ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND

J,! SE JES ARC AEO OGICAl QU RY

- ~ O-?d obett \-lcC Aoams 5eoes Ed ors ETHNOGRAPHIC PERSPECTIVES

of pammJ.c ~. ON FOOD, POLITICS, AND

.. "'I!·~d cdi~ coIkmons

Edited by Michoel Dlerier and

oi
oi
 Contents

List of Illustrations vii

List ofTables Ix
Contributors XI•

1
Digesting the Feast-Good to Eat,Good to Drink, Good
to Think: An Introduction 1
Michae/ Diet/er and Brian Hayden

PART 1: ETHNOGRAPHIC PERSPECTIVES

2
Fabulous Feasts: A Prolegomenon to the Importance of Feasting u
t TJo h, I.. :001 00·061932
l"~ z J,Zl
Brian Hayden

3
Theorizing the Feast: Rituals of Consumption, Commensal PolitIC
iutuJ CluN'd tn tht" 11t111 J St.llt ... of ~o\rneri(.l
and Power in African Contexts 65
• O' 06 os iW to O! 01 ! 4 III Michae/ Diet/er

aTbt papa ",~d to th~ rublll..umn mtC:~ the minimum rrqwrements of the American
lUonal t>n.urd for Inlurmal1un S(len(<s Pammenee of Paper for Pnored LIbrary
4
Of Feasting and Value: Enga Feasts in a HIstorical Per$pect vt'
t.iotCl1:Ilo I Z 9 19.
(Papua New Guinea) lIS
Far p"'""'Mn to n:prod~Ct m~tunolU .ppe.nng Ul tlu, book. please correspond dorectly Pally Wiessner
with dot .....".." f tht worls ., li\l.d on the IndlVldu.1 ('puons. The Smorhsonoan Insnruno n
Pm> dotS DOl r<UU\ n:produ<"tl1lD ngbl. for the .. lliu,u at1(>"" ond,viduJlly. or mamtam a file
add·. ue, £or phot SOUlCt:$ 5
Akha Feasting: An Ethnoarchaeologlcal Per$peCII
Michae/1. Clar.e

Polynesian Feasting in Ethnohistoric, Etllnogr phI(. aod

texts. A Companson of
Porrl le V. irell

Feasting for Pro perlt A tudy of

North t tlng
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. ' , 2Qo Table
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~

"J cpu 2 I J
l)t TJn).n ~ . 1112 JssembldgC=" tn ellce ,s non ·e Ice
.; (\Hllr Jn .. "m !.-('rJo
("If Z I ArchaeologIcal Igtl.Jrure. of Fe.J. co 40
," ,
(.IU m zonr'
h• bI ' - - - ~ ~ hi we' . front P hIIIppm. sIte, 294 4 1 The OClal Components of Feasrmg .Jnd Com
~ . , DC "ernng .lL,em " ~ ' _
11 1 0 ch.rJ,,<n. . f mdrd ntual feJsnng Pohocal Srrategle5 11
.0 - :.:hem. tOr rt"l.lU(lnshl!' 0 exp 4.2. ChronologIcal cheme of E\"enco D,,= ed
1i
to en 1~
to Philirrme duetilom. 300 . _ 4 .3. The SIX Stage,. of the Aearee Cult of Ceneral En .1.J •
cb the Eastern US .. 100 s.c.-, 00 A.D. 314
J I 1 TruncJt J .\ Ioun < m to the Tee Cycle 135 nd It.\
J 0\ lan of features JIb
11 1 ~fc"eJthen Moun . • p J I; 5. 1 Companson of RIch and Poor F.milies 14.
II 1. \\allin~ PI.ldorm ~Iound. pJm of features 5.2. Akha Feast Types 153
11 4. Cold _pnngs. plan of features . J I 6. 1. Key Conrrasrs between Ttkopl'. MoI.rque... 'H
. -.~. "nu .1\\"::Inan
IJ , Cold. prm!-'S. cross·sections 01 large postholes 319 6.2. Pru)Qpai Kinds of Feasts In Tikopu 1,/
11 0 emlen Creek Mound . o. 2. plan of feature 320 6.3. Pnnapal Kinds of Fe.l IS In the \\;u-queS.lS 1-4
IJ - T,",ucuan method of -<moiung meat on a caffold. 7 1. Maroage Wealth E.~(hanges be~een Two HI h-R.lnk
su:teentb-centur) Flonda 32b Families 20
11 I The :\mencan Bottom regIOn 335 81 Cllssificaaon of the Combo- lup,bo Ce~~ C l..
• -.£,,1 ."'\:! s.en.
112 Lue preluslonc chronology for the Amencan Bortom 336 8.2. Dlsrnbuaon of Beer Jnd. onbert \"e· el, II
12.3 • Ire plm of cenrraJ Cahokia 338 8.3 SynOpSIS of chemaac Pol.lnaes The Comh...,. hIP
I Z ~. Pomons of deer belongmg [0 the hIgh. nudo and low Food UtilHy lndex (FUll 11.1 Truncated Mounds In the Eastern Urured. tar~ . 100 ..
categones J~ I 11.2. Assoclacons of Certain Woodland PI~tlol ill \\oun4 II
115. ,.\ protiJe of ODe of the sub-Mound 51 excavaoon Uturs 343 15 1 Artifacts Related to a Thanksglvll1g FeolSl m :.mpIe ~
120. Change m percentage of ISP of deer at Caholua 345 152. Arofacl> Related to d Pre"dents' Oa~ Feolst to .- pk C"
IZ- ummary of faunal materials from sub-Mound 51 pIt 346 15.3. ArtifactS Related to d :-'hd"eek Part) Itl 'ampJ
12 ' Zone 02 bm:ls from sub-Mound 51 348
120 ZOIlt 02 fish from sub-Mound 51 350
13 I Mlp of western El Salvador 369
131 Sire map for Ceren. El Salvador 371
133 Plan \lewof Structure 10 at Ceren. El Salvador 373
IJ 4 Arnst'sruonstrucoon of Structure 10 374
13.5 Household I, Strucrure 10. and Structure 12 showmg posiuons
ofmeuLel 376
13 6 omen 5 work gruup u~mg household space to gnnd corn
for 3 mual {ea [ 379
4 1 ~rd of !,;r 3\13
4 Z Pofl)uted p14qudromlppur 395
4 J Pofurarcd p aque {Him KhafaJe 3'15
4 A fI from Kh.. (aJ~ 3'1"
r m lir 1%
( ,m nknown 11 ~\l7
I m fr.r r IUUr~II[ f .. [ 41H

viII
1

Contribut

un da A Brown. Dep'" Wlont of 'ulthropo\ ~ l'

~\Jchael J Clarke. Deparuo ent of Arch3eo1
warren R- DeBoer. Depa! ulleTIt of Aruhropol _
of New York
~hchael Dieder. Deparullent of Anthropol _
Briw Hayden. Depal ullenl of .>.rchaeolGgl.
lngnd Herblch. Deparullenl of Aruhropolog) U
Laura Lee Junker. Depa! oneot of "'nthro
Lucr<oa S. Kelly. Deparunem of Anthropolo
Pamck V Kirch. Department of .i\nthropol
VemooJames Knight. Depanmeofof

\\"dliam L Ram)e. Depal Qllenl of .'\n

De= Schmandt-&sseu!. Center for Middk ~ CiD

atAusun
PoUy Wiessner. Oep;u Qllen! of Anthropo/
Douglas C. WIlson. .tional Parlt &n,a.
 DIGESTING THE FEAST: GOOD TO e T,
GOOD TO DRINK, GOOD TO TH I(
AN INTRODliCTIO

Michae/ O'er/er and

With apologle. [(l r ~ I

remral ~rgunlenr I tlu , lum
the,,· 'hapte~ l"ollr<11 Iy
cru(tal sen . In th liNt pi
abuut least "0. nd mouL.i pn
standIng t'ultUIT od AI Ilk
lime I n niut fur
,ant I't'rh.lJ>$ nlral
hu\Oo th I Ir I
In I. h ,I lilt! n
11. <d '011 ,n" nJ
 ,
CIon . \\'e need to uunk senou. ly and nncall)' about what feast>. are. how they op- -
erate . and ho\\ \\ e can detect and mterpeet them Olherwtsc ' they nsk becOmUlg of other scholars who b"ve recently ~ 10 P
one mOre ul-digesred archaeologtcal tmerprenve fad nety of both ethnograpluc and •
One of the num snmuiJ for underrakmg Uus book. and for convenmg the sym- U srul proVtSlonal. undersranding of the Il.Iture 0 tbr •
posIum that generated tt. was that both of the editors came to the concJuston and cultural pracnce. A> the chaptm In thi \
o\..,r a decade ago that feasts are an extlemelv slgmficanr aspeer of social !tfe On a tuba a bealthy divemry of theorencaJ ooenu
worldwide scale, and that understandmg them tS crucial for apprehendmg and demand feasts . Consequendy. this bod mu oducton
comprehendmg man}" SOCIal and cultural processes m ancient socicnes Howeve r. force these chapters into a <traIned 5ynthcD rummuv
\,,~ arrived at tIus mutual conclusion by qutte dlfferem routes and from very dif- ughnng of a few key tbemes thal inm~:a'. ~
th ( Clliltllt
ferent theorencal dispositions . gest future directions.
.-\S will be endent from our respecnve chapters and pnor pubhcations on the
subject. Hayden's perspecnve (see Chapter 2\ IS firmly grounded m a culrural- CATEGORIES AND DEFINITIONS
ecolog) onentanon Furthermore. he was ongmally led to explore tIus iJne of re- Perhaps the most ObVlOUS quesnon thar nttds I be
search largely by Ius mterest m the evolutionary tmpltcations of feasong In the -Are we all talking abour the same rhm " "" :e
rransforrnanon of sOciopoltncal structures m hunter-gatherer societies of the Pa- we are nor really talking aboul a"rhm at all. but
afic . 'orrhwest and Paleoltduc Europe Dletler's perspecnve (see Chapter 3). on scnbe collecm..,1y a divene set of culrunl PT H
the other hand. grew out of the domam of sodal theory often referred to by the
ask is rhe related quesnon. Is tbi, .. fuJ azuh , In
tSclear thar we all use the rubncfo:t.tt 10 co. r a ~.k
ecologtcally mclined as 'cuI ruralisr"-that tS. a perspective that takes culrure sen-
Are we agreed on the entena by "inch 1
ously as a hisroncal agent as well as a htStoncal product-although. because of Its
gether and eIdude othCl", and d e.- rhe re.
determinist unpltcations, dus label IS one that few scholars would actually apply
ence and speafiLit) to be useful' \\'e belt",
to them elves. Hence. Dietler's perspective actually has a strong social onema-
· yes: with a few sopulaaom
non, WIth roots m practice theory and poltncal economy (in a nutshell. there IS a
Each paper pro\1de, at lea>1 a ,genn-al \\
central concern with the intricate relanonslup between culrure and power).
moons sho\\ . ome \;tn.bllt!} ID both rh t
Moreover, he was lDduced to Investigare feasong as a result of archaeologICal and rance of the partiClp.InL and.u of the
ethnograpluc research among agrarian sooeaes In Europe and Africa. phrased. and some are more aplicit dun H
Th.tS very faCT of arn\mg at a conjuncture of Interest and understanding from these t> the Idea thlt fea itS are e'
such smktngl) differem drrecaons strengthened Our convicaons that, despite our consumpnon 01 food anJ or drink I
cominumg dialogue of disagreement over a number of ISSUes Isee below. and ID!: such food COn umpuoo ~\ nlS -
Chapters 2. and 3). we had stumbled upon some dung of genuine and general the >lmple o(h~ngt' of fooJ with
gnlficance IdOl dls[lnctlon> [0 m~tntlm I1 rh

