith details from
thc open Pacific Ocenrr. Though their nrrtive mvth rrnd Clrristiirn belief, these
tcclinologies rvele based lirr.gelv rrpon cults all irdviruce the sirme central theme:
stone irnd \voocl, these peoples had high. the rvor'kl is abotrt to end in a terrible
lv developed crrltrrles, ir)- rneilsured bv cirtnclysm. Theren[ter Gocl, the iurcestors
the standards of lnaritíme and agrictrttui- or sorne locirl crrlttrrc hero rvill rlppcirr
nl ingenrrity, the complexity of their nttd initugunttc a blissf ul pirrirdise on
vnried social olgirnizatiorrs rrnd tlre elirb- errlth. Death. olcl rrge. illncss rrnd evil
olation of religious belicf rrnd rittral. rvill lte rrrrkrrorvrr. The liches oI tlre rvhite
Thev rvere nonetheless ill preparecl for rnittr rvill ilccLllt' to the \telirrrcsians.
Álthotrgh the trerr's of srreh il lÍ|ove.
rnent ítr o|le;lreil Irirs t|otrbtless o[tcrr
inspired sirnilirr nrovemeuts irr other
areirs, tlrc eviderrce indicltes tlrrrt tltesc
cults lrrrve irlisen indeperrdently iu nrirrry
plirces irs prrrallel respor)ses to the sirrne
enonlrorrs sociirl stress rrncl stlirin. Anrr-lng
tlte ttttlve.,tcttts best krttlrvn to stutlerrü
of l\lelanesirr irre tlre "Trrro Cult" of Ncrv
Cuirreit' the
..\'aillrla
\Íittlrress'' of I'irprrit'
the "Nrrked Crrlt" of Espilitu Srrnto, tlre
"Jolrrr Flurn \loverncut" of the Nerv
Hebrides ancl the "Tuka Cult" of the l;iji
Islands.
Át tirnes tlre ctr|ts |ritve been so lr.cl|
organízed arrcl farrlrticir||v persistent tlrirt
they hrrve brought the rvolk of govelrr-
nrent to n standstill.'I'hc rlutlrreitks lr,rvc
ofterr takcn thc nutl-rolities cornnlctclv
by surplise ,rrrd lravc co'rfrontcrl. tlr,:,i'
'.vith mltss opposítion oI ittr ir|itt.rrrirrg
kind. In the 1930s, fol exlmplc, villagels
in tlre vicirritv of Wervrrk, Nerv Guinea,
rvere stin-ed bv ir succession of "Blar:k
King" nrovcrncnts. Thr: prophe ts an-
nouncecl thrrt the Eulopeirtts s'oul<l sor;tt
leave the islarrd, rrbandoning their plop-
erty to the natives, rrrrcl rrrgecl tireir
follorvers to ceirse pirying tirxes, since
the government strtion rvas about tu
clisirppear into the seir iri ir glcat eirrtlr-
tluake. To the tiny communitv of \Vhites
in charge of ther region, such talk n'as
dangerous. The authorities jailed four
of the prophets and exiled three others.
In yet another movenrent, that sprlng
trp in declared opposítion to the |oclrl
Christian nrission, the cult lcader took
Satnrl irs his gocl.
Troops on both sides in World War II
íound thcjr. ar,rivirl in \te lrrnesia heralcled
as a sign of tlre Apoc;rlvpse. Thc G.l.'s
rvh<-r lanclctl irr the Nerv Ilebrides, nrov'
ing up for.the b|ooclv fightíng orr Cua<.la!.
cilrral. fotrncl thc rrlttives frrríously at

Reprinted with permission. Copyright @ 1959 by Scientific American, Inc. All rights reserved.

