Anthropological studies on Baha'is and religious symbiosis in Solomon Islands

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K03236
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Cultural anthropology
• Research Institution: Kobe University
• Principal Investigator: Ishimori Daichi 神戸大学, 国際文化学研究科, 准教授 (90594804)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: バハーイー教 / マイノリティ / 宗教共生 / 信仰生活 / 改宗 / ソロモン諸島

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This research examines the symbiotic relationship between Baha'is and Christians in the Solomon Islands. After the conversion, Baha'is have continued to participate in Christian ceremonies and events. There are two logics there. One is that they practice to make themselves religiously "invisible." The other is that they regard "religion (lotu)" and "tradition (kastom)" as different areas. By doing so, they maintain their existing social relationships in the latter area. Finally, I showed that these logics are the foundations of the symbiotic relationship between the two religions in the village level.

Free Research Field

人文学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

バハーイー教はグローバルな規模で拡大する最新の世界宗教であるにもかかわらず、その先行研究は限られている。数少ないバハーイー研究はおもに中東研究の枠内で実施され、ムスリムとの暴力的な軋轢に注目するなど偏向がみられる。本研究ではバハーイー教と他宗教との共生に注目し、ソロモン諸島の事例に基づき「見えざる存在」としての実践や、社会関係の維持のあり方が明らかとなった。これらのことはメラネシアの枠を超え、現代的な宗教共生を考える上で意義があるといえる。