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The Poetics of the Flute

Fading Imagery in a Sepik Society

Bibliographic Data

ID8931032
AuthorsB Telban (0000-0003-3944-9035, corresponding author)
Year2014
Volume125
Issue1
Pages92-112
Publication date2014-01-02
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueFolklore (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0015-587X • E-ISSN: 1469-8315
PublisherRoutledge (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/0015587x.2013.837668
OpenAlexW2087498345
LanguageEN
Citations received4
References cited14

Male initiation rituals used to be of central importance for the Sepik River societies of Papua New Guinea. Among the Karawari-speaking Ambonwari they were characterized by two idiosyncratic song-dances: one associated with the spirit-crocodiles and the other with the bamboo flutes. Hence, the songs of the flute and crocodile were the most secret songs known only to a small number of 'big men'. Since the Catholic charismatic movement entered the village at the end of 1994, all previously important rituals were slowly abandoned and so were the song-dances of the crocodile and flute. By analysing various transpositions of meanings in the song of the flute one can detect vanishing cultural values and fading social relationships that these verses were meant to sustain

Art · Art history · Charisma · Crocodile · Ethnology · Flute · Literature · Mythology · New guinea · Poetics · Poetry · Theology · Anthropological Studies and Insights · Archaeology and Rock Art Studies · History · Pacific and Southeast Asian Studies · Philosophy

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    Open Access•B Telban•History and Anthropology•2026

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    José Antonio Jódar-Sánchez•Sociolinguistic Studies•2023

  • Karawari carved crocodiles

    Open Access•B Telban•Journal de la Société des…•2018

  • Seeing and holding time

    Open Access•B Telban•Time & Society•2017

  • The empty place

    James F Weiner•The empty place•1991

  • Talk never dies

    Laurence Goldman•Talk never dies•1983

  • Ku Waru

    Open Access•F Merlan, A Rumsey•Ku Waru•1991

  • Metaphors We Live By

    George Lakoff, Mark Johnson et al.•Metaphors we live by•2003

  • Paths toward a clearing

    Michael Jackson•Paths toward a clearing•1989

  • The Poetics of the Crocodile

    Open Access•B Telban•Oceania•2008

  • Laments for Foiled Marriages

    Open Access•Harrison, Simon Harrison•Oceania•1986

  • Metaphor and Reality

    Alice R Kaminsky, Alice Kaminsky et al.•Philosophy and Phenomenological…•1964

  • Sung Tales from the Papua New Guinea Highlands

    Alan Rumsey, Don Niles•Sung tales from the Papua New…•2011

  • Genre, Motive, and Metaphor

    Open Access•T J Csordas•Cultural Anthropology•1987

  • Places and Spirits in a Sepik Society

    B Telban, Daniela Vávrová•Canberra Anthropology•2010

Unique citing works4
Citations per year0,44
Citation span2017 - 2026 (10)
Citation velocitycurrent
Highly citedNo
Citation typesNeutral: 4

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