Saturday, March 31, 2018

Spotlight on Students: Asmat Cultural Change


The following is a post written by a student, Taylor Morris.  This post highlights her work that she completed as part of her requirements in Ant 411: Culture Areas of the World.  Students have the opportunity to explore material through their own research.  Please show your appreciation for her work through the comments.

By: Taylor Morris

Curiosity Question: How did the Asmat integrate and keep their new ways of life and cultural change with their old traditions through the years?

            The Asmat people of Guinea have a very unique culture that has changed over the years. They have had a few changes that they have faced through the years and they are group of people who have just recently began to culturally assimilate with the rest of the world. The documented history of the Asmat by early explorers is the only written account of the early days. Within the last 70 years is where religion and their cultural change have existed.
            The Asmat people did not accept outsiders and explorers in the early years. They made sure to keep explorers and any other outsiders from their lands. In doing this, it kept outside influence and cultural change from happening until the 20th century. Sudden changes that took place in their society have been documented due to the late contact. The first missionary contact was established by the Catholics in 1912. The focus was to study how the Asmat people lived and to trade with them. The Dutch established the port of Agats as a trading station in 1954.
            Catholic missionaries had also set up trade for ironwood. The wood was shipped to Merauke, along with other materials, like a Bis pole. A Bis pole is a ritual created by the Asmat to pay homage and show respect to ancestors, to bring peace and rest to the dead, and to bring spiritual unity and strength to the community. Many explorers became very interested in the art and took pieces back with them. The increase in wanting more artifacts led to an increase in carving.
            The Dutch museum was able to obtain over 50 Bis poles by 1963. Catechists would begin to learn the local languages and teaching the people Catholicism. The Indonesian language was also taught. In the next few years, there was tension brewing between the natives and the government. Head hunting was still common in the Asmat society and between villages. Headhunting is the practice among some peoples of collecting the heads the dead enemies.  
             The Republic of Indonesia took control of the country in 1963. The Indonesian government had no use or interest in the Asmat people and looked at them as useless and needed nothing in trade. They believed that the Asmat carvings were related to Satan worship, although they were carvings that contained spirits. The Indonesian government wanted to destroy Asmat society and felt that they had to be made into civilized members of society. The government wiped out everything the Asmat had ever known and they were told that head hunting and cannibalism was no longer allowed. Alphonse Sowada became Bishop of Agats in 1969. He had traveled to New Guinea after receiving his master’s Degree in Anthropology and wanted to understand and teach the Asmat, after becoming bishop.
The missionary church never forbidden feasting or carving, and this allowed the Asmat to keep some of their traditions alive through church. Sowado encouraged the Asmat to continue with their carvings and they had combined some of their traditional art forms with the Catholic ritual. This helped them understand Christianity better. The Asmat also wanted to keep the tradition of feasting going. They believed that this could be achieved without the use of violence compared to earlier times. In 1970, the government agreed to let the Asmat have a Sago Grub Fest. Between 1974 and 1980, the government began to accept carving again in Asmat and they organized logging projects.
The Asmat Museum of Culture and Progress opened in 1973. Asmat people visit the museum and see it as a place where the spirits are. Asmat carvings are involved in the spiritual everyday life of the Asmat people. There is so much about Asmat rituals and beliefs that we don’t know. They are a unique group of people with their own beliefs and cultures who are looked at as uncivilized and not part of society, but they are. There needs to be traditions continued in the Asmat society to keep their own unique culture thriving.


                                    Bibliography

Caglayan, Ph.D., Emily. “The Asmat.” In Heibrum Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000-.

23 comments:

Monya' Smith said...

I like that the Asmat people stayed to themselves for so long and didn’t let any outsiders come on their land until the 20th century. Apart of me feels like if they never started trading with the missionaries and Dutch they would have never had to give anything of their belief system up to the Indonesian government. When you look back at history no matter what country it’s always either the government, a different type of religion group, or other countries that try to ruin or take other people’s beliefs and land away from them to make them poor and fit into today’ society. It’s not fair to those people that have to forget their beliefs. The Asmat didn’t have it as bad as other groups but they still had to stop practicing some of their beliefs to please the Indonesian government.—Monya’ Smith

Unknown said...

Great curiosity question, I agree the Asmat faced difficulties with the Indonesian government. I think it was unfair that the Indonesian government took control over their culture. The Asmat people lived in their own land and had the right to continue believing in their culture and beliefs.


-Aide Gonzalez

Mykia Chaney said...

I kind of agree with what my other classmate said i like that the asmat people kept to themselves and did not let others join until further down the line . I feel that the did this because they knew others were not to be trusted taking that the Indonesian government took over there culture so whose to say what else they could have done or did .

kierria said...

I like the fact that Asmat kept their faith and being as a unity as well staying to themselves during the time. However, I think it is unfair that Indonesian try to make them feel less about their selves only because they wanted to control them and their culture.

Apre'shana Page said...

