The Rope of Moka: Big-men and Ceremonial Exchange in Mount Hagen New Guinea

Andrew Strathern

doi:10.1017/CBO9780511558160

The Rope of Moka

Big-men and Ceremonial Exchange in Mount Hagen New Guinea

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.

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The Rope of Moka

Big-men and Ceremonial Exchange in Mount Hagen New Guinea

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Contents

Frontmatter
pp i-vi

Contents
pp vii-vii

List of tables
pp viii-ix

List of illustrations
pp x-xi

Preface
pp xii-xiv

Preface to the New Edition
pp xv-xviii

Abbreviations and orthography
pp xix-xix

Dedication
pp xx-xx

1 - Introduction
pp 1-14

2 - Groups
pp 15-36

3 - Ceremonial grounds
pp 37-52

4 - Warfare, alliance, and compensation
pp 53-92

5 - Moka transactions and media of exchange
pp 93-114

6 - Moka chains
pp 115-136

7 - Counting pigs and shells
pp 137-167

8 - Disputes and struggles precipitated by moka occasions
pp 168-186

9 - Moka and the status of big-man
pp 187-213

10 - The moka system and the behaviour of big-men
pp 214-229

Appendices
pp 230-243

Bibliography
pp 244-248

Index
pp 249-254

Cambridge Studies in Social Anthropology
pp 255-256

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The Rope of Moka

Big-men and Ceremonial Exchange in Mount Hagen New Guinea

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