Vernacular Christianity Among the Mulia Dani ─ An Ethnography of Religious Belief Among the Western Dani of Irian Jaya, Indonesia

Discusses the changes brought about when Christianity was introduced to a remote tribal group in the highlands of what is now Irian Jaya, Indonesia, in the 1960s. Seeks to ascertain the Dani perspective on what they believe, and also seeks to represent the position of the missionaries, citing their own records. Examines Dani beliefs about the supernatural, sacred objects and places, traditional and Christian Dani rituals and religious celebrations, and cargoistic movements. Includes appendices of Dani myths and stories, and mission reports. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.

Douglas James Hayward is Associate Professor of Anthropology in the School of Intercultural Studies at Biola University in La Mirada, California.