When it comes to an anthropologists’ written works, such as ethnographies, they tend to focus on certain topics. These topics vary depending on the anthropologist and their research. Some topics are more prevalent than others as they appear frequently and connect to other concepts. In John Barker’s book, Ancestral Lines: The Maisin Of Papua New Guinea And The Fate Of The Rainforest, it is apparent that kinship and reciprocity and exchange are the most crucial concepts as they are vital to Maisin culture and their everyday lives. Among all the other concepts mentioned in his ethnography, Barker spends a significant amount of time explaining kinship. Traditionally, kinship has been viewed as being associated with biological blood ties with …show more content…
Strong ties and alliances are built up when people’s offspring get together, but there is something else that keeps the two bound together. It all has to do with reciprocity an exchange. Reciprocity is the act of presenting something to an individual with a belief that they also give something in return (Toner 2015: 39). It is essentially the exchange of something between two individuals, though it can have more implications beyond giving things. As Carrier states, “exchange can also create relationships of kinship” and that “some argue that exchange is a key to social life” (Carrier 2010: 272, 274). These statements also ring true in Maisin culture and everyday …show more content…
To illustrate, reciprocity can be helpful in resolving conflict and fix a relationship. In the film “Ongka’s Big Moka”, Ongka used reciprocity to make amends and hopefully avoid conflict with the neighbouring village after a recent death. He gave a wild pig and a branch from a plant. (Nairn 1974). Gift giving can also commence relations or show a person’s interest or disinterest in having a relationship. During Barker’s stay he experiences and sees the three different types of reciprocity: generalized reciprocity, balanced reciprocity, and negative reciprocity. In his encounter with a ‘regular visitor’ he learns of marawa-wawe, a form of generalized reciprocity when he received a gift ‘out of love’ (ibid: 50). This form of reciprocity is given in hopes of forming a friendship and depending on how one responds it can either keep it going or make them appear as if they are complete strangers. Barker learns this when dealing with his friend Rufus as he would quickly give a ‘gift’ back to him. Thus, he unknowingly demonstrated a negative form of reciprocity, which is done quickly and holds little trust in the other party (Barker 2016: 56). So instead of seeming friendly it appeared as though Barker wanted nothing to do with Rufus. All of these exchanges contain meanings that are important to the Maisins’ lifestyles and relationships
In the book Ancestral Line: The Maisin of Papua New Guinea and The Fate of The Rainforest by John Barker a concept that connects this book to what have been learned in class is the idea of kinship. I will be discussing what kinship and it’s two main components are, and how they relate to the book.
Along with encapsulating the culture in her writing, she also documented the effect and growth of globalization. The original goal of Ward was to examine the language, norms, values, and attitudes of this group to obtain survey results related to Pohnpeians’ low blood pressure. Not only did she successfully study her original goals, she also made conclusions about effects of recent colonization on a marine tropical island. Ward delivers a strong foundation from which present-day anthropologists can follow in their
In John Barker’s Ancestral Lines, the author analyzes the Maisin people and their culture centered around customs passed from previous generations, as well as global issues that impact their way of living. As a result of Barker’s research, readers are able to understand how third world people can exist in an rapid increasing integrated system of globalization and relate it not only to their own society, but others like the Maisin; how a small group of indigenous people, who are accustomed to a modest regimen of labor, social exceptions, and traditions, can stand up to a hegemonic power and the changes that the world brings. During his time with these people the author was able to document many culture practices, while utilizing a variety of
The film Ongka’s Big Moka is about a Big Man named Ongka of the Kawelka tribe in Papua New Guinea. Being the Big Man of the tribe Ongka reasures his status by arranging a Moka ceremony. In this film we see the process of a Moka that takes up to 5 years of preparation. We follow Ongka’s struggles and successes of accumulating the number of pigs in preparation for the ceremony. The film allows us to understand the motives and functions of a Moka, provides topics that have been discussed in class, and relate this culture to a similar institution within the United States.
Cultural Anthropology: The Human Challenge, 14th Edition William A. Havilland; Harald E. L. Prins; Bunny McBride; Dana Walrath Published by Wadsworth, Cengage Learning (2014)
Dr. Marcia Langton, an anthropologist from Australia of Australian Aborigines descent, spoke at the Berndt’s lecture in 2011. Her article, Anthropology, Politics and the Changing World of Aboriginal Australians, focuses primarily on the works of an anthropologist couple Robert and Catherine Berndt. They had completed many ethnographic studies in various areas around Australia. Langton states that their work has been crucial in order to have a complete understanding of the Australian Aborigines’ society. The indigenous Australian’s society has been thoroughly researched by many social sciences through the decades. Artworks, religion, rituals, economy, politics, and even claims of UFO sightings have been recorded by a multitude of scholars. It could be argued that the Australian Aborigines’ culture has been better documented than any other non-western society. I would like to capture the movement of Australian Aboriginal tradition to a more modern society by incorporating Dr.Langton’s works as well as the work of National Geographic Journalist, Michael Finkel. By researching the society as it is today in the 21st century, I will to analyze how they relate to Australians of European descent.
