Kabit, Rimbu and Opa: Modalities of Anganen Sacrifice (Report‪)‬

INTRODUCTION. Once the topic of grand theorists such as Robertson-Smith (1899) or Hubert and Mauss (1964), sacrifice can no longer be comprehended as a unitary phenomenon (Valeri 1985). As van Baal (1975) notes, one reason for this is that such arguments did not consider sacrifice among small, tribal societies such as the Anganen of the Southern Highlands Province of Papua New Guinea. Here I discuss the two most important forms of male exclusive sacrifice, kabit and rimbu, the Anganen practised at the time of Australian colonial control and their abandonment soon after due to missionary pressure. The present argument builds upon a series of previous discussions (Nihill 1988a, 1988b, 1996a, 1996b, 2000a, 2001) which explore the theme that Anganen forms of social practice do not simply possess their own intrinsic meaning, but gain further significance in relation to other forms of practice. This may be partly through similarity, but mostly through contrast. It is the dynamic interrelations between forms of practice that gives vitality to the expression of key aspects of Anganen culture and social structure. This is especially the case when a temporal perspective is adopted as rimbu was periodically abandoned and the houses defiled, while kabit was not, the houses only being rebuilt if beyond repair.