MANA FROM HEAVEN? A THEOLOGY OF RELATIONAL POWER IN THE CONTEXT OF THE MURDER OF SEVEN MELANESIAN BROTHERS IN SOLOMON ISLANDS By Matthew Edward Jones A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Theology The University of Auckland 2008 Abstract The murder of seven members of the Melanesian Brotherhood (2003) has raised questions over the nature of mana (power) operating in the Brotherhood. In response to those questions, my aim is to explore the Melanesian concept of mana and how in the interaction between a received Christianity and existing Melanesian worldviews, a theology of mana has developed. This is reliant as much on versions of European Christianity as Melanesian worldviews and exists in tension with concepts of powerlessness and vulnerability. My research crucially revolves around how my experience of the murders involves an interaction between theological contexts and identities and produces theological reflection out of a synthesis between them. This experience has an intensity that shapes and informs the theological reflection that develops which is neither purely “British/European” nor purely “Melanesian”. Rather it exists at that intersection between them which makes connections and allows a conversation. The aim is to make connections between Melanesian theologies of power and European theologies of power and to allow contextual theology to develop from a conversation between concepts of relational power in European theological traditions and existing concepts of relational power in Melanesia. The theology of relational power that develops from such a theological synthesis can then address the theological tension in the Melanesian Brotherhood, Melanesian theology and beyond. ii Acknowledgements There are so many people to thank for their time, patience, and efforts in helping me make this thesis a reality. First of all I wish to thank the Archbishop and Council of Bishops of the Church of Melanesia for giving me the opportunity to study by providing a scholarship and placing so much trust and confidence in my abilities. I also express my deepest and sincere thanks to my two supervisors Dr Neil Darragh and Dr Ilaitia Tuwere, for their patience, insights and constructive criticism. I owe you both so much and have appreciated your encouragement on what has been a long but very worthwhile journey. Special thanks must also go to Dr Allan Davidson, for your advice and support. I have appreciated the comments of someone with such an in depth knowledge and passion for life and work in Melanesia. I also acknowledge the help and support of the staff, both past and present, of the Kinder Library and the administration staff of St John’s College for all your help, in so many ways. Thank you for the constant coffee and encouragement. I also thank the College community for welcoming and supporting us as part of a caring Christian community. I also thank Archdeacon David Steele who as my spiritual advisor has shared much of this journey with me. Special thanks must also go to the Melanesian students at St John’s College, both past and present, for your encouragement, constructive comments and for a friendship that has sustained me through the writing process. I also thank Cath Dickey, student liaison officer for the Church of Melanesia, for all your help and support. That thanks must also extend to my friends and colleagues at Bishop Patteson Theological College, Solomon Islands for your interest in my research and for the support which I also appreciate very much. I also acknowledge those who agreed to be interviewed for this research and whose stories and opinions contributed so much to the development of my theological arguments. iii Special thanks also goes to Canon David Bindon for proof reading this work. I am grateful for your commitment patience and hard work in pointing out my many grammatical errors and for the advice in preparing this work for submission. Finally my deepest thanks go to my wife Anna, and son David, who have both had to put up with a husband and father consumed with thesis writing. The gentle encouragement, love and support of you both have sustained me through this experience and I thank you both so much. Writing this thesis has been a long and demanding journey only made possible by the support and encouragement of many people, Thank you all so much. iv Table of Contents ABSTRACT .............................................................................................................. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .................................................................................... iii TABLE OF CONTENTS ........................................................................................ v INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................... 1 MY ROLE IN DOING THIS THEOLOGY ................................................................. 2 THE CONTEXTUAL THEOLOGY DEBATE ............................................................ 5 1. The. Translation Model ........................................................................ 7 2. The Anthropological Model ................................................................. 7 3. The Praxis Model ................................................................................. 8 4. The Synthetic Model ............................................................................. 8 METHODOLOGY ...................................................................................................... 9 THESIS STRUCTURE ............................................................................................... 11 CHAPTER 1 SOLOMON ISLANDS PEOPLE AND CULTURES: AN OVERVIEW ........... 12 1. LOCATION AND ENVIRONMENT ........................................................... 12 1.1 People ................................................................................................... 15 1.2 Cultural Diversity ................................................................................ 15 1.3 Language .............................................................................................. 16 2. PRELIMINARY ISSUES AND DIFFICULTIES ......................................... 17 3. KEY MELANESIAN CONCEPTS ............................................................... 23 3.1 Community ........................................................................................... 24 3.2 Relationships ........................................................................................ 28 3.3 Relationships with the Ancestors ......................................................... 28 3.4 Relationships within the Community .................................................... 31 3.5 Relationships to Other Communities ................................................... 32 3.6 Relationships to the Environment ........................................................ 33 3.7 Exchange and Reciprocity ................................................................... 36 3.8 Compensation and Payback ................................................................. 39 3.9 Compensation ....................................................................................... 41 4. CONCLUDING REMARKS ......................................................................... 42 v CHAPTER 2 MANA ....................................................................................................................... 43 1. DEFINITIONS OF MANA ........................................................................... 43 1.1 Codrington ........................................................................................... 44 1.2 Keesing –Mana as Verb ....................................................................... 49 1.3 Mana: An Anthropological Invention .................................................. 52 2. MANA AND MELANESIAN WORLDVIEWS .......................................... 55 2.1 Access to and Human Involvement with Mana .................................... 57 2.2 Mana Qualities/Characteristics ........................................................... 61 3. MANA AND CHRISTIANITY ..................................................................... 63 4. CONCLUDING REMARKS ......................................................................... 68 CHAPTER 3 THE MELANESIAN BROTHERHOOD .............................................................. 69 1. HISTORY ...................................................................................................... 69 1.1 The Melanesian Mission ...................................................................... 70 1.2 Ini Kopuria ........................................................................................... 73 1.3 Influences and Motivations .................................................................. 75 2. SPECIAL FEATURES OF THE BROTHERHOOD .................................... 78 2.1 Aim ....................................................................................................... 78 2.2 Uniform ................................................................................................ 79 2.3 Methods ................................................................................................ 80 2.4 Organization ........................................................................................ 82 3. THE EARLY STAGES ................................................................................. 84 4. THE BROTHERHOOD TODAY