Church Festivals and the Visualization of Identity in Collingwood Bay, Papua New Guinea

Abstract

In Collingwood Bay, people celebrate the individual saints after which each Anglican church is named. These church festivals are a combination of Christian worship and traditional music and dances. They vary from small, village-based happenings to large regional performances in which objects and food are exchanged. For the Maisin people, the festivals not only express dedication to the church, they also embody the spirit of past clan festivities that connected clans and commemorated clan ancestors. This article1 discusses how, for the Maisin people, church festivals provide a contemporary arena in which various identities, emotions, and knowledge as well as affiliations are actually embodied and expressed visually.