South Pentecost
Also known as: Sa
Pentecost is an island in the north of Vanuatu. The people of the southern quarter of the island speak the Sa language, and form a cultural unit. Although most Sa-speakers are now Christian, a substantial number have retained their indigenous religion. The village of Bunlap is famous for 'land diving' a ritual connected with the yam harvest in which men jump from a high tower, to which their feet are tied by strong vines.
Supernatural Beings |
Nature Spirits | Present, but not a major focus of supernatural practice (Source) |
Lane (1965), pp. 250-279, 264 |
Nature god(s) | Absent (Source) |
Lane (1965), pp. 250-279, 275 |
Ancestral spirits | Present, and a major focus of supernatural practice (Source) |
Lane (1965), pp. 250-279, 269-270 |
Deified ancestor(s) | Absent (Source) |
Lane (1965), pp. 250-279, 265-266 |
God(s) | Absent (Source) |
Lane (1965), pp. 250-279 |
Supernatural Punishment |
Supernatural punishment for impiety | Present (Source) |
Lane (1965), pp. 250-279; 264 |
Afterlife and Creation |
One's actions while living can affect the nature of one's afterlife | Absent (Source) |
Lane (1965), pp. 263 |
The actions of others after one has died can affect the nature of one's afterlife | Absent (Source) |
Lane (1965), pp. 269-270 |
Myth of humanity’s creation | Present, and evolutionary (Source) |
Lane (1965), pp. 265 |
Primordial pair | Absent (Source) |
Lane (1965), pp. 263, 265 |
Culture hero(es) | Present, but not a major focus of supernatural practice (Source) |
Lane (1965), pp. 250-279, 265-266 |
General Features |
Forces of nature are controlled by or imbued with the supernatural | Present (Source) |
Lane (1965), pp. 275 |
Classes of Tapu |
Social hierarchy tapu | Present (Source) |
Lane (1965), pp. 258 |
Mana |
Mana as a personal quality | Absent (Source) |
Lane (1965), pp. 257 |
Mana related to social influence or technical skill | Absent (Source) |
Lane (1965), pp. 257 |
Mana as a spiritual or religious concept | Absent (Source) |
Lane (1965), pp. 257 |
General Supernatural Practices |
Headhunting | Absent (Source) |
Lane (1965), pp. 250-279 |
Costly sacrifices and offerings | Absent (Source) |
Lane (1965), pp. 250-279 |
Size of largest ritual social group | Larger than a household, no larger than the local community (Source) |
Lane (1965), pp. 250-279, 268-269 |
Political and religious differentiation | Some overlap (Source) |
Lane (1965), pp. 275-276 |
Rites |
Piercing | Present in culture, but not as a rite or feature of a rite (Source) |
Mescam (1989), pp. 29, 46-57 Lane (1965), pp. 250-279 |
Genital cutting | Present in culture, but not a rite or feature of a rite (Source) |
Lane (1965), pp. 274 |
Scarification | Absent from culture (Source) |
Mescam (1989), pp. 28-31 |
Tattooing | Present in culture, but not as a rite or feature of a rite (Source) |
Mescam (1989), pp. 29, 46-57 Lane (1965), pp. 250-279 |
Tooth pulling | Absent from culture (Source) |
Mescam (1989), pp. 29-31, 46-57 |
Population of largest political community | 100-999 (Source) |
Lane (1965), pp. 268, 273 |
Importance of Patrilateral descent | High (Source) |
Jolly (1991), pp. 263 |
Importance of Matrilateral descent | Medium (Source) |
Jolly (1991), pp. 263 |
Kinship system | Crow (Source) |
Jolly (1991), pp. 263 |
Marital residence | Patrilocal or virilocal - with husband's kin (Source) |
Jolly (1991), pp. 263 |
Conflict |
Conflict with other cultures | Rare or never (Source) |
Jolly (1991), pp. 263 |
Conflict within communities | Moderate (Source) |
Lane (1965), pp. 272 Jolly (1991), pp. 263 |