"Children of the Forest" is a narrative written by Kevin Duffy. This book is a written testament of an anthropologist's everyday dealings with an African tribe by the name of the Mbuti Pygmies. My purpose in this paper is to inform the reader of Kevin Duffy's findings while in the Ituri rainforest. Kevin Duffy is one of the first and only scientists to have ever been in close contact with the Mbuti. If an Mbuti tribesman does not want to be found, they simply won't be. The forest in which the Mbuti reside in are simply too dense and dangerous for humans not familiar with the area to enter.
The Return to Laughter is a fictionalized account by Elenore Smith Bowen about her experiences with the Tiv culture in Africa. It describes her struggles to learn and understand the local culture and beliefs, and juxtaposes her own conflicts, morals and beliefs. Bowen engages in what anthropologists termed participant-observation. The anthropologist made a few mistakes that provided revelations about herself and the Tiv people. Language difficulties provide the greatest barrier: as when the researcher is trying to understand the context of the conversation, while still struggling with the intricacy of a difficult language. Secondly, like most anthropologists Bowen knew that social relationships are a research requirement: informants are needed, yet she quickly realized that identification with one family, status or group in the society could hinder other critical relationships. These lessons are among a few that the anthropologist seeks to overcome. This essay will discuss that culture and language are dependent on each other and how forming social relationships can propel research and reveal insightful knowledge into a culture, while possibly hindering other useful information.
Robbins Burling, David F. Armstrong, Ben G. Blount, Catherine A. Callaghan, Mary Lecron Foster, Barbara J. King, Sue Taylor Parker, Osamu Sakura, William C. Stokoe, Ron Wallace, Joel Wallman, A. Whiten, Sherman Wilcox and Thomas Wynn. Current Anthropology, Vol. 34, No. 1 (Feb., 1993), pp. 25-53
The indigenous Australian culture is one of the world’s oldest living cultures. Despite the negligence and the misunderstanding from the Europeans, Aboriginals were able to keep their culture alive by passing their knowledge by arts, rituals, performances and stories from one generation to another. Each tribe has its own language and way of using certain tools; however the sharing of knowledge with other tribes helps them survive with a bit easier with the usage of efficient yet primitive tools which helps a culture stay alive. Speaking and teaching the language as well as the protection of sacred sites and objects helps the culture stay...
The way of the Ju/‘hoansi life has changed dramatically in many ways throughout the years. However, it is still possible to reflect upon their original way of life and compare it with their present state of living. Most of the changes occurred due to environmental, economical, developmental, social and cultural changes. All of which play a vital role in determining a Ju’s way of life. Although the land of the Dobe and !Kangwa have developed and changed in recent years, there are still some remnants of how the environment used to be. A significant shift in social and cultural aspects of the Ju/‘hoansi life can be observed in the new environment. However, some important aspects of their culture and belief system are still reflected in their everyday lives.
Different anthropologists such as Nowak and Laird (2010), and Butler (2006), recommended that these residents of jungles contain an exclusive background; position, morals and everyday life is entirely through big adjustment. It can be said that the Mbuti people live in their own world. This paper will discuss the kinship system and the social organization of the culture as far as how they practice equal sharing of food after engaging in hunting and gathering. This paper will also discuss how the Mbuti culture uses gender relation to determine their hunting ages.
...nicity and the primitive’s cosmos: Chronoscopes of desire in travel writing about Korowai of West Papua. Journal of Linguistic Anthropology, 21(1), 1-21.
Since the beginning of time, mankind began to expand on traditions of life out of which family and societal life surfaced. These traditions of life have been passed down over generations and centuries. Some of these kin and their interdependent ways of life have been upheld among particular people, and are known to contain key pieces of some civilizations.
Reciprocity is symbolic of creating, maintaining, or strengthening social relationships as well as satisfying the material needs and wants of someone in need. It refers to the exchange of objects without the use of money or other media of exchange. It can take the form of sharing, hospitality, gifts, or bartering. Anthropologists identify three forms of reciprocity.