“Adapt Native Rites "

As A Christian

Ceremony

The tribal initiation rite carried out in Korogo village on New Guinea’s Sepik can, with some modifications, be adapted to serve as a preparation for the Christian initiation ceremony of Confirmation, according to Rev. Dr. Henry Aufenanger, SVD, a Divine Word missionary in New Guinea since 1933.

WRITING in the current issue of the US Catholic paper World mission, edited by Most Rev.

Fulton Sheen, and published under the sponsorship of the National Office of the Society for the Pro pagation of the Faith, Dr. Aufen anger said his on-the-spot studies had convinced him there was noth ing in the Korogo initiation rite that could be considered immoral.

A revival of initiation rites at Korogo had prompted an investiga tion by Father Aufenanger.

“It is my firm opinion that the ceremony can be permitted and ought to be allowed,” he said.

He called for Christianisation of the custom as an aid to better answering the religious needs of the people. , Father Aufenanger, who earned his PhD in anthropology at the University of Vienna and is a regular contributor to anthro pological reviews, explained that the most important part of the initia tion rite at Korogo was a series of

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courses for the candidates given by tribal elders, stretching over three months, and which were intended “to make them obedient, patriotic, strong and responsible members of their tribe”.

Obedience to the moral code was stressed as of paramount import ance and candidates were filled with a great fear of pre-marital sexual experience, stealing and certain other practices.

"No Paganism"

In adapting the rite as a pre paration for the Christian cere mony of Confirmation, the author said it would be necessary to sep arate the deep and penetrating ex periences of the tribal initiation “from all connection with pagan ism”.

Important parts of the Korogo initiation rite are the frequent beat ings with rods and the deep in cisions made on the chest to pro duce decorative scars.

“The candidates can continue to receive the cicatrices and the beat ings,” Dr. Aufenanger said. “The sufferings they endure will be re stitution that they make gladly for their own sins and the sins of their people.”

The anthropologist denied that this way of thinking was “too hideous” and said “We have to accommodate our way of thinking to that of the natives in this matter.”

Instead of the crocodile which now looms large in the background of the initiation rites, he suggested that the dove, symbol of the Holy Ghost, be substituted and that it be “tatooed or cut or burnt upon their breast” in place of the former scarifications.

Father Aufenanger said he was certain that New Guinea youths adorned in this way “would be very proud of this symbol and would con fess unashamedly and on every possible occasion their allegiance to the Holy Spirit.”