We found a match
Your institution may have access to this item. Find your institution then sign in to continue.
- Title
Human Body in Melanesian Context.
- Authors
Jose, Orathinkal
- Abstract
This paper is an attempt to understand the human body in the Melanesian context from historical, traditional and religious perspectives. In the first part, a historical development of the concept of body is attempted. In the subsequent section, since notions of body in Melanesian cultures are centered on the life cycle process and its underpinnings such as, conception, birth and death, the paper discusses some of the known conception theories and implications for the Melanesian notion of body. Furthermore, this paper tries to show the significance of skin - thought to be a direct reflection of the body - in relation to the body. Since body substances and fluids have values and meanings and are given different interpretations in different cultures, a brief discussion of the different nuances of body substances and fluids further strengthens the argument that the human body in Melanesian contexts is understood in a 'relational' perspective. In the last section of this paper, since religion has always been an agent of change in many cultures, and Melanesia is no exception to it and Papua New Guinea being Christian country, this paper further shows the significance of viewing the human body from a religious perspective.
- Subjects
MELANESIA; PAPUA New Guinea; HUMAN body in religion; HUMAN life cycle; DEVELOPMENTAL biology; BODY fluids; RELIGION &; culture
- Publication
Contemporary PNG Studies, 2009, Vol 11, p53
- ISSN
1814-0351
- Publication type
Article