Mana and Soul-substance, With Special Reference to New Guinea(<SPECIAL NUMBER>The Problems Raised by The Chrysanthemum and the Sword)

Abstract

This is a search for the conceptual and distributional correlation between mana of the "Melanesian type" and "soul-substance" as reported from Indonesia. Starting from an analysis of the demaconcept of the Marind-Anim tribes, southeastern corner of West New Guinea, in which both mana and soul-substance seem to be confluent, the author points out that, while the tribes adhering to the mana-concept are found along the south-east coast of British New Guinea and further in the Melanesian island (thus corresponding approximately to the lines of cultural and racial migration suggested by Haddon, Ray and others), the belief in soul-substance is reported among the tribes distributed rather sporadically towards the north of the Marind-Anim up to Sentani Lake. A possibility of continuity with Indonesia for "soul-substance" is thus suggested.