Dec 08, 2009 19:15:00

Apologies to the descendants of the Erromango cannibal tribe, the descendants of missionaries ate by their ancestors 170 years ago

Currently,

Republic of Vanuatu in the South Pacific are included erromango (Erromango Island, recently, 'Iromango island' and is also often referred to) in 1839 to be killed by the natives eaten British missionary John Williams of great-great-grandchild et al., eat at the invitation of the islanders, et al. is a side of descendants to visit the island received a formal apology it was, was settled for the first time in 170 years. It is believed on the island that this reconciliation ritual has lifted a certain 'curse.'

Details are as below. BBC News --Island holds reconciliation over cannibalism

This apology and reconciliation ritual was held to commemorate the 170th anniversary of the martyrdom of missionary James Harris, who was also murdered like John Williams. The ritual also recreates the killing.

Charles Milner-Williams, a 65-year-old man from Hampshire , visited Erromango Island with 17 relatives from around the world at the invitation of the islanders. Missionary John Williams is Milner-Williams' high-grandfather.

Islanders apologize to all the descendants of John Williams for the actions of their ancestors 170 years ago and ask for forgiveness.

John Williams (1796-1839) has been a missionary touring the islands of Polynesia for almost 20 years since he was appointed as a missionary by the London Missionary Association at the age of 20, and was the most successful missionary in the 1830s. Is one of them. Since it is Protestant, there are still direct descendants.

Many traces of John Williams' mission were still left in various parts of the South Sea Islands, and many of the inhabitants of Erromango, the land of martyrdom, subsequently converted to Christianity. Currently, about 83% of Vanuatu's population is Christian.

Missionary John Williams visited Erromango Island for missionary work in November 1839. Unfortunately, a few days earlier, European sandalwood merchants had just killed the inhabitants of Erromango. Williams and Harris were attacked by the islanders as soon as they landed in Dillons Bay, and according to sightings of the captain of the missionary ship Camden, the most inland Harris was slaughtered with a stick and Williams was slaughtered by the sea. He was caught up at the beach where he ran toward and escaped, was beaten with a stick and shot with an arrow, and died in shallow water. Later, when a Royal Navy ship revisited the island, residents testified that they had killed and ate both Williams and Harris.

Residents of the role of Williams holding the Bible in a reconciliation ritual.

A state of taking a breath in the shallow water.

It is reproduced quite realistically.

Some of the descendants of Missionary Williams from all over the world are small children. The powerful ritual may have been a little scary.

Some residents of Erromango Island still feel a strong sense of guilt for the actions taken by their ancestors, and some residents think that the island is being 'cursed' by killing missionaries. , President of the Republic of Vanuatu, Iolo Johnson Abbil, says the ritual is also important for the entire republic, where Christianity is a strong force. 'It is very important for us to claim forgiveness and reconcile in this way. It is an opportunity that Erromango Island needed more than anything else.'

Vanuatu parliamentarian and anthropologist Ralph Regenvanu, who was instrumental in achieving this settlement, said: 'The islanders may be guilty of the missionary killings that took place long ago, or the island may be cursed. I had a complex with him. '

''Reconciliation' is part of our culture, and apologizing is part of it, but the ritual of reconciliation always provides something for both sides. There is an element of'exchange'. That's Regenvanu. ' Cannibalism , unlike the image many people have, has traditionally been a very ritualistic and sacred act. It's not the ease of eating a neighbor for lunch. It's strict. Step-by-step rituals often meant overcoming threats by absorbing the power of the enemy. John Williams was also a threat of European civilization, which was invading erotic manga at the time. It is thought that it was eaten as a symbol. '

As an 'exchange' in the ritual of reconciliation, all of Williams' descendants have agreed to undertake the education of a seven-year-old girl on Erromango Island. The girl was handed over to Milner-Williams and others during the ritual in place of the lost John Williams.

'It was 170 years ago, so I expected that I would only have a cold reaction, but I was deeply moved by the bare emotions of the islanders, their genuine conversion , and their heartbreaking regrets. 'Milner-Williams said.

Dillons Bay, the final destination of John Williams, was renamed Williams Bay in commemoration of Williams' martyrdom and its reconciliation 170 years later.

Erromango Island reached a population of 10,000 at its peak, but the population has increased since the 19th century due to mass deaths caused by infectious diseases such as dysentery and measles brought about by Europeans, looting, and slave hunting to cultivate Australia. It will be drastically reduced. It is said that many residents believed that the reason for the island's decline was due to the curse that killed the missionaries, but if the news of the settlement ritual will increase the number of tourists and lead to the development of the island. Will you be able to believe that the curse has been lifted?