One of the more rusconcerrmg conclUSions rhat we also agreed upon. how- rcnr that on~ bel!m to, ooflale ~
e\1:T, was that feouting was both severely underrheorized In the exi ting ltt~rarure [he oth"r ktnd> of Itans.al'tl fur
and bcked sysremaac empirical documentation of a kind thar would be useful elude, both wldecs[.ulmng /Co ... a

for archaw\(.>glcalm(erpretauon Tht5 IS not to claim that feasting ha5 been cunt- [h" tmporlanr "ou U ..nd fun.'t1l
o[h r klOds of pr~, tl. t'
p ettly IgnOred In the earher archaeologICal and anthropologICal hrerarure, or
n,~tlcr f:hapt .. r I 1 IJU
gnificant
IJWg\ltS h .. (' nOl been fnnhcnmmg (e.g .• see Fncdman t<l1i.I.
L
Friedman and Row1ands 1978). Ilowever, rhe " earlter wor.., gw cra 11 . ,"eluded
)
ft'a rln • a M p.lnl ul r 1"",,
a ,y\lt·l1l.l l lC..' /Tom d;"1 m ab I
'lf as pcnphaal ob rrvatlom they dId nut generale and a Unn .. nd ma
.1 SlalOed ar
J nploratlon of the ubJ Cl and Ih,'y fatled [0 rng"nu"r J u tng hodv ., rh
.jU" a grllUP
Ipu lofth rlmphc:aI1<,'1 IlenCl' ,W' uu I11 (Uwm'
 DIG ESTING THe fE~ST
---------'---..:...:..:..:~~--.--=-. -
feaslI ng (e g .. slIlg eng. danCI ng. m eb n'auo
· n. orawrieal dcsplays)
. underline
" the rit· wbat Hayden caUs ' manguJa oon .~ The dulicuJee, of
.,
UdJ natu re 0
f t h cse eve I It. • T hey help to crea te lhe expe n enee of condensed grounds between, for example. tile permUtaoom of ntlQ) pram
m eanmg .. (C 0 Ilen 1979 ) alld render feasts such ideal stages fo r o the r impo rtant to mark feasts off from everyday meals. and rho>e that are . cl I
oaa . I rranS3ClIo ns. sueI' as. prest' tlOnS o f va luables, ma k.eng allia nces. and, as classes in "diacnticaJ " feasts (see Dletler Chapter 1 u . ...
. . ' . , _ • . t "Ut IUlifonn
Wlessne r (Chapter 4) dem o nstrates, the construction o f valu e. gies of matenaJ slgoarures may not belp us much be) DJ the mere
In. contras t, H ayden (Chapte r 1) uses a som ewhat broader definitio n, simply • of the existence of feasung .
. Iatmg
sopu ' t h at any un us uaJ occasIo n accompanied . . by an unusual shared meal Whatever the eventuaJ resolution of this dLSClI>SIOn, wbat !.>.1 ;It
sh ouId be COIlSl d ere d J 11Ceast , Moreove r• in hIS VIe w, nrual aspects mayor may not ing beyond the basIC Identificaoon of presence toward undc!"
be Idennfiable arch aeologlca Uy a nd m ay no t eve n be overtly manifest in some of feasts were being mounted. what Iunds of nrual " or ~re
_~
eu,nograpwcL,
cases. Othe r autho rs propose ye t o the r minor .variations . fo r the
and what the sociaJ rarruficaoons were. req= complex m d nlWk~
. f '
d e tiro no n 0 leases.
Howeve r. despite these differences. there IS still a very large recursive argumentation. However, even tf • bandy m!<rpn-m
ennfymg many kinds . of shared meaJs as feasts when
d egree 0 f agree m e n t on Id timately be unatramable for archaeologists , as "en as for cultural amhro
confronted with emplricaJ cases in etlmographic contexts. and histonans). this does nOt mean tIlat we =or dC\'e!op a m btttrr
GI ven these snpuJations. it seems d ear that "feasts" is a category that has suffi·
standing of the matenaJ dimensIOn of feasnng Indeed al prCSdlt ~
c ent speaJiory to be analyticaJly powerful yet brings within its scope a signifi.
precise informaoon on this Issue LS one of the bl~ r .mp<duikll t ~ oll'
· portant practices around the world and tIlrough ome. Hence
cant range of un chaeologlcaJ mvestigation of reasong and tile <,.Iuaoon f the rela
"feasts" LS a productive category. It is "good to think. " icy of different archaeological mterpreraoons, For m part.
Withm the domain of practices that wc designate as feasts . there are many
do not yet know preosely what to look for The "cltlpbrv ~
pOSSIble ways to categorize the range of differences and similarities. This fact ex·
by Junker (Chapter (0), Krught (Chap,er 1[\ KcUv Chapler Il . 8
plalns the conSIderable diversiry of classificatory schemes brought to bear on the 13), and Schmandt·Besserat (Chapter q ) m tlus \-oIumc pamt tire
subject by the autllors in this volume. WhiJe some readers may find the lack of a profitable strategIes for Interroganng the b-
wufO! ill dassificaoon troubling or disappointing. we would suggest that this dl· informanon (see also. for example, Bhrz 1993. CI..-k aDd
"er'lry need nO! worry us and is, in fact . a good thing-especially at this stage of I996. !999b; Gardelsen IQ99, loore IQ , lams 19'9
theoreocaJ development. Classifications are , after all. sunply tools of anaJysis. more primary ethnographic re earch fOcusmg
Dtfferent ones wdl be appropriate for different purposes. The criteria for select· undenaken by Clarke (Chapt~r 5\ Ha>*n ( h.apccr ~
mg them should be sunply the effecoveness they demonstrate in achleving the (Chapters J dnd Q), i urgentl need d 10icmcr this
goals for ",ruch they were deSigned. the interest of those goaJs, and, of course. by scholars already famibar WIth the problclIl$ of
rhe logICal COnsistency of tile classtfications. As research progresses in this rela· cal COntexts. Again. it is the ynetglSbc dt.!.tcttcal
lTvely novel field . our various ways of characterizing and understanding feasts domainS thar will propcllhe
wtll undoubtedly unprove . Bm tlus does not mean tIlat we will move toward rhe As a final nOIC' on c1~ssili -.rion, a bi Kf
de\-elopment of a smgle typology of feasts. In our view that would be counter- of thIS volume IS a1 0 In ON r. Pan
produclIve' m the SOCIal sciences, classlficatory reification is generaJly the enemy based upon cthnogt"aphic and tusroricaJ
of undemanding SIS Or indivtdual case Th
Hayden (Chapler 2 ) has expressed the hope that eventually we may develop an rion about ouallik ro de lop a fuller
archac:r,loglCal r1asSlhcauon 'lfftasts based on matenal remalOs. Others (c .g., DIet they discu rhe
la Chtpkr 11 are less langume abour thIS prosP~([. bclcevlOf: [hat the culturally these chapten re hclt
UIOl tltUted natur~ "f fta IS m~ndatt"s that archac'ol"glCal Interpretam)n WIll ,11 proach to r. • hili- and 11
all h. I
rt qulr the (On Irurwm f/f a nrhly lI'xtllu·d dnd CUItUl ally spenlir rontex
tuaI argum nt grflunded III a rhtore", al IJII<.J""tdlllhng 01 t IlI" rUlllp'I 'Xllle'. "I
k ai ling 10 <.omparallVr "thn',grapIIlC pI I I'" IIV, III !)11ll'1 WII" I' .•1 v,' I'll III "I "JII
4
 - DIGEST! G THE F£~S
-
Thus, IIJl'dcn (Chap l ~r l.) ex,lI1lllles feasung (mm .1 cross ~ cullura l and eeolng Ines during the second mlllenntum 0 Krugbt
I(.d p,'rspectl\'e IOWJld Ihe developmcnt of a genera l framework for Ihe archJco ;ant role of feasting U1 the Cl eation .and \I~ 0 the
logical delcown a"d IIlICrplt'I.Hl tm of fe.ISls Dlctler (Chapter 3) uses the Luo the WooJland cultures of the southeasl<m l ruted
,1I1d uther Afnc,ln CJSCS 10 ar!il'l' for the IIlhcrcntly politica l role of fea"s and to
nlum A,D .. while Kdly (Chaprer 12 document
devdop J generaltheoretll:JI.1n.1Iysls of thc umplex relationship bClween fca sts, MISSISsippian Site> dunng the early $I~. of the u •
cnm m~I1S.lhlY, and pnwer W,essner (Chapter 4) provides a nch clhnoh lslo rlcal
(Chaptcr ' 3) presents an analysts of n,,,\\ e\'ldence for
,1t1.1ly" of the role of feas15 IJ1 rchglous cu lts anu strategies of New GUlIlea btg, strUctures for Itn eage feasts U1 non-elite Ma
mcn fi,r promOting thclr self Interests Jnd transfonntng conceptions 01 value movlJ1g to the anCient Near East, Schmandr.
Clarke (Chapter 5) shows how feas15 arc used by the Akha tlibes of Thailand to use of feasts by Sumenan ehtes to colleCl
establish so iOeCtlOOmic safety I,elworks, KJrch (Chapter 6) uses a companson of It IS worth emphaSIZing that, desplrc the tmp~
three Polynesian cases to demonstrate how the magnitude of, and facilities asso. and temporal contexts represented by the dupter Ul
c.alcd With , feasting Increase with tncrcaslllg size and complexity of Ihe polities. was clearly not to prOVIde a comprehemt\ !obal
Perod,e (Chapter 7) documents the range of feamng on th e Northwesl Coast of tory. Hence, the absence of tudIes from certam
North America and Illustrates what advantage acc ru ed to hosts, DeBoer (Chap· taken as an tncbcarton that the edIto", Judp.-d th.t
ler 8) provides an Important example of Amazonian feasting with Its unique gi rl 's feature of the ancient soaallambcapt' 111 th areas r
mluauon features anti compcntlvc male boasnng, and renects upon longter", archaeologICal analysIS of feasts 1 le, good In rh
hJStoncaltransformatlons and continuities, Pinally, Dlctler and Herblch (Chapter rope, for example, IS not covered U1 IhL lume ~
9) use a comparanve exammatlon of the political-economIC dynamiCs of work crcaslJ1g1y recognized to ha\\.' been a praCt! e of nJa)Of
leasts among the Samla of Afnca and other societies to propose a general Iheo, vanous kinds or SOCial change through ut th
rcocal model for the crucial role of feasts in labor mobilization and explOitation, one or the editors has prevlOu. ly undertolken , m
Part Two contains chapters that move m the opposite interpretive dIrection, ent European archaeological COntext Dlcder I t
That is, thty attempt to grapple with the detectton of feasting in the material Murray 19Q 5, ch mm Pantd IQ~2 , :herr,U{ I!N! ~
record and to then make plaUSible Inferenccs about the socialitfe and culture of Simply to provtde a sdenetl cl of frto h
the people who were prodUCing and partlclpattng In those feasts . These creatively blhtic for the IdenufieJoon Jnd tnlt'rpn:t tJon
mgemous stucb~s Illustrate both the difficulties and potenl1al of t:lus domam of ~Jthau'!lvc, range ur ar,hJcol"gl'''!
mqUlr>; as well as the nccesslty of a recursIVe dlalecncal conversation between
elhnographlcally denved theory and archaeological data. At first glance, It may FEASTS AND FEASTING
appear <UnOUS lhat Wllson and Ralhje's (Chapter (5) ;cudy of garbage m present Another Import anI qUl'stlon In f'<"
day Tucson should be classed tOgether With Ihese laller chapters, but, m facl, (he Ing tn arrhJcologl(JI .-uI1I<"I. \\uh ut ~
logIC of thIS mlerprel1ve exercise IS thoruughly archaeological The samples of j<fJJl; . In otht" words, ,'.n un,' d r I~ t
rcf us~ were obtained by mea", other t h an excavation, . but tIles'e malcrial IIcms. ne<ess.lnly belli!; abh hl ,drnur. It:!" ,tuent
,
are th('Tl used to reason Inlerenl1ally bac k to an l11lerpre larIon of Ihe practices gest rhJt lU't' <.11, In'("cd ,
that pmdurt'd Ihem ba,cd upon an understan d mg 0 f Ih e gener al .SOCial context ral ub,", tI"n tu Ih" kllld of PI'( 1t.a1
(but wllhf)UI d,rtCI ob~nvJIIOn of those speCific ' . ). I ~ I ene,
, practices e tht,y prnvld~ suth a, trdd, 01 Jgn.uhu", 'or hI h
a gOf,d ht'un tlf le lof lht, p,,,,,hlllllt'S filr un cr>tan 109 rcas
cl d ' ,. t 111"" throul\h ()131~ ' nut IInp< ""hie, tn Idr.nu" W k 1
· h many r<'Jdees. wdl have 1'.<1c, 'or ,..HHpl , '11 Ih b.ll$ NI
nalr mams III a ~"Cldl and lultUlalcllmexl wllh W h IC
of Ih uPt't QClon "athout r
IfJm f~mlhanty I ,hJrwt, II
b ·1 JI'(h,ll'nl ..~i(,' " • Ill. \' 'o"k 1'1
(Jthl711 pI rs tn th. ("tllln "Il<-l a rJllg'" ,l more 0 Vl(lt" Y I rh ~ IT'lu\r 11l III
f I he.· t'rnl1()1111t' .Im th.t
I
:a lUd" Junke, (ft.plt' or,) provldn ,I r('glll"J dlla Y'"'' I I I
I Ih" 1''' tl' ,,,I,, ,,' '. tll, nd th It
poll .r.1 rol f,l feast (Jl 11 .. 'If Iy dyn.II"1I luhural "IlV"'"1I11l'1I1 "

