Do Cargo Cults dream of Floating Ships? (A Short Exposition on Cargo Cults)

"I once dreamed I was in a ship cruising the deep blue sea and the blue heavens; a sailor, Popoli I am. Mid-cruise, our small ship is shot down in the War of the Gods: the entire ship shook, and I, Popoli jolted awake. I felt the ship explode and split the ship in half, sinking and drowning. As I drowned into the deep blue sea, sinking, my scream echoed, but my commanding officer named Tom Navy remained calm, engrossed in books. 'Am I still dreaming?', he wondered, questioning reality mid-sleep."

— Parable of Tom Navy

Cargo Cults.

These are religions that are indeed, peculiar and unique by thier own worldview and nature of belief. A type of New Religious Movement, a Cargo Cult takes its worldview in that Gods do exist, and is physical – they can be seen or heard or exist from far away – manifesting themselves as benevolent gods (Eutheism) who will one day provide themselves the means of advancement; an intervening god.

But the Gods here aren't just Abstract entities as with other religions that exist in the world; thier Gods are, again Physical.

But who are thier Gods, exactly?

Thier Gods: Technologies and Cultures from other Civilizations, more specifically their Civilization is the center of worldview regarding the Abstract-Unseen... by means of using the Physical–Seen.

But that essence of basic worldview does not fully explain the nature of thier religious beliefs.

Cargo Cults, with the assumption above in regards to its worldview, believe that material wealth and technological advancements are bestowed upon them through divine intervention – blessings from divine and sacred civilizations. These movements typically emerged in societies that encountered sudden and dramatic changes due to external influences, such as contact with technologically advanced civilizations, which are ideation-points for the formation of Cargo Cults across Oceania (and the Cargo Cult as a whole). The indigenous people interpreted these encounters through the lens of their existing spiritual beliefs, leading to the formation of these unique religions.

One can say and argue that, this is a form of Religious Syncretism in its full nature. But actually it is more than a syncretism; in fact, its unique beliefs have deviated so far from Thier original syncretism to the point it became a new ideation-point for the creation of a truly New Religion, with a new belief, new worldview, new interpretation and a new identity that became its own mature and unique religion, desperate and distinct from others.

In short, this supposed Syncretism had gone so far to form their own new interpretations for the Immaterial; they just don't simply use Melanesian Traditional Religion and Melanesian philosophy mixed with the beliefs of these Civilizations as interpreted by the these people – instead they fused it, and made it something new to bring forward into the world as a unique belief!

Moving forward, central to beliefs of many Cargo Cults is the idea that rituals, ceremonies, and specific behaviors can attract or compel the gods to deliver goods, often referred to as "cargo." The "cargo" is a manifestion of the powers of the Divine Gods, the Divine Civilization, on what they can do in the world. This cargo is view as a sacred blessing from its followers, and they believe that these cargo are not just mere blessings; they are too, also living artifacts, revering them and worshipping them (in some Cargo Cults especially).

This cargo is seen as a tangible manifestation of divine favor and power. For instance, followers might build mock airstrips, control towers, and other structures mimicking those of the outsiders in the hope that planes will land and bring them supplies. They build these as thier sanctuaries to the Gods who will one day, make thier return and bring forward a peaceful apocalypse, one that will renew the world towards its glory: a Paradise on Earth.

This belief in a "positive apocalypse" (an eschatological belief in the rise of a new world and a new existence, not through destruction – but through creation [by renewal or reform]) rather than a "negative apocalypse" (reverse of the previous concept; think Judgement Day of Islam, Ragnarok of Heathenry, or the Frashokoreti of the Zoroastrians) is a unique concept inherent in the theology of a Cargo Cult, for it is one of the few religions that believe in this kind of eschatology in its future idealism of existence.

And lastly, thier origin. As quintessentially stated breifly about thier origin (as I am going to expound it more), they often arise in response to the profound social upheaval and civilization contact caused by colonization, missionary activities, and other forms of external influence that will affect the cultural exchange between civilizations, whether positive or negative. The goods brought by outsiders, such as food, clothing, and technology, are perceived as blessings from the gods, and the absence of these goods is sometimes seen as a sign of divine disfavor or neglect. This would become the basis for the creation of "cargo" as ritual; and the ritual became the basis for thier ideation of beliefs and worldviews, which would then be used to make an interpretation of and about the world in a religious light – thus forming Cargo Cults. Interactions between Civilizations that is perceived as a cultural shock is also a factor in the formation of Cargo Cults; when one sees something far different from them, and its usefulness exceed expectations, then it becomes a revered object because it's simply too much to comprehend its usefulness.

Another catalyst for thier creation are significant events in the experience of existence made by Civilizations that may affect other civilizations indirectly because of the scale of these events. Most Cargo Cults are created during the Second World War as a response to this world changing events that affect these people; the scene of aerial battles (not too unique for the civilizations clashing during the war) may be viewed as a "divine machine fighting in the War of the Gods (either in order to create the world again, or to triumph good from evil – these beliefs depend on the Cargo Cult)" and thus, will revere them; and with awe and reverence, comes the formation of a Cargo Cult in its emerging ideation.

Cargo Cults are examples of complex ways in which human societies can reinterpret external influences and incorporate them into their spiritual and cultural frameworks in order to create a new religion for a new method of interesting and experiencing existence. They serve as a poignant reminder of the adaptability and resilience of human belief systems in the face of profound change and uncertainty over time's march and its herald of changing events in the world. They serve as a new generation of religions providing new answers in regards to the nature of the Immaterial with thief unique beliefs, worldviews and identities, in the new landscape of our religious experience in the Modern World. Thus, the Cargo Cults should survive and exist preserved forever more – in short, they must take steps in preserving thier own beliefs for thier own safeguarded future of there identity.

Joshua Kyle T. Rovero

Estado Rovero

May 22nd 2024

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