Abstract
During fieldwork, I heard indigenous Fijians in Kadavu Island refer to Genesis 1:26 more often than to any other Bible verse, and in multiple contexts. It resonated with popular discourse about decline and loss and was used to motivate attempts at personal and collective transformation. Comparison with John 3:16, which circulates well in American evangelical contexts but is not as prominent in Fijian discourse, reveals how the circulation of both verses depends on the perception of gaps that motivate a shift from dissemination to replication. In the case of Fijian use of Genesis 1:26, a double movement of replication occurs: the printed text has been reshaped into a poetically paraphrased form which has become a new standard, and use of the verse is meant to compel actions that draw the Fijian vanua (land, people, chiefdoms, and tradition) into closer alignment with divine plans.
Translated title of the contribution | Compelling replication: Genesis 1:26, John 3:16, and biblical politics in Fiji |
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Original language | French |
Pages (from-to) | 743-760 |
Number of pages | 18 |
Journal | Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute |
Volume | 16 |
Issue number | 4 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Dec 2010 |
Externally published | Yes |