11
 .\ lld,.rr1 nl( lto Or1l1 IhllH1 1111 \'1 1",
•
-.----------.:~.:.::...:..:.~~---.-
.
DIGESTING THE fEAST
- --
dl.~IU' " ( (11 1"n.1 .l Ie alld how 10 look lilt th em m rc"m n.,1 arc haeologICal da ta nons wbere they occur. and feasong locatIons are oftrn
ArchaeologISt> know q Ult~ well how W ' nln ou t trade and charactenze its qu an ritual slructures. In contrast, spea/ic rrade arnvltji area' are
Illdll\<: anJ q u.lht J tl "" Jll nellslOns th rough the use or. for exampl e. petrog raphIc. identify. and the act of exchange produce. lInte if anv Ji
,hel\llea l.• nd , tyhstl( analySIs of cer.lJll l(S fo und III contexts o f consumption cally. because feasts often proVIde the context for e chMJ ~
r~U t th ,' \ J Il ge nerJll y nOI yel fJnllh ar w Ith th e ways thar o ne can dcrect and of detecting feas ting m the archaeologJcai recotd ma~ e. n
r h .•ra( lc l1zC fcaslIng as " pro(~.!s llence. they are less alen to the possibihues and tt
dersrand trade Methods for accompltshing tht.s Are s1iII bc,m
m ore , kcptJ ( al nf the cndeavo l unl ess o ne can produce a Po mpcllesque example the contributions by Brown (Cbapter 13), KeUy Chapler u .md
of a k.l" 11 ) all offer exemplary case sturues shov.mg how the presen e o
Ju nkc l ' (ChJpter 10) analysIs o f reasting in th e Phillppllles IS of great Interest be teased out of various permutations of pan.U. laW1al. anJ .utif.l
preclSc1 ) bl'c.lUse 11 IS an excelle nt example o f ho w the analysis o f feasting as a rhese chapters also ably demonstrate. the mere IdentIficatIon Ihr e
pro("css can be convlIlclIlg ly and pro ntably don e thro ug h sensitive eXam1l1allOn feasts at indIvidual archaeologICal sltes ,s nOt the ulttmale .~'<l
of Ihlll!;' uk" reglo ndl patte rns o f CeramIc Impo rt consumptio n. A Similar case Rather. we want to know what they mean ill tel at, of the ne ".
ha> he en made fo r different teglo nal patterns of feasting III Iron Age Europe them- and this reqUlJ'es Sltuatlng them WIthin broaJerrepona! p.1n
(Dle d er 1990. 1<196) w,th the subsequent Identincano n of an actual feasl event Part of the pOtential vis,btlity of feasts demes from th act tIu t
(Dlelle r 19</9b. C arde15en 1999). What such smd,es demand is a careful contex- once agam, they are ntual (or. as Hayden "ould qu..!, · 11 ntu.1!iz d"
tual anJI) " s o f patterns of consumption . ThaI IS. nOI merely looking at the rus- ThIS means that they are commoril - a centra.l elem m r
rn butlo n o f ceramic types or wares over Ihe landscape . but undertakmg an such as trutiatIons. weddmgs. dIld bunals. of w luch al It3,t Ihr LtLtt'r ha
anal 'SI> o f Ihe quamnatlve, cOlllext·specinc d,stTibution of specific forms and chance of bemg preserved as smgle-e\-cm arrha.d . al m I re
Ihe patterns of .lssociauon where they arc found . It IIlvolves asking. for exam- means that the same kinds of wacntlca (e g . qualilJtI\
. whether certalll k.lIlds of lableware are found III all or only some graves or ences m food consumed. spatial egreg.tion, architecr IU
,~t1lcments 111 a region , III all or orily some domestic or ceremonial contexts on maturgical effect. elc ) that may be used. oiten In comb
tho',. sClllemcrm. associated WIth whal other kmds and sizes of ceramic cook- mark feasts off from dJ.l]Y• meals as ntual e\ nt. ma..!l e
109 "cs,c1, .md 10 whal relatIVe quantities III each of those COlllexts, assoCIated tbe archaeologICal record -,f we know how to loo them.
w Ilh what lund, of faunal rem.ms. and so on II also requires looking at rrans- will reqwre that we become sensmzeJ Ihen I t It>
lonnauon5 01 the,e partems OVer time Such analySiS can be very revealing not that we develop the theorencal comp<'tence to dui ..,th thar
urilv of the eXIStence of feastlng. bUI, more Importantly. of liS forms and Ius- more sophl. tlcated m.lnner ThIS lask IS l.uge nd, • I
• h " I
tnncal Slgl1lficdIlCC. Of cour,e. as chmandt-Besserat (Chapler 14) as ruce y whIch we can alr~ady s~e lOnsldtrablt produ \ SUI
demonstrated With her Near Eastern study. the po Slbtlines for understandmg One of the ~ncouraging Sl~'Tl' to tmr.gt' OUl ut ~ m
I 'glOnal leasllng practices are greatly enhanced by the presence of contempo, the frequent aSSOClatlon l\1 I(-asung WIth ~rwl
ra ry plClunal and lextual representations (see also. for example. Arsenault 199 2 : elaboration th.t may be rt'adll~ rt"~'TUUbk-
J"ff" 1998; S hmm Pantel 1992). But a greal deal is poss,ble even III the absence Brown' (Chapter 11\ srud)' 01 nun rill ~~. nng I la
of these 1.111 r klllds of data (Chapter 12\ stuuy ul ahokla. Kmghl Iwp( r I
Hayden IChaptcl 2) prOVIdes a summary 0 f t h e many k III d S of malenal ~VI moullds. IWu out uf th ....... uf KIITh bap~r
dm e thal ("an pOIt'nually be useu lor deahng w'lh feasung archaeologICally. but latches rcpone,1 by Pe ..."h.. \ :h~PI r .\. I na~
vtnually the c/JllInbu\lnos to Ih" VD Iume J d (rcss t •. t h 15 "SU e In onc way or an Illlponalll \(I ('mphas,ze th~1 n, I 1nl
, h" d ' Ion I lhJI {easl .tru<led
om r Onc: of the ulleresllng I"alun' \(J cmcr"" ,rom l IS ISellS.· I . Sltr I'" tt'~ ung but Ib ....
c:tluUy h an advantage OWl trade .lS a su JCct 0
h f .rchJl·ologlC. I... stln/: Th~1 l. • the Ill<) m r d th rdI
In
on 1fI that 11 ,,11, I murh U('IIt< pus"hl I1\1(', Ior h 'illS
. ,able to Identify
. .1 t•• tu .... , ..... p.... III Ih .. "~Al l.abor
r l n~1 ;l(lIvllll'S
'1111 1 Irut', tIl pJrt. bl'l.IUSt' TeaS J ,., t '.rtlS.fll uf Ih .. r.
lit I th I
11'1,,1 of dt 111l(lIVl- ff' I list . .1 I tht In .... b" h. ( haplt'1 In
"Ir \I ry llalU pro d ioU r. « Opll/US 111

•
 • •

example. the Luo feasts tn the homestead repon ed by Dletler. Chapter 3) . We h re "IS 0t
' l'e'S[
.. ,
jx(du<e r. l i t ~
an al\- 1b.a
there IS le , arclutectoruc elaboranon o r small er feasts are held In or ncar do. ' f labor and ~ne ts t
lerms 0
mesne contens. the detecoon of feasting Slles may be consIderabl y more dlffi. f iea.<on~ m wtuch ~n re ~
system 0 '
cult However. under extraordmary cond1l10ns It may still be possIble to Fem~e labor 1 irequend) of p
arena
recogruze feasts In domestic contexts through analYSIS of permutations of fau . cultural producoon and th r h
naI and arufactual remams (e.g , Clarke. Chapler 5. Dleder 1999b, GardelS en and 5\'1ne), althou~h the rclam
1999). EVIdence for the presence of alcohol may be another usefu.lly WIdespread vanable (Boserup ' 97 0 ; Gu er Fu
diagnosoc SIgn of feasts. In most small-scale SOCIeties, and particularly wtth pr" female contribution 10 Ihe cruoal culinan
dlsuUaoon forms of alcohol , dnnkmg is not a pan of dally meals it IS some food tngredients mlO tc,a I , Th~ bbor In
thmg reserved for, and indeXIcal of, feasts (see Dleder 1990 and Chapter 3). As there IS such a stron!: linka ben- en
Wtlson and RathJe 's (Chaprer 15) study shows, even In present-day Tucson there Dtrtler. Chapter 3: Dletler and H erbteh. In
15 a srrong assOCiation berween alcohol and feasts . prOVIde the agnculrural. culmary. and
are quite common ( and 80
However, case of Ihe tn\'e panel 11
FEASTS AND GENDER cuJruraI, culmary. nJ crVIn I.lbor th.tt
One of me tOpICS mal we would suggest stiU needs much more expuClt treatment women ) mol)' eIDt , bUI th re ,,"'tiC
and futler elaboration is the gender relanons that underlle. and are reproduced These (e~ture . need not be Interpret a
and transfOlllled through , feasts. Of course , these are by no means uruform BUl however, In ~mc , Ih,' re 1 a m re
one can already begm to discern a few slgruficant tendencies mat require further tem of labor 10th" produC"t1on
research and theoretical dISCUSSIon of arumals , ,I' not 1I11h prodUctI n
In the first place. feastIng praCtIces almost always aCt to mark and naturalize by Clark,·. Ch"pt"r 5 , I re n-
gender categones (see Dletler, Chapter 3), That tS. even In soaeues WIth a strong benefit from th Ir loIb r b) m
egalitanan ethos. feasts serve to define and Inculcate SOCIal categories and gen· ,Ige ~ 10 nt tnltnf'.a\ ,"om m
der c.tegonts are among the most common dIstInctions marked by these nruals indIVIdual ~tatu Ir tn m
Such markIng occurs through a w,de vanery of symbohc dJacntle. mal m.y be Gcro "1'.11 , larch I d
combmcd m dIfferent permUlatlOnS, The~e may mclude, (J) spatial segregation or fca,[ .Ind othcr fi I l'\ nt
po5Itlorung whIle eaMg (I.e., dIfrerences IOdtcated by men and women tollng to 1lallv. 10 the r~( Jl[ past, Ih
dtfferent 1(JC3ti(JOs or seated In standardIZed configurations: alternate ~cat1ng, op' InS and b"", III ,dull ,h;a:
pOSIte Id of a room. mner and outcr circles. ele ,), (2) temporal dIStinction, mU"CII1,· I III rltrt r ru m nd
(I , differences IndICated by (lfdcr of servlllg), (J) quahtatlve dlstlOcllons (I c , dd .It \ th.1I rnabl .I th, I
feJOi( es m the nature of the food, dnnk, or scrvtng vc,sels offered tu me,' ,Inu mllt .• 1 pOWn \11\.1<1 n
. . d a
"m nl, ( 4 ) quantitative d"uncuom (L~, wcn""'" 10 l e , ., h· amounlS of InuJ or . Sl1lJJrr I" tun' I
I
<Inn¥. I C. "cd UJ W{Jmt"Tl and mcn), <lr (5) b" h aWna expe( ta " ,I
)OS (I (' dlfl('rI'mC'

t 'I' l<-a"IO" fur

. <,
Iltll~,ta[ reultlr I
d
w.y women and mc-n arc <'P'" Icd tu at t unn~ an a < d f ' " OInd CI!ln funn.u,on
J
III
Jt. h I
011 p<'rrruncd [(j act drunk. whu may la "- w I e eating,
who may n'Jrh I.h", n,1 h n ht
Wh I ,la <es e)(1 , (hl's(' dl ~Hord tu IAAu! Ih
o C UT frr "'I tloe meal flf t,' tt ) ("ft' $0' td , '
d rked 10 dllkr t..
rm may v rv herw,'ul t la ~t ,Ut h ,hat I!,,'n ' 1 " m.1 , nd uodel I Ildt" Ih
•, I It- III KlId tJ
Ih n ach .la • IIU II/jll "AA" tl'<l. <lr ~Xdmp ,
I
rlh n• 'I 1,1"
H wal"n [('Y.' r~. till); I' I
(ud(' r ('JII u.lrr;.ltUJIl lUll I .. I"" t'UIC"r I " t