Conflict between communities of the culture | Frequent, occurring at least yearly (Source) |
Jolly (1991), pp. 263 Lane (1965), pp. 268 |
Contact with other cultures | Frequent, through trade, warfare, travel, etc. (Source) |
Jolly (1991), pp. 262 |
Distance to closest landmass inhabited by a different culture (km) | 0.0 (Source) |
Lane (1965), pp. 250 |
Distance to African or Asian mainland (km) | 7017.0 (Source) |
Ethnologue (Map of Vanuatu) (2014), pp. 250 Daft Logic Area Calculator (2014) |
Pre-Austronesian population | Absent: No 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) |
Lane (1965), pp. 250 |
Land-based means of subsistence |
Animal husbandry as a source of food | Minor (Source) |
Jolly (1991), pp. 262 |
Agriculture / Horticulture | Major (Source) |
Lane (1965), pp. 250 Jolly (1991), pp. 262 |
Land-based hunting performed by individuals | Medium (Source) |
Jolly (1991), pp. 262 |
Land-based gathering | Major (Source) |
Lane (1965), pp. 250 Jolly (1991), pp. 262 |
Land-based hunting performed by one or more groups | Minor (Source) |
Jolly (1991), pp. 262 |
Water-based means of subsistence |
Fishing and water-based hunting performed by one or more groups | Minor (Source) |
Lane (1965), pp. 250 Jolly (1991), pp. 262 |
Water-based gathering | Medium (Source) |
Lane (1965), pp. 250 Jolly (1991), pp. 262 |
Fishing and water-based hunting performed by individuals | Medium (Source) |
Lane (1965), pp. 250 Jolly (1991), pp. 262 |
Commercial Activity |
Trade / wage labour as a source of food | Medium (Source) |
Jolly (1991), pp. 262 |
Geographical Range of Culture |
Number of islands inhabited by culture | One (Source) |
Lane (1965), pp. 250 |
Features of Island with Largest Culture Population |
Latitude | -15.9 (Source) |
Lane (1965), pp. 250 Google Maps (2014) |
Longitude | 168.2 (Source) |
Lane (1965), pp. 250 Google Maps (2014) |
Island type (island with largest culture population or largest island if unknown) | Volcanic high island (Source) |
Encyclopaedia Britannica (Pentecost) (2014) |
Island Size (km²) | 438.0 (Source) |
Encyclopaedia Britannica (Pentecost) (2014) |
Maximum elevation (meters) | 946.0 (Source) |
Encyclopaedia Britannica (Pentecost) (2014) |
Conversion |
Use of force in conversion | Low (Source) |
Jolly (1982), pp. 344-347 |
Resident missionary involvement in conversion process | Present, and from non-Austronesian societies (Source) |
Jolly (1982), pp. 344, 345 |
Adoption of a world religion | Present and predominant (Source) |
Jolly (2003), pp. 190 |
Syncretic Movements |
Syncretic religious movements | Absent (Source) |
Jolly (1982), pp. 344-347 Lane (1965), pp. 278 |
Demographic and Social Changes |
Foreign government systems | Present, but of low importance (Source) |
Jolly (1982), pp. 341-344 Jolly (1991), pp. 263 |
Language shift | Medium (Source) |
Jolly (2003), pp. 190 |
Foreign education systems | High (Source) |
Jolly (1982), pp. 346 Jolly (1982), pp. 190 |
Economic Changes |
Changes in means of subsistence | Medium (Source) |
Jolly (2003), pp. 190 Jolly (1991), pp. 262 |
Exportation of goods to other cultures | Present and substantial (Source) |
Jolly (1991), pp. 262 |
Modern Infrastructure |
Air travel | Present, local only (Source) |
Lonely Planet (2014) |
Sea port | Absent (Source) |
National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (2009), pp. 180 |
Loss of Autonomy |
Loss of political autonoomy | Medium (Source) |
Jolly (1982), pp. 341-344 |
Religious Demographics |
Dominant world religion | Christianity (Source) |
Jolly (2003), pp. 190 |