I believe that the fact that the Asmat people had to undergo many changes but still tried their hardest to hold on to the cultural norms is really inspiring. Many cultures lose their true identity due to something relatively little as far as change. I don't think that the Asmat people keeping people out was a bad idea at all. When you let new people join a group or tribe, who may or may not have the same beliefs as you their beliefs may rub off on you causing your beliefs or societal norms to change even if it is not immediately apparent to you. Great curiosity question.

Taylor Morris said...

I agree that the Asmat culture is very interesting and I like how they stayed true to themselves. That is why I wanted to know more about them and that is how my post came to be.

Anonymous said...

I like how the Asmat people kept to themselves, that is interesting to me. Never heard of the Asmat and their culture before, so reading this blog gave me a little understanding of them.
-Micah Seals

Anonymous said...

I like that Asmat did not accept outsiders to keep their culture how it is .I feel like Asmat shouldn't have traded with missionaries because when Catholic missionaries had set up a trade for ironwood the Republic of Indonesia started to take over and they made the Asmat feel useless because they felt it wasn't any use in them. Ta'Ricka Foots

Anonymous said...

I like how Asmat didn't let other people mess with their culture and how they stay true to themselves . Also because some culture lose who they are because of how the change in other cultures. Another thing that i liked was about how they are unique .The Indonesian government took control over their culture and i think that that wasn't right for the government take there culture.
- Jazmine Haines

Jasmine Busby said...

In my opinion the indonesians only made them feel so useless because they wanted the power to control & that wasnt right at all. For them to stay to themselves for so long helped to continue to feel highly of their culture & stay loyal as one & keep their identity.

Logan Shea said...

The Asmat people tried for so long to keep to themselves, they wanted to stay hidden and continue their practices and their way of living. These qualities as a reader really have you rooting for them. In our society now people continually want to take the easy way and want to put everything they do on social media. I enjoy the simplicity of the Asmat people.
-Logan Shea

Anonymous said...

I find this reading to be very interesting. What interested me the most was how the Asmat people protected their culture by not allowing everyone in. Asmat people did not allow anyone to affect their way of life. Asmat people minded their own business and expect others to do the same. By not allowing outsiders they were able to keep secrets and important things about their culture to themselves. Protecting their people and their culture was their main priority.
-Braxten Goodwin

Justin Adams said...

I find this article to be interesting: because I understand both sides. The Asmat people, were just living life, harming no one. Using their own resources, and protecting their own. On the other hand, it is good that they are introduced to current society, and its customs. There might be a time, when they need to communicate with people outside their community, and won't really know how to do it.

Dominique Thurman said...

From reading about the labor it is based on gender. Women are responsible for net fishing, gathering also help from the children. Men are responsible for line and weir fishing, hunting. They all take care of each other to make sure they all good. They don't let anyone came in between them. Make sure everything is in place and flowing.

Anonymous said...

Akwila Cooks
It is very interesting what different cultures go through. I never heard of a Bis pole before. Also think that it is good how they stick together and protect themselves.

Anonymous said...

I love the fact that they worked so hard to keep their culture. I respected it so much they just wanted to protect what was their for generations. It's not they were subjected to change or selfish they didn't want any parts of outsiders coming and ruining what they built, what they was taught, and the very things that their ancestors left for them. I think it's truly amazing. -Kiera McNulty

Jada Perry said...

I believe that it is amazing that the Asmat people were able to keep outsiders out for so long! How do you believe they achieved the level of separation for so long? What do you think made them start inviting people into their culture? Where they resilient to the point of life and death or did the just give in to the Indonesian government. Among anthropologists I believe that in the early times that this was a common practice of other cultures. Come in, take your artifacts, take over your government, then try to expel your culture. What could the Asmat people have done to prevent this?

Unknown said...

I find it interesting that the Asmat people did not let outsiders in. I do not blame them for choosing that lifestyle. So many cultures get over ran or ran into nonexistent because they might have been to welcoming to the wrong people. It is amazing how hard they worked to keep their traditions and culture alive! Great question.

Kahla Perry

Tonii Saffore said...

My name is Tonii Saffore. I enjoyed reading this post, I have been learning a lot about hunter-gatherer tribes and their way of life. I also learned how the western influence has impacted a lot of these tribes, some for the better and some not so much. One thing that stuck with me in the this post is the practice of Head Hunting. I have never heard of this before, why did the tribe start this practice? what is its meaning?

Taylor Morris said...

The Asmat people are so interesting. They are a very strong group of people who are determined to keep their ways and traditions.

Unknown said...

Hi my name is Avery Davis, and I think this blog is so interesting. I never once heard any place where they change tradition of its people. i wonder if i would ever go back again?

Anonymous said...

I admire how the Asmart people stayed positive and kept their faith. I find it interesting that they didn't want anyone to join them. I also dont blame them, because they may have felt as if they couldn't trust them.
-Kyla Thomas

Anonymous said...

This article was a little different. My only question is what did they do with their dead enemies heads? Did they keep them as a trophies or did they burn them after collection?
-Jasmine Busby