Argonauts of the western Pacific
Subtitle: an account of native enterprise and adventure in the Archipelagoes of Melanisian New Guinea
By: by Bronislaw Malinowski ; pref. by Sir James George Frazer.
Series: A Dutton paperback D74
Publisher: Dutton
Published: 1961
Place of publication: New York
Language: eng
Format: Hardcover
Number of pages: 527
Subjects: Anthropology -- New Guinea; Ethnology -- New Guinea; Folklore -- New Guinea; Magic; Barter; Trobriand Islands (Papua New Guinea)
Notes: Includes bibliographical references and index.

Includes bibliographical references and index.
Table of contents: title: Sailing, and trading in the South Seas. The Kula -- Method in Ethnography -- Starting field work. Some perplexing difficulties -- Three conditions of success -- Life in a tent among the natives. Mechanism of “getting in touch” with them -- Active methods of research -- Order and consistency in savage cultures -- Methodological consequences of this truth -- Formulating the principles of tribal constitution and of the anatomy of culture. Method of inference from statistic accumulation of concrete data -- Uses of synoptic charts -- Presentation of the intimate touches of native life; of types of behaviour. Method of systematic fixing of impressions; of detailed, consecutive records -- Importance of personal participation in native life -- Recording of stereotyped manners of thinking and feeling. Corpus inscriptionum Kiriwinensium -- Summary of argument -- The native’s vision of his world -- Racial divisions in Eastern New Guinea. Seligman’s classification -- The Kula natives -- Sub-divisions of the Kula district -- Scenery at the Eastern end of New Guinea. Villages of the S. Massim; their customs and social institutions -- The d’Entrecasteaux Archipelago. The tribes of Dobu -- The mythological associations of their country -- Some of their customs and institutions -- Sorcery -- A vision on Sarubwoyna beach -- Sailing North. The Amphlett Group -- Savage monopolists -- Arrival in the coral Islands. First impression of the native -- Some significant appearances and their deeper meaning -- Position of women their life and conduct before and after marriage -- Further exploration in the villages. A cross country walk -- Gardens and gardening -- The native’s working power; their motives and incentives to work. Magic and work -- A digression on Primitive Economics -- Chieftainship: power through wealth; a plutocratic community. List of the various provinces and political divisions in the Trobriands -- Totemism, the solidarity of clans and the bonds of kinship -- Spirits of the dead. The overweening importance of magic -- Black magic -- The prowling sorcerers and the flying witches -- The malevolent visitors from the South, and epidemics -- The Eastern neighbours of the Trobrianders. The remaining districts of the Kula -- A concise definition of the Kula -- Its economic character -- The articles exchanged; the conception of vaygu’a -- The main rules and aspects of the Kula: the sociological aspect (partnership); direction of movement; nature of Kula ownership; the differential and integral effect of these rules -- The act of exchange; its regulations ; the light it throws on the acquisitive and “communistic “ tendencies of the natives ; its concrete outlines ; the sollicitory gifts -- The associated activities and the secondary aspects of the Kula : construction of canoes ; subsidiary trade—their true relation to the Kula; the ceremonial, mythology and magic associated with the Kula; the mortuary taboos and distributions, in their relation to the Kula -- The value and importance of a canoe to a native. Its appearance, the impressions and emotions it arouses in those who use or own it -- The atmosphere of romance which surrounds it for the native -- Analysis of its construction, in relation to its function. The three types of canoes in the Trobriand Islands -- Sociology of a large canoe (masawa) -- (A) Social organisation of labour in constructing a canoe; the division of functions; the magical regulation of work -- (B) Sociology of canoe ownership; the toli-relationship; the toliwaga, “master” or “owner” of a canoe; the four privileges and functions of a toliwaga -- (C) The social division of functions in manning and sailing a canoe. Statistical data about the Trobriand shipping -- Construction of canoes as part of the Kula proceedings. Magic and mythology -- The preparatory and the ceremonial stage of construction -- The first stage : expelling the wood sprite Tokway; transport of the log; the hollowing-out of the log and the associated magic -- The second stage. the inaugural rite of Kula magic; the native at grips with problems of construction; the wayugo creeper; the magical spell uttered over it ; caulking ; the three magical exorcisms -- Some general remarks about the two stages of canoe-building and the concomitant magic -- Bulubwalata (evil magic) of canoes -- The ornamental prowboards -- The Dobuan and the Muruwan types of overseas canoe -- The procedure and magic