Women in Kararau - Gendered Lives, Works, and Knowledge in a Middle Sepik Village, Papua New Guinea

Front matter

Gottingen Series in Social and Cultural Anthropology

Brigitta Hauser-Schaublin

Women in Kararau

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements 3. i.oiccduseaw ded tobe dd Lesa weed eee oeee ekaw « 11 1.2 A documentation of the past, and new studies... 1... 0. eee eee eee 20 1.3. A.comparative glimpse back 3. nc. cade ee odie ror ista eed aad ae 22 Religious practicesand new ideas: xid eatin i wen ae en 22 Environmental changes and the exploitation of natural resources... 1... 0.00 24 From subsistence to market economy 1... 2... eee eee eee nennen 30 Conclusión una sa ee EEE ERR OER ORR Ow a 36 Part One: Women and Subsistence Economy .... 2.2.2.2 ccc cee ne 39 2 “The Village: icncicicnctadocnsoucvederansrdsovesediovcseeas 41 31: “Fishing... nssemsssekeetase nen as ae 45 Fishing techniques: rod, spear, and trap. . 22.2 ee nennen 47 The fishing groundss. sn. ae na ae En edie eee een 48 Catching and: speating turtles....u....:0 edie eur a aa a ae and 49 32. Fish urve ecap eeii ena ora awbhardeaeiardousoseeiereraadeda 50 Sizéof the-cath 3.5.4 caaoce em chad re A eR Ree ee ine 54 Own consumption Of Ashis ses 2.22: 2268 be a ee EES ee 55 Qualitative analysis) scsi 0.00 wh ie ele a A Rw nn en 56 Selling fish in: Wewak. u... ee een ee 64 3.3 Overview of the most important trade relations withother villages: es. gods ee are a ea 66 3.4 Sago and the sago market with Gaikorobi... 6... 0.0.0.0... cee eee eee 67 Organizing the sago supply. 4... #02 4 aha Ghee aaa eed tau eam rn 12 Quantitative ASPECES te co whan oa wwe aed ee HOA SOD DOE a e E aS 77

Qualitative aspects. aan ei eae tends a ome. oe em koe dak Eee ome ts 79

Breach: of the market peace: + un. era. ee eke died emt bh gd are 83 The sago market in mythological perspective sas 2.222222 ee ee 85 Comparison of historical conflict between Kararau and Gaikorobi and the conflict recounted inthe myth... 6... eee ee nn 88 3.6 Kararau’s further trade relations... 6... eee eee eee 99 The Aibom pottery market .. 2.2222 eee eee eee ene eed 99 Kapaimari, an example of a modern market... 0... ee eee 100 Tourist atts aaa dae kari EEEE EPERE a a a ESA 101 3.7. Cultivation’ seseo b en vance cow ae aaia ane baa ea see ble ee ood hanes 102 Crops, gardens and ownership esd eana dea ears ba eee ae Eee wa as 102 Tobacco, cultivation and hatvestie. ire. an. tite Goi ee a bow a hs 104 COCONUT STOVES. nu a ieee aE a aed Re Ke dees bare are 107 4 Getting Married. . iis. ccciduscise Ken ken 113 4.1: ‚Run-up’to:märriage ans answer de een ae aa 113 Social insecurity of women who are not officially married yet... . 1.2... ee ee eee 118 4.2 Ideal marriage relationships. ... 0.0... eee ce cee eee 118 44: Bridewealth: oss0 snow aad bow aan eek te mame waa 125 Marriage without bridewealth.. 2. 2:0 erra tranteri san chee ORs ash 130 ‘Transferring the bridewealth.. 2:4 niri terner mesam eka eee dees eee a 131 Composition of the bridewealth soss es 2... eee eee eee eee 139 An interpretation of the bridewealth ceremony... 6.6... eee eee 141 Behaviour patterns of men and women... . 222 eee ee ee eee 142 4.6 Marriage as described ina myth cessisse . eee ee eee 147 4.7 Duties and rules of conduct after marriage»... eee eee 152 Changing locality when sick’ ance ese aau eu eee he ee aa Oe ren 153 4.8 The relationship between brother and sister and between husband and wife . .155 4.9 Spatial division of the house .... 1.0... cece ee eee eee nee 157 Koliuan’s dwelling house eis a sri tere ua aus na an a A Ran ee nt 158 Gimbunsdwelliug. house. u... .aw: = 024 ein ame ana ann 160

Conclusion

In conclusion, we may say that — unsurprisingly — many transformations have taken place since 1973, at different levels. The ecological conditions of the immediate environment where the Iatmul live — the Sepik’s changing fish and plant population — and the large-scale exploitation of natural resources upriver and in the grasslands on the northern river bank have already had an impact on their livelihood. Potential future scenarios, such as a waste spill or Sepik people becoming wage labourers on their (formerly) own land are not any brighter. At the local level, women (and men)

have gradually adapted their lives to the changing conditions and made use of the new opportunities, such as new fishing technologies, mobility, and electronic devices. The forms of living together and the ideological background (such as religious practices and beliefs) have probably led to a more relaxed relationship between the women and men, though not throughout. Aside from the marital union between a man and a woman, kin relationships do not provide an adequate basis for living together in a migration settlement. Production for a market economy and wage labour in place of subsistence economy have today become an almost indispensable part of people’s life. With it, social inequality based on education and jobs, financial means, and political positions has begun to replace former differentiations based predominantly on gender and seniority, as Gewertz and Errington already noted twenty years ago (1999). Nevertheless, in spite of the many changes briefly outlined here, everyday life in the villages shows striking continuity; this would definitely deserve more attention.