10
•

ECOLOGICAL MATERIALISM VERSUS CULTURE AND POWER
Th ere IS an Intcrcsong on lologlca l tenSion underlying th is volume that also mer-
Its a k\\ comments Indeed. a major part of the "'terest of the book. IS the dia -
logue It presents berween radically different perspectives on the same set of
pracnces . Although Ihe m ost expitctrly articulated contrast in ontological pasl-
nons IS that between the [Wo ednors alluded to eartier, the imp~cations of this
debate are apparenr throughout the volume . H ayde n (Ch apte r 2) mak.es a force -
Cui case for an ecologically grounded materialist consideration of feasting, and
thlS approach tS closely echoed in several other camributions (especially Peradie.
Chapter 7. and Clarke. Chapter 5). Others find this perspective less compelling
and approach the subject from quite ddferent theoretical poSItions (see especially
Dletler. Chaprer 3; Wtessner. Chapter 4; Kirch . Chapter 6; DeHoer, Chapter 8;
DIGESTING r .. E HAS
-
a major role in promotmg and defendmg md!"dual or
",tuch IS why feasting becomes so unport.lnt ID tr.ld!1J
ford to produce the necessary surpluses
other perspecoves, IDcludmg perhaps most apliclIlv Wt
J), strongly disagree with aspects of this ecologJcal m.).t na
ot all from preosely the same theoretical basi> \\ Ith ut
n ".~
"Culrure and Practical Reason" battle (see Sahliru tQ" IQ,)<;
portant to signal the qwte WIdespread anwopologtc,u'11J III
several other contributions to this volume Me roored, "hi h bo
calicy" is not a universal pnnople of borrom-hne maten.llt. m.
constructed concept. To the extent that Haydt!Il and Pe
benefits something like the proposlOon th,u reason UWQ

DlerJer and He rbich, Chapter 9). These perspectives need not necessarily be e n- "strategic." self-mterested poliocal acnon, whether c,_ Cl
re ly III conIlict WIth each other- W,essner (Chapter 4) and Junker (Chapter lO). euphemIZed in the shared "sincere fictions· t Rourdieu I rh.u
r example, d,scuss the ecological constramts on the historical development of the reproduction of the system. It is prob~ble th~t .ill of rh au
panerns Wltlun mterpreove frameworks that are not ecologically deter- cede some common ground \Vhat then become the ,-runal
;cc and that are qtlJte sensiove to the importance of culture and lustoncal rurally specific defin,tion of appropnate goal_ and nOlI
. Moreover, a central concern with political power and the pronunent relentless material accumulation is not a unJ\ rs;U ,u of
role attnbuted to it m all the chapters provide a very significant basis for common m many cases it will lead to scorn. 0 nolCl m , w'lch~ a
ground. One can reach agreement on the forms and importance of political death. In such cultural contexts , the S'_IUI
- -lIed ,m11- t r e t
power while ultimately viewmg it as either a major rype of ecological behavior \en
qwte different set of rules and toward a dtff(' nt nd
or as a culrurally defined field of social action . It is for this reason that Hayden de- ber baron As the vanous chapters md!c..u " ('a~h' : It!
scnbes Ius approach as "political ecology_" the feast IS not sun pi)' that It enables the accumwlJ
Ilowever, a chapter clalrnmg to fulfiJ1 an introductory role would be sorely re- goods, but that It IS a remarkably upple nruoll pr~
nuSS to the extent that ir failed to reveal and explore a few of the divergences in reoprocal conversion of economIc and ,mix 1
basIC ontologIcal prenuses that characteme the volume. Clearly, neither of the CUlturall ' l;apa
y appropnate polmcal ~al . ThIS h t
editor> undertakes this analysiS from a dismterested position. Hence, caveat lector. ulty and durablllry of tht' feast a ~n msntutt
Hayden (Chapter 2) and Perodle (Chapter 7) IDsist that a practice as ubiquitous mallC ooal Ira ns,OtmallOns.
C
a IIIUStroltN III m.:
and enormously "expensIve" as feasring must have some "pracocal benefits." DeBotr's (Chapter 8) Sh'Pibo,Corubo umpl P"
WIth an understanding of pracocaliry rooted m the perspective of Marvin Hams. There IS an addl · I
th d b Oona dt'mem (If tht' pl'll<1hOll
They acknowledge that idiosyncratic values motivate some people to use their e e at~ beyo j
(Ch n, (ammon ground Tlus Il dl~
resources and power m noruanonal, non- self-interested, nonpredJctable fash- "ad apt.er 2) thal. be,'all ' of 11. mstlmt' and
IOns. However, they argue that m aggregate, people do tend to make decisions apllve be havior" h
ruVid I I al It must ha
based on their own self-mterests and the mformation or chOICes that are avail - ua SlIrvival H
Dietle . . e~ a numbe-r 01 th u
.ble In this respea, they act m ecologIcally (and economically) rational terms- rs VIew th · f
dUslOn b ' IS un,llon,,1I logt
ldiosynrratlc vanatlOns do occur bur rarely are accepted, supported. or perperu- • DU! m n n
ated by the communities at large for any length of time . In archaeological cvol
u ro see the I ' pro on.t
1.'11(', and bgruli an< of IIh r of th alw
uonary t rms, thC$e tdlosyncrasles become "background nOlsc" for the basIC
r Sinularly r, oth .Ire I arl J I Il"n,
If nds (ru.t !',nn the arrhaetllogl<al r.",rd In lhis outlook. polmcal powr plays . asl ,';an e 1I
 OIGEHING THE FEAH

-
the precondIuons for deveJopmg the moral auth I
health of the <oac" and for md,v,dual, IIwolved The II ,l\\',II'An ro}'.1 p'tl They J~ h
cl .• ern IS a .St ons ..,ert lea de" 'p, and w,dd po"er ~r to re
as,1( ca;(' m pomt (Ktrch , Chapler 6, ahitn' 'Qo21. a' were Eng. p'g f. ,-rOup cl eo • the
\\r. ca~ts g Th ). are the e ential elements of the PO' tb rv
( le. mer. Chap[cr 4). the f<,\Sung cu toms among the 13 .. of AFnca IGaone olhers e
1090), and Luo funeral leasts, wluch often Impovcnsh fam,ite. (D,etler, ChapI"
_" ase can be made that. even tn I~re-cap't;ili, I ,\menca re
deed, u,e c
3) Ht:J1ce. from uus pomt of ,'iew , che value of a concept such as .daptive be- _ mul. oon of econoouC capn.,] \S u1tJmarcl~ all ab ur From H
"co on che other han d . ' presoge
. - an d · Status • tn
h.t''lor' tn aplantlng cultural pr.cnce, seems lughly questionable and Ihe spero"'''' , .
demoustranon of a causal (onnecnon seems Illusory al bes. ~mpy I euphemisms for economlC sucee . and pohoeal pow r
,.
From Harden s perspective , on the o[her hand, [he adapnveness of rock COn- Fmally, !Tom Dletler s ontologICal pOSItiOn, I! t> :Usa LtnPOIUnI
cert> IS nOI to be found so much m the present cultural context, bm m che early (Ufe lIor as somethmg that is destroyed by confrontation" Ith e tenal re
genetic evolutionary roOLS of che human speCIes where ecstanc ntuals mcluded or tbar Mchers away or can be abandoned m the face of oppol'tWUtJe
rhythms and mu ,c that enhanced emononal bonds ber,,,een mchVlduals and advancemenr (cf, Hayden. Chaprer 2'1-. lund of opno~ <Xltrn.tl cl
poup mtical for surv1\wg .evere pen ads of stress <Hayden 1987, 199J:159ff). fa,ade covenng a umversal bedrock core of marenallit r.lOOl ah"
Emooonal aggresSI"ry toward groups ,dentified as enemies, whether m sports or dung mbenrcd from the pasr as a ratic bundle of traItS Rather 11 . a
real confucts, may have a simllar ongm and may srill be parr of oUr tnnate emo- cei,"ng and thmlung about the world. and of solVing the rroblem
oonal hentage (Ha)'den 1993,175- r76). ln more unmediate terms, illS clear chat. IT- through the apphcaoon of disuncme C3regonl'al and anal Clnl
respecnve of the phySIcal effects these events may have on the players involved, the Hence, culture IS not an .uremaQVe la a urmel'>.li
-
pr ...roalit); but ra u
player> clearl) feel thar they a,r e benefittng handsomely. wluch their mulnmillton- very way chat pracocallly LS consorured,
dollar contraCts amply confirm Hayden argues that benefits of comparable scale OlttrnateJy. Hayden feel (somewhat more 0ruml n -.Ih Ih~n
ought to exist for the pnnopal players ,n feasts that escalate 111 COSts far beyond some of these contenoous Issues may be onl) a maner of cl In

th . Sll ch as the
e norOl. . roval
J
Hawatian and Enga feasts , However, all-oul competi- and that more common ground ma} be ""ogtl17eJ In th urnR'
eve feasung undoubtedly ema,)s both winners and losers who risk everyching m argue thar some of che agendas behmd Ihe h'\slmg of fo h
nles ' and as m competitive bus1Oesses, those who are losers are driven by pollOcal Or nther selfmrere.red (OnstJerao ru .. \
th err econonuc a b .
d d crushed so that it is nOt surpris10g to find families Impover· proach sees cultural norms as Imposmg such srnn nl um.ut
t)'P ICall y rume an ._
ished by reasting where feasting becomes compeoove, lor rhat no innm'aoon or change ev~r rake pia,. On r~ !her
Much of this disagreement rums around different VIewS of culture From approach goes so far as to claLtn that culrur.lI IraJiuCJru do not
• pecti - feasts like many other important cultural pracnces, have Stramts on the behavioral and conceprual orm'us that peopl
O dle er s pel S h '-I I _ _ .

bnle duect sIgnificance for "survival' (except occaSIonally m the negaove sense In Hayden's view, rh. empha IS. how 1'. more on peopl
1jIiben pracuces sometimes have deletenous uruntended consequences) and the IUZe the .XISDn" co
" d
n,tumts an tll u -r culrural -on< er
concepl of -adaptation" IS powerless to explam either the generaoon dofhthe m~~ SlIl1plyas 10015 ro achlevl' Ihl'lr own If. mItre t d •
- ' I 'gnifi On the other han • e wo Or other cullural tools ~R' nor available h'''hh IllOQ
lad [Ol'lll.> that feasts cake or theIr socla SI cance d th th of Ues,
at
daun WC fea'ts have a great deal to do Wllh pohrics and power. an, hl ::~.ble,
taUy sel ab '"t'
(Ch OUI rrYlllg 10 freale them . .t donunenred In \
what Harden calli -adapranon" LS Simply SOCial compenoon of hlg Y e for so. 'pler ~; see als(\ W,essner and rum "- ... _
pends uI " u..-r I
unpredictable. contradictOry, and largely unvenfiable adapove~I!V;~~:;den and ,. upon the econunUl- COSI • rh.. tM
any rh. corn
OdJes .oaal groups, and mdlVlduals, respecClvely, A]ternattv y~ eLS through I' penng 'clf-lnteR'sr 01 ulhrr mmUflI
• [dffi 1 power or soCta l s.,ery n ectlon rom
oth('fl p'Jhu(s and the creaClon 0 I e,-entla 'd 1",,1 el'tn cs 'n, Whde Ihere m. be Idl
esS reproduction, an sUfV d cornrnunir h
{. astJng play cnueal roles m economIC succ , 1 f "pre,tt-" an Pto I le. In I hurt I rm
d p des dismISS' 0 ~ P r IS ulrlrnatelv ch
Wlthln [),etlcf's peopcctlVt. Hayden an cro I h'gh!y conlennOu' pr"<iu' ~r'Cleru:
I h mena ,s also I 1 '!IUIl, .nd huhh
a mCI)fl~qucnu.1 psy(h"I(J~IC. p eno 'f bolIe elF'" In Dlrtl,,', v
for 0 rtkr th v-vrcb d nbe «una I a'peel'"
r Ih~ kmd 0 sym
. ht'r of ,o(lt\)' unl"" I w, !,<,oplr
a ".1 r«llog'ro' trn!'<'r Ii
a n c. sary ,,,,dill'''' for hl'fr,mmg an II1nutnlt l mrm

