- Information
- AI Chat
Trobrianders of Papua New Guinea
Cultural Anthropology (ANTH 211 )
University of Maryland Baltimore County
Students also viewed
Preview text
Divya Varde Professor Rehak Anthropology 211 15 May 2017 The Life of the Trobrianders of Papua New Guinea Annette B. Weiner’s ethnographic work, The Trobrianders of Papua New Guinea, sheds light into the political, social, behavioral, and cultural differences of the natives of the Trobriand Islands. Located off the east coast of Papua New Guinea, the four main islands—Kiriwina, Kaileuna, Kitava, and Vakuta—accommodate the Trobrianders and their lifestyle. The natives of the islands belong to a complex culture that contrasts differently with most North American, or even Western, societies. Their society lies on a foundation of matrilineage, where the birth of a girl continues the lineage; placing an emphasis on the importance of women and their wealth from banana skirts and leaves. Weiner begins by providing details into the factors that were pushing the Trobrianders society to change. During her fieldwork in the early 1980s, the people of Papua New Guinea were working towards their national independence and form of self-governing. The author further explains how during her time in New Guinea, the events occurring at the time “provide important insights into the past history of the island while underscoring Trobriander impressive resistance to foreign intervention” (Weiner, 13). The native’s main goal was to preserve their culture and their beliefs of valuing women, as well as, to prevent foreign influences. Among Weiner’s ethnography, she focuses on: the concept of birth, death and mourning; a father’s role within the family and matrilineage; sexuality among adolescents; importance of yams and its role among marriage; hierarchal roles and status; women’s role in society and their wealth; and
finally, the journey of men receiving fame through kula. Through a detailed exploration of each of her foci, Weiner appropriately helps piece together the complex, yet intriguing, systems of a Trobriander society. Youth and sexuality was a topic in the book that effortlessly shows the contrasting views and beliefs of the Trobriander culture. Their views of youth, sexuality, and marriage contrast much differently than contemporary Western beliefs. At a young age, sexuality is introduced and encouraged among adolescents. Between the ages of 7 to 8, children being to imitate adult attitudes, such as sexual relations, speech, and behavior. By the age of 13, these individuals are encouraged to search for their sexual partners. Frequently changing partners was not frowned upon as it allows the children to experiment and find their mate. Compared to Western cultures, having too many or switching between mates often creates negative views about the individual. Social events and gatherings are prime locations for young individuals to find their partners. In order to seduce or have one’s potential interest, youthful conversation, often filled with sexual inferences, magic spells, and physical appearance are used as a part of a common practice. When it comes to speech, phrases such as “a coconut to drink” or “to ride one’s bike” usually infer sexual relations. As with most modern Western cultures, physical appearance often plays a crucial role when finding a potential partner. Individuals tend to be attracted to those who fit their interests and physical appeal. Among Trobrianders, individuals will use costumes, dyes, and plants to make themselves physically appealing to others. However, it must be noted that, modesty is equally emphasized during this process. Arrogance and overconfidence does not portray an attractive trait, and rather leads to the notion of having over competitive behavior. Furthermore, magic spells are seen as a vital commodity and can be readily received by adolescents, however, they must receive guidance from elders. These spells are usually learned
Comparing her ethnography to that of Deborah Bird Rose’s, Dingo Makes Us Human, Annette Weiner successfully provides insight into a culture that can be easily interpreted by the reader and their efforts to adapting to their environment. Simply put, Rose’s work shows the effects of colonialism on the Aborigines and Weiner’s work reflects the Trobrianders mission to maintain their identity based on their surrounding environment. In the book, Dingo Makes Us Human, Rose clearly provides the reader with how European colonialism forced the Aborigines in the area to evacuate and quickly assimilate to the demands of the Europeans. Thus, cultural identity and practices were heavily influenced by Western ideals. In Weiner’s ethnography, however, she explains how Trobrianders on the islands worked hard to maintain their culture and adapt accordingly to their environment. Living among small islands has efficiently helped the natives achieve their goals. Weiner’s ethnography and her fieldwork has been heavily influenced by anthropologist Bronislaw Malinowski. Her research can be seen as an in-depth continuation of Malinowski’s contributions to the study of the Trobrianders during his time. Much of Malinowski’s findings focused on Trobriander men and their wealth in society. A downside to his work was that he often overlooked women and their roles in the Trobriander society as well. However, in Weiner’s work, the reader is provided with a greater focus and understanding of the women of the Trobriander Islands and their role in the social systems. Her contributions helped change the assumptions that many anthropologists and other individuals had of the Trobrianders based off Malinowski’s work.
Works Cited Weiner, Annette B. The Trobrianders of Papua New Guinea. Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1988.
Trobrianders of Papua New Guinea
Course: Cultural Anthropology (ANTH 211 )
University: University of Maryland Baltimore County
