Cargo cults: what they are, and examples of associated religions

Throughout history, human beings have constantly asked the why and how of his own existence, of his past and future, its conditions and if it is possible to improve them or even the meaning of life itself or of reality. And among the different routes through which an attempt has been made to answer these questions, we can find that of faith: religion.

There are many confessions and cultures that have been emerging, living and in many cases disappearing. Although today a majority of the population tends to believe in one of the five most prevalent religions (Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism or Buddhism), the truth is that there is still a great variety of religious beliefs beyond these options.

These include a very few minority groups that have emerged from the contrast between disparate cultures and technological levels, as is the case with the cargo cults. It is about this type of cults that we are going to talk about throughout this article.

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What are cargo cults?

The cargo or cargo cults are a set of cults or spiritual and religious beliefs present mainly on the islands of Oceania (and generally specific to Melanesia), specifically in those populated by indigenous people with limited contact with the rest of the world and limited technological development.

It is about a series of religious confessions that, despite being heterogeneous and different from each other in many aspects, share the fact to be based on the first contacts between the natives and the explorers, military, travelers and castaways coming from territories much more technologically developed (usually European, American or Japanese) and the set of possessions that came with their cargoes.

Usually in these types of beliefs the shipments themselves are considered to be goods sent by the gods or spirits to facilitate their existence, and the foreigners who arrive with them are seen as deities or envoys of these in order to provide them. This contact is not always positive, since in some cases the non-distribution of cargo and goods or unequal distribution are taken as a grievance or an act of greed and disobedience on the part of those who should deliver them, and at times they have come to form insurrections.

The vehicles in which they arrived also receive some veneration, something that after all has a lot of logic: the arrival of food dropped by parachute from airplanes could mean a big change for the local population, who watched in wonder how food was delivered from the sky by objects or flying entities whose nature cost them understand. In a sense, most cargo cults present rituals and customs such as the making of replica antennas. satellite dishes and airplanes, in order to attract their arrival by imitating the actions of Europeans, Americans and Asians with whom they they had contact.

It is important to bear in mind that although the hope and belief in the future arrival of shipments may suggest that they maintain an attitude of laziness and inactivity (and in In some cases, a focus on the arrival of cargo can be observed) in fact, many of these towns are tremendously active, and must be so for that reason. survive. The cargo cults have also led to the incorporation of numerous rituals and customs adopted from the observation of Europeans, in the hope that its replication allows the arrival of new goods.

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Where do these kinds of beliefs come from?

As we have indicated, most of these beliefs have their origin in the first first contacts between the inhabitants of a relatively isolated tribe or culture and the arrival at their territory of European or Asian explorers, military or shipwrecked (especially relevant were the contacts and shipments that arrived at the time of World War II). In many cases, previous cultures highly valued the role of ancestors and ancestors. spirits of these, and sometimes the arrival of outsiders was taken as a symbol or a return of these.

But these foreigners also carried non-existent and unknown possessions for the natives: they came in large wooden or metal ships, or (in later cases) in airplanes. who saw and heard flying over their territory, and carried food, tools or weapons that they had never seen and that were more efficient or useful than those they possessed previously. Thus, and especially When the native population began to exchange or receive these goods, they identified them as a divine gift or gift. and they began to adore the cargoes that were so useful.

Likewise, the emergence of cargo cults allowed them to explain the role and existence of other beings that until then were non-existent for them, by seeking integrate foreigners into their explanation of the world without generating dissonance with pre-existing beliefs. Even the presence of an engine noise can be interpreted as a sign that spirits are making an appearance.

In addition, in a similar way to what initially occurred in South and Central America when the Europeans reached their shores, on more than one occasion the Europeans themselves Newcomers began to see benefits in these beliefs and even promoted them to obtain different types of advantage or so that the native population did not revolt. This caused that the cults of the cargo or cargo were strengthened, although with the passage of time some of the peoples with this type of beliefs captured the use and inequality of foreigners when it comes to sharing their assets and have ended up distrusting they.

Two examples of office cults

As we have indicated previously, There is no single cargo cult, but it is possible to find a wide diversity of peoples and beliefs that are part of this type of cult. Below we can see some examples of it.

Tanna Island: The Cult of John Frum

On this Melanesian island we can find various different cults of office. One of the best known is the cult of John Frum, who was considered the king of America.

Probably an American aviator (it is speculated that the name comes from "John from America") arrived during World War II, This figure that is represented decked out in a military uniform is considered a divinity that he once came to the island with great gifts, but that after a time and after having predicted the departure of the white man from the island he left the island promising to return. The widespread belief is that one day he will, coming out of the Yasur volcano, laden with new goods.

Even today the inhabitants of the island carry out different rituals, and even marching with sticks that resemble rifles and the American flag every February 15, awaiting the return of their God.

Madang and the cult of missionaries

Another of the best known cargo cults is the one present in Madang, on the north coast of Papua New Guinea. In this case, the inhabitants of the region, seeing that the practices and beliefs of the Western missionaries provided them with more tools and skills. developed (in addition to receiving different shipments), they began to seek to learn Christian ideas and beliefs to try to discover what their secret.

However, in his quest to acquire and learn Western Christian beliefs, locals acquired a different interpretation by mixing them with their search for the position or cargo: considered that the figure of Christ provided the inhabitants of Europe with the cargo, but nevertheless the missionaries themselves wanted to keep it for themselves.

Later the Second World War would arrive, in which they would be invaded by the Japanese. Since they drove out the missionaries and in turn the latter were seen as obstacles or oppressors, they were initially well received, although the plunder that this The army carried out ended up making the native settlers stop appreciating and taking an interest in contact with foreigners, even after their withdrawal. last.

Bibliographic references:

• Harris, M. (2016). Cows, pigs, wars and witches. Ed. Alianza, pp. 150 - 172.
• Jebens, H. (2004): Cargo, Cult and Culture Critique, ed. University of Hawaii Press.