severed snake, The
Book Description
The Severed Snake offers a profound exploration of how indigenous wisdom and spiritual understanding shape our relationship with land, ancestry, and sacred place. Through careful study of the Arosi people of Makira in the Solomon Islands, anthropologist Michael W. Scott reveals how ancient lineage traditions carry deep spiritual essences that connect communities to their ancestral territories in ways that transcend ordinary understanding.
This work illuminates the intricate dance between traditional spiritual practices and the adoption of Christianity, showing how indigenous peoples weave new religious influences into their existing sacred frameworks. Scott's research uncovers how gender, descent, and place-making intertwine to create powerful spiritual geographies that continue to guide community life and resolve complex territorial disputes.
Drawing from historical research and newly documented mythic traditions, the book demonstrates how indigenous theories of being offer alternative ways of understanding our connection to the earth and our ancestors. For readers interested in exploring different spiritual worldviews, this ethnographic study provides insights into how sacred knowledge operates within living communities, revealing the ongoing relevance of ancestral wisdom in contemporary spiritual practice.
The work bridges multiple disciplines, offering valuable perspectives for anyone seeking to understand how traditional spiritual systems adapt and endure while maintaining their essential character and transformative power.
Who Is This For?
📖 Reading Level: Medium (200-400 pages) (~11 hours)
📄 Length: 379 pages
What You'll Discover
- ✓ Explore Kinship
- ✓ Explore Land tenure, oceania
- ✓ Explore Social life and customs
- ✓ Explore Arosi (Solomon Islands people)
- ✓ Explore Christianity and culture
- ✓ Explore Oceania, social life and customs
- ✓ Explore Religion
- ✓ Explore Land tenure
