Publicity, privacy, and "happy deaths" in Fiji

Matt Tomlinson*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

7 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

In this article, I investigate death as a nexus around which public-private distinctions are made. An examination of Methodist missionary efforts at entextualizing "happy deaths" in 19th-century Fiji shows how the missionaries both attempted to create a Christian reading public "back home" but also unintentionally helped create a new private zone of the demonic. I analyze the private demonic zone through the constricted circulation of particular narratives heard after the death of a high chief in 2003.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)706-720
Number of pages15
JournalAmerican Ethnologist
Volume34
Issue number4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Nov 2007
Externally publishedYes

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Publicity, privacy, and "happy deaths" in Fiji'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this