Yep... so it seems to you.

But, most everything about the radio waves in subject TO proof and demonstration and measurement.... the chief's animism is an example of a temporary hypothesis....kinda like a lot of other religious ones... which are quite understandable in primitive societies. He can be as stubbornly recalcitrant as he wishes, but those voices in the phone will only respond to technology, and not to magic spells....

But, of course, we wouldn't want to upset him by insisting he deal with any concept that confoozelated his cherished animism.....

And of course, you may be excused from any application of Willie of Occam's tests to your interpretation of certain aspects of reality. We try to be fair & reasonable, after all. ☺

(now...I am going out of town in the morning for 3 days to drink & make music. I suppose this a good time to suspend THIS attempt to decide what shape table we need to sit at to negotiate further... *grin*)