Book

Kinship, economics, and exchange in a Tongan village

University MicrofilmsAnn ArborPublished In 1978 • Pages:

By: Morton, Keith Louis.

AbstractBrief abstract written by HRAF anthropologists who have done the subject indexing for the document
This dissertation examines the relationship between ideals, conscious models, and actual behavioral patterns as a basis for attempting to understand how folk and scientific conceptualizations of social reality actually take place. Morton demonstrates how these principles operate through an intensive analysis of kinship reciprocity and forms of exchange (i.e., in terms of the flow of material goods and children by means of adoption). He concludes his thesis, however, by saying that 'Tongan behavior … is not predictable by knowledge of the conscious model of kinship reciprocity. Instead, the basic characteristic of exchange behavior is reliance upon members of one's family of orientation as a continuing unit for source sharing. The pattern of behavior also indicates that a balance flow of good exists between kin categories rather than the one-way flow stipulated by the conscious model' 9p. 120). In the process of explaining his thesis, the author also provides much valuable data on kinship, exchange transactions, adoption, geography, economic and socio-political characteristics of Tonga, and the economy in general. The material for this dissertation was gathered by the author in the village of Puke on the Tongatapu Island, from December 1970 to September 1971. Data pertinent to adoption was obtained from the larger village of Vaini.
SubjectsDocument-level OCM identifiers given by the anthropology subject indexers at HRAF
Theoretical orientation in research and its results
Composition of population
Diet
Gift giving
Production and supply
Income and demand
Exchange transactions
External trade
Saving and investment
Status, role, and prestige
Classes
Adoption
Kinship terminology
Kin relationships
Rule of descent
Kindreds and ramages
Lineages
Congregations
Religious denominations
cultureCulture name from the Outline of World Cultures (OWC)
Tongans
HRAF PubDateThe date HRAF published the document
2006
RegionThe area the document pertains to
Oceania
Sub RegionThe more specific area the document pertains to, which is located within the Region
Polynesia
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; 1978
Field DateThe date the researcher conducted the fieldwork or archival research that produced the document
1970-1971
Coverage DateThe date or dates that the information in the document pertains to
1970-1971
Coverage PlaceLocation of the research culture or tradition (often a smaller unit such as a band, community, or archaeological site)
Villages of Puke and Vaini, Island of Tongatapu, Tonga
NotesAdditional notes
Keith Louis Morton
Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Oregon, 1972
UM73-07934
Includes bibliographical references (p. 124-127)
LCSHLibrary of Congress Subject Headings
Tongans