Filled with insight, provocative in its conclusions, A'aisa's Gifts is a groundbreaking ethnography of the Mekeo of Papua New Guinea and a valuable contribution to anthropological theory. Based on twenty years' fieldwork, this richly detailed study of Mekeo esoteric knowledge, cosmology, and self-conceptualizations recasts accepted notions about magic and selfhood. Drawing on accounts by Mekeo ritual experts and laypersons, this is the first book to demonstrate magic's profound role in creating the self. It also argues convincingly that dream reporting provides a natural context for self-reflection. In presenting its data, the book develops the concept of "autonomous imagination" into a new theoretical framework for exploring subjective imagery processes across cultures.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
About the Author
Michele Stephen, Associate Professor of History, La Trobe University, Australia, is coeditor of The Religious Imagination in New Guinea (1989).
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
An Uncommanly Great Ethnograthy,
By
This review is from: A'aisa's Gifts: A Study of Magic and the Self (Studies in Melanesian Anthropology) (Hardcover)
Michele Stephen does a fantastic job weaving a wonderful story, personal narrative, and intellegent analysis in this anthropological work. She is reflexive in her work, reminding the readers where she is coming from, what biases she may be burdened with by her own culture, and to work with the readers on their potential level(s). I have read a great number of ethnographies, and I have to say this is without a doubt the best WRITTEN one I have come across - combining analysis with prose that remains interesting, explanatory, and provoking. I have hesitated to give it the punch of five starts because I feel that Stephen had goals too high at times, almost teasing the reader with explanations of every facet of Mekeo culture while actually concentrating solely on the element of magic and the mind. But, without a doubt, her cultural analyses were very good and intellegent - I was very impressed with her ability to weave so many theorists and philosophies into a story that stays essentially focused on the people and the complexity of their relationships.
2 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
:(,
By m.s. (California) - See all my reviews
This review is from: A'aisa's Gifts: A Study of Magic and the Self (Stories in Melanesian Anthropology) (Paperback)
IMHO: Absolutely boring book if you are not a specialist on the topic.
The language/style is heavy and hard to follow.
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