14
 - ,.---
----- DIGESTING THE 'EAST
~ - --" '-- ------------=.:.::..:::.:..:..:.:.:..::....:.:.:..:...:..:.:::~- - -- - -, - -
both 5~(Jfi( lultur.ll n)Ou:\ , .lnd the \un ,11 ' lt ll.H UII) (I f 'CI')f ~ I I I
lh l: (Ih rOlll~h
. ,lllltI .W lIe) ,)Il' , .It ho> , hoWl1 how fca<D h.lYe served as drenas
<
for the amollan n and en.
an11.: tinlt', IT\(ukJ I (;d Jnu (C)J1 1111 u,liiy 11 .ln' « 11 l11C!d
ud . II,I '"' le pr,IClltc, of . I encounters and the rranSlormatlon of t.> t \-aI~ and
01' colo nl3
t"Vtr Jnu lllu.1 1l"yuen .lCknowltuge, lh " I,.nor, hlll " ,," h
h (: Vu: S d!'l
h .J , '"' ts I . , wh. ,
1 t.' ul\ t ornon pr f(' dl rt." et UHl Cl f .!otcl f 1111 c:rCM Ihro Ul'I'l . I • owtr Ma ny of the papers m Ih" volume have COntnbuI~d other no. 1..~
_-01

J . h 1 l U t llr.l) va l uc~ Pelhng arguments fo r the role of fe,st> m 'oo~1

"PP '" pnmallly 10 ' "U ,1l1 0'" where lh e pr,lCII al Im p.,·" lrc nOl P
• . • l'X trc m c. I I . n er's (Chapter 4 ) n ch hlStone31 <tud,: for erample
bt'!,nn ,h."
a\ the '(Jns"q u. nces 0 1 (lI ltll r.,I va lu t, hl"('Om e m rC'<1 I cl C W,css
, mong lhe Enga o f New G um ea have acted ", ntual lhe~t= fc T th aJltur,aJ n
"
mcntdl to lI1u,v ld",II , df IIl1 ereSls, P" oplt- mu" ,·VC lIlll.lUy rc fu ,e l(>ac ·. ng Y ctn
I
. c....pt va lI CS strU Ctl O
n and transform atio n of value ('cc al,o \Vlessner anJ Ttunu t ...... _
• m:
tha t aUlhu nLlt" pro mUl e, ('ve n under e.,re me lhrca ls o f rClribulI on It IS dlfficlIlt
dramarurglCafly charged presentatio n of the pig by blg·men ItSuJIN la 11
ICl ~l<pla ll1 n.-vuluno ns o th erwi«·. In Dletll"r's View IhlS conclU' lOn wllh lis cl
. ' ass!C t por.,ion mtO fea stmg and exchange ne two rks III WilyS thac ~d nt ~ ,
la l\<" IIn n u u,ne" ' vision o f cullure as somelhmg th,1I ca n be equated wlIh
uences for the hlStoncal transfo rmanon of polm", and the e the
v';I lues pro moted by a lllho nll s, undedme., agom the I"nuament.fly ddTcl'cnl
! glon , Similarly,Junker's (Chapter to ) analysis _how ho,," the I1IlpOrtI
cuncCf' UfJn . o f ruhure helu by [he edllors (fo r a fuller tliscuSSlrlO o f tillS perspec-
"'01ICS for feasts played mto the competlll\'c O\'aJne - between chic m
t.ve o n tht relatio nship between Ideology, hegemony, and culture, see Dlotlcr
IQQQa\, unsrable pobtical landscape of the prehi.<p~J1Ic Ph. hp me and h
came J SOCially rransformanve practice through Its COOSt;1nt
It .mpo rtant that the rcader have" clear 'ensc o f the differences Ou"med
15
h,nces and patron-client networks. Dletler (Clupter 3 u the
aboH Th" IS nflt Simply an arc.lIle bone of fnendly COlltenllon between the edl
Kenya to show how feasts can serve as mechanlSlI15 for the tr
tors. bu t a cruClal,<~uc thalls mamfesred Ihroughout the book Ul often 'lulle sub
d e way ' W,· dre nOl, 01 ( Uurse, suggestlllg Ihal all of the chaplers can be Imed up formal power into UlSlItutionalized formal political rol ' , and h dcpm de t
m,lIllenance of authonty IS on the praCllce of fea tm!; Fma1h o.~t1rr
o n t lthe r Ide of .1 b.nary "great divide " defined by the terms of thLS debate, and
blch (Chapter 9) show how the work feast ':an bceome d m«haru
wc havt . 111 fact hc"tated to speak for other .Iuthors m specifYing their diverse,
plOltallon that can resulr In splraltOg asymmetncs m ( cun m. a d
nd "hen Impllell , ontological premises What wc are suggcsung IS both ,hal
capital and," lhe emergence of soaal sUalllicallon to c/-:altr:lnm
s uch fundam ntal dlllercnces are Important 10 conSider m reading the ensumg
ch _pte..,. ,ind, perhaps even more 1Il1portantly. lhal rile Issue of feasts I, tIOt tile pro.l-
AN INVITATION TO THE FEAST
1«1 of " partlO/d' tkrorrtlcu/ call1P. but can be approached profit.lbly from a vanety
These chapters offer a compeUlI1g COlleClIIe Jcmon,lr,II(lO thal
0 1'lUltc dJflert:nt Ihcor,' u(JI Onentallons. In fact, what IS surpnsmg IS not thal
"good to think" '" m,my \\ay' t-.loreo\cr, thc, a Ion " ~ t
the vanuu authors of th.s buok have conrrasnng ontological pOSitiOnS, but that,
chJeologiStS how to thlllk about le"\[ Clc .. ;'" mu,'h IIlptnral
gn"'n thlJ POSIlJOOS , we Jre Jble to agree on so much . Thai we all see feasts as
work r<maUlS to be done 111 orJer tu .mprove t"1f Jbilir. t de I
an a tremdy Imp{Jrt~nt ,-uhur al prat",e wnh charactcnsnc SOCIal and pobllcal
prttlve ,ubllcties of feastll1g 111 alCh,l,'"lngl'OlI "'"t I RUI t
roles. d pile our respectful dtvergence on fundamental thcoretical maners, IS,
foundallon upon which !n bUild It " rHl 1"11 ',r po. !hI
wc belien-, a Hong l'Jldor,ement of the viability of pursumg thc exploral1on of role th., fea·t h I
's .vc p ayed 111 lhe on"I. 1"11111 al. 'lI1d
arOund the Wo I I d h
h r I un t rouj;hnut hlSt .. r \1\ hd .. 10 , n
I "and to dcvclo h k 11
P t C, I '1l,'n'''Jn t,l '1.; ",I 1nl rprt't
FEASTS AND SOCIAL C HANGE . u s iClonth.lI BllI nul' chofl ' I
I cngc J I (11\ ~l.If:I,· " JI'(l to nu( , t th.
On of rh mm'r<- '>On fw e plonllg che subject of fcasts was Ihe s . p . _ as nw Y"t a h
I liCit er III dl~"""u ,ugu or un
t btm IntllJwcly 1IlV(,lwd 111 processes 0 r .
SOli" I l -h •IIlgc Thar '5,. It w I.- e,,,1.> In ilICt·! 11
n . f chJng~s In cu 'h J (ll.·(.ISlnn~ 'I ht' d(,,!l", th,m 'I c
t at hey "'c,' "'" I",ply cplphtnUlncnal re ccnon, <) ' J "n ' aOOlnglr.1 r'· I
dl nur" IS, \\ (" \\ ('1l1iJ ~u lJ\ 'I nIl'
I I1
• y but untral.renas lit 11(1 •• 1 flllln I1Jt avc . had J pTllloun
Ch I'r t, Ih.1I Il.Ust b.
In I . (O\l·I"'~II1c.: hdol r h., "I t t
(our• ()fhutvn(al tran kUln .. tIIHlS Jnt..«(t,
I .. I 11 .'yd"n (IQ\lO, JPI ,( Ill· 11, '"
n
I
I' " I
tl) I I,'
..
-"LJIIIl Ih 01 f. ' I t 'JI ", I hili I.. tht In l'I'lh
th~1 the Oft '. ..I agnclIh,"(' rn,IY Ile IICL1 I11 rhe P"" 1It» 1111 h i ' J\111l1 .In~ ,it Jd
nu dill pohn ,11. a t JI '·11111" t., " .1 11 I, 1),,·lIn (IINU, 1\19 iltOl'~1
(.1
I1
Ht I !llIll. hUE nrn 1111'1

16
17
 ,,\11. hMI I ht1ln QnJ 'f'fli" 1(".,,1,.,1 _ __
_ _-,-
- ~----. ___---------------------O~~IG~(~S~T:.~:G~T:~~~~'~[~A~S~T_________
lhan Iv •• I,n' Ihe 1" "nit "r
le.II • • a I1 tl ... tr ",.:rllr.r.,"r~ wnc uniform and -
the: PolmaJ
--"----
JClfc I'I.n.,'"ry II"wl,\ .. r '\( l·mr h .Il1f .• ll y ,,"III·I.W· th.ll. wlthoUt.n .,dloquol,tly Ft'" u anJ Commcnnl PoLuQ Ul J::
Plc-hutone Eurnnr In Fr--..J __ ..J.L S '"'tcl@iJoUl,
theonud "nJ conrnlll.lhttd In.ilY'' ,./ Ic.I\I , n~. Ihc' mne d,wumcnl.',rm ',f SU(W In
' -r- UWI Kn.wI use 'ens
c:dJtc:d by P W"
Pn-JptJ:UVl. iSiltT 300 \l/ Jt
Ih, r , ,e"l e "I UI h pr .. 11< IJ WIll nUl y.rlJ Ih,' krnd "I UndtfSldlldrng o( prch"
Bcrgluhn Books pp.
[011c. nfU'Ut· oInJ Ihl'1I )ouaJ. PUhU( ..ll • .anti (-C ()Jl t Jrnl(' dyn.idmJ('!I (or w h lC.:h rh,!
Ritual. of Commtru.alrty and tht Pol"," of
d"",..n "I aCI "'11)" ),,,Ids $urn h, Uml"· I'fClnm ,' It " n un.'! ll) ,den ufy the 'pc-
c,hl n." uh " I p'f hl lonf fCd" III r Jlllcular 'J'l', and 10 ex pl.,n h(Jw and why
• Pl,:""tl • Soc;.,~'" of drEariyd hlr,," Age Europe" In la rr.
y
... '" ..
t< nncrgcnu QC tin •• C le YP Ruby. pp IJrlS> aplo cohla
II,,"y "I',-,.It"" III ' I',,,,,' i(" ~()l I("' '''"''l1ll f ,l)ntl'Kts ,ha l CJn he rn(nred (rom 3r- [re Jean Berard. In5t}[u( Fran~'s ~ ·aptes ("T-Cc ... nLo4QQ &- t&;:1Ie c:.m.
<1,.« .1" 11.1 Cl ma rn ' r ll IIlhlT d .ll d Ilellu·, .1I,hIJugh ,h,· ' .Isk IS comple x, We ~a!Se d" Ro m e 2 5 2

