Book
The fame of Gawa: a symbolic study of value transformation in a Massim (Papua New Guinea) society
Cambridge University Press • Cambridge [cambridgeshire] • Published In 1986 • Pages: xviii, 331
By: Munn, Nancy D..
AbstractBrief abstract written by HRAF anthropologists who have done the subject indexing for the document
The author presents an innovative and sophisticated approach to the symbolic analysis of sociocultural systems, based on her study of the fundamental practices associated with value creation on Gawa, largest of the Marshall Bennett Islands of Papua New Guinea. The Gawans participate in the long-distance [n]kula[/n] exchange ring, and it is through the fame that they achieve in this interisland trade that the Gawan community asserts its own internal viability. The focus is on the transformative actions that take place by means of which Gawans seek to create value. Although the author stresses intersubjectivity and the existential forms of social worlds, she also develops the idea of a pervasive cultural logic that governs the various value-producing practices of the Gawans.
- SubjectsDocument-level OCM identifiers given by the anthropology subject indexers at HRAF
- Ethos
- Functional and adaptational interpretations
- Cultural identity and pride
- Vegetable production
- Gratification and control of hunger
- Diet
- Gift giving
- Status, role, and prestige
- Accumulation of wealth
- Social relationships and groups
- Visiting and hospitality
- Sorcery
- Magical and mental therapy
- Magic
- Verbal arts
- Public lectures
- Ethnogeography
- Ethnopsychology
- Division of labor by gender
- cultureCulture name from the Outline of World Cultures (OWC)
- Northeastern Massim
- HRAF PubDateThe date HRAF published the document
- 2015
- 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
- Book
- 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.
- 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
- 1973-1975, 1979-1981
- Coverage DateThe date or dates that the information in the document pertains to
- 1973-1981
- Coverage PlaceLocation of the research culture or tradition (often a smaller unit such as a band, community, or archaeological site)
- Gawa, Marshall Bennett Islands, Milne Bay, Papua New Guinea
- NotesAdditional notes
- [by] Nancy D. Munn
- Revision and expansion of the author's lectures originally given at the University of Rochester on Nov. 2, 4, 9, and 11, 1976.
- Includes bibliographical references (p. 317-325)
- LCCNLibrary of Congress Control Number
- 86017127
- LCSHLibrary of Congress Subject Headings
- Massim (Melanesian people)/Ceremonial exchange--Papua New Guinea/Values--Case studies/Social change--Case studies