article
Houses in Lesu: the historical anthropology of a New Ireland society
Journal of anthropological research • 63 (1) • Published In 2007 • Pages: 51-72
By: Aijmer, Göran.
Abstract
This article examines features of habitation and domestic symbolism in Lesu houses as originally observed by Hortense Powdermaker in 1929-1930. It reconstructs important aspects of early social life in Lesu society with a focus on houses as mundane institutions and as expressive devices. The examination concerns the organization of shelter into continuous groups and social communities. Men's houses and women's houses stood out as symbolic topoi, each evoking a main cultural modality. The respective iconic narrations of these two possible worlds offered radically different solutions to the existential problem of continuity.
- Subjects
- Cultural identity and pride
- Household
- Family relationships
- Topography and geology
- Community structure
- Dwellings
- Architecture
- Public structures
- Building interiors and arrangement
- Food preparation
- Outbuildings
- Burial practices and funerals
- Cult of the dead
- Religious and educational structures
- Gender status
- Mythology
- Postnatal care
- Cosmology
- Sacred objects and places
- Sexual intercourse
- Eating
- Life and death
- Kin relationships
- Localized kin groups
- Regulation of marriage
- culture
- Lesu
- HRAF PubDate
- 2012
- Region
- Oceania
- Sub Region
- Melanesia
- Document Type
- article
- Evaluation
- Creator Type
- Anthropologist
- Document Rating
- 4: Excellent Secondary Data
- Analyst
- Teferi Abate Adem; 2011
- Field Date
- not applicable
- Coverage Date
- 1920-2007
- Coverage Place
- Lesu, New Ireland, Papua New Guinea
- Notes
- Göran Aijmer
- Includes bibliographical references (p. 71-72)
- LCCN
- 73645054
- LCSH
- New Ireland Province (Papua New Guinea)
- Ethnology--Papua New Guinea--New Ireland
- Lesu, New Ireland (Papua New Guinea)