Lau - Religion and Expressive Culture



Religious Beliefs. The settlers from Melanesia who founded the chiefs phratry (the Nakauvandra people) introduced an ancestor cult to Lau. In this cult, the hierarchy of the clans is reflected in the hierarchy of the ancestor gods. Offerings are presented to the gods by hereditary priests for the purpose of obtaining mana. According to Laura Thompson, the Lau are totemic in two senses. First, there is a form of totemism associated with the land people who believe that they descended from some local natural phenomena. These groups practice island endogamy. The second form of totemism is associated with the clans, many of whom possess as many as three totems, although there was no belief in Descent from the totems. Most Lauans had converted to Christianity by the close of the nineteenth century, with Methodism being the most popular denomination.

Religious Practitioners. Each island chief had a hereditary priest who acted as a seer and sanctified the chiefs status and authority. The priest was responsible for worshipping the ancestor god, an activity carried out through possession trance. There is some evidence that in the past the priest was as powerful as the chief. Today, the position of priest is essentially an honorary one.

Ceremonies. Ceremonialism involves the presentation and reception of gifts (formerly to the ancestor god by the priest, but since the advent of Christianity, to the chief), kava drinking, a feast, and dancing accompanied by a form of rhythmic chanting called meke. The most important traditional ceremony was the first fruit of the land ceremony ( sevu ni vanua ). Life-cycle events were also marked by ceremonies, as were activities of the chief such as his installation and payment of tribute to him. The elaborateness of a ceremony reflected the status of the host or of the object of the ceremony.

Arts. Artistic expression was manifested mainly through the preparation, stenciling, and painting of bark cloth by women, the weaving and decoration of mats, and dancing. Dancing was a major component of all ceremonies and often involved much preparation and practice beforehand. The rhythmic chanting (meke) was accompanied by dancing, gesturing, and drumming.

Medicine. Illness and death were attributed to supernatural forces including sorcery and possession by an evil spirit. Illness was often viewed as supernatural punishment for a taboo violation. The cause of an illness was first identified by a diagnostician who then referred the person to the appropriate curer who specialized on the basis of the cause. Curers used talking, massage, vegetable medicines, surgery, and purification ceremonies.

Death and Afterlife. Persons near death are prepared for death by close relatives. Death is marked by wailing, a Ceremony, the giving of gifts, numerous taboos, burial, and a mourning period. The elaborateness of all of these is directly related to the status of the deceased. Lauans believe that all people have a good soul and a bad soul. Ideas about the destiny of the soul after death are unclear.

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