Sorcery

Missionary Tells of Sorcery ind Revived Sangguma

THE greatest obstacle to the spread of Christianity in my part of Jew Guinea is native sorcery” said "ather John Gehberger, an Austrian >riest who has given 20 years’ mis ionary service to the Sepik districts if New Guinea. He was for some ime a prisoner in the hands of Jap nvaders. At present, he is having i rest in Australia.

Father Gehberger gave many ex imples of the heavy task of removing irimitive illiterate natives from the nfluence of sorcerers. The latter ire very powerful and unscrupulous, lorcery is a cult that is handed on rom father to son. The secret rites ,nd words were strictly guarded, and he average native regarded such icople with terror.

Father Gehberger says that there las been lately some recrudescence n Northwest New Guinea of the lative murder cult called Sangguma -first reported in PIM, August, 1947, •age 86. Natives regard it as sor ery—but it really is worse than that, ►elected victims are waylaid and

somehow rendered unconscious: needle-like bones or thorns are then driven deep into certain parts of the body, out of sight; the victim is left to recover and walk home; and pre sently, as a result of the cunning per forations, he sickens and dies. This cult was strong before the war; then

it disappeared altogether; and now it is reported in the Wewak district to be growing again.

A daughter was born to Mr. and Mrs. O. Ashton, of Gama Plantation, Talasea, NG., on May 12.