1. MYTHOLOGY AND LAND RIGHTS ON WOGEO
- Author
-
Peter G. Sack
- Subjects
education.field_of_study ,History ,Land rights ,Population ,Leasehold estate ,Mythology ,History and Philosophy of Science ,Anthropology ,Relevance (law) ,Common name ,Residence ,Social science ,Land tenure ,education - Abstract
According to Hogbin, the Wogeo believe that their culture heroes (nanarang), one of several classes of spirits, provide the ulimate supernatural sanction1 for their whole land tenure system. He divides the culture heroes into two species ? those still living on the island and those who left it in the past ? which have so little in common that he was surprised that a common name is used for them. He dismisses the existing culture heroes with a few words as having scarcely any relevance for the land tenure system and subdivides the departed culture heroes into four varieties. "The first two varieties between them give a sanction for the occupation of the island by the present population; the third gives the same type of sanction for the tenancy of the districts; and the fourth provides authority for the exercise of rights of residence and cultivation" (1939 40:151).
- Published
- 1975
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