Abstract/Sommario: Since the 1960s, the Crosier Catholic missionaries and the Indonesian army share the intentions of transforming Asmat society, though their methods are radically different. Missionaries try to preserve certain aspects of culture while neglecting others. Meanwhile, Christianization plays a role in the effort of Indonesian army to reshape these "men of the forest", who are often considered as subhuman, into a stereotype that they judge acceptable. A visit to the aea in 2001 has made it p ...; [Leggi tutto...]
Since the 1960s, the Crosier Catholic missionaries and the Indonesian army share the intentions of transforming Asmat society, though their methods are radically different. Missionaries try to preserve certain aspects of culture while neglecting others. Meanwhile, Christianization plays a role in the effort of Indonesian army to reshape these "men of the forest", who are often considered as subhuman, into a stereotype that they judge acceptable. A visit to the aea in 2001 has made it possible to compare these two points of view and to evaluate the impact of Christianization on the Asmat world