Totemism on Truk and Ponape

Fischer, J. L. (April 1957). "Totemism on Truk and Ponape". American Anthropologist. 59 (2): 250–265. doi:10.1525/aa.1957.59.2.02a00060. ISSN 1548-1433 0002-7294, 1548-1433 .

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Abstract: "Totemism on Truk and Ponape" explores the symbolic and sociopsychological aspects of totemism in Truk (now Chuuk) and Ponape (now Pohnpei), focusing on how these beliefs reflect and interact with social conflicts and structures within the societies. Key themes include: 1. Socio-Psychological Conflict: The paper details how totemic beliefs, myths, and practices are psychological supports for sibs (social groups similar to clans) and address the conflicts or ambivalences within lineages. It is noted that psychological conflict in Ponape is not merely a function of interaction levels within lineage members but rather a function of individual interests clashing. 2. Cultural Practices: In Ponape, sib totemism correlates with childhood conflicts over dependence on parents, particularly the mother, which is stronger than in Truk. Trukese culture lacks classical sib totemism, suggesting variations in cultural beliefs and practices related to personal conflicts. 3. Medicine and Totemism: On Truk, the knowledge of medicinal practices is restricted, sometimes seen as a spiritual extension of the practitioner. Beliefs hold that spirits or animals reveal new medicines, and practitioners often rely on animals, believed to have originally taught them the craft, in their work. 4. Symbolic Representation: Totemistic practices are noted to symbolically or metaphorically represent actual social conflicts within the societies. This symbolic nature suggests an underlying psychological relationship with societal structures. 5. Interpretation and Conclusions: The paper concludes that rather than merely focusing on exogamous sibs, understanding classical sib totemism involves examining socio-psychological conflicts within ancestry or lineage, further shaped by comparative cultural interpretations.

The paper acknowledges the illustrative nature of the ethnographic material and suggests that further comparison between cultures could yield more insights into the symbolic meanings of totemistic practices. The study uses data considered insightful but not exhaustive in capturing the complexities and symbolic depth of totemism across different cultures.

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MAG: 2110635792
OpenAlex: W2110635792
CorpusID: 163086103