What is the primary belief associated with Cargo Cults?

Cargo cults are primarily associated with the belief that ancestral spirits or supernatural beings will provide material wealth, often in the form of goods or "cargo." This phenomenon developed, particularly in Melanesia, during and after World War II when indigenous people saw extensive material goods being brought to their shores by Western military forces. Cargo cults emerged as these communities began to believe that they could attract similar material wealth by replicating rituals they observed in Western societies or through specific ceremonies aimed at invoking the favor of ancestral spirits.

The focus on seeking recognition from ancestors to receive valuable cargo reflects the core of what motivates the practices within cargo cults. Adherents often engage in elaborate rituals and ceremonies that they believe will lead to the intervention of spiritual figures, resulting in the physical manifestation of desired goods. This underscores the cult's underlying belief in a direct connection between spiritual acknowledgment and the resulting bounty, humanizing and rendering tangible the abstract notion of wealth and prosperity.