Dobu
Also known as: Dobuan; Edugaura
Dobu is one of the D'Entrecasteaux Islands, near the eastern end of New Guinea. Supernatural belief on Dobu was magical rather than religious in character, and is described in detail in Reo Fortune's "Sorcerors of Dobu".
Traditional Culture(1870-1895)Expand All +
Belief
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Supernatural Beings |
| Nature Spirits | Present, and a major focus of supernatural practice (Source) |
| Fortune (1932), pp. 94-95, 101-102 | |
| Nature god(s) | Present, and a major focus of supernatural practice (Source) |
| Fortune (1932), pp. 94-95, 101-102 | |
| Ancestral spirits | Present, but not a major focus of supernatural practice (Source) |
| Fortune (1932), pp. 178-188 Bromilow (1929), pp. 86 |
|
| Deified ancestor(s) | Present, and a major focus of supernatural practice (Source) |
| Fortune (1932), pp. 98-100, 178 | |
| God(s) | Present, and a major focus of supernatural practice (Source) |
| Fortune (1932), pp. 98-100 | |
Supernatural Punishment |
| Supernatural punishment for impiety | Present (Source) |
| Bromilow (1929), pp. 88 | |
Afterlife and Creation |
| One's actions while living can affect the nature of one's afterlife | Actions while living are one factor in determining the nature of one’s afterlife (Source) |
| Bromilow (1929), pp. 89-90 | |
| The actions of others after one has died can affect the nature of one's afterlife | Actions of others after one has died are the principal determinant of the nature of one’s afterlife (Source) |
| Fortune (1932), pp. 186-187 | |
| Myth of humanity’s creation | Present, and evolutionary (Source) |
| Fortune (1932), pp. 94 | |
| Primordial pair | Absent (Source) |
| Fortune (1932), pp. 94 | |
| Culture hero(es) | Present, and a major focus of supernatural practice (Source) |
| Fortune (1932), pp. 98-100, 216-233 | |
General Features |
| Forces of nature are controlled by or imbued with the supernatural | Present (Source) |
| Benedict (1934), pp. 157 | |
Classes of Tapu |
| Kinship tapu | Present (Source) |
| Fortune (1932), pp. 16 | |
| Social hierarchy tapu | Absent (Source) |
| Young (1991A), pp. 51 Benedict (1934), pp. 131 |
|
Mana |
| Mana as a personal quality | Absent (Source) |
| Blust (2007), pp. 420 Keesing (1984) Blevins (2008), pp. 257 |
|
| Mana related to social influence or technical skill | Absent (Source) |
| Blust (2007), pp. 420 Keesing (1984) Blevins (2008), pp. 257 |
|
| Mana as a spiritual or religious concept | Absent (Source) |
| Blust (2007), pp. 420 Keesing (1984) Blevins (2008), pp. 257 |
|
Practice
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General Supernatural Practices |
| Headhunting | Present (Source) |
| Bromilow (1929), pp. 70, 115 | |
| Costly sacrifices and offerings | Absent (Source) |
| Benedict (1934), pp. 142 | |
| Size of largest ritual social group | Larger than a local community, no larger than the largest political community in the culture (Source) |
| Benedict (1934), pp. 131-132 | |
| Political and religious differentiation | Considerable overlap between religious and political leaders (Source) |
| Young (1991A), pp. 51 | |
Rites |
| Piercing | Present in culture, but not as a rite or feature of a rite (Source) |
| Fortune (1932), pp. 274 | |
| Genital cutting | Absent from culture (Source) |
| Fortune (1932), pp. 273-279 | |
| Scarification | Absent from culture (Source) |
| Bromilow (1929), pp. 96f, 104f, 136f, 144f, 17f, 208f Fortune (1932), pp. 273-279 |
|
| Tattooing | Absent from culture (Source) |
| Bromilow (1929), pp. 96f, 104f, 136f, 144f, 17f, 208f Fortune (1932), pp. 273-279 |
|
| Tooth pulling | Absent from culture (Source) |
| Fortune (1932), pp. 273-279 | |
Social Environment
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| Population | 2000 (Source) |
| Fortune (1932), pp. 18 | |
| Population of largest political community | 100-999 (Source) |
| Fortune (1932), pp. 30 Young (1991A), pp. 51 |
|
| Importance of Patrilateral descent | Low (Source) |
| Young (1991A), pp. 50, 51 | |
| Importance of Matrilateral descent | High (Source) |
| Young (1991A), pp. 50, 51 | |
| Polygamy | Limited polygyny (Source) |
| Young (1991A), pp. 51 | |
| Marital residence | Ambilocal - with either wife's or husband's kin (Source) |
| Young (1991A), pp. 51 | |
Conflict |
