Glossary - exWitch Australia (formerly 'Born Again Pagan')

CARGO CULT

Series of beliefs found among the islanders, especially the Melanesians, that cargo ships and airplanes can be summoned magically to bring goods and money. The practice is based on the native perception of the "white man's" power and that ideally roles should be reversed allowing Western wealth and material possessions to be redistributed.

For example, inhabitants of an island in the New Hebrides (Vanuatu) believed that a white leader named Jon Frum will arrive, bringing "cargo" in a huge scarlet airplane and will drive all other white people from the island helping the inhabitants to regain control. They also believe an army in waiting in a crater of a volcano to help him. There are magical rituals designed to summon him. Jon Frum is carved in wood and painted red, along side of a representation of his aircraft.

PLEASE NOTE:
One of the major problems with 'defining' Paganism and/or its beliefs and practices is that it is an 'organic' movement, in that it is undergoing constant change and re-evaluation from within, and as such any 'one-size-fits-all' approach to understanding Paganism will be found wanting.

Due to the very 'organic' nature of Paganism, and the many differing Paths and Traditions within it, in many cases no one definition may be universally accepted by all Pagans. Therefore, where such cases of possible conflicting and/or contradictory meanings of certain terms occur I have endevoured to give not only the generally accepted meaning, but also any major 'variations' in belief and/or practice.

Christians who believe this difference in meaning of certain key terms, beliefs and practices to be unique to Paganism need to remember that such conflicts also arise within the Body of Christ - the Church. Take for instance the differing practices amongst Christians concerning Baptism and the different attitudes towards women in the clergy.

- Jean-Luc