ANTH330 Chapter Notes - Chapter Week 5: Eurocentrism, Socalled, Ok Tedi Mine

• School: Macquarie University
• Department: Anthropology
• Course: ANTH330
• Professor: Jaap Timer

Document Summary

Ballard (1997) does not agree with this concept but has analysed this so-called connection as these rural communities of melanesia are very insistent in the belief that they have a special relationship/ownership of the land. According to ballard (1997) the ownership of land is a basis for membership within. Mela(cid:374)esia(cid:374) (cid:272)o(cid:373)(cid:373)u(cid:374)ities a(cid:374)d the te(cid:396)(cid:373) (cid:862)la(cid:374)d(cid:863) is used as sho(cid:396)tha(cid:374)d fo(cid:396) ties to (cid:272)o(cid:373)(cid:373)u(cid:374)it(cid:455). Having a claim to land is considered a form of citizenship in melanesian communities and this is how melanesians gain a place in the political arena. The ownership of land is also important for melanesians as it influences their access to communities, their occupation and their living situation. Interestingly, in papua new guinea many public officials deny that wars were fought over land ownership and instead blame these wars on women, animals, insults and deaths are used as excuses as to why a war has been fought.