| Conflict with other cultures | Frequent, occurring at least yearly (Source) |
| Young (1991A), pp. 49 | |
| Conflict between communities of the culture | Frequent, occurring at least yearly (Source) |
| Fortune (1932), pp. 30 Young (1991A), pp. 51 |
|
| Conflict within communities | Low (Source) |
| Fortune (1932), pp. 43 | |
Cultural Isolation
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| Contact with other cultures | Frequent, through trade, warfare, travel, etc. (Source) |
| Young (1991A), pp. 49 | |
| Distance to closest landmass inhabited by a different culture (km) | 0.0 (Source) |
| Young (1991A), pp. 49 Ethnologue (Map 17 of Papua New Guinea) (2014) |
|
| Distance to African or Asian mainland (km) | 5191.4 (Source) |
| Ethnologue (Map 17 of Papua New Guinea) (2014) Daft Logic Distance Calculator (2014) |
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| Pre-Austronesian population | Present: Clear evidence of human occupation prior to Austronesian settlement (Source) |
| Bellwood (1995), pp. 109 | |
| Hindu / Buddhist influence on supernatural belief | No evidence of influence and not in region of known contact (Source) |
| Cribb (2000), pp. Map 2.21 | |
| Islamic influence on supernatural belief | No evidence of influence and not in region of known contact (Source) |
| Cribb (2000), pp. Map 2.23 | |
| Christian influence on supernatural belief | No evidence of influence but in a region where contact is likely (Source) |
| Young (1991A), pp. 49 | |
Subsistence and Economy
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Land-based means of subsistence |
| Animal husbandry as a source of food | Medium (Source) |
| Young (1991A), pp. 50 | |
| Land-based hunting performed by individuals | Minor (Source) |
| Young (1991A), pp. 50 | |
| Land-based gathering | Medium (Source) |
| Fortune (1932), pp. 70 | |
| Land-based hunting performed by one or more groups | Minor (Source) |
| Fortune (1932), pp. 70 | |
| Agriculture / Horticulture | Principal (Source) |
| Young (1991A), pp. 50 | |
Water-based means of subsistence |
| Fishing and water-based hunting performed by one or more groups | Medium (Source) |
| Young (1991A), pp. 50 Fortune (1932), pp. 69-70 |
|
| Fishing and water-based hunting performed by individuals | Medium (Source) |
| Young (1991A), pp. 50 Fortune (1932), pp. 69-70 |
|
Commercial Activity |
| Trade / wage labour as a source of food | Medium (Source) |
| Fortune (1932), pp. 70 | |
| Metalworking | Absent (Source) |
| Bellwood et al (1975) | |
Physical Environment
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Geographical Range of Culture |
| Number of islands inhabited by culture | One (Source) |
| Kuehling (2005), pp. xi Benedict (1934), pp. 130 Ethnologue (Map 17 of Papua New Guinea) (2014) |
|
Features of Island with Largest Culture Population |
| Latitude | -9.8 (Source) |
| Kuehling (2005), pp. 6 Google Maps (2014) |
|
| Longitude | 150.9 (Source) |
| Kuehling (2005), pp. 6 Google Maps (2014) |
|
| Island type (island with largest culture population or largest island if unknown) | Volcanic high island (Source) |
| Young (1991A), pp. 49 | |
| Island Size (km²) | 7.4 (Source) |
| Daft Logic Area Calculator (2014), pp. 13 | |
| Maximum elevation (meters) | 304.0 (Source) |
| Pritchard (1963), pp. 2 | |
Post Contact History(1895-2014)Expand All +
Religious History
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Conversion |
| Role of social status in conversion process | Mixed / Neither (Source) |
| Bromilow (1929), pp. 60-170, 206-230, 244-265, 116, 124 Young (1991A), pp. 51 |
|
| Use of force in conversion | Low (Source) |
| Bromilow (1929), pp. 95-170, 206-230, 244-265, Young (1991A), pp. 59-50, 51 |
|
| Resident missionary involvement in conversion process | Present, and from non-Austronesian societies (Source) |
| Young (1991A), pp. 49-50 | |
| Adoption of a world religion | Present and predominant (Source) |
| Young (1991A), pp. 51 | |
Syncretic Movements |
| Syncretic religious movements | Absent (Source) |
| Young (1991A), pp. 49-50, 51 Bromilow (1929), pp. 95-170, 206-230, 244-265, |
|
Secular History
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Demographic and Social Changes |
| Foreign government systems | Present, and of high importance (Source) |
| Young (1983), pp. 9 Young (1991A), pp. 51 |
