Malinowski and the Trobriands: Kula and Magic

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Malinowski and the Trobriands Kula and Magic

• Trobriand Islands are 100 miles east of Papua New
  Guinea and 600 miles northeast of Australia.

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Introductory Background

• Subsistence was fishing and yam agriculture, both
  of which were abundant and produced a surplus.
  Coastal/inland/highland distinction.
• Matrilineal society Descent is traced from the
  mothers line. Inheritance passes from the
  mothers brother to the sisters son.
• A man was required to gift his sisters husbands
  family periodically.
• Chieftainships marriage was polygamous for those
  of high rank

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Exchange and Trade

• Exchanges occurred within villages, from a man to
  his sisters husband, and from commoners to the
  chiefs.
• Also between villages on Kiriwina island
  especially between coast, (fish), plains (yams)
  and highlands (steel axes). Gimwali, often
  referred to in derogatory terms.
• The most spectacular and prestigious exchanges
  occurred between islands and was known as kula,
  involving long sailing expeditions across the
  open sea.

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Basic Features of the Kula

• Separation between utilitarian exchange (gimwali)
  and ceremonial exchanges (kula).
• The kula consists of the exchange of ceremonial
  items soulava (necklaces) that travel clockwise
  and mwali (armbands) that travel
  counterclockwise.
• These items cannot be kept permanently, at most
  for a year or 2.
• Possession of famous kula items brings that
  person renown and prestige.

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Sociological Features of the Kula

• The partners in the kula were lifelong trading
  partners obliged to each other for hospitality,
  help and assistance.
• Minor kula exchanges within a group of islands
  preceded major expeditions.
• Usually one overseas trading expedition per year.
• Upon arrival, visitors would be greeted with a
  soulava. If they could not reciprocate with a
  mwali of equal renown, they offered intermediary
  gifts, basi.
• If you knew your partner was in possession of a
  renowned kula article, he would be solicited with
  various gifts, e.g. yams, pigs. If accepted, you
  would proceed to the next valuable stage, e.g.
  steel axes. If enough was given, your partner
  would be obliged to part with the soulava or
  mwali, as the case may be.
• Example Sinketa and Dobu annual expeditions,
  visitors from Sinketa are greeted with necklaces
  (soulava). When the Dobuans return the visit,
  they are greeted with mwali (armbands).
• The soulava (necklaces) always travel in a
  clockwise direction, the mwali in a
  counter-clockwise direction.
• Liberality in exchange brings renown miserliness
  approbation and even social exclusion. Attempting
  to hold onto a renowned soulava or mwali is
  considered miserly.
• Social status chiefs and high-ranking
  individuals most often circulate the
  highest-value kula items if commoners were to do
  so, it could be considered a political challenge.

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Prow of a Kula Canoe, c. 1993.
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The Kula and Magic

• Each phase of the kula expedition is surrounded
  with magical rites.
• These include
• Canoe building and preparation (6 months)
  magical rites to remove wood spirits, rites at
  the launching.
• Rites before the major expedition aimed at
  softening the Dobuans, making them generous.
• Rites performed just after the outset of the
  voyage to prevent shipwreck.
• Also rites to be performed in the event of a
  shipwreck.
• Finally, rites are performed just before entering
  Dobu, involving bathing, anointing with oil, and
  ritual dressing to impress the Dobuans.

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Malinowskis Functionalist Views on Magic,
Science and Religion

• Prior to Malinowski, magic was interpreted (by
  evolutionists) as a primitive form of either
  science or religion.
• For Malinowski, magic and religion were separate,
  because they fulfilled different psychological
  functions. Religion answered questions that were
  unanswerable, e.g. inevitability of death, and of
  human suffering.
• In functionalist terms, magic was closer to
  science.
• He showed how the Trobrianders possessed
  extensive empirical knowledge of their
  environment, including gardening, soils, climate
  and were also good astronomers, i.e. knowledge
  needed in long-distance sea voyages. Human
  beings have always been thinking equally well.
• Magic began where science ended. Magic is to be
  expected and generally to be found whenever man
  comes to an unbridgeable gap, a hiatus in his
  knowledge or in his powers of practical control,
  and yet has to continue in his pursuit." Magic
  alleviated anxiety and fear in situations which
  one could not control, e.g. the vagaries of
  weather during sea voyages, one part of a crop of
  yams being destroyed due to an unexpected pest
  invasion, etc.
• Magical thinking can therefore be found in all
  societies, e.g. Gmelchs article on the talismans
  and taboos that professional baseball players use
  to improve their batting or pitching averages.
• According to Malinowskis functionalist logic,
  can you think of other magical practises in our
  own society?