Who Are the Trobriand Islanders?
The Trobriand Islanders are a Melanesian people of the Trobriand Islands (Kiriwina Islands) in Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea, numbering approximately 12,000-20,000. They speak Kilivila, an Austronesian language of the Oceanic branch. The Trobriands gained fame through the work of anthropologist Bronislaw Malinowski, who conducted extensive fieldwork there during World War I, producing foundational ethnographic texts. Malinowski's studies of the Kula exchange system, magic, sexual behavior, and gardens established modern ethnographic method and brought Trobriand culture to worldwide scholarly attention.
The Kula Exchange
The Kula ring is one of anthropology's most famous exchange systems. Valuable shell ornaments—red shell necklaces (soulava) traveling clockwise and white shell armbands (mwali) traveling counterclockwise—circulate among islands across hundreds of miles of ocean. No one permanently owns Kula valuables; they must be passed on to exchange partners on other islands. The valuables themselves carry histories, names, and increasing prestige with each transaction. Kula voyages required elaborate preparations including canoe building, magic, and ritual. Beyond ceremonial exchange, Kula partnerships facilitated trade in practical goods between islands. Malinowski's analysis of Kula demonstrated that "primitive" economies could involve sophisticated systems with non-utilitarian purposes.
Matrilineal Society
Trobriand society is matrilineal—clan membership, land rights, and inheritance pass through mothers. Yet men hold political positions; chiefs inherit their positions through their mothers' line but exercise authority. Fathers are considered nurturers rather than biological progenitors in traditional belief; children belong to their mother's clan. This creates complex relationships, as men work gardens for their sisters' households while receiving support from their wives' brothers. Yam cultivation holds enormous cultural importance—spectacular yam houses display the harvest, and chiefs receive tribute yams demonstrating their supporters' productivity. Magic pervades gardening, fishing, weather, and many other activities. Traditional sexuality was relatively open, documented controversially by Malinowski.
Contemporary Trobriand
Modern Trobriand society maintains many traditional practices while engaging with modernity. Kula exchange continues, though motorboats have replaced sailing canoes for voyages. Yam cultivation and yam houses remain culturally central. Chiefs retain authority alongside elected government. Cricket, introduced by missionaries, was adapted into an elaborate ceremonial competition combining sport with traditional display. The Trobriands have become a tourism destination, bringing economic opportunities alongside concerns about cultural commodification. Challenges include economic development, education, and health issues including HIV. The Kilivila language remains vital. The Trobriands demonstrate how "famous" indigenous cultures navigate post-colonial conditions, maintaining distinctive practices while adapting to contemporary circumstances.
References
- Malinowski, B. (1922). Argonauts of the Western Pacific
- Weiner, A. (1988). The Trobrianders of Papua New Guinea
- Leach, J. & Leach, E. (eds.) (1983). The Kula: New Perspectives on Massim Exchange