Emergence and transformation

Talking about origins, myths, rituals and cultural change among the Eipo and Yalenang in the central mountains of West Papua

Abstract

In this article, I provide examples of Eipo and Yale myths and non-sacred narratives. Since I started my research in 1974, people have narrated origin stories to me and explained the meanings of the words, features of grammar and significance of the plots and content within them. Men and natural objects simply appear from mountains, rivers and the depth of the earth, and human agency transforms them into social beings and cultural entities through rituals. Traditional themes that have appeared in new settings since conversion to christianity have changed composite signals and ritually restricted discourse into talk that is no longer limited by rituals and prescriptions. The notions describing this shift have been borrowed from semiotics.