Bilum and Noken: String bags and sorcery in New Guinea

Abstract

This paper follows up the year 1871; a milestone of hardening anthropology as scientific approach. Tylor has published Primitive Culture; Morgan was signed under the title Systems of Consanguinity and Affinity of the Human Family, Miklouho-Maclay landed on New Guinea in the same year. There is no strict connection between these crucial events. From the historical viewpoint is possible to see (1) rising of focus on diachronic perspective to understand society and culture; (2) a studying of kinship as the key how to understand the both – culture and society; (3) a necessity to perform field research in a particular society and culture.

Keywords

• string bag
• bilum
• noken
• new guinea
• sorcery
• religious practices
• material culture
• production methods
• cultural significance
• modernization