at launching. The trial run (tasasoria) -- Account of the launching and tasasoria seen on the beach of Kualukuba -- Reflections on the decay of customs under European influence -- Digression on the sociology of work. Organization of labour; forms of communial labor; payment for work -- The custom of ceremonial visiting (kabigidoya) ; local trade done on such expeditions -- Digression on gifts, payments, and exchange -- Attitude of the native towards wealth. Desire of display -- Enhancement of social prestige through wealth -- The motives of accumulating food stuffs -- The vilamalya (magic of plenty) -- The handling of yams -- Psychology of eating -- Value of manufactured goods, psychologically analyzed -- Motives for exchange. Giving, as satisfaction of vanity and as display of power -- Fallacy of the “economically isolated individual” or “household.” Absence of gain in exchange -- Exchange of gifts and barter. List of gifts, payments and commercial transactions: 1. Pure gifts; 2. customary payments, repaid irregularly and without strict equivalents; 3. payments for services rendered; 4. gifts returned in strictly equivalent form; 5. exchange of material goods against privileges, titles and non- material possessions; 6. ceremonial barter with deferred payment; 7. trade pure and simple. VI—Economic duties corresponding to various social ties; table of eight classes of social relationship, characterized by definite economic obligations -- Scene laid in Sinaketa. The local chiefs -- Stir in the village -- The social differentiation of the sailing party -- Magical rites, associated with the preparing and loading of a canoe -- The sulumwoya rite -- The magical bundle (lilava) -- The compartments of a canoe and the gebobo spell -- Farewells on the beach -- The definition of an uvalaku (ceremonial, competitive expedition) -- The sagali (ceremonial distribution) on Muwa -- The magic of sailing -- The landscape. Mythological geography of the regions beyond -- Sailing. the winds; navigation; technique of sailing a canoe and its dangers -- The customs and taboos of sailing. Privileged position of certain sub-clans -- The beliefs in dreadful monsters lurking in the sea -- The flying witches, mulukwausi or yoyova : essentials of the belief; initiation and education of a voyova (witch) ; secrecy surrounding this condition; manner of practicing this witch-craft; actual cases -- The flying witches at sea and in ship-wreck. Other dangerous agents -- The kayga’u magic; its modes of operation -- Account of the preparatory rites of kayga’u. Some incantations quoted -- The story of ship-wreck and rescue -- The spell of the rescuing giant fish. The myth and the magical formula of Tokulubwaydoga -- Arrival in Gumasila. Example of a Kula conversation -- Trobrianders on long visits in the Amphletts -- Sociology of the Kula: 1. sociological limitations to participation in the Kula; 2. relation of Partnership; 3. entering the Kula relationship; 4. participation of women in the Kula -- The Natives of the Amphletts: their industries and trade; pottery; importing the clay; technology of pot-making; commercial relations with the surrounding districts -- Drift of migrations and cultural influences in this province -- Sailing under the lee of Koytabu. The cannibals of the unexplored jungle -- Trobriand traditions and legends about them -- The history and song of Gumagabu -- Myths and reality: significance imparted to landscape by myth; line of distinction between the mythical and the actual occurrences; magical power and mythical atmosphere; the three strata of Trobriand myths -- The myths of the Kula -- Survey of Kula mythology and its geographical distribution. The story of Gere’u of Muyuwa (Wood-lark Island) -- The two stories of Tokosikuna of Digumenu and Gumasila -- The Kudayuri myth of the flying canoe -- Commentary and analysis of this myth -- Association between the canoe and the flying witches -- Mythology and the Lukuba clan -- The, myth of Kasabwaybwayreta and the necklace Gumakarakedakeda. Comparison of these stories -- Sociological analysis of the myths : influence of the Kula myths upon native outlook; myth and custom -- The relation between myth and actuality restated -- The story, the natural monuments and the religious ceremonial of the mythical personalities Atu’a’ine, Aturamo’a and their sister Sinatemubadiye’I -- Other rocks of similar traditional nature -- The halt on the Beach. The beauty magic -- Some incantations quoted -- The spell of the ta’uya (conch shell) -- The magical onset on the Koya -- Psychological analysis of this magic -- The Gwara (taboo) and the Ka’ubana’i spell -- Reception in Dobu -- The main transactions of the Kula and the subsidiary gifts and exchanges : some general reflections on the driving force of the Kula; regulations of the main transaction; vaga (opening gift) and yotile (return gift); the sollicitory gifts (pokala, kwaypolu, kaributu, korotomna); intermediary gifts (basi) and final clinching gift (kudu) ; the other articles sometimes exchanged