A Concise Definition of the Kula (Chap. 3, Sec.
1)
a form of extensive, inter-tribal exchange (closed circuit of island communities)
extremely big & complex institution (in both geographical extent & component pursuits)
main aspect of the Kula: the ceremonial exchange of the two articles
the articles: constantly travelling in opposite directions & being exchanged for each other
o soulava: long necklaces of red shell discs
o mwali: arm-shells or bracelets of white shell
every detail of the transactions is fixed & regulated by set of rules & conventions
Taking part in the Kula
o Receive the goods, hold them for a short while, and then pass them on
o no man ever keeps any of the articles for any length of time in his possession
o Rule: "once in the Kula, always in the Kula" (applies to relationships & valuables)
o permanent & lifelong partnership between two men
Secondary activities & features associated with the Kula
o ordinary trade (bartering between islands for utilities)
o building of sea-going canoes for the expeditions
o mortuary ceremonies
o preparatory taboos
Arm-shells and Necklaces (Chap. 3, Sec. 3)
Mwali (arm-shells)
o produced at northern end (in Woodlark Island & western Boyowa)
Soulava (very long necklaces made of red spondylus shell)
o produced at ring’s southernmost point (Rossel Island)
Objects are primarily ornaments, but the real aim of possession is not the privilege of
decorating oneself with them
The flow of Kula objects (natural/commercial movement key to determining origins)
Mwali Soulava
[Images from Ron Johnson's web
collection of Oceania tribal
images.]
The Rules of the Kula (Chap. 3, Sec. 4)
Exchange is subject to strict limitations & regulations
o each rule: limit the social range & direction of transactions & duration of
ownership
o integral effect of rules: shape the general outline of the Kula (double-closed
circuit)
Sociology of exchange: Kula transaction can only be done between partners
o partnership is a life-long relationship entailing mutual duties & obligations
o number of partners varies with rank & importance
o duties & obligations vary with the distance between the villages & reciprocal
status
near-by partners: usually relations-in-law or friends; very friendly terms
near-by chief partners: extra assistance to the chief, but receive special
consideration
overseas partner: a host, patron, and ally in a land of danger and insecurity
Effects of partnership rules
o network of relationships around the Kula ring; whole forms one interwoven fabric
o both objects of material culture and other cultural influences travel on kula
Geographical direction of transactions
o constantly passes arm-shells from left-to-right; necklaces from right-to-left
o Effects of geographical direction rule
two continuous streams flowing in opposite directions
circular exchange of the Kula (ring or circuit of moving objects)
villages are placed in definite fixed positions with regard to one another
No permanent possession of Kula valuables
o temporary ownership
o each man has huge number of articles passing through his hands during a lifetime,
of which he enjoys a temporary possession, and which he keeps in trust for a short
time
o benefits: draw renown; exhibit article; tell stories of acquisition; plan next
recipient
o every article moves in one direction only & never permanently stops
Two Key Principles of the Actual Exchange Transaction
o the Kula is a gift repaid after an interval of time by a counter-gift (NOT bartering)
o the equivalent counter-gift rests with the giver, and it cannot be enforced by any
kind of coercion or bartering
Canoe Ownership: the toliwaga (Chap. 4, Sec. 4)
Title of toliwaga: social functions entailed
Formal & ceremonial privileges (toliwaga is spokesman of his community in all matters
of sailing and construction)
Economic uses & advantages (toliwaga receives largest portion of Kula valuables; can
hire out the canoe to a different district’s headman)
Definite social privileges (toliwaga’s privilege in the running of a canoe & choice of
crew, but this is limited by rank & seamanship of the men)
Performance of magical duties (magic concerning sailing and Kula done by the toliwaga)
Competitive expeditions: the uvalaku (Chap. 8, Sec. 1)
uvalaku is an exceptionally large scale Kula expedition
key sociological feature: binding obligation of crew to serve the toli’uvalaku (the chief of
the uvalaku), in exchange for receiving distribution of food
o partially financed by the toli’uvalaku: adding credit & honor to him, while
imposing obligation on the other crew members
Full ceremonial of the Kula must be observed (new & complete overhaul of canoe,
special ceremonial rites, special pigs killed)
Competitive element: speed, qualities, beauties of the canoes; communities vying
no vaygu’a can be carried on the outbound sailing of an uvalaku (Kula exchanges can
never take place simultaneously)
Participation in the Kula (Chap. 11, Sec. 2)
not everyone who lives within cultural sphere of Kula participates in it (including entire
districts & commoners of the lowest rank)
Relation of Partnership
o overseas partner (ulo karayta’u): remote relation of friendship
o inland partners (lubaygu): nearest possession; intimacy & closeness
o definite geographic limit beyond which a man cannot have any partners
o example: partners of Kouta’uya (one of the biggest Kula men)
o partners-once-removed: more important for men with fewer partners
o chief plays the part of a shunting-station for Kula objects
Entering the Kula Relationship
o Requirements to become practicing member of the Kula: passed adolescence,
must have proper status & rank, must know Kula magic, must possess a piece of
vaygu’a
o for son of chief: chief-father equips son with magic, vaygu’a, partners (but son is
a commoner since status is determined matrilineally)
o for a young chief: need to pay maternal uncle substantially for establishing his
position in the Kula (since father is a commoner of small influence)
o for a commoner: like chief situation, only on a smaller scale
Participation of Women in the Kula
o Kula is essentially a man’s activity (women do not carry on overseas Kula
exchange)
o in Kiriwina: some chief’s wives have privilege of exchanging vaygu’a within the
family (a complimentary interpolation of two wives in between the simple
transaction of the chief giving to son)
o in Sinaketa: wives help husbands obtain vaygu’a from neighboring village
partners
o in Dobu: wives and sisters credited with great influence over man’s Kula
decisions
Gifts and modes of transaction (Chap. 14, Sec. 2)
main principle of Kula exchange: must be a gift, followed by an equivalent counter-gift
(NO bartering involved)
always must be two distinct transactions in time (opening vaga gift & final yotile gift)
the actual exchange: "to throw a valuable" (the gift should be given in an off-hand,
abrupt, almost angry manner, and received with an equivalent nonchalance and disdain)
o Receiver’s motives: fundamental human dissatisfaction with value received;
essential native reluctance to appear in want of anything
o Giver’s motives: anger a direct expression of parting with possession; attempt to
enhance the apparent value of the gift
types of gifts exchanged in the Kula
o vaga (opening gift): given spontaneously, with wooing & soliciting involved
o yotile (final counter-gift): given under pressure of certain obligation
o pokala (food gift): a solicitary gift, usually given to district with less food
o kaributu (another type of valuable given): a solicitary gift, must be returned later
o pari (solicitary gifts given wholesale): outside of Trobriands, not observe subtle
name or technical distinctions
o basi (intermediary gifts): inferior counter-gift given to fill the gap until actual
return
equivalence of the vaga and yotile
o "to marry" (va’i): when two opposite valuables are exchanged (arm-shell female;
necklaces male)
o very strong & definite idea of equivalence
additional classes of articles: doga (circular boar’s tusks), katudababile, beku (axe blades)
much "commercial honor," but much room left for quarrelling and friction
o many partners competing to receive very fine valuables
o matter of equivalence (no definite standards of measurement)
psychological tone: mixture of punctilio & decorum, with resentment & greed
most reprehensible feature: "hard in the Kula" (to retain many valuables and be slow in
passing them on)
