Stones in swamps: remains of a mythical past in the Sepik area
Early documents on Middle Sepik cultures mention special mounds, which fascinated the first travellers in that region, in front of the huge men’s houses. Situated in the midst of the well-groomed meadows of the so-called dancing grounds, these mounds attracted the explorer’s attention, but their mea...
Guardat en:
| Publicat a: | URI:https://journals.openedition.org/jso, |
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| Autor principal: | |
| Format: | Article ou chapitre numérique |
| Idioma: | Anglais |
| Publicat: |
Journal de la société des océanistes
2018
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| Matèries: | |
| Accés en línia: | Accès Université d'Orléans et IFPM Accès Université d'Orléans et IFPM |
| Sumari: | Early documents on Middle Sepik cultures mention special mounds, which fascinated the first travellers in that region, in front of the huge men’s houses. Situated in the midst of the well-groomed meadows of the so-called dancing grounds, these mounds attracted the explorer’s attention, but their meaning remained hidden. Their beauty was enhanced by tall palm trees and colourful bushes, as well as by carvings – some of them huge – and several upright stones (menhirs, stelae) surrounding the mounds. Later research revealed that they were associated with warfare and headhunting, but also with the founding ancestors of villages. This article summarizes these early descriptions and then proceeds to the later, more detailed research. Additional information is included from the author’s own fieldwork among the Sawos and Kwanga people, and a comparison is made with data from neighbouring cultures of the Middle Sepik region. |
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