Argonauts of the Western Pacific : An Account of Native Enterprise and Adventure in the Archipelagoes of Melanesian New Guinea

First published in 1922, this classic text examines the extensive and complex trading system maintained by the Trobriand Islanders. While the main theme is economics and social organization, the power of magic, mythology and folklore are also examined. Social Sciences BOOK COVER 1 HALF-TITLE 2 TITLE 3 COPYRIGHT 4 DEDICATION 5 PREFACE 6 FOREWORD 12 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 15 TABLE OF CONTENTS 17 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 26 INTRODUCTION THE SUBJECT, METHOD AND SCOPE OF THIS INQUIRY 30 I 30 II 31 III 32 IV 34 V 36 VI 38 VII 42 VIII 46 IX 47 CHAPTER I THE COUNTRY AND INHABITANTS OF THE KULA DISTRICT 50 I 50 II 52 III 55 IV 59 V 64 CHAPTER II THE NATIVES OF THE TROBRIAND ISLANDS 67 I 67 II 70 III 71 IV 74 V 77 VI 83 VII 84 VIII 89 CHAPTER III THE ESSENTIALS OF THE KULA 91 I 91 II 93 III 95 IV 98 V 102 VI 105 CHAPTER IV CANOES AND SAILING 109 I 109 II 112 III 115 IV 118 V 121 CHAPTER V THE CEREMONIAL BUILDING OF A WAGA 124 I 124 II 126 III 132 IV 137 CHAPTER VI LAUNCHING OF A CANOE AND CEREMONIAL VISITING—TRIBAL ECONOMICS IN THE TROBRIANDS 142 I 142 II 149 III 155 IV 157 V 162 VI 164 VII 175 CHAPTER VII THE DEPARTURE OF AN OVERSEAS EXPEDITION 178 CHAPTER VIII THE FIRST HALT OF THE FLEET ON MUWA 188 I 188 II 191 III 194 CHAPTER IX SAILING ON THE SEA-ARM OF PILOLU 197 I 197 II 201 III 204 IV 207 CHAPTER X THE STORY OF SHIPWRECK 211 I 211 II 216 III 219 IV 225 V 230 CHAPTER XI IN THE AMPHLETTS—SOCIOLOGY OF THE KULA 234 I 234 II 239 III 245 IV 250 CHAPTER XII IN TEWARA AND SANAROA—MYTHOLOGY OF THE KULA 252 I 252 II 258 III 264 IV 268 V 276 VI 280 VII 282 VIII 283 CHAPTER XIII ON THE BEACH OF SARUBWOYNA 287 I 287 II 293 III 296 CHAPTER XIV THE KULA IN DOBU—TECHNICALITIES OF THE EXCHANGE 300 I 300 II 300 III 308 CHAPTER XV THE JOURNEY HOME—THE FISHING AND WORKING OF THE KALOMA SHELL 312 I 312 II 313 III 316 IV 318 CHAPTER XVI THE RETURN VISIT OF THE DOBUANS TO SINAKETA 320 I 320 II 328 III 331 CHAPTER XVII MAGIC AND THE KULA 333 I 333 II 336 III 337 IV 341 V 345 VI 346 VII 348 VIII 356 IX 359 X 360 XI 361 XII 361 CHAPTER XVIII THE POWER OF WORDS IN MAGIC—SOME LINGUISTIC DATA 363 I 363 II 364 III 368 IV 371 V 372 VI 376 VII 379 VIII 380 IX 380 X 381 XI 382 XII 383 XIII 384 XIV 385 XV 386 XVI 389 XVII 391 CHAPTER XIX THE INLAND KULA 395 I 395 II 397 III 400 IV 403 CHAPTER XX EXPEDITIONS BETWEEN KIRIWINA AND KITAVA 406 I 406 II 409 III 414 CHAPTER XXI THE REMAINING BRANCHES AND OFFSHOOTS OF THE KULA 418 I 418 II 421 III 422 IV 425 V 426 CHAPTER XXII THE MEANING OF THE KULA 430 INDEX 438 MY esteemed friend, Dr. B. Malinowski has asked me to write a preface to hisbook, and I willingly comply with his request, though I can hardly think that anywords of mine will add to the value of the remarkable record of anthropologicalresearch which he has given us in this volume. My observations, such as they are, will deal partly with the writer's method and partly with the matter of his book THE coastal populations of the South Sea Islands, with very few exceptions, are, or were before their extinction, expert navigators and traders.