The Fore people believe heavily
in spirits and ghosts both either from the past or spiritual realm. It all
derived from a spirited couple who came from the swamp and who was creator of
everything. They traveled the land leaving people and animals behind. The
spiritual creator left behind beliefs through rituals the Fore partake in their
daily lives. People can become sick or be caused misfortune if they disrespect
the spirits or ghosts. The spirits can also help them by enriching their
gardens and materials needed to survive.
The Fore group have
certain men and women who have special connection with spirits and can gain
access with them. There are also curers who control powers from the spirits and
use that to their advantage to help people of the Fore group. When people in
the Fore tribe become sick men curers called "bark-men" or women
curers called "bark-women" can heal them. When it is known that a
spirit caused sickness to someone, "dream men" can only cure them
through dream states and smoking heavily.
There are certain ceremonies
that young boys and girls go through into manhood or womanhood. Young boys are
forced to go live with a group of men for years and take part in things like
vomiting, nose bleeding, and swallowing cane that are suppose to benefit
their lives as men. While living with all men they learn the duties as Fore
men. Young girls are taken once they start puberty to live with all women and
undergo the same rituals but for a Fore woman.
2007 World Culture Encyclopedia,
http://www.everyculture.com/Oceania/Fore-i-Religion-and-Expressive-Culture-i.html,
accessed November 14, 2012
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