Colonial and Postcolonial Spirits

Abstract

Abstract Following European colonization, Polynesians and Micronesians often became enthusiastically Christian. With Christianity as the dominant religion, local spirits became “demons.” Spirit possession shifted from a specialization of priests and those of high status to an affliction suffered mainly by girls or women, and from a blessing to a curse. Spirits and stories about them were transformed, reflecting changes in (post)colonial society. In the shift from spirit-centered religions toward a God-centered religion, emotional and psychological transitions were often slow and difficult. Under the cover of involuntary possessions, people gave themselves permission to enact banished elements of their cultures, and indeed to develop these. Possessing spirits thus did various kinds of historical and cultural work in different Pacific localities and periods, making the study of spirit possession a rich source of psychological and social history.