“God’s taboo”: The heteroglossia of evangelism in Methodist missionary narratives from British New Guinea, circa 1890

“God’s taboo”: The heteroglossia of evangelism in Methodist missionary narratives from British New Guinea, circa 1890

Ryan Schram

November 10, 2017

Abstract

Christianity can be defined in terms of a single, unequivocal message, but as a religion of conversion it necessarily presupposes a dialogue with the world outside of it. Many recent studies of Christian practice in various cultural settings have found that Christians understand their beliefs as a personal commitment, yet also realize themselves as Christians by placing their religion in an inverse relationship with dominant social values. In this paper, I ask why it is that Christianity always develops these hard edges toward social existence. Instead of locating this in Christian asceticism, I argue that Christianity appears as an inversion of the world as people grapple with the paradox of conversion. I examine the various, contradictory ways in which Australian Methodist missionary writings from British New Guinea recruit indigenous voices to depict evangelism and conversion. Although they initially framed indigenous societies of New Guinea as primitive cultures, missionary authors inevitably invest in these voices as heathen interlocutors. Without this dialogue, there can be no conversion, and yet this means that missionaries must relinquish authority over their message. The missionaries instead present themselves as prophets who rebuke indigenous tradition, and so establish a Christianity of hard edges.

The hard edges of Christianity

Why does Christian conversion lead to a social field of hard edges?

The missionary encounter is a dialogue denied

Victorian evolutionary anthropology and Christian theological anthropology

Evolutionary anthropology and missionaries: R. H. Codrington

The Methodist Mew Guinea mission

The Methodists in New Guinea

 Colonial New Guinea, circa 1890

Methodist Sabbatarianism

On Saturday evening we told the men and boys that to-morrow was Tapwaroro, and that we could not buy anything from them on the sacred day. […] We could not explain fully to this people about the obligation of the Sabbath, but we could tell them a little, and I always thing it best to commence straight off with making the day sacred. These natives are but children, it is true, but while we are not too strict with them, we ourselves refrain from everything that would cause the day to seem common. Then their minds are set inquiring by our declining to buy or do anything on one day. (Bromilow 1897, 8)

Bwebweso or garewa

[I]n the course of his address, he asked the people if they had given up bwebweso, but an old woman answered “No! we want to go to bwebweso! we do not want to go to garewa!” Others joined in and Mr. Fellows had a lively time. (Bromilow 1893b, 6; see also Fellows 1891, Nov. 20, 1892)

The woman of Gaula

I was dead, and my spirit went up to heaven. I met Jesus there. He is so good! I am so bad! He told me to return and tell my people that taparoro is true. (Bromilow 1893c, 9).

Bromilow denounces Dobu custom

“Where are the people who have professed to believe in taparoro? I know there are many in this place who have said that taparoro is all lies! But where are those who have said taparoro is true that they allow this?”

“Oh! it is taboo for us to interfere,” said one, “we are of such a relationship that we dare not!”

“Well,” I said, “taboo or no taboo, we must have this woman out of the grave. Do you want to disgrace yourselves in the eyes of good people by following out this custom in these times of light?

“Oh, but,” said one, “this is our custom in this village, and it is taboo for us to lift her out! As you have come let her die in the grave till the breath is out of her.”

Taboo,” I said, “then we will break your taboo to-day! Some of your taboos may be good, but this is a bad one, which I know nothing about. You are breaking God’s taboo, which is far worse. Come, lift the woman out!” (Bromilow 1893a, 7)

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———. 1893b. “Incidents at Dobu, British New Guinea.” The Australasian Methodist Missionary Review 2 (11): 5–8.

———. 1893c. “The Firstfruits of Dobu Unto Christ.” The Australasian Methodist Missionary Review 2 (11): 5–9.

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