Details
This volume is based on an anthropological fieldwork among the Asmat people for many years, and investigates the cultural significances of Asmat’s dugout canoes by using ‘symbolic and interpretive anthropology’ as theoretical framework.
Table of Contents
Foreword
Acknowledgments
Table of contents
List of illustrations
List of acronyms
Introduction
I. Asmat: an exotic and nostalgic world
1.1 The ci: an Asmat’s habitus
1.2 Back to Asmat with new eyes
1.3 Learning to know, learning to preserve
1.4 Story from the field
1.5 Scope and limitations
1.6 Analytical framework used
II. The ci: a significant key to understand Asmat
2.1 Select literature on the Asmat
2.2 The ci: the Asmat canoe
2.3 Gender power relations
III. The Asmat: a never ending surprise
3.1 Asmat: a pregnant swamp of natural resources
3.2 Asmat in Papua province of Indonesia
3.3 Asmat: a region that contains no stone
3.4 Asmat art: an anamnesis
3.5 Defining the Asmat people
3.6 Asmat: people of the tree
3.7 Warfare and headhunting practices
3.8 Some impressions about kinship
3.9 Mission “touch”
IV. Physical dimension of the ci
4.1 The ci material
4.2 Understanding the ci through its sections
4.3 Types of ci
4.3.1 Pakanam ci
4.3.2 Jicap ci or pakman ci
4.4 Interpretations of the carvings of the ci
4.5 Bottomless ci
4.6 Po: the Asmat oar
V. Social dimension of the ci
5.1 The sociality of the ci
5.2 Cisi-ipits – ci maker
5.3 The ci owned by the family
5.4 The ci triggers conflicts among the Asmat
5.5 The dynamics of ci cimen and ci ep
5.6 Rowing the ci
5.7 Social dimension of the jicap ci
5.8 Social dimension of wuramon
5.9 Ci as an expression of art
5.10 The ci: symbol of masculinity
5.11 The ci: a dominant symbol of gender identity
VI. Spiritual dimension of the ci
6.1 Naming the ci
6.2 A distinct ci: wuramon
VII. Economic dimension of the ci
7.1 Ci opak, jis opak – no ci, no firewood
7.2 Ci for men, jouse for women
7.3 Power over dusun
7.4 Do not call him bitni
7.5 One family in one ci
7.6 The ci: a key for Asmat economy and festive activity
VIII. Continuity and discontinuity in Asmat society
8.1 Social change
8.2 Water transportation is still needed
8.3 Pes (ironwood) and ci nak (ci tree) are in danger
8.4 The changed meaning and function of ritual
8.5 Carving: not because of inspiration, but because of order
8.6 Money-oriented mentality
8.7 Asmat nak – the real people
8.8 New style of hunting and gathering
8.9 The changed concept of gender
8.10 Urbanization: dusun and village unmaintained
8.11 Marginalization of the Asmat in many aspects
IX. Reflection and conclusion
9.1 Reflections as a priest and as researcher in the field
9.2 Advantages
9.3 Disadvantages
9.4 Conclusion
9.5 For future research
Bibliography
Glossary of terms
