Book
The sacred remains: myth, history, and polity in Belau
University of Chicago Press • Chicago • Published In 1987 • Pages:
By: Parmentier, Richard J..
AbstractBrief abstract written by HRAF anthropologists who have done the subject indexing for the document
This source presents a structural analysis of Belau political history and the semiotics of political life. In the first four chapters of this work the author analyzes origin myths, political legends and indigenous classification systems in terms of physical space and movement, identifying in the process important icons, indices and symbols of Belauan political life. The final three chapters of the source deal primarily with the political district of Ngeremlengui. In his analysis Parmentier attempts to unravel the complex 'grammar of spaces', a concept that endeavors to articulate the abstract cultural models on which Ngeremlengui political organization is based. In conclusion, the author argues that there are two versions of political history in Belau, the first controlling the static narrative of mythical precedent for power and rank, and the second dealing with the manipulation of the political model implicit in the concepts of side, cornerpost and path as a reconstruction of the past for the justification of the assumption of power.
- SubjectsDocument-level OCM identifiers given by the anthropology subject indexers at HRAF
- History
- Traditional history
- Warfare
- External relations
- Cultural identity and pride
- Acculturation and culture contact
- Status, role, and prestige
- Diet
- Settlement patterns
- Towns
- Ingroup antagonisms
- Deliberative councils
- Form and rules of government
- Lineages
- Basis of marriage
- Gift giving
- Family relationships
- Gender status
- Verbal arts
- Sacred objects and places
- Inter-community relations
- cultureCulture name from the Outline of World Cultures (OWC)
- Belau
- HRAF PubDateThe date HRAF published the document
- 2017
- RegionThe area the document pertains to
- Oceania
- Sub RegionThe more specific area the document pertains to, which is located within the Region
- Micronesia
- 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.
- 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: 1989
- Field DateThe date the researcher conducted the fieldwork or archival research that produced the document
- 1978-1980
- Coverage DateThe date or dates that the information in the document pertains to
- 1780-1987
- Coverage PlaceLocation of the research culture or tradition (often a smaller unit such as a band, community, or archaeological site)
- Hgeremlengui District, Babeldaob Island, Republic of Belau
- NotesAdditional notes
- Richard J. Parmentier
- Based on the author's thesis (doctoral -- University of Chicago, 1981)
- Includes bibliographical references (p. 317-335) and indexes
- LCCNLibrary of Congress Control Number
- 87006051
- LCSHLibrary of Congress Subject Headings
- Palauans
- Ethnology--Palau
- Palau--History
- Palau--Social life and customs