|
| Immigration | Absent (Source) |
| Young (1983), pp. 9 | |
| Language shift | Low (Source) |
| Ethnologue (Dobu) (2014) | |
| Foreign education systems | Medium (Source) |
| National Research Institute of Papua New Guinea (2010), pp. 4, 33 | |
Economic Changes |
| Changes in means of subsistence | Medium (Source) |
| National Research Institute of Papua New Guinea (2010), pp. 33 | |
| Exportation of goods to other cultures | Present but minor (Source) |
| National Research Institute of Papua New Guinea (2010), pp. 33 Young (1983), pp. 9 |
|
Modern Infrastructure |
| Vehicles and roads | Present but rarely used (Source) |
| National Research Institute of Papua New Guinea (2010), pp. 33 | |
| Air travel | Absent (Source) |
| National Research Institute of Papua New Guinea (2010), pp. 33 | |
Loss of Autonomy |
| Nature of loss of autonomy | Largely voluntary (Source) |
| Young (1991A), pp. 49-50 Young (1983), pp. 4-5 |
|
| Loss of political autonoomy | Medium (Source) |
| Young (1983), pp. 4 Young (1991A), pp. 51 |
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Current Culture(2014)Expand All +
Belief
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Religious Demographics |
| Unofficial religious syncretism | Medium (Source) |
| Kuehling (2005), pp. 140-142 | |
| Dominant world religion | Christianity (Source) |
| Kuehling (2005), pp. 140 | |
External Links
References
Bellwood, P. (1995). Austronesian Prehistory in Southeast Asia: Homeland, Expansion and Transformation. P. Bellwood, J.J. Fox, & D. Tryon (Eds.), The Austronesians: Historical and Comparative Perspectives (pp 113-114). Canberra, Australia: ANU Press.
Bellwood, P., Ayres, W. S., Clune Jr, F. J., Craib, J., Durbin, T. E., Young, F. A., ... & Green, R. C. (1975). The Prehistory of Oceania [and Comments and Reply]. Current Anthropology, 16(1), 9-28. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/2740946
Benedict, R. (1934). Patterns of Culture. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin.
Blevins, J. (2008). Some Comparative Notes on Proto-Oceanic *Mana: Inside and Outside the Austronesian Family. Oceanic Linguistics, 47 (2), 253-274. Retrieved from http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/ol/summary/v047/47.2.blevins.html
Blust, R. (2007). Proto-Oceanic *Mana Revisited. Oceanic Linguistics, 46(2), 404-423. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/20172322
Bromilow, W. E. (1929). Twenty years among primitive Papuans. London: The Epworth Press.
Brunton, R. (1989). The Abandoned Narcotic: Kava and Cultural Instability in Melanesia. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press.
Cribb, R. (2000). Historical atlas of Indonesia. Surrey, UK: Curzon Press.
Daft Logic Area Calculator. (2014). Retrieved from: http://www.daftlogic.com/projects-google-maps-area-calculator-tool.htm.
Daft Logic Distance Calculator. (2014). http://www.daftlogic.com/projects-google-maps-distance-calculator.htm.
Ethnologue (2014). Dobu: A language of Papua New Guinea. Ethnologue. Retrieved from http://www.ethnologue.com/language/dob
Ethnologue (Map 17 of Papua New Guinea). (2014). Papua New Guinea, Map 17. Ethnologue. Retrieved from http://www.ethnologue.com/map/PG_17
Fortune, R. F. (1932). Sorcerers of Dobu: The social anthropology of the Dobu islanders of the western Pacific. London: George Routledge & Sons, Ltd
Google Maps (2014). Retrieved from maps.google.com
Keesing, R. M. (1984). Rethinking "mana". Journal of Anthropological Research, 40(1), 137-156, http://www.jstor.org/stable/3629696.
Kuehling, S. (2005). Dobu: Ethics of exchange on a Massim island, Papua New Guinea. Adelaide: Crawford House Publishing
National Research Institude of Papua New Guinea (2010). Papua New Guinea District and Provincial Profiles. Retrieved from http://www.nri.org.pg/research_divisions/cross_divisional_projects/Web%20Version%20Profiles%20Report%20140410.pdf
Pritchard, P. W. (1963). Geological reconnaissance of Goodenough, Fergusson, and Dobu islands, Papua. Australia: Bureau of Mineral Resources Geology and Geophysics.
Young, M. W. (1983). The Massim: An introduction. The Journal of Pacific History, 18(1), 4-10.
Young, M. W. (1991A). Dobu. In T. E. Hays (Ed.), Encyclopedia of world cultures: Volume 2 Oceania (pp. 49-52). New York: G. K. Hall & Company