The Religions Book

50

A Tikopian man performs a dance

with a canoe paddle: ritual dancing

and drumming on canoes were part

of the Work of the Gods.

See also: Making sense of the world 20–23 ■ A lifelong bond with the gods 39

■ Sacrifice and blood offerings 40–45 ■ Devotion through puja 114–15

U

ntil Christianity arrived

in Tikopia in the 1950s, all

the residents of this small

Pacific island devoted themselves

to ritual for two weeks twice a year,

as they undertook the Work of the

Gods. At these times, they perfomed

duties to propitiate the atua, spirits

or gods, believing that they, in turn,

would ensure plentiful harvests.

The Work of the Gods was a form

of worship expressed as a system

of trade between human and spirit

beings. The Tikopians performed

the rituals, and the gods granted

the people the necessities of life.

Moreover, the religion was

structured so that many of the

activities undertaken to please the

gods—such as repairing canoes,

planting and harvesting, and the

ritual production of turmeric—were

of economic value to the Tikopians.

Offerings of food and kava (an

intoxicating drink) made to the

gods were consumed only in

essence—leaving the actual food

available for human consumption.

Taking part in the Work of the

Gods brought status to individuals,

and was perceived as a privilege.

The rituals involved in this religion

also underpinned key social and

economic structures, and held

Tikopian society together. ■

IN CONTEXT

KEY BELIEVERS

Tikopians

WHEN AND WHERE

From c.1000 BCE,

Tikopia, Solomon

Islands, Pacific Ocean

AFTER

1606 European explorers

first land on Tikopia.

1859 The Anglican

Melanesian Mission makes

contact with Tikopia.

1928–29 Tikopian culture

is studied by anthropologist

Raymond Firth; the population

is divided into four clans.

1955 The Work of the Gods is

abandoned after an epidemic;

the remaining pagan chiefs

convert to Christianity.

2002 Tikopia is devastated

by Cyclone Zoë, but islanders

take shelter and survive.

2012 The population of

Tikopia numbers about 1,200.

WE EXIST TO

SERVE THE GODS

THE BURDEN OF OBSERVANCE