230
tlrfEf-f
work Prepilring aírfields, roads and
doclis for the rnagic ships and planes
tlt;tt tlrer, beIieved ll'ere crlmíng ft.trm
"Rusefel" (Roosevelt), the friendly king
of America. .
The Japtese also encountered mil-
lenarian visionaries during their south-
ward march to Gua<.lalcanat. Indeed, one
of the strangcst mirror military actíons of
World War Il occurrecl in Dutch New
Guinea, when Japanese forces had to
be- turned against the local papuan in-
habitants of the Gee|vink Bay regíon'
The Japanese had at ffrst been'rece]ved
with great iov, not because their. .,Great-
er East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere" prop-
aganda had made any great impact up-
on the Papuans, but because the na-
tives regarded them as harbingers of the
new u'orld that was dawning, the Í|ight
of the Dutch having already given the
first sign. Mansren, creator of the islands
and their peoples, would norv rcturn,
bringing rvith him the ancestral dead. r^
All this had been known, the cult leaders
declared, to the crafty Dutch, who had
torn out the first page of the Bible
where these truths rvere inscribed. When
Mansren returned, the exísting rvorld
order rvould be entirelv ove;turned.
White men rvould trrrn black like papu-
irns, Papuans would become Whites;
root crops would grow in trees, and
coconuts and fluits would grow like
tubers. Some of t|re is|anders nó.v began
to drarv togetlrel into lirrge "torvns";
others took Biblical names such as
"Jericho" and "Galilee" for their villages.
Soon they ldopted nrilitary uniforrns and
began drillirrg. The Japanese, by now
highIv unpop*ut"', t,í"d. to disarm arrd
disperse the Papuans; resistancc.inc,vi-
tablv develope<l. The climax of this
tragerlv cirme u'hen several canoe-loads
of íalratic's saiIed out to attack
Japanese
rvarships, believing themselves to be in-
vulnerable bv virtue of the holy water
rvith which thev had sprink|eá them.
selves. But the bullets of the
Japanese
did not turn to water, and the atiackers
were mrrrved dow.n by machine.gurr Íire.
pehind this incídent |av a long historv'
u A, long ago as l85i missionaries in
theCeelvink Bav region had made note
of the storv of Mansren. It is tvpical of
manv \íeIanesian myths that ilec.irrne
conforrrrrlcrl rvith Christian tloctrine to
íorm the ir|eolosical basis of the m<tve.
ments. The lt'gend tclls horv lonq ago
there liverl an olcl mirn namcd I{irnama-
leri ("he rvho itches"), rvhose body wirs
covered rvith sores. Manarnakeri was
extremely fond of palrn winc, ancl used
to clímb a huge tree every day to tap
the |iquicl from the Í|olvers. He soon
Íound that sorneone was getting there
before him and removíng the liquid.
Eventually he trapped the thíef, vlho
turned out to be none other than the
\,lorninq Star. In rcturn for his free-
rlom, the Star gave the old man a rva.nd
that would procltrce as much fish as he
liked, a magic tree and a rnagic staff.
If he drerv in tbe sand and stamped his
foot, the drawing would become real.
Manamakeri, aged as he was, now mag-
ically impregnated a yorrng rnai<lcn; the
child of this union was a nriracle-child
lvho spoke as sooÍl as he was born' But
the rnaíden's parents were horrified, and
banishec'l her, thechild and the old man.
The trio sailed off in a carnoe createcl by
\Íansren (..Thc l-ord''), as the o|d lnan
trotv bccarne knorvn. On this iournev
\íansrctt rejtrvenated lrimse|Í lly ste[-
ping into a fire and flakíng off his sca|y
skin, whiclr changed into valuables. He
tlren sailed around Geelvink Bay, creat-
ing islands rvherr: he stopped, and pco-
p|íng them rvíth thc anccstors of t|re
pre)-ent-dav Papuans.
The l\{ansren nryth is plainly a crea-
tion mvth full of svmbolic ideas relating
to fertilitv antl rebirthl
Comparative
evidence-especially the shedding of his
scalv skin-confirms the suspicion that
tlre old man is, in fa<.t, thc Snake in an-
other guise. Itsvclroarralvtic u'rite rs argrrc
that thc snukc occrrpies such a prornirrent
part ín mythology the world over be.
cause it st:rnds for the penis, another
fertilitv syrnbol. This mav be so, but its
svrnbolic sigrrific:ince is srrrerly more
cornplcx than this. It is the "rebirth" of
the hero, rvht,tlrrr Mansren or the Snake,
that exercises such ttniversa| fascinatíon
over rnen's minds.
The I 9th-century missionaries thought
that the l\íirnsretl story would make the
irrtr<rdrrction of Christianitv easier. since
the colr<t'pt of "rcsurrection," not to
rnt'rrtiorr that of tlrc "virgin birth" an<l
the "seconrl coming," was alrearlv therc.
By lÍt67' ltolr'ever, thc first cult organ.
izert arorrrrd tlre \lansren leqen<j s,ai re-
portt'<1.
Though such myths rvere rvidespread
in l\,Ít.lanesia, and mav have sparked oc.
casional ntovements even in the ore-
White cra, tlrr:v took on a new sig;ifi-
cance in the late l9th cr.:nturv, once thc
European powers had ffnished parceling
out the Melanesian region anlong them-
selves. In manv coastal areas the long
Cargo Cttlts 231
history of "blackbirding"-the seizure of
istanders for rvork on t.úe p|antations of
Australia and Fiji-hacl built .,p n .es-
ervoír of hostílitv to Europeans. In other
areas, however, ihe a..ilri of the Wlrites
was accepted, even rvelcomed, for it
meant access to brrlly becf and ciga-
rette-s, shirts and paraffin Iamps. rvhiskv
ancl bicvcles. It also mearrt access to thc
knowlcclge behínd these matería| goocls.
for the Errropeans brorrght missions nnd
schools as well as cargo.
practícallr. the on|v teaching the na.
r tives rt'<.eived nlx)ut ErrroDean life
catnc front tht, rnissiorrs' wIlíclr em1llr:r-
sized the central signíficance of re|igion
in Etrropean socíety. The \{elanesians
alreadv bclievcd that man's activities-
whcther gardening, sniling canoes or
bearirrg clrilclrcn_necdecl mIrgícal as.
sistance. Ritual rvithottt httmlrn eíIorl
was not cnough. Btrt neíther rvas httmlln
effort on its orvn. This outlook \vas re-
inforcc<l bv mission tcaching.
Tlre irritial crrtlrrrsiasm for Errropean
rule, horvevcr, \\,as spcedily dispelled.
The rapid srorvth of the pl,rntation
economy remove<l the bulk of the able-
bot|ied lnen from the ví|lages. leaving
women, childrcn :rnrl okl men to carrv
on lts liest tlrev corrl<l. The splendiá
vision of the erluality of all Christians
begnn to secrn a piorrs deception in face
of the rcalitics of thc color bar, the rnulti-
plicitv of livll Christinn nrissions and
tlrc' operr irrcli{:ion of nrany \Vhites.
I.'or a long tirnc the natives accepted
thc Errropcan mission as the means by
uhiclr thc "curgo" w'ould eventually be
made available to tlrern. But they found
that lcccptancc of (lhristianitv did not
lrring the cilr!{o irnv nearer. Thev grerv
clisillrrsiorretl. Tlre storv now bcgarr to be
1-rut ulrorrt that it rr,:rs not tlre Whites who
rnade thc c;rlgo. lrtrt the clerrd arrcestors.
To pcopk,cornplcteh ignolant of factorv
prodrrction. this rnrrde good sense. White
rncn dirl rrot rvork; tht:y nrerely rvrote
sccret siqrrs on scraps of pnller. for rvhich
tlrev w'crc given shiploads of goods. On
the other hantl. the Melanesians labored
rveck aftcr rveek for pitiful wages. Plain-
h the goods nrust l)e made for N{ela-
nesiilrrs somervhere, perhaps in the Land
of thc Dcad.'l'he Whites, who possessed
tlre seclet of the cargo, rvere intercepting
ít ant| kceping it from the hanrls of the
islarril<'r's. to rvhom it rvas reallv con-
sirlrrcrl. lrr tlrt, \llclirng district .if N",u
Crrinc;r, after some 40 1,ears' r,xpcrience
oI thc rrrissions. the rrativcs werrt irr i.r
bodv one day *,ith a petition demtndinq
rr :Y
-tH*l
2s2 CI J L'I'I ] RA I, AN'I'I I ROI'O I'O(

