But the knowledge and, especially, the values of the peoples practicing them are vital. The scientific community has recently begun research into indigenous skills in resource management. It would strip the world bare like locusts. An Innu hunter's prestige comes not from the wealth he accumulates but from what he gives away. In Papua New Guinea hostilities between groups are part of the cycle of events encompassing long periods of peace and enmity.
War is just one aspect of cultural life.
War is a means by which the individual and the group find their identity, and is largely ceremonial. Or else it may lead to a real fight, with blows exchanged and sometimes even serious casualties. After a war a lengthy process of peace-making begins. Gifts, ceremonies, and marriages establish links and obligations between the parties.