essay

Kula on Kitava

Kula : new perspectives on Massim exchangeCambridge, U.k.Published In 1983 • Pages: 249-273

By: Scoditti, Giancarlo M. G., Leach, Jerry W..

AbstractBrief abstract written by HRAF anthropologists who have done the subject indexing for the document
After a brief introduction presenting an excellent culture summary of Kitava ethnography, Scoditti describes in detail variations in Kula practices as observed within the three major regions of the island -- Kumwagea, Lalela, and Okabulula. General participation in the Kula by the inhabitants of Kitava Island is described first then there is a description of each region's role in the institution. This latter section discusses overseas partners in the exchange system, as well as the items circulating in the trade. This article also describes other internal uses of valuables on the island such as in marriage, as payments for canoe building, and in the acquisition of knowledge of sorcery and Kula magic. The work concludes with a brief description of symbolism in the Kula.
SubjectsDocument-level OCM identifiers given by the anthropology subject indexers at HRAF
Culture summary
Gift giving
Travel
Boats
Accumulation of wealth
Gender status
Social relationships and groups
cultureCulture name from the Outline of World Cultures (OWC)
Trobriands
HRAF PubDateThe date HRAF published the document
1995
RegionThe area the document pertains to
Oceania
Sub RegionThe more specific area the document pertains to, which is located within the Region
Melanesia
Document TypeMay include journal articles, essays, collections of essays, monographs, or chapters/parts of monographs
essay
Evaluation
Creator TypeThe type of person writing the document, e.g. Ethnographer, Missionary, Archaeologist, Folklorist, Linguist, Indigenous Person, and so on.
Ethnologist
Document Rating A ranking done by HRAF anthropologists based on the strength of the source material on a scale of 1 to 5, as follows: 1 - poor; 2 - fair; 3 - good, useful data, but not uniformly excellent; 4 - excellent secondary data; 5 - excellent primary data.
4: Excellent Secondary Data
5: Excellent Primary Data
AnalystThe HRAF anthropologist who subject indexed the document and prepared other materials for the eHRAF culture/tradition collection
John Beierle
Field DateThe date the researcher conducted the fieldwork or archival research that produced the document
no date
Coverage DateThe date or dates that the information in the document pertains to
not specified
Coverage PlaceLocation of the research culture or tradition (often a smaller unit such as a band, community, or archaeological site)
Kitava Island, Papua New Guinea
NotesAdditional notes
[by] Giancarlo M. G. Scoditti and Jerry W. Leach
Bibliography will be found in 36: Leach, Information Sources Listed in Other Works (113)
LCCNLibrary of Congress Control Number
82004142
LCSHLibrary of Congress Subject Headings
Trobriand Islanders