130
.{r
i .,' GILBERI
'';rt/L
.:\
k*r . ..

':
"r

o[, de-
A1;ot'alvpsc, rvith its prophecies
(ilr[o secret slrotrlcl no$ llc re' oI l)itt)('r' rrntl <'llrirlistic rvritirrg' l\tanv.of
thrrt thc tlrlir lrrr<'ks on tlte .t1,,.'t',i,i,,,t,l,.,tttrtcttiott' llitrticttlrtrlv
11',1,','.1,'1i1,,'r,,tclv trtrlt
verrlt'tl to tlrern. [or tht'r'lrltl Itt'ett verv oblects' ....\Íi:;,i.,''l;
irttril('tl\'('.
rr.tst lrr' <lt'strovirrg st:ctt't ritrtrtl
p,ltl('ltt of rrnirri- tltat sIt.e ss the itnminence' of
' " ttt tllt't'xistcrrce
$0 sltotrq ls tllls l)('ll('r l,r tlrt'rn ttr tht: gaz-t:
(lonrinq' lil:e those of the
"*1,,,rittg irrrd \\'om('r), fo' *'hom for- thc Sct rrrltl
o[ rt "scctel" tllat tlte cargtl cults gerter-
ii.,r",i
',,,,,itt,a glimpst oI tllt' s:rcrecl ob- Scvcnth l)irv Atlverltists, itrc ttftrltt 'tc'
allv corrlain some ritilal in imitirtion of ,rr,'r'lt
"."n ltitv| mt'rtttl tlr(' s('verest .',..'.l .,I stirnrrllrtirrq Itrillctrlrríltti t'rrlts
thi' nrvsteriorrs Ettropc'ttr customs rvltich
rIt ts r|otllrl islentlt'rs lrr rt'alit1 ' lttttrt'l t'r'
luurottq tltt'
i,,','.,lti,'r. t'vt'tt tL':ttlr''i'lrt' lrt'lit'f
tlrrrt
ijt,' li.'l,,,t"ri,rtrs tltcrnst'lvts reuork
tirc
to lrt'tlte c'irrc to tlre rvhitt'tnatr's
"r.'lr,'i,l ll''.'.' ,r"r" thc chost'rt llcolllc is ftrrtltcr lt
ertr;tortlittarl' Po\\'er ovcr grlrlds and
tltt'ttr'
ol tlrt Bible' rlrrt'trittt's tltc rtrissiotrarics tertt
'l-ltt'lreiie.,'tt sil arottttd trlrles rvith ,,'i',1,,r,',,1 1,., 1lrrrr lt"rtliitg lllt l]ilrL' rvlrrrt tlllv tltcnl-
rnt'rt. ()l tll('PcoPlc sclc< titru Il ortt
frtr tlrl lives irlttl cttst<ttn';
ctrtrgcrri'rl irt il'
btlttlt,s rrí Í]tlrr.crs in front tlf tlrtlm, Olcl'f estarttcnt rt'scrnble their
o'*'n íi,'.l 1l'rr.tit'rrl;rrlv
irt the '.,l..,* itt ;tt'tlirs
<llt'sst'rl in Iitlrolleltn clotlrt's, rvaiting fo,r of thc Etrropeans' Sttclt lrt,lr'.'tttt'llts hirvc rlccttrrctl
livcs rather tliatt those
tlrc cargo slrip tlr air'1.llanc to rnltt'rial- rr,ltet.t' ttrissiorts trt rlrrite dií{t:r'crtt tr'1lcs

