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)