Fire on the Island - Fear, Hope and a Christian Revival in Vanuatu

In 2014, the island of Ahamb in Vanuatu became the scene of a startling Christian revival movement led by thirty children with 'spiritual vision'. However, it ended dramatically when two men believed to be sorcerers and responsible for much of the society's problems were hung by persons fearing for the island's future security. Based on twenty months of ethnographic fieldwork on Ahamb between 2010 and 2017, this book investigates how upheavals like the Ahamb revival can emerge to address and sometimes resolve social problems, but also carry risks of exacerbating the same problems they arise to address.

About the author

Tom Bratrud is Associate Professor in Social Anthropology at the University of Bergen. He has conducted research in Vanuatu for over ten years and published a number of articles on religion, politics and social life.

Product details

• Authors: Tom Bratrud
• Publisher: BERGHAHN BOOKS, INC
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 01.04.2025
• EAN: 9781836950608
• ISBN: 978-1-83695-060-8
• No. of pages: 240
• Series: ASAO Studies in Pacific Anthropology
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Religion/theology > Miscellaneous; Non-fiction book > Philosophy, religion > Religion: general, reference works; Social sciences, law, business > Sociology > Social structure research; SOCIAL SCIENCE / Sociology of Religion, RELIGION / Religious Intolerance, Persecution & Conflict, RELIGION / Christianity / General, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Islamic Studies, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Anthropology / Cultural & Social, Social & cultural anthropology, ethnography, Christianity, Vanuatu, Social and cultural anthropology, Religious intolerance, persecution and conflict, Religious intolerance, persecution & conflict, Religious groups: social & cultural aspects, Relating to Christian people and groups, Social groups: religious groups and communities, Anthropology of Religion; Anthropology (General)