izt': orlrlr t ttltists lt'irtttrt' tllrlti(' l)ic(cs

ln thc Nerv Tcstanrctlt thcr' find the
I Cargo
h,rve lret'rr <lominant, from Roman Cath-
olic to Scvcnth Dav Adventist. The rea-
stlns Íor the emergence oí tlrt'se cults, of
corrrse, lie far deeper in the life-expe-
rience of tlre people.
rf -ht, ccrrnomv of most of the islands is
I vcrv llack.vard. \ative agliculture
pro<1,,c:e.- littlc for the rvorlc.l ma-rket, ,rnd
cvcn tlre Europeirn plantations
rnirtes export onlv a ferv primarv plod-
rrcts nnrl r'nrv nratcriirls: c()prar rubber,
qrll<l' \telanesilns :tre r1uíte unab|e to
tun<lerstancl rvhv copra, [ol example,
soUTH PAClFlC, scene oÍ lhe religious
dist urbances krtorLtn ns carlo cltlts, is shown
in this nnp. MLtst cargo cults haue been in
Mclattcsia, sltozLnt ltcre as Íour re1ions
cttck)sad irt brokot rectanglcs. Each of these
rr',qirrrrs is slunur itt a detnilcd map in thc
folltturittg pn1es. Also shotur on this nrap
art' thrcc outlyins cargo cults, ttLto of them
Polytrcsian ard the third Micronesinn.
Nrrlrlrt'rs rur l/rrsr nralts indicatc irrdiztidual
culls.l,cllrs rcfcr lo trypicnl t't'nlurrsof culls
(sec ntrmbcr arrd letter keys
accompanying each map).
I MAMAIA MOVEMENT TAHITI I930.I944
7 HAU.H4J MOVEMENT NEW ZFALAND
l 8ó0.I B7l
3 oNoToA TROUBTES GttBERT r5rANDS932
a MYTH OF THE RETURN OF THE DEAD
b REVIVAL OR MODITICATION OF
PAGANISM
INTROOUCTION OF CHRISTIAN
ELEMENTS
rI CARGO MYTH
c BELIEF THAT NEGROES WITT
BECOME WHITE MEN AI.ID
VICE VERSA
Í BETIEF IN A COMING MESSIAH
t ATTEMPTS TO RESTORE NATIVE
POLITICAT AND ECONOMIC
CONTROL
THREATS AND VIOLENCE AGAINST
WHITE MEN
i uNroN oF TRADTT|oNALTY
SEPARATE ANO UNTRIENDLY
GROUPS
fetches 30 porrnds sterling per ton one
month arrd btrt 5 porrntls ir fcs' ntontlts
later. Witlr no notion of the rvorkings <lÍ
s'orlrl-commoditv markets, the natives
see onlv the srrdden closing of planta-
tions, icdrrcecl wages irnd unemplov-
nrcrrt. artd are inclint:cl to attribute their
insccuritr' to the whirn or evil ín the na-
ture of irrdividual planters.
and Such shocks have not been confined
to the economic order. Governments,
too, have come and gone, especiallv dur'
ing the trvo rvorld wars: Cerman, Dutch,
British and French administrations melt-
Cults 233
ed ovelnight. Then came tbe Japa-
nese. onlv to be ousted in turn largelv
bv the previouslv unknown Americans.
Anrl arnong these Americans the lrtela-
rresians sarv Negroes like themselves, liv-
inÍI livcs rrí lttxttrr,otr et1tt:rl terms rr'itlr
rvhitc C.l. s.ifhc sight ol tlrese \cgrocs
seclne<l likÍ a ftrifi|lmclrt rlÍ lhe o|c|
pr'o1lhecies t() Ínitn\' cargo ctllt |e:rders.
Ntlr. tttttst rl't' ltlrÍ:t't tlrt' slrct'r sc:lle <lI
tltis ittv:tsirrtl. Árrtttrtrl;l rrriIlirlrr Ll. S.
troops 1.r;rssr'<l tlrlouglr tlrc A<lrniralty
Islarrds, conrpletelv srvampirrg the in-
habitants. It u'as a rvorld of meaning-
less and chaotic changes, in which any-
thing rvns possible. New ideas were im-
ported and given local twists. Thus in
the Lovaltv lslands pcople expected thc
French Communist Partv to bring the
mi||ennium. There ís no rea| evidence,
horvever, of anv Commrrnist influence in
these movements, despite tlre rather hvs-
terical belief nmorrg Solomon lsland
plrrnters that the ntme of the local
"l\tasinga Rule" movement rvas derived
from the lvord..i\í.rrxian''! In reaIity the
llaIrle comes from a So'lomon Island
tongue, irnd meatrs "brotherhood."
Eulope:rns rvho have rvitnessed otrt'
bretrks inspirecl bv the cargo ctrlts ,trc
tusuallv at a loss to understand rvhrrt ther'
beholi. Thc islandels throw arvry their
money, break their most sacred taboos,
abandon their gardens and destroy their
precious livestock; they indttlge in sex-
ual license or, alternativelv, rigidly sepa-
rate men from rvomen in huge com-
munal establishments. Sometimes they
spencl days sitting gazing at the horizon
for a glímpse of the |ong-arvaited ship or
airplane; sometimes they dance, pray
arrd sing in mass congÍegations' be-
coming possessed and "speaking with
tongues.'i
ob,"í",, have not hesitated to use
such words as "madness," "mania," and
"irrationality" to characterize the cults.
But the cults reflect quite logical and
rational attempts to make sense out oí
a social order that aPPears senseless
and chaotÍc. Given the ignorance of the
Melanesians about the wider Eulopeatr
society, its economíc organízation and
its highlv developed technologv. their'
reactions form a consistent and un-
derstandable pattern. 'fhey rvrap u1l all
tht'ir 1'earning and hopc in an amalgam
that ómbinei thc be'si counsel they can
find in Christianity and their native be-
lief. If the rvorld is soon to end, garden-
ing or Íishing is unnecessarv; cverything
wil| be provided. If the lríelanesians are
 234 CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY

NEW GLi /Nt A l:r.s ltccrt n prolific brt't'dcr to be part of a rnrrtlt s'itlt'r ortlt'r. tltc
of cargtr cults, rcsultitr,r front tltc irnpact ttf taboos tlrat prescribe thcir social contlttct
Dutch, Cannnn, Britislt nnd Iafarrcsc rult must no\\. be lifted or broken in a ltesl-r'
on its Stottc Ápc ctt/ltlrcs. At prcscnt t|tc prescritrd rvat'.
rucstem Ttttrtittrr is lrclr/ lrv thc Nethcrlnrrds O cqlrsl tbccgo Ercr cÜr*- Tb
but claimctl lty Indonesia. TItc southcnst <ü- '.re"*p|..** trp .nrn. F tr mrm.n-
't,il
(Paltua) and northt'nst (U.N. 7'rrtst Ü["'

Ttrriton1 1rf Ntrt' Gttin'n) nrt'tot'r'nlcrí l'v Ptryr ts .I. &5! Úl ]!b
Australin. lrg!*]- lim.Fim in qF ínhdl \i'i
tn g: -5 '" ar '"{:
.FtTt Ü.üh .üild rürl- Íbd rrrt|
a MYTH oF THE REÍURN of TH5 Dt^] Í r!.|Íf, rD. A co-tB E!9'rf{ d*{tt- < q- '' ..! r< '1 " srirl ""'-
ó ntvtvlL oP l.too|llc^lioA. c$ E r--auP:s 70 a:l-l*E '. -- ri
1i9rt rri -:, br.' -' ;t l:' \'rrr( P' '\-
PAGANISM P:'. . :r'l ::cÉ.:,J:
^"\]
c |NÍPoDuc'|oil of cHl|snx{ cc..-; :r-
t ! E}.|t NÍs l THr€Ars AND vlottNcE At this p()irrt it shorrltl lre olrscrvetl tlral
d cePcc '-'"rx v.!|ÍE MEN ^GAtNsÍ f\ .u11. oí tlris r:t'rrr.r.rI kirrrl .lt'(. tI()l
? Btt'tr r- NtGeO{S wrtl
-- i L.' ].J ot TRAo|Í|oNA|.tY peculial to \tclrrrit'sil. \tt'rr rr'lro [t't'l
BtcoiA,€ wx|ÍE MeN Al\ro STPARATI ANO UNTRIENOTY
vtcE vfes^ GROUPS

