The Gender of God’s Gifts—Dividual Personhood, Spirits and the Statue of Mother Mary in a Sepik Society, Papua New Guinea

A Sepik myth tells of a time in which women were charge powerful spirits before jealous men reversed the gender roles by force. Today, Timbunmeli (Nyaura, West Iatmul) have lost control over who started to act through female bodies. Christian charismatic rituals hint at mythical times, and remind villagers that are original custodians now understood as being God. While previously, male bodies represented shamanic ritual regalia, predominant recipients God’s gifts. This paper analyzes current religious practices onto-praxis relation local concept personhood relational ontology informing Nyaura’s lifeworld. Building on Strathern, Bird-David, Gell’s theories about humans things from an anthropology perspective adding discussion, this argues dividuality put into practice has not only informed way Nyaura made Christianity their own, but is also central for understanding events impacting relations material objects representing play crucial role.