Argonauts of the Western Pacific is a book written by anthropologist BronisÅaw Malinowski, published in 1922. It is considered a classic work in the field of anthropology and has had a significant impact on the study of cultural and social systems.
In the book, Malinowski describes his fieldwork among the Trobriand Islanders, an indigenous group living in the Western Pacific region of Melanesia. He spent several years living among the Trobrianders, studying their culture, society, and daily life in great detail.
One of the key themes of the book is the concept of the Kula ring, a system of exchange that plays a central role in Trobriand society. The Kula ring involves the exchange of valuable shell necklaces and armbands between different communities, and serves as a way of building and maintaining social connections and relationships.
Malinowski also discusses the role of kinship and gender in Trobriand society, and how these factors shape the relationships and roles of individuals within the community. He also explores the role of magic and religion in the Trobrianders' daily lives, and how these beliefs and practices are used to navigate and understand the world around them.
Overall, Argonauts of the Western Pacific is a detailed and insightful examination of a unique and little-known culture. It provides valuable insights into the social and cultural systems of the Trobriand Islanders, and remains a classic and influential work in the field of anthropology.
Argonauts of the Western Pacific Introduction the subject
In the essay I will look at the specific methods and techniques that Fadiman utilized. This paper is going to take a look at what exactly makes this particular material something worthy of critically analyzing in cultural anthropology. In less exact sciences, as in biology or geology, this cannot be done as rigorously, but every student will do his best to bring home to the reader all the conditions in which the experiment or the observations were made. Knauft arrived he met the Gebusi people, and began his study. In the case of the Huaorani two foreign groups, the oil companies and the missionaries, invaded their land and gravely affected the life they led in the Ecuadorian amazon.
Review: Argonauts of the Western Pacific by Bronislaw...
The book is an investigation into human instinct as much as it is a deeply particular ethnographic examination. It was trailed by The Sexual Life of Savages in North-Western Melanesia in 1929 and Coral Gardens and Their Magic in 1935. For instance, Malinowski starts with a perception that the Trobriand individuals ritualize new trade expeditions by making canoes. By using these observations, Raybeck proceeds to answer different Naturalistic Questions which explain how Raybeck gathers the information and in what ways his studies impact the culture. Then, he elaborates on the economical aspect of the culture he studies, explaining how relationships and activities affect the economics of the culture. I will discuss where she conducted her research and also cover how she conducted her fieldwork. Not at all like numerous ethnographic "scientists" of advancement, has Malinowski effectively abstained from making sweeping speculations about his objects of study.
A Summary of Bronislaw Malinowski's Argonauts of the Western Pacific
He spent thirty-six months with the Yanomamo and eventually understood their culture completely by studying their ways through ethnographic methods. As they manufacture the canoes, they participate in a verbal shamanic custom of spell casting. Their study is one of the few done on the traditional way of Pohnpei life recording everything from chores to beliefs. The chiefs are the custodians of the norms of the people and they ensure that all activities are done at the right time. Anthropological Controversies: The "Crimes" and Misdemeanors that Shaped a Discipline. It would be easy to quote works of high repute, and with a scientific hallmark on them, in which wholesale generalizations are laid down before us, and we are not informed at all by what actual experiences the writers have reached their conclusion.
(PDF) Argonauts of the Western Pacific
Scott Momaday gives the reader a succession of oral narratives from the Kiowa community. You can help us out by revising, improving and updating thissection. In general they are daring sailors, industrious manufacturers, and keen traders. GradeSaver, 16 August 2020 Web. Several of them had evolved excellent types of large sea-going canoes, and used to embark in them on distant trade expeditions or raids of war and conquest.
Argonauts of the Western Pacific, Bronislaw opportunities.alumdev.columbia.edu
Inherently, the scientific approach is taken with upmost respect. These activities are passed from father to son where the father trains his children to practice his trade. No one would dream of making an experimental contribution to physical or chemical science, without giving a detailed account of all the arrangements of the experiments; an exact description of the apparatus used; of the manner in which the observations were conducted; of their numbers; of the length of time devoted to them, and of the degree of approximation with which each measurement was made. This helps the young anthropologist understand the confusions that happen while someone is trying to immerse themselves into a culture. She got involved in their culture and community. He centers particularly on Kula, the Trobriand individuals' unpredictable set of trade exercises.
Argonauts of the Western Pacific Study Guide: Analysis
Kung Bushmen of the Kalahari Desert in south central Africa, but it does more than just reiterate a three year stint with a native African tribe. The social organization of the Kula is seen through various social activities that they are engaged in. These notes were contributed by members of the GradeSaver community. General summaries of each section are included below. In bench work, this approach is vital. These include farming, sorcery, basket weaving, wood work and fishing. I consider that only such ethnographic sources are of unquestionable scientific value, in which we can clearly draw the line.
Argonauts of the Western Pacific Background
Ward, I learned about a culture on an island that is much different but similar in many ways to ours. Annual Review of Anthropology. Turnbull went under the experience of being a member of this specific culture and made that experience available to the reader. This one theory has certainly made a deep impact on anthropological thought due to the fact that it can be applied to a number of situations, both past and present, in which transitions are made. It is seen as a view without bias. This memoir is an embodiment of the Kiowa culture, and N. This book helps readers understand crucial anthropological terms because each chapter outlines a specific term.