4 X,OETPt MOVTMfNI NUMTOR, DUICH NTW GUINEA ]9II

5 xoPtP| rJ.oVtMrNr B|AK, DUÍCH NEw GU|NEA l939
6 Í()9(F| rvovtt!'fNl B|AK, DUTCH |..]tW GUlNfA l88ó
, xOPÍPI lr'(J!/tVtNl BIA(, G€ELVINK BAY, DUTctl NtW GUINfA I942.1947
E stMsoN INcIDtNÍ HoLtANDIA, DUICH NEW GUINEA l940 ?
9 PA|'4AI MoVtMENT tAKE SENÍAN|. DUTCH NtW GUINEA I928
tO IIIMEORAN MC)VTMtNI LAKT StNTANI, DUTCH NTW GUINEA I945
|| NINIGo IStÁNoS |vloVtMENT NINlGo IsLANDs' Ntw GUlNEA 1945. ?
|7 BtAcK }1INGs MoVtMtNT A|ÍAPt' WtwAK. NEW GUINtA l930
t3 GRtAT PIc]:l \^JtsT ctNIpAL NtW GUlNtA ]94ó
t4 HINT MOVf MTNT WABAG, CEI'JIRAI NEW GUINEA I945
r5 BTACK KINGS MOVEMtI.I] MOUNl IJAGIN, NEW GUINEA I94O
tó NATlVt KING KtRAM RlVtR, CENTRAL NEW GUlNEA l943']945
I7 GHOST WIND KAINANTU, CENTRAL NEW GUINEA I940.I947
t8 TOMMY KABU COOPERATIVE MOVTMENT PURARI DETTA. PAPUA I94.5 I947
I9 BATAWI INCIDENT WESTERN PAPUA
2o GtRMAN WIsLlN sAIBA|. ToRRts s.rRA|Í |9l3 |9l5
2I VAIIATA MADNESS PAPUA I9I9 I93I
77 f rLO lNClt)tNT Mf Kto PAPUA lgdo l94l
23 GolLAtA At.]D GoGooAR^ cl.]tÍ PAPUA 1945
24 PIC KILIING KAIPUKU PAPUA I93/
t5 THRTI BTACK KINGS WfWAK, NTW GUINfA I948.1949
76 MAMBU MOVtMfNT MADANG, NTW Gt'INf A ]93/ I940
77 ÍirU INclDtNÍ RAMU, MAoANG, NEW GUlNEA l95l
28 BLACK KIIJG I/OV[ MTNT MADANG. NIW GUINTA I935
79 (UKUAIK MOVEMINT KARKAR ISTAND, NEW GUINEA I940. ?
30 CARGO CULT MADANG. NEW GUINTA I940
3I CARGO CULT MADAN('. NfW GUINiA I934
32 YALl INclt-)f NÍ MADANG, NrW GUINiA l945 |955
33 GARIA MOViMTNT NlADANG, NIW GUINTA I94O' ?
34 StcoND (oMING Ot cHRlST RAl coAsl, NiW GUlNtA l93ó
35 iTTUB MOVTMENI MADANG, NTW GUINTA I939 I94O
3ó tEMAsANG MoVi|"^ir.]I HUON PtNINsU[A, NtW GUlNtA |927. ?
37coMINGotJisUStASÍERNHIGHtANDS.cENIRAtNEWGUINEAl9't3.l9/t5
38 TrMO INCIDtNI HUOtl PtNINSULA. NtW GUINfA 1922
39 ÍHRtE BLAcK KINGs f lNScHHAFEN, NEw GUINEA l945' ?
10 TAZARUS MOVTMENT HUON PENINSULA, NTW GUINEA I933
.r sosoM INclDtNÍ Mo('NÍ GoLDBtRG. NEW GU|NEA ]93ó
.2 MoPoBt MoVtMENT MoROtt. NtW GUlNfA l933.l93ó
.3 MARXHAM VAILTY MOVfMEI']T MARKHAM VALLTY, NTW GUINEA I932'I934
.4 YERUMOT INCIDENl TOEPTER RIVIR, NTW GUINTA I930. ?
{5 SCHWAERMTREI RAWTINSON RANGE, NEW GUINTA I933
4óMARK|lAMVALLEYMoVtMtNTMARKHAMVA[tEY,NEWGUlNEAl932.l934
17 BAIGONA MOVfMENT MASSIM, NTW GUINfA I9I2'I9I9
/u iARo cULÍ NoRTHEAsÍ NEW GUINEA l9l4. ]928
{9 PlG K|I|.|NG NORÍH PAPUA |930
50 PIG KILtING NoRÍHEAsÍ PAPUA |930
5t AsslsI cUtT NoRÍl.1iAsT PAPUA |930.|94il
52 MILt..lt BAY MOVtMtNÍ MAsslM, NrW GU|NIA |893. ?
53PArIAUMoVEMtNÍMANUsAND8AIUAN.ADMIRAt.lYIsI.ANDS|9,ló.|954
.I|]t
54 Nolst RAMBUDjoN, ADMIRA|-]Y IsLANos |94ó l948 (?)
55 BAI^RI MoVtMENÍ GALIto, NtW BRlTAIN |940.l94ó
5ó BAINING 1ROU81 f s NtW BRITAIN l955
ST BAII.IIN(; MOVtMtNT Nf W BRITAIN I929 I93O
58 Y( íO|J() MoVtMFNÍ t']rW BRITA|N |930 (?r
59 NAMAÍA|.lAI MoVEMtNÍ NEW lRELAND | 939
 Crtrgo Cults 235

