Obligation to Reciprocate and the Question of Debt. The Tee of the Enga (highlands of New Guinea): A Ceremonial Exchange

Abstract

Following Malinowski and Mauss, ceremonials exchanges often have been analysed in terms of « exchange of gift ». This has led generally to consider the economy of the Melanesians societies in a unique sense and to rule out the variability of the exchange modalities which characterize any kind of social life. We shall consider in this paper to what extent this economy of the Melanesians societies does not consist only of gift but that it also encompasses a complex system of debts, the recovery of which can be obtained by several means including physical violence. In this perspective, we will consider more precisely two different kinds of debts which are not relevant neither to a trade nor to a gift through the example of the ceremonial exchange tee of the Enga society (Highlands of New Guinea).

Keywords

• gift
• exchange
• ceremonial exchange
• debt
• violence
• sanctions