I1rrJ 11) lurrhn Ill-v '1,,1' 'hI" t"'plorallt'" of fea,,, a' d row~r(lIl . Ye"a,"c. and sub Re flect,o n. on L:IttOlS SOCIety dunng the , th Cattury Ile In
tI,· ,UlJlpil'.,1 ",,,I, allahle of proYidlng. wrnd,)w of "mry In,o ,he d, verse array R« hnclra Jur /r q"'lI'lCnc Slick """t! <Tt d ""'Tt /4(1.., M,'t<! by I
of ',,1111 \ " I !,olrll< .• I.rnd C(!Jnum,c .1 W'm Jnu sonal rcldtron, 111 anCIent 50 Clelit's" 663-<>~O" Lane." Assoc,atron pour la Rccbttc:ht
O n eota!
Tht 1"11,,,, UH df", I r<I'''''''n«:d In Ih" volum e I'mvlues a solid baSIS for opu .
Fnedman. J
Ill' m rnd funhl r ..... ",k "' Ih .. qu,·~t.
1984 Tnbc:s. Stat... and Tran formaooru. In Mamsr """""' ....
ogy. ed,ttd by M Bloch. pp 161-102. London.. Tmstrr\
Fnedman J • and M . J Rowlanru
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ArKn.,," !l
Evolution of SOCIa! 5y",,",. edrted by J.. fnrdrmn and
JWl Prtll1yUl" :.altmrnt..llrunlurl/c5 dtin IJ YICIt:- t(· mOthll.l . Lt' ff')nt(~.x l(: du fes- :101- '78 London: Duclcworth
Iln Ilr,hrrdltJ Amrnndu1H1tJ tW Outbu litl5 fk1
Carde""n. A
Ill,v J
1999 Decoupc et consommanon de nand" au ~bul Ju I\e slide nut
I~YJ 1IIg P", rm fill( sho' : ""asllng .• nd !ilOragt III • M"SlSSlpp,an CommunJly
QuelqU<5 elements de bouchene gaulol5e In ta",,'4 U lIMe"'...
A mlTlt.dtt "rlll,/ully I5Jl "Ho C/f)
Innnt Sl<c/r avanl nolrt (re • tau",. odrlrd by M Py. pp. I alIa
Jk ,hilnn.lO . P la nd I Roh.mnoan
03non pour I. Rec.he"he .o\!chrologlque en I angu<&x 0.- IdaL
1068 11 .. I~r(tIl(t"'Y J:Vilin ton . Nurthwt..,{crn tJnavcr Hy PrC~4; Cann • . I de
ilOKrup, I
'996 Pood and the Swu. Que F,,'O AJncm CI1Inms. In ,"l"" ...
I '"
'9,0 ".''''''n ~ IWIr 'n FLO"m"" /)rwIDpmrnr _ London ' IIII.n and Vnw," Qu~Jf' Apt Inrn'dunphPldry Pc 'Jpttuw. rdntd by P Ww 'Aid md
BourdJru . P
hovel. pp 19\-2IR O.furd Bergh.ohn Books.
1990 TIrI/.;>g1t oJ I..,.ct,,< S,anford"St.nfl)N Unrvrr !ly Press" Gero.J M
r.Iart..J /"• and M Ill.""
'992 Feasu and ""m.l. Gondor Id"ol
1Q94 nlr p",."., "f Prc:.lIge Compt"uuvc Grncrollly and ,h. Emergrnre of wrp" A ,dl/U'~4'1' ..al Rtvrnv '5 IT 10
IUnlLcd 1(1<11.,. In Lt,wland Mrsoamtrica" In Faello,,! Comp<ullon.ruJ Polu Cuyer.J
II:al /)cwJor~t '" Ih< N, ... World. tdi'td by e 8rumfirld and J. F" •• pp" 17- 30 '~H8 The Mulnphcatrun of !..abor I bston '" M......" III """
(.ambridg. Cambndgr Unrvcl1lily PrtA' Agn.-u"u ..1Change rn Modem Africa. C'a..- A
Cohm 11 Haydrn. B
1919 Pohuu! ymbolr m A""""I Rtvrrw of Anthropology R:87 IIj. '0117
" and T $rudder
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I9\lJ ",...Iw""!<>gy" TIrI • nt«oJ Oroo . " " . . -
Or;vrn by Drink. The RIJ~ of Drink'llj! 'n thr Polillcal Economy and Ihe Jolfr. 11
of Early Iron All/' Franc" J"',"III/ DJ A",hro".,.,,! ArduJeoJogy I\IV" kohul 0"') 1.1 complotty III
JP ~\I \U

11
 Ahr/lIlt! Of(llf'r 1IIIl' R" tl ll I //lyrlclI

March . " S
'",,8 Ilospu.lhr)'. \Vom cn, and th e Effi c,lCY of Beer In Food o,ul G~ld~r: Idell/lly alld
JldW(T, edu cd by C . M CouOIh an and S. L. KJplnn. pp. 45-80. Am slerdan, '
Harwood Academic Publlshers _
Moo .... ) 0
1Q80 ~ru Techn ology and SociaJ Context of Prehi s.
Pre· Hlsp,lnj c Beer In Coastal
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Morns, C.

1979 MaIZe Beer In the Econom Ics. PolItics, and ReUgion of the Inca E.mplre. 111
Fm,u·pucd Foo/is ItI Nutrition , edlted by C. Gastineau, W. Darby. and T. Thrner
pp. 2..1- )4 New York: AcademIC Press. •
Murra),. M
1995 Viereckschanz~ and Feastmg : Soclo-Pohtical RItual In Iron-Age E.urope .
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Netnng. R.
1964 Beer as a Locus of Value among the West Afncan Kofyar AmmcaPI AnLlITopol_
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 FABULOUS FEASTS
A PROLEGOMENON TO THE IMPORTANCE OF FEASTING

Brian Hoyden

Everything that is not given IS lost

Hindu proverb

I am always a blr uncomfortable and .. If(oO><I,'u. "h n m I

am srudymg III my research III far·oflland, I .lnn.-"",,, Ih and
minhful expression> when I . ay Ihal I an, 'IUJ~mgfiustt
people dunk that here IS ,,'meone who h .. , tounJ ~ ,,~) to ~
achIeve personal bit" Well, tr I' a glununou, thanll ~I
scholars have "voIded, prrhaps t,lr Irar "t od; u1., !lUI
l'easrtng behavlor h.1> b"en 1.11): h 1i:'IOrN b. I'(h~
lion of the d""pltnr. and b,' omh"'p,,lu I ~r rh I
Ihar rhrlT " .lmu'l no bud ,,' a"h. ol'1jlI'"J tnl rl"'"' auol
probably III pur Ju,' tu Ihr ItIllU J th , n nil<'"
Ken«ol anthtOl,ol"IiV \\ hIlt Ih I \11 n dr