themselves opprt'sse cl urrtl clct:r.'ivt,tl hrr.t,

alu,a.r's becrr telldv to potrr tlreir hopcs
irn<l fcurs, thcil aspirltions ulrcl fnrstr:r-
tirltrs, irrttl rll cltttls rlÍ lt ttrilIt'tIrtitttlt ttl
c()lrlc ()r rlf a grll<lerl lrí]t' ttl retrrr.rt. A||
parts of tlre uorlrl hrrvc lr:rtl tlrt'ir c'orrn-
tt,rparts tlf tltt' cltrqtr c.ltIts. Írrlrrl tlrt'
Amcric'arr In<lilrrr glrost rlirrr< r. to tlr,'
ctltrlrnttttist-tniIIenirrist ..rr'igtt rlí tlrc
saittts'' itt \|irIrstcr rlrlrirrq tlrc llt.Írlrttt.t.
tion, from rne<licr',rl F-rrrrpcan apoc..r-
..rl.itr.lr-ÍirrtliIrg..
lr.ptic crrIts t<r Aflit.ltrt
rr)o\'('lr)(,nts iurrl (llnrrr,st' llrrrlrilrsl lrlrr.-
sics. In s<-rnrt. sitrlrtions rnt'rr lrrr'(' lrt'r'l
contrnt to rvtrit ltntl 1trat.: in <tthcrs thcr.
Ir;rrr.sorrqlrl lp lr.rrt,lrr t1,,.,1,,, 1,, ,rrirr,l
tlrcir strorrq riqlrt rrrrrrs lo rlo tlrr' l,orrl s
uork. Attd rrlrr':r1's tlr<' t'rrlls sr.rvt, to
blirtg togctht r sclttcr r'<l (r.o11115. rrotirblv
tltr' pt'aslrrts irrr<l rrrlxrrr pltlrcirrrrs ol
ltntriart so<'ictit's :rrrrl llr,' p<'o1.llt's ol
"strttclcss" soc ictit's u lrt'rl tlrt' r'rrlt rrrritt':;
s('p;lrat(' (urr<l oltcrr, lrostilr') r'ill;rgt.s,
cllrts irrrrl trilrt.s irrto rr rvirlcl rr.liqio-
political
rrrritt,.
()rrtc tlrc l)col)lc l)etlin to
sccrrlirr lloliti<.al ()rqilr)izirt ions. lrou.r'r't'r,
llll sllls tr'lrrl t,' l,rrl llr,.rl urryrrrrl.rrrr r'.ts
vt'lriclt's ol ltrolt'st. 'l'lrlv lrr,grrr lo rr'k'-
grrtt tlrl Sr.torrtl (,orrrinq to tlrt'rlist;rrrt
Iutrrrt'or to tlrc rrlxt sorlrl. Irr \lt'lrrrrr.si.r
orclirurrv lloliti<.rrl lrrlrlir.s. lrarlt' rlriorrs
atttl rtittivc corrrr<ils lrrr' lrt'r'rrrrrirrg llrr.
ttrtrtlrill trtr't|íit tltrrlrtt:lr rr'lri<.lr tlrt' is|.rrrr|.
('rs cxl)rcss tlrcir nspirirtiorrs. ln rect'rtt
(oittinu(,rl r,<.ontrlnic prospcritr' :rrrrl
1'(,irrs
political stability havc tlkcrr sornc of thc
edgc oíl tlrt'ir r|t's1l:rir. It ltrlrr' sr'ctrts tttt.
likelr' thlrt anl' rnajor Ínovement a|ong
cargo-crrit lint's rvill rt'c.ur in areas rvhere
lhc trrrnsition to sec'rrlur politics has been
rnarlt'. t'r'cn if thc irrst'ctrritl oI prew.ar
<levr.lop timt's lt'trrnrt'cl. I rvoul<l predict that the
ernl)r \'onic nutionalism represented by
c;rrgo ctrlts is likelv irr [rrtrrre to take
forrns familiar irr tlrt'lristorv o[ other
torlrtrit's tlr;rt lr.rvt, ntovt,rl frorrr srrb-
sistt'rtcc uqlicrrltrrr<' to purticipation in
the rvorld ec()nomy.

t45
...WTW
-
:,
i'.j':.iiÉl , .*. t

N"
1': ::.
, ..,:.., .i... ^

NlNlGo lsLÁNDs

ADMIRALTY ISLANDS
;{.;

:\
|úANUS$ffjP1 .;rdr i;,!

q
t'hi o
5b
<\. *

BISMARCK ARCHIPELA

:r,',-Q)
ERrralN
)

'éi
'tai-',I.: \ dr
Í.i..'>)*
/.,á;t:
::','. /' .i.,
\il,alt?.',,i\i, lt
!
'i !
l
tl"r: 'i''"':,I,ir'.,l
)-*'t+.1; ?;t;' ', 11
:i:L::.:.'
"
$ -É'x *)
PORI MORE
.;,',.ilil
! Qcq;
srcj.y\y1 ', , ,"'j

