The Australian Outlook
to envy. He has to find some explanation of European
power in holding sway over multitudes; of the miraculous arrival of manu-factured
goods in ships and aeroplanes; of strange European behaviour
which sends away piles of raw materials; of the peculiar distaste with
which, Europeans treat him. On the one hand, this gives him an end of
activity - he must strive to attain a similar power. On the other hand,
it sets him an intellectual problem and gives him an emotional
experience. His emotional experience is jealousy, sometimes hatred, of
the European, who neither gives him these things as a friend nor initiates
him into the mysteries of the process of sale and production - indeed,
tries to fob him off with Biblical education.21
His intellectual problem is, first, to explain European success, and,
second, to achieve a method of parallel success.
This problem must he solved in terms of Melanesian
experience. There is behind him the great tradition of cults such as the
Baigona, and animism. It is natural that he should turn to find a
superior cult. At first, it was Christianity in many parts, which was
conceived as a superior, sometimes as a supplementary, animism. This
fails, or is not understood, and is moulded on to something new. The new
cult endeavours to copy significant European activities. There is the
belief in shipping, that is in the origin of cargoes - for remember most
Melanesians have not seen or experienced the manufacturing process.
There is a mystical significance in the revolting white skin of
Europeans, and in money, which circulates so strangely; in flags and
flag-poles, which, the European treats with peculiar reverence; in towns
and houses rather than villages; in soldier and drilling which must he
mystical, for what use is there in it? And in later years, of course,
there is the myth of American arrival, so obviously based upon the
big-handedness and freedom of American troops. These things supplied the
modern elements in the cargo myth, the myth which explained European
successes and indicated the correct road to follow.
Administrations have a tremendous task before them. They
must adapt the Melanesian to live a modern life, without destroying
unique elements of value in his culture. What attitude should they adopt
to the cargo cult?
With one possible exception, that of the current movement
in the Purari Delta, Administrations have treated the cults with police
measures. In no case have they destroyed the cult until it was ready to
die of its own accord. Usually it re-appeared some
21. In the words of a Native Medical Practitioner.
124