u
 - A PROlEGOMENON TO THE IMPORT ..... C
~~ £ OF HAS CO
ht"< cthllognphlc,. f"" .Inlhropologls[, address the theoretical import
' . an~ of •
•
tc.lSong III .1n\ 'pen tic dCCd, (the orthwe,l oasl potlalch cOnstltUtmg a b
. nomic spread If not unlversal. that It IS extremely permren b
ex':Cptll'" " . Sunl • • IQ6R . Plddocke 1965. Hams 1<171:248.394. Ruyle 1973). AI- . pro ably <I.
Upper Paleoltthlc (Conkey 1980). rf nor before; and that m IIWlT to
m o >! nu .mempl has been m .• de 10 e"m1l1e fe.1sting from a crOSS-CUltural
Or eea. quires years of preparauon and surplus aCCUmul -
logll-'u per;p,xm'e (exceptions 1I1clude MJUSS 1924. Rappaport 1968 SUtt! anon. t.lttndtng _
. es 1968 ture. debt-ridden years due to the delict financmg of b Cl eftn
D ...1t n ,,,~ l. Pcrh.lps ocadent.u researchers h,ve been biased In theIr v .
, lews of sometlung of substantial Imporrance transplnng m th= itS. Qr\y !Ix,.
the tmportJnce of feasollg. arrnbunng such behavlOr to a sybantic self-ind I f C
u gent
c
ments a b out tile ·
Importance 0 leasts so frequent! . _._~,. eunc
Jspect of human nature that IS w1\vorthy of senous attention Perhaps arch I weighty matters that archaeological and anihropol
) prVU411O. Whal are
I
aeo.
ogl I' ha"e simpll- wnnen the study of feasting off as a frivolous type of ps h silent about uno] now? OglCil '"qum"" b.n be
" on
yc o.
loglc.!1 self-granficJoon that pleasure-Iovi.ng tndtviduals engage in. but wluch IS For the vanguard of archaeologIStS and anihropolo· .C _ L __
nor parocularly tmporrant for understandtng adapove behavior. econonucs. so- - . gt>U .....1 ' ... takeo up the
quest to find the underlymg SlgruJieanee of feason th rh,II _ _
CIal m-uctures. or cultural change. especially gIven the assumed chliiculty of de- g. e -~'''';<: <l.un
Yet there are many clues prOvided by some of the ""eeUent <k 11;:
tecong t~JSung tn the sparse mJten.u remams of the archaeologIcal record phies wnnen in the 1970S and m earlrer years The.r . - I <cnpIirl
' ~~<a>oCiI y ·nnrn~
\\ nether these or other reasons account for the relative absence of studtes on and p'Ctorial representations of feasts (as demonstrated In Chapter La lMtt_
feasung in recent decade. we tntend ro change the perspective of the dtscipJme unportant petnoples of mference prO\,<kd by anuna} ecol t
feasting behavior m rradtoonal socleoes IS not simply self-indulgent. SOcial. Or observauon of behavlor. Its COntext • consequenc~ •• ••-d --, J
,. uutllt a
gu tarory gra0.6cation on the part of pleasure-seeking indtviduals, Rather. as the canee. Moreover. there are ongoing posslbtlioes of m.dung lit..
followmg studtes demonstrate. feasting IS emerging as one of the mOSt powerful about feasttng m soaetles that still use feasong to ,trurture thell' e
00 '-cultural explanatory concepts for understandtng an enOfe range of cultural aal. and political worlds In addttlon. we can ask IndMduals III In
processes and dynarrucs ranging from the generation and transformation of SUr- eties why they host Or supporr feasts, We hope to emplO) all of rh....,
Dun ut
pluse . to the emergence of soaal and political inequalities. to the creation of trying to understand the role and slgruJieance of feolStmg beh."ot. 'e
pre_ nge technologtes induchng speaaltzed domesticated foods, and to the under- icor the specific interactions. the magnlrude of the n~nt. the and t
peoded by hosts. the outcomes. and the malenal Slgn~tu of
...nung of ehte' ill complex soaenes. In the past. archaeologists have studted
will ask probmg questions of those most tmol"ed ID feasts
:uch thmgs as prestige technology. reglOnal exchange. domesocation. and many
unporrant conclusions wi.ll re ult,
other marenal domains; bur archaeologists have neglected the study of one of
At the outset. I suggest that It IS useful to make ~ li"l'"rUnI
the mot cnncal callSal phenomena capable of tying changes in all these domam.s
III analyzmg feasts Form versu SVlllbou."lII t'l!IIUIU
together namely, feasting. -
refer to the overall nature of the beh'''or thar = Ii fiilg r
There are some good a priori reasons for considering feasting as being an un- large-scale feasts. the conslruCtlon of masstw archilrCtW'e or the
ponam wpm e behavior for human beings Cultural ecology maintams that be- co dy Iterns tbalare me;mIIO =ale speCUtorreaCllOn501
havton that are (t ...~despread. (2) persistent over ume, and (3) expensIve ID terms to the speafic symbohcal meanmg emlcaDv alOlbutrd 10 I
of nme, It sources, and or energy should have defirute adaptive values. By adap- the creaoon of a partIcular object urn oote.rn uJd be !be
DVr value, I mean behaVJor that has some pracncal benefits for reproducoon and attnbuted to the presentaoon of a pwotlu Ittnd r
SUJ'\'lnl nther than the psychologIcal self-gratification. ego-grooming, pnde, feasts (e,g,. to please iln anet tor) thuneaning ll%ial
pr« RIg!: or SI:!M bendits that are usuaUy assumed to explatn feasung behaVlor ber of other symboh,.....1 me.amng5- Prr srudift
Although thest psychologIcal benefits cerramly are part and parcel 01- fieasong
, come bogged down m the m rud. cuJlUR'
rh · r attendingf f<asung beh"'lor Ptrh~p> thIS
and may exp some of the indIVIdual mOQvaoons ,or osung 0,
cultural or eculog. I und rSf ntlIDg
psycholDglC2J factors do not adequately explam the magrurude. ;
task IS 10 th
or othe~ bes.d ... the hosu agree ro contribute ome, energy.
fo,.",. Itke compelltl
'"&
the.se. u". th It m~
CXlt~mely wUk
11
POint of le",', SI IS tha t fe ung IS
 - -
pro!>kn" rc l.1 tnlto symhollcal n,calllngs, Many of [he .rncles '" thIs volum e, In
f.ICI. focus pnmanl on que,uons o f form and fun cnon ralher than symboltc
conlen[ o f rCJ~ tlng
F1\'C key chaplers dIrectly address Ihe ba IC ISsues of the underlymg funCtions
of f~a S L< The analysIS by Mlchael Clarke on rhe creaoon of pohtica! and sooal
, afcf)' n ~rs VJ' !casttng among ,he Akha (Chaprer 5) IS an Important ethnoarchae_
010glc31 foundaDon study of feasnng, Equally Importanl are Laura Junker's
analys" of how f. asnng was used 10 pluhppme chlefdoms to creare polincal and
miltlary illhances \0 controllun.nve trade (Cbapter 10), Mirnael Dletler's ana! _
(Cha~.
Sl S o f AfnC.U1 fe.sttng m order to centr3hze political and economIC power
ler J). and ~hchael Dletler and lngnd Herbich's documentanon of how work
feasts can mcrease socioeconomic mequahties (Chapter 9 ), PoUy Wiessner
(Chapter 4) adds an Important dimension by looking al sacred feasts in New
Gwn~a meant to promote soltdariry and support for secular feasts where self.
mlereSt IS pursued Ul a murn less resrramed fasluon , Then Ul a refreslung reex-
ammanon of the potlatch. James Perodie also exammes the dIverse underlying
morives for feasnng on the Northwest Coast (Chapter 7),
ECOLOGY AND FEASTING
To broaden the contexl for understandmg feasting behaVlor from an ecological
viewpoml, I propose that It IS worth considering feasting as one component. al·
bell a major component. of what I like to refer to as "social tecMology," SOCIal
teciu1ology can be defined as the creation and maintenance of social reiatioD'
slups that are predtcated on secunng access to resources. labor, or secunry (see
KeeslIlg 1975'122 for a general c:tiscusslon how social factOrs are related to ecol·
ogy), Other facets of social tecMology certainly melude many aspects of kinslup
(real and ficllve ). ntual (Hayden [987) . gIft gtving, and language , Indeed . sinc~ all
these behaviors can have the same u1nmate goal. such as establtslung subsistence
or defensive aUlances (e,g" Wlessner 1982; DaltOn [977), It IS far from cOUlCldenral
that they aU teed to occur and be used tOgether in the same contextS, although
the relatIve emphaSIS may vary from one mstance to another Development of
surn an elaborate social tecMology (rather than matenal technology. com muOl
cation. Or mtellecrual ablhoes) IS perhaps the most dtsuncnve aspecl of human
nature that sets us apart from the rest of the animal kingdom Peasrs. unilke km-
slup and language. have clear arrnaeologlcal consequences. wluch 1 wJ!i enumer-
ant
ate shortly, Cultural and behavJOral ecologists have been remarkably reslSl
exammmg the adapove value of feastmg and other sonal technologIcal bch.v'
_L
lor . woo mg In tea d to examme opumal foragmg choices 0 f resource>·anJ
momlonng «1,1 benefit, of resource explOltauon Perhaps they have aJhtred tOO
l of 10\1"'U nt 1 u
ci'"tly to the ~col(JglCal model eSldbhshed by mam~trcam blulo!\lCal ecologlS '
26
A PROLEGOMEIltON TO THE IM'CA:lA t Of
'EAS"
Mosl ecologISts tend to ~mph3SlZe the fact tlu.t bumm
many others 10 the world ;md that humm bduvior. too.
logICal models They are probably COllect In tlunking duI
ablbry and mtelligence by themselves do not ~c <
naru re of ecologICal adaptanons. Yet. the~ u. cnttca1 ' ~
havlor
• of other anunals and human beha\'lor ID ~~ .. ...... "" COm t'
thal dors create a vast gulf between bum.lns and IDlmah 1lIL
extraordmarily profoW1d effect on bow people U>c ...,~ d
logICal models can be appUed to human beha\'lOr, 1"llli dl!f.,r<n
abIlity oJ h"miltu to tratlSJo rm fo od surph"''' int.- otltn km.h "-'
goods and serVlas, Because of the dtsnnr:tlve dynID1lcs of hum.m
domain. I refer to its srudy as "poUncal ecology·
Other animals and IDSeClS, such as 'ql11Iltis md bee:. m.
food surpluses: however. no other arumals tr~ru orm th, urphl
nonfood Items or services that have ...,;tI ron."'quen e fur 111'\'
1994 .1998), For other arumals, the value of food "",ou .
n '.
• .... !oo I' .
WWIwlc
.'---
indiVidual or group metabolic needs, In contrast bu~ .n.
....._.... m . . •. . . t:p
labor. W1th a remarkable ability to «pand comumpeon (00 mtm .
gift gtvmg are probably tilt pnnapal meam fur tran. , rnun
to Improve rnances of sunwal and reproJuctt' n ~as
cerned with surpluses. their production. III e. tram lIlutt n. ,
buoon. We use feasts to dtsplay our succ• . -' .. h ita, er 1n1m~t­
plumage. call, colors. or manes \Za.h~\,l and Z.lh'\'ll~ In
ecdotal accoums. as well as se\el'3l more . ,t mat! ,tu
Taylor 1995; IZlkowitz 19'>1.341 , -'';.I ; :tao1!h I
1976:242. Friedm.n 19:--<;; FnedmJn and Rn bnJ. I
ner's Chapter 4) mdlcate thdl rh(J", r.·.,rlIln
ably the smgl~ most Important lmpc:ru_ belund rh<
surpluses beyond household need., f,'r ,un AI
IS a w1Ique human abuI!). but on. nOt \\lth
mates. as exemphfied by 1,)<'<1 ,hann 'r \'
attd dn t"Iulrdy uew t'f"h'glcill J"n"Jtu .. th.lt ha... .
J geomerncally Jnc...,asm~ r.lIt >In the.J-. 11
pres!1ge t«hnulogle, (H.l\,kn IvvS
NEW APPROACHES TO FEASTING IEHAVIOIt
to
DEFINITIONS
. .Irphl,t .. h t~l th, ,tud
C,V\'llth" nt:\\ h I
be J,k"J'
. ~ \ 1 1Ih. \lUt ~:lt \\l" n
IIhu •1 nUI1\p('r
L
 -. ---~==::.::::~~:..:' .;..;::.:.'~
dtfficult "sue IS ho\\ 10 mearungfulh_ categorize the extensive vanery ot rloam
SU!;b--em' To uk" an a.unple
recorded etbnograplucalh- We should deternune whICh of these types may have
had pracncai benefits and what those benefits are likely to have been U n der~
plam the IJV15h dmn.." anJ.,.,mmt-
people would exp\.nn th= k= Ul
standtng bow dlfferenr types
. of feasts are related to sOCIal. economic . and ~uu-
'
buoons of the btrth of CJm:.1
caJ dVllarrucs
. of rradJoonai conUTlunlnes constitutes yet another m ~or
most common to the ethno£rap
theorencal undertalang. Fmally. understandtng how different types of feasts Can
for the safe JOum~ oC the ~. sou1.. etc
be recogruzed archaeologically IS an area that IS cntical for prehlston_ns but
heslure [0 ala lbure ,) morr: b c un .r
largely unexplored These are the major themes of tlus book. 1 would suggest
senoally highlJ ntuahud f\'OltS!hal et hI(
that If wc are ever to get beyond the det.tled. myopiC vIew of many social an-
eram.., bonds ~tween fanuly mem _ and
thropologIsts who see the trees well enough bur who have Imle Idea about the
In order to reach such conclm ' I t
forest. " IS essennallO take a cross-cui rural and comparanve perspective .
nales. prete.<tS. or Ideolo~' to ap;tm -h
To begm With defuutions. I would Wce 10 propose that a feast be defined as allY
ever. It would be foolish to en
<ha ring berw,,,,, IWO or more peoplr of special foods (i.e., foods not generally served at insIghtful pr.cnooners haw t
daily meals) III a meal for a speCtaL purpose or occasion . As Dletler (1996:89) has the symboucal content of ita, t. and I
pOinted out, there IS usually a lughly ntualized component 10 fcasong as well. sent \ery d.!fferent le ,.,1< of In
however It IS conceIvable that in some cases the ntualized content may be fauly people m tr.d.!uotul _ :-rene,.:-an
rrurumal (as at some dtnner parties m contemporary sOCIeties). Daily fanuly content. but r~rely 'ttffi to
meals can also be lughly ntualized (mcluding prayers or the saymg of grace) but or other beh~ or uch ..t. Cun
would not consotute feasts The defuution that I use above expliCItly excludes gtft Juchaous combm.u n of empmcal
exchanges without meals; It excludes food offenngs 10 spmts on the part of mru- bly the opomal a ... nu~ of mqun}
'iduals or groups who do not themselves eat or drink; " exclude.~ commuruon· m.tenals. and ,,". -om bttn
style consumption m churches; l[ excludes sacrifices m whIch there IS no and much hunun belu I r fOr
cottSumpoon of food or speoal drink. and Lt excludes group meals shared for me- 10 the. rud of f, stm ... re-
charucal convenience, as m cafetena-sryle meals that are part of workshops. ntu- of fun(non \lthou rdu
als, or other events Other shghtly d.!fferem defiruuons of feasts are presented by nOJn:hJeolog~ t to unJ r t.lIld

Mlchael Dletler. PoUy Wiessner. Mlchael Clarke. Laura Junker. and Lmda Brown all other b.l h, r IlIl
Chapters (3, 4- 5. to. and 13). However. m archaeologICal operational terms. the e>tJhh -hed...n: ha I • .ut'1n
U>e of foods m a nondomesnc pattern IS a recurring central feature (Chaplers s, of 'u(h behJ" r, and unde
, rsill d mtu 1 ili f
1<>-13 by Clarke, Junker. Krught, KeU)', and Brown).
The tel iD adapllve valut Simply md.!cale.!> behavlor that generatl" 001,' p""u, ctlcr, Clark and
ethno'''phl,
cal benefit for SurvIVal, reproducnon. health. or st:llldard of h\'tng

PURPOSES PRACTICAL BENEFITS

Probably the most contenuou> 15'U< tn the study of feast' I wh)".1 ar h, Id Ilt'
l> CI\ It uur r nt t
[eally apc:a to gam pracneal benchts fiom evtry feast Ihal thn ho!.ll ll th, ur Impurt.Jnt pr
d ny JUdl motlYt:$, or are not cunsnous uC them, l. It p<»>lhlr ." <1111 unpUl<' .n tIa l lim nd u
a(bpuv.: val to $\I h tea m behavlOr' I tav, the on ·In.1 or bJn h <on Oil> f'l. tt, I ~n fil t I I
IJ
purp: bcml05t ghl "I .Intd trhl Iu ot IJ"fllng n.t "nho In thJt Im
W andlzc:r pnlfllOlen ,.t f ~ t 1 11 [ I IJ • n nd nl
" pow r V( lrd III lit rhl< a M I d
r d Cl tirllU of nl" ~,,'nlllllllll 11, Uht.
 I/ri.1II 1111\',_
/ "_' ___ __ _ __