: .f -:\
ot) YT. \l

A , tr
,Lr f.r
,ifllc 11.""''
:"',,i"
.:.t
:,,.1,,.
'
-..i; :
i..l
,,i5;',: '' , .;;rjr;
',, ii{'.'., ;, ...
 236 CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY
-,{F

soLoMoN IsLÁNDs, adntinistered by

Australin artd Crcat Britairr, are anttther
cottcr of (nrs(} cltlÍs, sontc caused Iry the
cataclqsntiL^ intpact of World War ll. The
data corttained in thcse n:ll.Tts nnd tables,
Itrclartd lty thc nutlnr nt:/ lcarr Guiart of
t|tt Lolt rü's /ínrrÍt'sLlrrrlt's irr Pnris, arc
ttot tl cotttPltlt' /isÍ trf tlrlo cults. Mnttt1
dutrc nrt' otrlV nltltroxtrntttt.

a MYTH OF THE RETURN OF THE DEAD

b REVIVAL OR MODIFICATION OF
PAGANISM
INÍRoDUCTIoN oF cHRIsTlAN
EL EMENTS
d CARGO lvlYTH
? BELIEF THAT NEGROES WIIL
BECOME WHITT MEN AND
VICE VERSA
T BELIEF IN A COMING MESSIAH
AÍÍEMPÍSTo REsÍoRE NAT|VE
POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC
CONTROL
THREATS AND VIOTENCE AGAINST
WHITE MEN
ó0 BUKA MOVEMENTS NORTHERN SOLOMON ISLANDS I9I3.I935
UNION OF TRADITIONALLY ól BOUGAINVITLE MOVEMENT NORTHERN SOLOMON ISTANDS ]935'I939
SEPARATE AND UNFRIENDLY 62 MAASINA (MARCHINGJ RULE MALAITA, SOLOMON ISLANOS I945'I958
GROUPS ó3 CHAIR AND RULE CULT MALAITA, SOLOMON ISTANDS I935
 Cargo Cults 237

NEWHEBRIDES ÁND NEW CALED)NIAare, respectiqely, Anglo-French and French FUI ISLANDS are a British colony.
possessions. otrc Nau Caledonian cult placed Messíanic hopes in the Comrnuníst Partv.
Although generally Christianized, they
haoe spawtred seueral senti-Christian cargo
cults.

73 TUKA MoVEMENÍ CENÍRAL V|TI tEVU,

FtJt1873-1920
74 APOLOSI MOVEMENT WEST VITI tEVU,
J.i,..
.|J:t:;1
FtJt | 9l 4. | 940
75 LUVE.NI.WAI CENTRAL VITI LEVU,
FlJt t880_ ?
76 KELEVI SECT KADAVU, FIJI 1943-1947

a MYIH OT THE RETURN OF THE DEAO

b REVIVAL OR MOOIFICATION OF
PAGANISM
INTROOUCTION OF CHRISTIAN
ELEMENTS
,i
ó4 MAMARA MoVEMENT (NAKto d CARGO MYTH
I cUtT) wEsÍ.cENÍRAt EsP|RlTU sANTo.
II C BELIET THAT NEGROES WII.L
ó5 AT.R| |NC|DENT soUTH E'P|R|TU,o",o, *,iljÍ,!'*.,'JJ3,'',]jo'.'''' BEcoME WH|T€ MEN AND
I
t 6ó RoNGoFURo AFFAIR soUTH ESP|R|TU sANTo, NEW HEBRlDEs |9l4-|923 VICE VERSA
I 67
I
ó8
AVA.AVU INCIDENT SOUTH.CENTRAL ESPIRITU SANTO, NEW HEBRIDES
MALEKULA |.JATlVE CoMPANY CENÍRAL NEW HEBRIDEs
1937 Í BELIEF IN A COMING MESSIAH
ó9
70
BULt lNclDENT MEtsIs|' PENÍEcosÍ, NEW HEBRlDEs 1947
JOHN FRUM MOVEMENT TANNA, NEW HEBRIOES ]938.1958
]95o
t ATTEMPTS TO RESTORE NATIVE
POLITICAI. AND ECONOMIC
71 PWAGAC INCIDTNT
72 ,.coMMuNIsT PARTY,,NORTHERN NEW CALEDONIA,|9Á7
Ig4I CONTROL
LlFU. NÉW CALEDoN|A THREATS AND VIOLENCE AGAINST
o MYTH OF THE RETURN Or THE DEAO
/ erLtrr tN A coMtNG MESSTAH WHITE MEN
ó REVIVAL oR MoD|F|c^TloN ot
5 ATTEMPTS To RESToRE NATlvE UNION OF TRADITIONALLY
PAGANISM pOgTtCAL AND ECONOMIC SEPARATE AND UNTRIENDTY
c |NÍRoDUcÍ|oN oF cHRlsÍtAN coNTRoL GROUPS
EL EMENTS Ir THREATS AND v|o|.ENcE AGA|NSÍ
í/ cARGo MYÍH WHITE MEN
e BELIEF THAT NEGRoES wILL i uNroN oF TRAotiloNAtty
BECOME WHIIE MEN AND SEPARATE ANO UNTRIENDLY
VICE VERSA GROUPS