The Mekeo “man of sorrow”: sorcery and the individuation of the self

Abstract

The pervasiveness of sorcery and witchcraft beliefs in Melanesia is well documented. Recent discussions of Melanesian concepts of person and self, emphasizing their “divisibility” and lack of boundedness, help to explain why Melanesians feel so vulnerable to intrusions and invasions by other, more powerful selves. This article explores the process whereby a man assumes the role of sorcerer, or “man of sorrow,” in Mekeo society. In describing how the vulnerable, open, and divisible self of an ordinary Mekeo person is gradually transformed into one believed capable of annihilating others, this article challenges the assumption that self‐differentiation is a concern only of Western cultures.