take three.

What concepts in the Sawi culture intrigued/reviled/saddened/angered/surprised you?
Cannibalism- the eating of human flesh by another human being (dictionary.com).

I'm sure every individual who read the Peach Child instinctively felt disgusted at the idea of cannibalism in the Sawi culture, like I did. I felt horrified as I read the revolting descriptions of Yae's death. But above all, what surprised me the most was the Sawi people's value of treachery. Kauwan had been "fattening Yae with friendship" all along and he took pleasure in his atrocity. Even though Yae cried out to Kauwan for help, Kauwan didn't even hesitate for a moment, let alone take back his word. It was difficult for me to perceive the idea of enjoying the act of betraying others, and using people for one's own purposes. In our society, we do not have the notion of valuing treachery, yet we can still see such glimpses. Friends gossip about one another behind each other's backs. Lovers have an affair regardless of having a spouse. However, to value such acts is not the notion we hold.

Cannibalism did not just spontaneously emerge as a tradition, but it rooted from innate sinful nature of human beings, and the more cruel a betrayal was, the more glory a person achieved. The Sawi not only delighted in betraying one another, but also encouraged it, and praised those who would successfully carry out their "mastermind" plans. If I were a Sawi, I would feel paranoid towards everyone, because I wouldn't know who to trust. As I had such emotions, it really made me think, 'Who do these people have to trust?' It was then that I finally saw the big picture. God didn't just send Don Richardson to stop these headhunters and civilize them; He sent Don Richardson to teach the Sawi that there was something so much more valuable than their corrupt beliefs, and that is, the love of Christ.

In the end, because of the grotesqueness of the ideas of the Sawi, it made me realize the beauty of God's grace, and the redemption He offers to everyone. It is similiar to the story, Good Country People. Joy condemns the Christians because of their hypocrisy and uses her intellect as a protection against Christianity. But in the end, she realizes that there is nothing in this world for her, except God. God offers people redemption to people even like Joy and the Sawi. That is the beauty of God's salvation.