Dobu

<p>This is an ethnography of Dobu, a Massim society of Papua New Guinea, which has been renowned in social anthropology since Reo Fortune's <i>Sorcerers of Dobu</i> (1932). Focusing on exchange and its underlying ethics, this book explores the concept of the person in the Dobu world view. <br><br>The book examines major aspects of exchange such as labor, mutual support, apologetic gifts, revenge and punishment, <i>kula</i> exchange, and mortuary gifts. It discusses in detail the characteristics of small gifts (such as betel nuts), big gifts (<i>kula</i> valuables, pigs, and large yams) and money as they appear in exchange contexts. <br><br>The ethnography begins with an analysis of the construct of the Dobu person, and sets out to examine everyday practices and values. The belief system (incorporating witches, sorcerers, and a Christian God) is shown to have a powerful influence on individual conduct due to its panoptic character. The institutions that link Dobu with the outside world are examined in terms of the ideology concerning money: the Church receives offerings for God; the difficulties faced by trade-store owners evince conflicting notions concerning monetary wealth. The last two chapters delve into lived experience in two major domains of Dobu exchange: <i>kula</i> and the <i>sagali</i> feast.</p>