[ANU Pacific.Institute] Seminar on West Papua Thu 25 Feb 3pm

[Christopher Ballard]

School of Culture, History and Language
ANU College of Asia and the Pacific

Department of Pacific and Asian History
2016 Seminar Series

Thursday, 25 Feb, 3:00pm - 4:30pm

Griffin Room, J.G. Crawford Building (132)
132 Lennox Crossing, ANU

Mana in Motion:
Biak transformations of an Austronesian concept
Thesis Proposal Review

Bruma Rios Mendoza
School of Culture, History and Language
College of Asia and the Pacific, Australian National University

The pan-Oceanic concept of mana - understood broadly as power, efficacy and authority (Blust, 2007) - has been a predominant subject of analysis since the beginnings of anthropology as a discipline. Recently there has been a resurgence of interest amongst linguists and anthropologists seeking to identify and understand concepts expressive of mana from a variety of perspectives. My research proposal aims to contribute to this renewed interest in mana through ethnographic exploration of the lives of Biak people, who are distributed widely along the northwest coast of New Guinea and its neighbouring islands. Specifically, I aim to shed light on the transformations of mana terms and related practices in a region of intense flow and intercultural contact, by contextualizing Biak linguistic data both historically and ethnographically.

Seminar enquiries: andrew.delisle at anu.edu.au<mailto:andrew.delisle at anu.edu.au>

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