Book

Kapauku Papuan economy

Dept. of Anthropology, Yale University • New Haven, Conn. • Published In 1963 • Pages: 502 , plates

By: Pospisil, Leopold J..

Abstract

This monograph presents a structural-functionl quantitative analysis of Kapauku economy based on the author's investigation of the sublineage of Ijaaj-Enona, the members of which live in one large community called Botukebo, located in West Irian. The data gathered from this study are then compared to other Kapauku groups studied by the author to give a general picture of the whole economy. In all, the author spent eighteen months in the field, with eight of these being spent in the study of Botukebo. This book presents information on the author's methodology, an analysis of Botukebo social structure, a demographic and residential picture of the community of Botukebo, an elaborate description of agricultural techniques, principles of land tenure and the organization of labor, details of animal husbandry (with emphasis on the raising of pigs), and on fishing, hunting, gathering and the manufacture of various artifacts. An additional section of interest concerned with distribution examines the use of shell money and procedures of gift, barter, sale, credit operations and the inheritance of property. After a section on consumption, the study concludes with an analysis of Kapauku economic wealth and a comprehensive summary of the main characteristics of the Kapauku economy. The author, a professional anthropologist, whose primary interest lies in the field of 'primitive' law, was financed in his field work by grants from the Ford Foundation (research period 1954-1955), the American Philisophical Society and the Social Science Research Council (for the research period of 1959).

HRAF PubDate

1998

Region

Oceania

Sub Region

Melanesia

Document Type

Book

Evaluation

Creator Type

Ethnologist

Document Rating

5: Excellent Primary Data

Analyst

John Beierle ; 1965-1968

Field Date

1954-1955, 1959

Coverage Date

1954-1959

Coverage Place

Kamu Valley, central Highlands, Irian Jaya, Indonesia

Notes

Leopold Pospisil

Includes bibliographical references (p. 406-409.) and index

LCCN

a 63006002

LCSH

Kapauku (New Guinea people)