Untangling the religious features of the Johnson Cult of New Hanover Island in the New Ireland province: anthropology and indigenous societies since Charles Darwin and others

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to trace the religious aspects of the Johnson Cult as they were conceived and have undergone change and diffusion since 1963. In highlighting the religious aspects of the Johnson Cult, it is intended to make reference to several issues. First, this paper compliments the political, economic, and social aspects of the movement which were covered by Billings (Cargo Cult as Theater: Political Performance in the Pacific. Lanham, MD: Lexington Books, 2002) and others. The religious aspects of the Johnson Cult, some of which the adherents held back from disclosing to Billings for a number of reasons, were not captured in the study. This study highlights how in the religious aspects of the Johnson Cult are contained a continued search for sustainable and modern technological development for an indigenous Lavongai society, a Lavongai dream of a transformation of New Hanover into a Garden of Eden paradise as portrayed by Christianity. Second, as can be seen from the study by Billings, it is shown that anthropology can benefit from taking on a new approach in the study of indigenous societies, with more collaboration between outsider scientists and indigenous society insider scientists.

Keywords:

• religious features
• Johnson Cult
• New Hanover Island
• New Ireland province
• Papua New Guinea

Acknowledgements

The author acknowledges with thanks the help received from Dorothy Billings in carrying out this project.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

1 To date there are two complete publications on and about New Hanover Island, one being Billings' (2002) Cargo Cult as Theater: Political Performance in the Pacific and the other being Akus Ro, the New Testament translation of the Bible in the Tungak language of the Lavongais of New Hanover Island.

2 It was said, for instance, that the two US surveyors stationed at Pativung for the South-west Pacific Geographical Survey were deceased sons of families from villages from the south coast of Lavongai Island. When Billings was on New Hanover, it was said that she was the deceased daughter of a family from Ungat village on the south coast, New Hanover Island.

3 I happened to be interviewing my father, Walla Gukguk, who was President of TIA in 1981 while studying for a Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Papua New Guinea. After explaining about the vote for President Johnson and America and TIA's wish to be governed by a country such as America instead of Australia, he made mention of how it was internal knowledge within the Association that America was the afterworld of deceased Lavongais. Then he made the following comment, “I am telling you this because you are my daughter, and because you need to know this and when things happen, you will understand.” Walla Gukguk was President of TIA from 1968 until his death on 24 November 2004.

4 Many whispers filtered through from the said surrounding villages during the time the US army surveyors were at Pativung. Whispers such as the US army surveyors eating off disposal plates, American naval ships anchoring off Meterankang waters in the cover of darkness, and helicopters flying around at Pativung, a ballad of which goes as follows: “Gulu gulung I elikopta, kapo limui e Pativung, Kita pen ia ta pen melek, nono na mung ina kappa, Mang sikei a balus ro luai, siri vap I USA” (The sound of a chopper, hovering over Pativung, it is painted red, at its front and back as well, such an incredible aircraft, that of the people of USA).

5 For instance, a ballad expresses such. During a tax collection trip at Metekavil village in 1965, and in the presence of women folk and children, the male voters were rounded up, given prison laplaps, and taken on board the Administration vessels MV Mercy and MV Threseamay. The words of the ballad of that event are as follows: “A lumlum ka taputuk e Metekavil, Nei rina kala taon tari aina. Ngerelo kala nang ro ta lip tapiok, Sian kokos kuli Mesi na Tarasamai” (Weeping has broken forth at Metekavil, Only women will now be in the village, The beach is brilliantly colorful with cassava leafed prison laplaps, For the boarding of MV Mercy and MV Threseamay).

6 During the Iraq war which began in 2003, the TIA President, then Mr Walla Gukguk (my father), and members kept a close interest in the war since America was involved. I remember being told that I was to be prepared to move from Port Moresby to our village as rapture would be anytime soon.

7 In the 1960s, the Metekavil Plantation was a thriving plantation with a thriving trade store which provided trade store goods for the villages in its vicinity. These villages included Meteselen, Ongomo, Patirodo, Metekavil, Metemana, and Meteran.

8 Whistling (kunip) is believed to be a form of language of deceased persons.