Introduction to Trobrianders Questions

Anthropology Reading Guide: Trobrianders Annette Weiner Introduction  –

Read Annette Weiner's bio on p. vii-viii and the Author's Acknowledgements on p.xi as well as the Introduction pp. 1 - 16

1) When and for how long did Weiner conduct her ethnographic research on Trobriand society and culture? How was her daughter involved? 

2) How much time separates Weiner's ethnography on the Trobrianders and that of Malinowski? (See also p. viii). Discuss the geo-political context in which Malinowski visited the Islands comparing it to the years when Weiner did her research. 

3) Why are the Trobriand Islands considered to be one of Anthropology's most sacred places? 

Keywords to incorporate in your answer: seminal fieldwork; primitive societies; 
armchair anthropologists; formal scientific discipline 

4) Which 3 important recommendations did Malinowski make for carrying out ethnographic research? Keywords to incorporate in your answer: time; language; rapport; informants (see esp. pp. 3,4) 

5) What is the time lapse between Annette’s fieldwork and his?

6) Define matrilineal and patrilineal.

7) What was the Trobriander society?

8)  Define egalitarian.

9) How did women become pregnant?

10) Weiner says her work departs from Malinowski’s in significant ways. Explain how her study is different in each case:

Significance of women’s roles

Significance of men’s roles

Magic in fishing

Kula trading

11) What role does kinship play in Trobriand society a) according to Malinowski? b) according to Weiner? 

12) The location of Malinowski's fieldwork caused him to make generalizations concerning all Trobriand society? What, according to Weiner, was one of his erroneous conclusions? 

13) How did Malinowski expose the ETHNOCENTRISM and RACISM of his contemporaries? (p.7) See particularly his explanations of Trobrianders' use of technology vs. their reliance on magic spells. (p.8) 

14) How did the Trobriand Islands become known to Europeans? Did they settle and interact with the inhabitants? In what ways? • 

15) Describe the terrain and climate of the Islands.

16) How is an individual Trobriander's social identity created? (p.13) 

 

17) Briefly describe the Trobriand Island’s colonial history.

18) Explain how chiefs gain power and people gain power.

19) How does death undermine power?

20) Outline what is up and coming in Chapters so you know what to look for.