Archaeology of the Waiat mysteries on Woeydhul Island in Western Torres Strait

Duncan Wright; Sofia Samper Carro; Ladislav Nejman; Glenn van der Kolk; Mirani Litster; Michelle Langley; Rachel Wood; Iona Claringbold; Cygnet Repu

doi:10.15184/aqy.2021.39

Archaeology of the Waiat mysteries on Woeydhul Island in Western Torres Strait

Duncan Wright, Sofia Samper Carro, Ladislav Nejman, Glenn van der Kolk, Mirani Litster, Michelle Langley, Rachel Wood, Iona Claringbold, Cygnet Repu

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article

Abstract

Secret societies, involving restricted and hierarchically organised initiation rituals, are conspicuous in the chronicles of many past and present societies. These rarely leave a substantial written record and yet archaeology can provide vivid insight into past performances, for example in relation to Roman 'mystery cults'. Far less research, however, has focused on Australia and the Pacific Islands. This article presents archaeological evidence for ceremonies practised on Woeydhul Island in the Western Torres Strait, exploring initiation rituals at the cusp of contemporary memory. By doing so, it provides a detailed and long-term history for Torres Strait Islander secret societies and ritual activities involving dugong bone mounds, stone arrangements and worked stingray spines

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	791-811
Journal	Antiquity
Volume	95
Issue number	381
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.15184/aqy.2021.39
Publication status	Published - 2021

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title = "Archaeology of the Waiat mysteries on Woeydhul Island in Western Torres Strait",

abstract = "Secret societies, involving restricted and hierarchically organised initiation rituals, are conspicuous in the chronicles of many past and present societies. These rarely leave a substantial written record and yet archaeology can provide vivid insight into past performances, for example in relation to Roman 'mystery cults'. Far less research, however, has focused on Australia and the Pacific Islands. This article presents archaeological evidence for ceremonies practised on Woeydhul Island in the Western Torres Strait, exploring initiation rituals at the cusp of contemporary memory. By doing so, it provides a detailed and long-term history for Torres Strait Islander secret societies and ritual activities involving dugong bone mounds, stone arrangements and worked stingray spines",

author = "Duncan Wright and {Samper Carro}, Sofia and Ladislav Nejman and {van der Kolk}, Glenn and Mirani Litster and Michelle Langley and Rachel Wood and Iona Claringbold and Cygnet Repu",

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AU - Wright, Duncan

AU - Samper Carro, Sofia

AU - Nejman, Ladislav

AU - van der Kolk, Glenn

AU - Litster, Mirani

AU - Langley, Michelle

AU - Wood, Rachel

AU - Claringbold, Iona

AU - Repu, Cygnet

PY - 2021

Y1 - 2021

N2 - Secret societies, involving restricted and hierarchically organised initiation rituals, are conspicuous in the chronicles of many past and present societies. These rarely leave a substantial written record and yet archaeology can provide vivid insight into past performances, for example in relation to Roman 'mystery cults'. Far less research, however, has focused on Australia and the Pacific Islands. This article presents archaeological evidence for ceremonies practised on Woeydhul Island in the Western Torres Strait, exploring initiation rituals at the cusp of contemporary memory. By doing so, it provides a detailed and long-term history for Torres Strait Islander secret societies and ritual activities involving dugong bone mounds, stone arrangements and worked stingray spines

AB - Secret societies, involving restricted and hierarchically organised initiation rituals, are conspicuous in the chronicles of many past and present societies. These rarely leave a substantial written record and yet archaeology can provide vivid insight into past performances, for example in relation to Roman 'mystery cults'. Far less research, however, has focused on Australia and the Pacific Islands. This article presents archaeological evidence for ceremonies practised on Woeydhul Island in the Western Torres Strait, exploring initiation rituals at the cusp of contemporary memory. By doing so, it provides a detailed and long-term history for Torres Strait Islander secret societies and ritual activities involving dugong bone mounds, stone arrangements and worked stingray spines

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DO - 10.15184/aqy.2021.39

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EP - 811

JO - Antiquity

JF - Antiquity

IS - 381

ER -

Archaeology of the Waiat mysteries on Woeydhul Island in Western Torres Strait

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