in the main transaction of the Kula (doga, samakupa, beku); commercial honor and ethics of the Kula -- The Kula proceedings in Dobu : wooing the partner; kwoygapani magic; the subsidiary trade; roamings of the Boyowans in the Dobu district -- Visits made on the return trip. Some articles acquired -- The spondylus shell fishing in Sanaroa lagoon and in home waters : its general character and magic; the Kaloma myth; consecutive account of the technicalities, ceremonial and magic of the diving for the shell -- Technology, economics and sociology of the production of the discs and necklaces from the shell -- Tanarere, display of the haul. Arrival of the party home to Sinaketa -- The uvalaku (ceremonial expedition) from Dobu to Southern Bovowa : the preparations in Dobu and Sanaroa; preparations in Gumasila; the excitement, the spreading and convergence of news; arrival of the Dobuan fleet in Nabwageta -- Preparations in Sinaketa for the reception of the visiting party. The Dobuans arrive -- The scene at Kaykuyawa point -- The ceremonial reception -- Speeches and gifts -- The three days’ sojurn of the Dobuans in Sinaketa -- Manner of living -- Exchange of gifts and barter -- Return home. Results shown at the tanarere -- The subject matter of Boyowan magic. Its association with all the vital activities and with the unaccountable aspects of reality -- The native conception of magic -- The methods of arriving at its knowledge -- Native views about the original sources of magic. Its primeval character -- Inadmissability to the native of spontaneous generation in magic -- Magic a power of man and not a force of nature -- Magic and myth and their super-normal atmosphere -- The magical acts : spell and rite relation between these two factors; spells uttered directly without a concomitant rite; spells accompanied by simple rite of impregnation; spells accompanied by a rite of transference; spells accompanied by offerings and invocations; summary of this survey -- Place where magic is stored in the human anatomy -- Condition of the performer. Taboos and observances -- Sociological position -- Actual descent and magical filiation -- Definition of systematic magic. The “systems” of canoe magic and Kula magic -- Supernormal or supernatural character of magic; emotional reaction of the natives to certain forms of magic; the kariyala (magical portent); role of ancestral spirits; native terminology -- Ceremonial setting of magic. Institution of taboo, supported by magic -- Kaytubutabu and kaytapaku -- Purchase of certain forms of magic -- Payments for magical services -- Brief summary -- Study of linguistic data in magic to throw light on native ideas about the power of words -- The text of the wayugo spell with literal translation -- Linguistic analysis of its u’ula (exorchum) -- Vocal technique of reciting a spell. Analysis of the tapwana (main part) and dogina (final part) -- The text of the Sulumwoya spell and its analysis -- Linguistic data referring to the other spells mentioned in this volume and some general inferences -- The tokway spell and the opening phrases of the canoe spells -- The tapwana (main parts) of the canoe spells -- The end parts (dogina) of these spells -- The u’ula of the mwasila spells -- The tapwana and the dogina of these spells -- The kayga’u spells -- Summary of the results of this linguistic survey -- Substances used in these magical rites -- Analysis of some non-magical linguistic texts, to illustrate ethnographic method and native way of thinking -- General remarks about certain aspects of method -- Text No. I, its literal and free translation. Commentary. Texts No. 2 and 3 translated and commented upon -- To’uluwa, the chief of Kiriwina, on a visit in Sinaketa. The decay of his power -- Some melancholy reflections about the folly of destroying the native order of things and of undermining native authority as now prevailing -- The division into “Kula communities;” the three types of Kula, with respect to this division. The overseas Kula -- The inland Kula between two “Kula communities” and within such a unit -- The “Kula communities” in Boyowa (Trobriand Islands) -- Account of an expedition from Kiriwina to Kitava -- Fixing dates and preparing districts -- Preliminaries of the journey. Departure from Kaulukuba Beach -- Sailing -- Analogies and differences between these expeditions and those of the Sinaketans to Dobu -- Entering the village -- The youlawada custom -- Sojourn in Kitava and return -- The So’i (mortuary feast) in the Eastern district (Kitava to Muyuwa) and its association with the Kula -- Rapid survey of the routes between Wood- lark Island (Murua or Muyuwa) and the Engineer group and between this latter and Dobu -- The ordinary trade carried on between these communities -- An offshoot of the Kula; trading expeditions between the Western Trobriand (Kavataria and Kayleula) and the Western d’Entrecasteaux -- Production of mwali (armshells) -- Some other offshoots and leakages of the Kula ring. Entry of the Kula vaygu’a into the Ring.