ANTH2060 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Sweet Potato, Watercress, Patrilineality
ANTH2060 Lecture Two: Ecological Determinism
• Pig for Ancestors Roy Rappaport
Overview
• Melanesian cultures are typified by complex social exchange systems, bigman political
systems and diverse language and cultures
• The Tsembaga are horticulturalists of the Simbai and Jimi Valley in Highland Papua
New Guinea
• They hold a ritual called Kaiko every 10-15 years where they slaughter pigs
• The slaughter relates to the ecology in the Tsembaga territory can only support a limited
amount of people and pigs
• However, are all the other activities that accompany a Kaiko secondary, like:
-foraging alliances with neighbours
-trade in valuables
-finding a partner
-declaring a truce with one's enemies
-reinforcing the primary of men as transactors of wealth
• The Kaiko expresses central values of Tsembaga society
Melanesia
• PNG Highlands: Australian colonisation and exploration occurred in the 1930s. The
area is highly fertile and can support a large population of 3 million +. There are many
language groups and diverse cultural practices. There has been some significant
missionisation and pacification in the area since WWII. It's a patrilineal society
comprising of clans and sub-clans. The people are involved in region exchange
networks for stone tool, shells, etc. They are also involved in regional new religious
movements, e.g., cargo cults.
• Social Exchange: in Melanesia there is no such thing as a free gift (reciprocal), they
place a high value on give and exchange, and a low value on keeping or storing thing.
Social relations need to be maintained to exchange so leads to social norms (no
stealing). They value distribution of wealth, not accumulation of wealth
• Political Systems: Melanesia is stateless by not lacking some control, there's no
bureaucracy or police etc. Melanesia is an egalitarian society where any man can
become a political figure, a 'big man' in the highlands, and hereditary chiefs on the
coastal areas. There are also religious cults prevalent in the area, consisting of some
cargo cults. Missionisation happened very rapidly in Melanesia
Tsembaga
• Population: 200-300 people belonging to a territorial group made up of five patrilineal
clans
-Merkai
-Tomegai
-Tsembaga
-Kwibigai
-Kamunggagai
The population belongs to a larger cultural block of Maring speakers. Anthropologist
Roy Rappaport wanted to understand the population in relation to other species, and
avoids the terms culture or society. He wants to understand them as a population, and
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Document Summary
Anth2060 lecture two: ecological determinism: pig for ancestors roy rappaport. Overview: melanesian cultures are typified by complex social exchange systems, bigman political systems and diverse language and cultures, the tsembaga are horticulturalists of the simbai and jimi valley in highland papua. Reinforcing the primary of men as transactors of wealth: the kaiko expresses central values of tsembaga society. Melanesia: png highlands: australian colonisation and exploration occurred in the 1930s. The area is highly fertile and can support a large population of 3 million +. There are many language groups and diverse cultural practices. There has been some significant missionisation and pacification in the area since wwii. It"s a patrilineal society comprising of clans and sub-clans. The people are involved in region exchange networks for stone tool, shells, etc. Social relations need to be maintained to exchange so leads to social norms (no stealing).
