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Anthropology and Religion

The Constitution

The Constitution

In the history of Mangaia, the fortunes of war wavered among the tribes of the different districts. The vanquished of yesterday were the victors of to-page 74day, and the victors of today were the vanquished of tomorrow. The successful tribe enjoyed the rich food lands, and the conquered eked out a bare existence in the narrow upland valleys and the recesses of the raised coral reef known as the makatea. A change of government could be brought about only by success in battle. The conquered, under this system, cherished the hope of building up their forces by tribal increase or by making an alliance with other tribes to regain power by the arbitrament of war.

Let us now consider how this complex culture, which was the result of a gradual adjustment and evolution extending over a number of centuries, was rudely shattered when the Mangaians deserted their own gods. Just as a hereditary chief was dependent upon his tribesmen for maintaining power and authority, so the gods were dependent upon the continued support of their worshipers. When the Mangaians deserted their gods in favor of Christianity, they destroyed them as surely as if they had been mortal beings.