Indeed, the hunters and their households see little of the meat. Instead, they roast the turtle whole and throw a public feast. Good providers of turtle meat don' t necessarily get large amounts in return. Clearly, on Mer there are benefits to turtle meat that have nothing to do with nutrition. These benefits are related to social standing.
Men gain prestige by providing food for public consumption, especially during feasts.
The more difficult the food is to obtain, the higher the kudos garnered. For the married men who are the heads of established households, social status is important in forming alliances with other households who then provide support in disputes over land. For bachelors, a reputation as a good turtle-hunter might help them find a wife. Indeed, unmarried men give away more turtle meat to other households than do married men. The behavior of sharing is universal in human societies, but very rare in other animals, although it has been observed in our closest relatives, the chimpanzees.