|
Institute of Tribal Studies |
|
The Chambri Tribe Of Papua New Guinea
People names: Chambri; Tchambuli; Tshamberi Population: 1995 (1,700) -- 85% rural; 15% urban Geographically: The Chambri tribe is situated on an island in the Chambri Lakes Region of the East Sepik Province. Chambri island covers approximately 75 miles of mosquito infested swamp land. The Chambri live in four villages, three of which are located on Chambri island: The eastern village is Wombun -- 600 people The middle village is Indingai -- 450 people The western village is Kirimbit -- 400 people The fourth village is located in the Chambri settlement in the coastal town of Wewak 250 people Language: Chambri Autoglossonym (What they call their language): Tchambuli Climate: Low to high 90's year round; Dry season: May until November; Rainy season: December through April Diet: Sago palm; fish; turtles; bird/duck eggs; crocodile; fruit bats; green leaf vegetables; bananas; papayas; mangos and a variety of citrus fruits Health care: Good water supply; good nutrition and good sanitation habits. However, malaria and malaria related ailments remain a large problem. Another health hazard the Chambri endure is cataracts which are caused by unusually high equatorial ultra-violet rays which are greatly intensified by constant eye-piercing reflections off the surrounding lake around their island. Life expectancy: 55-60 Literacy: 70% and improving; The Chambri are far above the PNG national average (43%), their good diet and strong economy being the main reason. Education: Pre-school is taught in the Chambri language; a Catholic village school is available for grades one to three in the Melanesian Pidgin language. Recreation: Children -- Soccer and volleyball (makeshift balls made of bush materials) Adults -- Talking (gossiping); hunting (men) Family structures: Patriarchal; polygamous with strong interlineal bonds Religion: Animist 99 %; Syncretistic Catholic 99.1 %; Bahai .6%; Christian .03% Scriptures: Not translated into Chambri; complete Bible is available in the Melanesian Pidgin. Jesus film: Not translated into Chambri; Shown several times in Melanesian Pidgin. Mission agencies working among Chambri: 1
The Chambri Tribe of Papua New Guinea Socially: Relational harmony is crucial for Chambri villagers. A person may lie, cheat or steal and yet be considered a "good" person if all his relationships are in order. The Chambri view all men as equal. Individual success is frowned upon and may even be hindered by other villagers. Group achievement is the goal. Economy: The Chambri people are admired as the wealthiest of all tribes in the Sepik region because of their super-abundance of birds, fish, turtles, crocodiles and fruitful gardens. The Chambri Lakes are the major source of dried fish for the entire province. Several Chambri men own crocodile farms and sell the hides internationally. Chambri villagers are also world renowned for their unique wood carvings and hand woven baskets. Spiritually: Chambri religion is summed up in the word ANIMISM. Animism is the belief in, fear of and worship of spirits -- Particularly ancestral spirits. The Chambri are power-oriented rather than truth-oriented. The big question is not objective truth vs error. They want to know "Who is more powerful? Our spirits or your God?" Fear is the controlling emotion that permeates Chambri culture. Chambri villagers are terrified of ancestral spirits. They fear that impending catastrophe is imminent when a tribal spirit is angered in some way. This fear of the spirits has made them resistant to the gospel. The great mystery of life for the Chambri is: How can we control the spirits in order to be successful in life. Each Chambri clan has their own particular spirits and sorcerers. The Chambri believe that an ancestral spirit lives in the lake surrounding their island. This tribal deity must be constantly appeased so that he yields up the crocodiles, fish and turtles they need for survival. Chambri sorcerers know how to manipulate the river spirit so that their fishing efforts will be successful. One clan controls the fishing (through white magic rituals), another clan controls the birds and the collection of the eggs, another controls the crocodiles, another the fruit bats etc... One clan is of the sun and another is of the moon. The moon clan must marry only from the sun clan and vice versa. Traditionally, ceremonial skin-cutting (which is tribal initiation into manhood and tribal leadership) was involuntary. It was part of becoming an adult male in Chambri society. Though voluntary these days, it is still a systematic way of becoming demonized in order to attain access to the power and secret knowledge of the spirits -- This initiation involves hundreds of painful incisions on a young mans back, arms and shoulders Chambri villagers fear that if they allow a rival deity into their villages, ancestral spirits will take revenge upon them in some way.
Gospel Progress in Chambri Leo Wasi was the first convert under David Sitton's ministry in 1988. Leo has endured serious persecution from his own people as he aggressively shares Christ with them. Violent hostility erupted into a riot in 1990 when missionaries David Sitton and Dave Baker preached the Gospel in Chambri for the first time. There have been several riotous outbreaks through the years, the last one in June of 2000. Elias Sarin was the first Christian baptized in Chambri in 1995. He now serves the people and is actively working to disciple the new Chambri believers. Gospel seed has faithfully been sown and watered in Chambri for fouteen years. As of January, 2002 there is a small but strong fellowship of 65 believers in Chambri.
Strategy for Reaching the Chambri 1. Conversational evangelism with tribal leaders in the village spirit house 2. Teaching men chronologically through the Bible 3. Public evangelistic meetings utilizing the JESUS film and gospel preaching 4. Continued leadership training with Elias, Leo, Harry and Samuel. These are four young Chambri men who are new in faith -- But already working to evangelize their people 5. Continue to disciple the new believers and help them to evangelize within their own families and clans 6. Continue ladies discipleship and literacy programs 7. Work to instill a GREAT COMMISSION mind-set within the young Chambri believers by leading them on evangelistic patrols into the still unreached tribes surrounding them.
Prayer Topics
Bibliography: For further study of the Chambri Sitton, David Missionary newsletters (Set of 9) Cassette tape (Power Encounter among the Chambri, 1995) Barefoot, Emily The Chambri People of Papua New Guinea, 1994, research paper. Gewertz, Deborah The Tchambuli View of Persons: A critique of individualism in the works of Mead and Chodorow. American Anthropologist v 86, 1984. Errington, Frederick; Gewertz, Deborah The Chief of the Chambri: Social change and cultural permeability among a New Guinea people. American Anthropologist v12, 1985. Errington, Frederick; Gewertz, Deborah The Confluence of Powers: Entropy and Importation among the Chambri. Oceania v 57, 1991. Penn, Mischa; Lipset, David Chambri Mysticism and Sepik Regional Exchange. Oceania v 62, 1991.
|