Argonaut of the Western Pacific
Publisher: Plume
Published: April 21, 1961
Place of publication: New York, USA
Language: eng
Format: Paperback
Number of pages: 527
ISBN-13: 9780525470748
Subjects: Ethnology; Folk-lore; Magic; Barter; New Guinea
First sentence: THE coastal populations of the South Sea Islands, with very few exceptions, are, or were before their extinction, expert navigators and traders.
Table of contents: title: Introduction: the subject, method and scope of this enquiry -- The country and inhabitants of the kula district -- The natives of the Trobriand Islands -- The essentials of the kula -- Canoes and sailing -- The ceremonial building of a waga -- Launching of a canoe and ceremonial visiting : tribal economics in the Trobriands -- The departure of an overseas expedition -- The first halt of the fleet on Muwa -- Sailing on the sea-arm of pilolu -- The story of shipwreck -- In the Amphletts : sociology of the kula -- In Tewara and Sanaroa : mythology of the kula -- On the beach of Sarubwoyna -- The kula in Dobu : technicalities of the exchange -- The journey home : the fishing and working of the kaloma shell -- The return visit of the Dobuans to Sinareta -- Magic and the kula -- The power of words in magic : some linguistic data -- The inland kula -- Expeditions between Kiriwina and Kitava -- The remaining branches and offshoots of the kula -- The meaning of the kula.