Cultural Anthropology Colloquium #5
4 Comments
Published by David Sills, D.Miss, Ph.D.
on Thursday, March 09, 2006 at 7:38 PM. 
Spirit of the Rainforest is an excellent book about the life of an animistic, tribal culture that is bound up in the belief, worship, manipulation, and fear of spirits and powers. Mark Ritchie allows the shaman Jungleman to tell the story of what life in such a culture is like. I found the manifestations of their depravity hard to read due the violence, sexual sin, evil, and hatred. I wanted to take a bath after most pages!I want you to address several aspects of this book. Comment on the sexual spirits found in this culture. Remember that some of you were nervous about this when you noticed that Sitton addresses this aspect in his book. Also, do you think that these people actually became Christians, or do you think they were merely realigning their allegiances. If you were the missionary, how would you begin working with such a culture since they are oral, preliterate, have no Bible, and are so depraved.
This book was presented to me by the God's Story Project http://www.gods-story.org/default.htm. They have brought Jungleman and Shoefoot to the USA for ministry opportunities here. Incidentally, this book is very controversial in secular anthropological circles as they defend the actions of A.H. and say that this book is an apologetic for missions and prejudiced against A.H.
What did you get from the book? Speak to the issues raised in my second paragraph.
Wow..."Spirit of the Rainforest", in some ways, was the most difficult book to read so far, due to the nature of the people's state apart from Christ. The darkness, the sin, the violence, etc, was overwhelming at times. I found myself increasingly "aching" for these people. And, was hoping there would be a positive resolution!
"Spirit of the Rainforest" has also become the favorite book I have read this semester. It has had a profound effect upon my understanding of life apart from Christ. And, it has had a humbling effect regarding what I thought I knew about missions, tribal peoples, and the spirit world.
When I read Sitton, I questioned his approach toward the spirit world. After reading Jungleman's story, I am beginning to realize that I know a lot less about spiritual warfare and the spirit world than I thought. Especially as I read Jungelman's conversion (p. 227-228), I immediately thought of Jesus' words in Luke 11:21-22, "When a strong, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe. But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted and divides up the spoils." I had always thought of this in theoretical terms, for Jungleman it was as real as the jungle floor he was lying on.
I am glad this book came after Sitton, as it really fleshes out much of what Sitton described. It is clear that there are a number of spirits at work here, including sexual spirits. The people themselves acknowledge "Howashi spirit" - a spirit that thinks everyone wants to have sex with them (p. 59). I found it tremendously insightful that Jungleman would describe this spirit as one that "owns you. You don't own him" and "once you get him, you'll never get rid of him." I wonder if we haven't simply created fancy terminology for this same reality when we talk about sexual addiction, etc.
While none of us can speak for every tribal "convert", I have no difficulty with the conversions described in the book. This is especially true with respect to Shoefoot's conversion (p. 96-98, 216) and Jungleman's (p. 227-228). Because of the vast difference in cultural orientation, I would not expect the conversion of Jungleman to sound like a "Western" conversion. In some ways, I like his better. After all, what focuses more glory on God, "I asked Jesus to forgive me of my sins and come into my heart" or "He stood over me, pulled me away from my spirits and said to me, 'Dont worry. You'll be alright. I'm here to protect you.' Then with a big voice he said to my spirits, 'Leave him alone. He's mine.' And he was right. I was his."
I have renewed respect for missionaries who work with cultures like the Yanomamo. Understanding their beliefs, symbols, stories and traditions is a great place to begin, it seems to me. If I understood the flow of the mission work recounted in the book, the initial contact was a missionary who incarnated the gospel by living with a village and, unsuccessfully, attempting to teach them cattle farming. Apparently the Yaomamo found cows to be irresistible for target practice.
As far as "theology," the missionaries utilized the Yanomamo's existing belief / understanding of Yai Pada (Creator Spirit) as a starting point. They did so with a connection to the existing beliefs in the spirit world - Yai Pada being stronger than all the other spirits.
Thanks, Dr. Sills, for requiring this book.
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Steve, I just wanted to comment on your rhetorical question for anthropologists: "Would they really prefer to live the lives of the Yonomamö than what they have experienced in their culture?"
One of the most "amusing" parts of reading this book were the several occasions when Turkey, Hairy, and Shoefoot muse over the same thing (140, 183, 235, 249) Hairy said, "If they think this is such a happy place out here in the jungle, why aren't they moving out here to enjoy this beautiful life with us?" (183).
Of course, I found their observation a bit unsettling as well. For, if we are to be effective missionaries, we must "move out" there...but, have an obligation to be concerned about redeeming the culture in every respect.
RESPONSE TO DAVID'S QUESTION:
Sorry I have not replied sooner. No excuse. Just have not been on this particular forum in a while.
I did not question the lack of a specific reference to Jesus as I talked about the conversions. That may have been an oversight on my part and I appreciate you bringing it to my attention.
I assumed (which is always dangerous) that the missionaries had used Yai Pada as a contextualization tool to introduce what God has done for us in providing salvation. Granted, that salvation is through Christ, and that is not discussed in the book. I thought there was a reference to Yai-Pada's son dying, but I need to recheck the book for that specific reference.
I am also not sure what Jesus would be called in the Yanomamo language (or, if they even have a name for Him). Which brings up an interesting point I have been thinking about since reading your question - what do we do in a case like that? If we find an unreached people, with no name for Jesus in their heart language, how are we to respond? Do we try to find something culturally close that we can fill with Biblical meaning (see Don Richarson's article "Concept Fulfillment" in Perspectives on the World Christian Movement, A Reader" Revised Edition, 1992 - ISBN #087808228x).
As far as the conversions in the book, I was convinced by Shoefoot and Jungleman's for the following reasons:
1. They were personal.
2. They domonstrated a turning from false gods/spirits to "Yai Pada," the Creator of all - who, I am admittedly assuming, the missionaries would describe as the One, True God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
3. They resulted in a changed life.
Rob