ABSTRACT
While Christianity was slowly increasing its numbers after the initial great leap of about 1923, what were the reactions of paganism? For about a generation, when the gap left by the defection of the Ariki Tafua and the elders of Faea had been plugged, the performances of the kava and the ritual cycle of the Work of the Gods went forward, relatively unimpeded. The number of pagans was still adequate enough to provide the necessary manpower for all the services required, and the leaders with ritual knowledge and powers were fully capable of giving the direction and formal validation of all performances. But as time went on the numbers of faithful pagans began to be whittled away, and the inducements to conversion of those who remained became stronger. So the question became increasingly relevant—granted the growing impact of Christianity upon Tikopia, why by 1952 did a number of people still remain pagan?
