Ku Waru: Language and Segmentary Politics in the Western Nebilyer Valley, Papua New Guinea

ISBN-13: 9780521323390 / Angielski / Twarda / 1991 / 410 str.

Francesca Merlan (University of Sydney);Alan Rumsey (University of Sydney)

Opis

The highlanders of New Guinea are renowned for their elaborate systems of ceremonial exchange. This book is the first to concentrate on exchange events and the elaborate oratory used at them. Focusing on a remarkable set of warfare compensation payments which, for the first time, involved women as transactors, Francesca Merlan and Alan Rumsey advance our understanding of the interaction between social structures and historical events, and of the crucial role of talk. This book will be of special interest to anthropologists and linguists.

Recenzje

'… Merlan and Rumsey have accomplished nothing less than a revolution in the understanding of Central New Guinea Highland sociality'. James F. Weiner, Man

Spis treści

List of illustrations; List of tables; List of abbreviations; Preface and acknowledgments; 1. Introduction; 2. The setting; 3. Some aspects of Ku Waru segmentary sociality; 4. Ceremonial exchange and marriage in the Western Nebilyer Valley; 5. Some linguistic structures of segmentary politics; 6. Warfare compensation payment of Laulku: an analysis; 7. Compensation at Palimung and the Kulka women's club; 8. The events in perspective; 9. Perspectives on 'event'; Appendices: A. Transcript of proceedings at Kailge on July 24, 1983; B. Grammatical sketch of Bo Una, Ku Waru dialect; C. The conduct of warfare; D. Ku Waru metalinguistic expressions; Chapter notes; Glossary; References; Index.