The Trobrianders of Papua New Guinea - Book Report/Review Example

Another epoch making book in this regard “The Dobe Ju’/ hoansi” (Case Studies in Cultural Anthropology) by Richard B. Lee is regarded as one of the finest documentations and bestseller studies of the Kung San. The book presents an explicit reaction of the people against the force of modernization in the Kalahari areas. At the same time, the book also describes the lifestyle, belief, rituals, social organization, kinship, politics and marital system prevailing within the ethnic group. The book also states the story of determination of the ethnic group to stick back to their own and real predicament despite immense external forces and relentless pressure to accept the exploitation of their habitat.

It also includes the restoration of the development of their political rights and revitalization of different endeavors by the communities along with ensuring the acknowledgement of their new sense of empowerment (Lee, 2003). A comparative analysis of both the ethnic group as documented in the books, “The Trobrianders of Papua New Guinea” and “The Dobe Ju’/hoansi shall present a contrasting study which will enable a better understanding of the relation between rituals and kinship operating within these two ethnic groups.

Relationship between Ritual and Kinship through a Comparative Study of The Trobrianders of Papua New Guinea, The Dobe Ju’/ hoansi and the United States of America Any social organization initiates from the union of men and women in a society to carry forth their generations ahead. Marriage in every society culminates relationships and kinships which are definitely guided by different rituals operating in diverse ways across the globe. To comprehend the difference of relationship between rituals and kinship among the Trobrianders and Ju’/ hoansi people along with that of the society in the United States, it is important firstly to note how do these people organize themselves to stay together.

Ju’/hoansi people live in two types of groups. One is based on the internal structure of the group, coherent in nature, a structure that is quite self-sufficient and flexible. The other group consists of people where the men sections work on cattle and they belong to a specific camp with a specified client (Lee, 2003). Among Trobrianders, they generally prefer to make hamlets and stay. A village is generally constituted by two to eight hamlets and each hamlet comprises six to twenty households.

Each hamlet has their leader. The leader decides issues on land, marriage and marriage for his matrilineage. If a village is having no chief then it is supposed to keep relation of alliances with other villages (Weiner, 1988). Conversely, in American society people stay in nuclear families. These families generally comprise husband and wife along with their children. There are different people assigned at diverse administrative positions to look after the law and order and wellbeing of people (Lee & Daly, 1999).

Marriages in a Trobrianders life is mostly influenced and determined by the fathers. After marriage, only a man or a woman gets economic and political importance in the society. And when individuals marry and they give birth to children, they are considered as adults. Adultery is