Among the Boughs of the Hanging Tree: Male Suicide Among the Bimin-Kuskusmin of Papua New Guinea

The author examines male suicide among the Bimin-Kuskusmin of the West Septik Province of Papua, New Guinea. This study is based on 2 sets of suicide data, 131 (out of 1293 deaths) suicides that occurred before the author’s field research, & 33 (out of 58 deaths) occurring during his period of research. Findings are discussed in terms of male suicide, divination, prevention of suicide, cycles of suicide & social change. Social conditioning of males is discussed as a causitive factor. (NBB)