Magical conversation on the Trobriand Islands

Abstract

The Trobriand Islanders of Papua New Guinea are famous for being great magicians. They differentiate among various forms of magic. This paper presents, translates, and comments on, a selection of various magical formulae that are used by expert magicians in different fields to reach various means and ends. It discusses - from the emic, Trobriand, point of view - the speech register represented and established by these formulae and points out that the speech situation between the magician and her or his animate, inanimate, or spiritual addressee is regarded by the Trobriand Islanders as a special form of conversation - like interaction. From the etic point of view, this interaction between magicians and their addressees is analysed as a special form of ritual communication that serves, among other things, the function of relieving the tension in critical situations of social interaction.

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