What is it like for a native people of the rainforest to confront the modern world? Written specifically for students, the account uses vibrant personal stories and ethnographic examples to connect developments among the Gebusi of Papua New Guinea to topics that are widely discussed in anthropology courses, including comparative features of subsistence, kinship, politics, religion, gender, ethnicity, nationalism, and modern development. In the early 1980s, the Gebusi conducted ritual dances and spirit sances, practiced ...
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What is it like for a native people of the rainforest to confront the modern world? Written specifically for students, the account uses vibrant personal stories and ethnographic examples to connect developments among the Gebusi of Papua New Guinea to topics that are widely discussed in anthropology courses, including comparative features of subsistence, kinship, politics, religion, gender, ethnicity, nationalism, and modern development. In the early 1980s, the Gebusi conducted ritual dances and spirit sances, practiced alternative sexual customs, and endured high rate of violence. By 1998, most Gebusi had converted to Christianity and were actively engaged in market activity, disco music, sports leagues, and school. In 2008, however, public services and the cash economy had deteriorated, and people relied increasingly on their traditional customs and practices. This second edition of The Gebusi is updated throughout and has a new chapter and surprising new conclusions based on the authors return to the Gebusi in 2008. This book vividly portrays both the traditions and the modern challenges of Gebusi society and culture and illuminates key issues in cultural anthropology as a whole.
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