Ancestral Lines
The Maisin of Papua New Guinea and the Fate of the Rainforest, Second Edition

John Barker (Author)

9781442635920

Paperback / softback, published 5 April 2016

248 pages, 27 colour illustrations, 1 b&w figure
22.9 x 15.2 x 1.8 cm, 0.36 kg

Barker's clear, engaging, and often self-reflexive writing style provides students with a readable and interesting ethnography. - Pacific Affairs "Ancestral Lines is a vivid portrait of how the Maisin draw upon their past to shape the modern present which,
like tapa designs, they continue to recreate anew. It is a rich, ambiguous depiction of rural PNG which should appeal
to multiple audiences. Because of the way it is written, theoretical simplicity, and first-person narratives of
fieldwork experience, the book is eminently suitable for entry-level undergraduates encountering cultural anthropology
for the first time. It would also be useful in courses on material culture in society and, of course, on sociocultural
change. In addition, Ancestral Lines is a welcome entry into the emerging literature on rural conservation in
the Pacific." - David Lipset, Anthropos

This compelling ethnography offers a nuanced case study of the ways in which the Maisin of Papua New Guinea navigate pressing economic and environmental issues. Beautifully written and accessible to most readers, Ancestral Lines is designed with introductory cultural anthropology courses in mind. Barker has organized the book into chapters that mirror many of the major topics covered in introductory cultural anthropology, such as kinship, economic pursuit, social arrangements, gender relations, religion, politics, and the environment. The second edition has been revised throughout, with a new timeline of events and a final chapter that brings readers up to date on important events since 2002, including a devastating cyclone and a major court victory against the forestry industry.

List of Illustrations
Preface

1. Fieldwork among the Maisin
2. Making a Living
3. The Social Design
4. The Spiritual Realm
5. Community
6. Culture Change: Tapa and the Rainforest
7. Ancestral Lines

Conclusion
References
Index