The Rope of Moka
The Rope of Moka
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In the Mount Hagen area of central New Guinea, warfare has been replaced since the arrival of the Europeans by a vigorous development of moka, a competitive ceremonial exchange of wealth objects. The exchanges of pigs, shells and other valuables are interpreted as acting as a bond between groups, and as a means whereby individuals, notably the big-men, can maximize their status. Professor Strathern analyses the ways in which competition between big-men actually takes place, and the effects of this competition on the overall political system.
Product details
- Published: October 1975
- Format: Paperback
- ISBN: 9780521099578
- Length: 284 pages
- Dimensions: 229 × 152 × 15 mm
- Weight: 0.38kg
- Availability: Available
Table of Contents
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Groups
- 3. Ceremonial grounds
- 4. Warfare, alliance, and compensation
- 5. Moka transactions and media of exchange
- 6. Moka chains
- 7. Counting pigs and shells
- 8. Disputes and struggles precipitated by moka occasions
- 9. Moka and the status of big-man
- 10. The moka system and the behaviour of big-men
- Appendices
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