It is not possible to neatly distinguish the terms "religion," "magic and "medicine"

in antiquity. They all point to means by which people tried to understand and

influence their natural, supernatural and social environments. Magic and religion

 have gone hand-in-hand for centuries. They both depend on the belief of

supernatural powers. If we cannot determine where one category shades into

the next, neither can we locate the center of each term. One such example is in

Eddystone Island (njiama).

Magic was used in ancient Native tribes for many purposes. An example of this

is when a person is affflicted with illness was believe due to the action of a mba,

 treatment consisted the recovery of fragment of food or other object, called

penupene, the sorcerer would acted on his victim.

Magic is used in many ceremonies for many different purposes. These ceremonies

are called rites of passage. Some rites are birth, naming, puberty, marriage,

illnesses, and death. Some ceremonies may be a sort of two-in-one deal.

 For example, ceremonies that heal one person may also protect the entire

community. When sorcery is a widespread belief in a society, it may

be used as a means of social control.

It is noted that Speailisation is also present in Papuan or Melanesian

long time ago, just like nowadays. One man will treat rheumatism,

another fever, a third epilepsy, and a fourth insanity. Medicine is

maded a wholly independent department of social life in this way.