Anthropological Study of Myth and Environmental Discourse in Dawasamu, Fiji

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26870634
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Area studies; Cultural anthropology
• Research Institution: Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology (2017); Juntendo University (2015-2016); Keio University (2014)
• Principal Investigator: Asai Yuichi 東京農工大学, 工学(系)研究科(研究院), 講師 (80726860)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 環境運動 / 文化と自然 / 儀礼 / 詩的言語 / 記号論 / 言語人類学 / 神話 / メラネシア

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The research examined the relationship of discourses between the environmental conservation practices and narratives on myth and christianity in the Dawasamu district, Fiji Islands. Especially, the research focused on the ritual called "Healing the Land Process", in which a Pentecostal Christian cult group confiscated the Fijian vernacular ritual tools and demolished them. The research revealed that this incident was a part of the reason why people in the district started to implement the environmental conservation. Thus, the research revealed the indexical connection with humans and non-humans through narratives or as discourse.

Free Research Field

文化人類学