--- --- -. ~
---~
-
<- •
.' Ilh,1I1rt'\ h(.'rwlt"f1·
,onll s;roLlI'S (includmg pollll( ,11 ' u" --
"f(IOp"I.tl IH •
I fl,-,H h ",\t'hrtIJ,); est. BUI cJemogrftphlc ,hdT.H.: ten ha. en th
I"HI ht'I\\CI'I1 «. 'rJIC I,rnlil'i, . "'r. at some 1;....__ ............
1I1"r"I I1anges bya d verUstng
. the anu communety head, w,lI be aggr",..,. d --se _
I h12U> and t"- ._, -'"
..
.
I!lH \,
I ""r'u.\<,·I , r II
. J Ibor.•1 I("S,
or wolth exc agg".n
k~u .. I,k rlld"~, • notable OnC5 worh the mOst Impact on cult ..... '"' die . . .
~ Arrr.hf~ ura ( .ngo "Tnnc
dlzers promote the benefits of fca,nng to th ....
~Utl
r" pr Ihe j:,,"IP, I oV('r r ~<Ollrces and iJbor) through the ere c:: comrnulUty or thar
.• (-t
11I1r,1J 1"0"'( r l lfltrO
. and try to get a ~ many people: lO produce. as h su~\ CV .... 'V
• ,"'Alr pI> k (1t'C1pro(011 debts, granclizers then assume as much concrol OV muc h SlJrplus "' .....~'IL bk ......
.m:_
OIfllW {1f d m'rwcJr n . he 7CnCfJJ populace for cUle use; . er t C u~ of s~~1 ~
.'Irrlu .\ p",Jute Irom I g benefit as pOSSIble , These aggrandIZers .ttemp' h - r ..... Ut thm ow"
.. (').n.HI ~ • to 'Ct I c ag.mda .,,_
late war, peace , and allIances, and they create cul d '--, IIUmpu
If :'I{IIJrJl /.1\,11"), ts an ~ ecrtt 'OCletJ to funht:
u (Ilrnl'C'n\,IIt" ror fr.IIl'gl'C'~sl()n~
theIr own self-centered goals (Chapters 4 and 7 .1_ H d r
. . • .u:.Q ay en 19IX .
Wlule many IndIgenous informants and Soaa!4nth I
ropo 0 st ctttpna\\U
. I"
If ,,,Irk /c,"I', r
herp ( 'olno lrllund I,r
CnJ
I.
.
I (, a,rs and sohCltaoon feasts. all other benefits
ty e. , . . I ,_.
or mamrrllance of ,mportanl sona rtUlnon.
chologlCal reasons that people gIve feasts I would hke to
.. d .. ... '
th
as "status an prestlge, as usually used m WeStern soa<ry, rully ho d ht • c
a",'Ue '\C nttpts such
o l' ocnfICm
,I' 1,.btrllS; I ' l l , . b portanr for dtfferem reasons (defense, mar- planatOry value on theu own If they are to be entertamed as ca"SlI mot"'.uon
h' Th~'c rcldrlon,h,p' m,ll e Im ,
'n.l~r,
IJ.< weollth
. Jc(umuhwon .•m do on-Dalron 1971'202-204) , but estabhshing for holdmg large costly feasts, they sbould be scruuru.zed carefullv I h.~ thrtt
.s . . •
Lf('\uJhJ( ~t)Lh.J re I;ttton~ IlIpS· consurures
. the bottom line for many . feasts
. .. This
. IS
jections to these concepts. Pirst, tbey pOSit some inherent (and';' "\am acC()unts
-Cc~.
",n e\(rt'Il1C' I)' ImportJnt arure of ,ome feasts that has far-reaching
. . Imphcanons economically self-destructive) drive for psycbolog.cal'ppro\,a! from othe" . u-h
for t hc Iran!lH)rfl1J
I t·on
I oflechnology and culrure. Notably. m order to create a fa· desires for approval, or at least acceptance, certamly e:ust m m,",' peoplt but tb,
vorJ hi t' J l~rO~1 UOII amon" et guests • hosls generally try to demonstrate the special.
variability and distribution of their mtenSlty bas never been documented. norb..,
11('" anJ ,mportance 01 [he guests by presennng them with spedal foods. drinks,
me emergence of these emonons been convmangly ned to an) culturalQ[ b.
/:Ih\, nr mUdl displays as II1dleanons of how much the hosts value their guests.
ical evolutionary theory that I am aware of. Thus, one "onders wbat then, I et
The morr Important the relauonslup IS, the more effort, time. and resources advantage might have been, and why such traIts ,hould ha'e bccom~" .\e' r<Jd
in human populations as posited by proponents of the, ~'c ,
,Iwuld be ,"\'olved 10 gl\'lOg an lmpreSSlve feast In porlatch·type alliance feasts.
Secondly, admmmg that some people do have _tTOng r,'\\:holo!!.lc.u p"n;h'nI'
Dalton (1<1:;:107) 'trrsses Ihat feasts are made as laVISh as possible to demonstrate
for seeking approval from othet1;. me magrutude of e \,<11. ,m, I ~ U\ "'lit
Ihe "<alth and power of the hosts, and therefore the deSirability of hosts as allies.
feasts (WIth supposedly no othet benefit than a.:hlt"u,- al'l' from th
Trllnlt to Impress one's guests, for whatever reason, means obtaining and prepar-
seems out of hne wlm the ego-granficanon rc,Cl :to\. loJ .l. ID' m 1I ,
109 Jabor·mrensl\·e foods, dnnks, serVIng vessels, prestige items, and ritual
such as the Akha, hosts are unusuaU . ob,equ\ou, and JL p
I!em'~.ln e.uremely dynamIC and powerful engine for the generanon of cultural
and t"Mologleal change (Hayden (998). pride as noted by Clarke (Chapter , ), , 'or d, It, COl' "

The above benefitS of feasong, are, of COurse, not meant to exclude competi-
approval would gellerallv ourwetg.h dOII'C, for r.: r rum m<"1 r tI( 11.1\

OIe a~empdt; 10 dl1l1Jrush nvals, However, I view such competitlVe feasting as sub-
bemgs into economIc lemm1l1~ lo~o\ r, lt \, ht hI) \loll f

sume un er strategIes to obtam political w ' . stants resulung from glvmg. pit, ," '3>{, ,\\,uld )\1 t '
(whIch may onl), make sense .. po er, mcluding displays of success by Itself, In Conrempllr.\f\ ,,"ten I .1 1,'nu,lU' 11
thal there IS probably a tndi~mpentlve contexts). It should also be noted presttge Comf'ubl\'e gIlt gl\"r~ .\1' '''[ " b ,I I'
majOr uerence betw h
.boYr) ro the hosts as a gro h een t e practical benefits (listed theIr b,\cks, as th", .m; w h, n·'"I ',\ <If th IT I , In
up Versus t e practical be fi h
orgaruzer of feasts who n t h . ne ts to t e promoter and longc! l.lsnn~ l'Ih"t" I1 h, hh 1111"1 d Ill' llh I
( , I e most actIve cases IS U 11 .
aggres<J"c, aggrandJzlve and I ,sua ya Tnple A perSOnahly or .Igr,·ed U;"\1\ (\1 ,I, t.l, h' "'Ill 1\\ I Ib n
, aeCUmu atlve) OUt t .
Inlerest, wealth, and polmcal POwer!see H 0 maJUmize his OWn sclf- \h.1I I ,1l1l.IlUlIk" ,\,,'1\,1\ ,11\1\1, nh r
are re pon"ble (or orgalllzmg Imea e fi ayden 1995). Not all lineage heads who n
~I\)"''''' l.(l". ll) " .. ~~h\'( \\ \ '9 . I, htt
gtf)u, frJf thelf Itnfage promOlt tht~ o~asls'lafnd malmalntng alhances advantJ n.l
I'hll.lh. ~I" 1\ Ih, H1lhhl 11\ hum \
n SClllleres[ OVer their I•.n '
eag~ s Intl'r. h,,\,O\ 1<". '" ,(, t \1111 I ' III( Ih t tll I

lO
,
 H",Ht /I,lr.'''t. _ - - - - - - - - -_ _ _. A PROllGOMENON 10 lHl

.--- • 'OUJlr.~ 01 WC'~lhh U1 order lO be able ro dtspc

. nluJ.Ht.l.lIj!t .111 _ nSe \(a rtan soCtC!,~I~S.embodied ~Y peop\t. who oln:. SY'Stc~t\ca,Uy ""'74
lS
~'(ll1lpdkd I~) .Ill U f _ ' IlL' honor 01' pr(,'stlgc - cspecJJl1y perhaps Und
I . t 1 "tt'~ (I IllqUHI C"' C:r chers • dead skin or rubbuh men' ($C:C! Ch .lptcr T. aho"an
e (r 1f • .~ec a.lhon JQ77:2. 7 on change!; In lhe POL-
0 "0100
11 ""llrh HI I 1( 11 I • 11 "JficatlOn of such people lS '3 n:CUTnna.. th~m-,.1 f not>n~af
I . Illurol Lt> .lr' ~. d -rhe vu
[{IIld,utlll~ (I ,I j ' le (hat ~uch ,dJOsynerauc JI1wVI lIals wall Cl1l.er
<' . .

\I'" ut ('h.we!" l l( 1.1 ge .1.0 rnany traosegaUtanan cultures The, c.onsequ.nct.s 0 ( be:mg con ....! ~dI&ts
_ . . IIt4
J.,.h·hl J he 1•• \ - , cOlllcnd Ihat such pcrsonahty rypes arc rare and her or rubbIsh man are that onc!) crerut Tatm.o \ . Lt a
r nit' J lowcver, mooe b \S 0'\\: or nan"utmt for
trom Will· [0 I f .I dtl lIs In aJl culrurcs have. and a.lways wiU folio reaproca\ gUts. reaproca\ feasts. and other eventsb
• _ ' 1111 nnry 0 ,,1uJVI , . - W loans. e.ca"se. 'SUch n.onn,\
11>.11 111< , •.,1 r J (. t.• '" lhe long run 11 IS doubtfullhat trying to e llable and unproductIVe In many cases. thcse neo \ ,--.......
t .,rllelj(ll se l _JIlrcre.s s , ,. s- u..nre . r P e cannot m.l~ 'bc:uWC'
tlte-u- It\,,1 1 , _ . d nsolutions that are costly ro mdlvlduaJs solely 0 hese liabultles. They are the people who do not sunpOrt. ,,_.
_, Iwr.11 (radII Ions ,In , n of t I r ggU.th.l1ztrs ~U-.J.U:
(,Ibl!' 1 CU d Widespread deSire (or honor, scarus. or prestIge would be . for generating surp uses The worst rear of . ~
gles \S to ".~ to J..bull
I ha".
f 1( .
' of.1 pUI porte I v thou[ some real prowcal . bene fi rs lO back up psycho. Casting and other debts. Th.ts . precipitates therr fall to .'- [
00 le Ule SUms 0 robb
lriU((C'.\.(ful or long· Jsnng \ 1 , .
. b < or olher Ideological prerexts (e.g .. paCl.fyU1g the ancestors, Or man. a person to whom no one will "'nd wealth Or only at u 01V\tomt -'- ntt a pn
logKJ/ encllts son who has essentially declared bankruptcy. Thev have no - ,utU>
Ctwrong Ihe (Jl'or o{ the gods). .
kely thar Western conceprs o( starus, prestige, honor. Or ap- These are only my unpresstOns gleaned from the ethnognl'h.t.> .."d c,' t"
Thus. " ,eem> u nlJ
.1 <- thers by themselves play a dominant role in the institutiona!.tzed analyses in passing. While a full exegeslS of .status and 'l'tt,tli,'- '" tnn ,
pro\'4J.I HUm 0
hosong o( feasts involving large numbers o( people and major expenditures of itarian societies would be extremely enhghterung. \ am not l'ttl'=d 10 un~ r
urces However ir must be emphaSIZed that aU of these are take such a task here. Nevertheless. lt is perhaps worth noun.. th.1 a .
ume. energy.. and reso . ,
argument can probably be made for this new meanmg of t:h&.! Lt,
" 'estern socioculrural analytical conceprs. English terms may only be the closest
recognition) as having an adapave value _Evolutionml It ,h Ill.! he l' ,
appro.wn. nons 10 mdlgenous rerms with Significantly different connotations. So-
imitate indiVlduals who rusplay dearly successful beh.Vlor, 'It ,h uI.! ,
aal anthropologISts have often raken these translations at face value. However. I
adaptive to reproduce with such mruVlduals. In fa". [he blQI. ~ r\d I tt
am cO""Ulced thar a carefuJ reading of the texts and the implications of status or
plete with ..'<amples of species where mru\idu.!, (OmP<lt 'lib ea h Ihtf \
prunge dearly IJ1dJCare chat eradirionaJ usage of these rerms carries a very differ·
display their supenor blolog1cal success, SOmeames e n t th If
ent mearong from the Western eranslarions. In brief, my impression is that while
as in the case of elaborate mOO e or elk ,).ntl~f". ~u ,
the Western terms status and prestige carry connotations of psychological gratifi- men ( I

and Zahavi 1997)- Displays of ucces are vu"lh lmponan\ f f

c.oon steJTUTUng from the approval of others, equivaJent terms in transegalitar-
able mates and supporters or coworker . both", the ", \ rnlm \1\
lan soaeoes generally carry a different set of connotations relating more to
cultural realm Feasts con [ltute one of th~ m, ,( n mmen,
econoouc success. political success and power, reliability in honoring debts, and
a.mong human., .mu ,tatu> "Ih
che ability to organIZe people for a variety of purposes. Citing Voss (r987: [31), mg
!Aura Junker makes the pomt explicitly: in the Philippines, the prestige came tha t success
from che creaDon of sociaJ debts through feasting. Dalton (1977=207) also clearly The st.mdard
vIews [he laVIshness of feasts as statements of wealth and power and success.
in Lhe dialogue I lO IIwoke the P,,\\ r , ,\1\1
SllTuJarly, Fnedman and Rowlands point out that the surpluses used to host feasts behefs In curtJilmg P''''I,l,' \" ,"'" pI ad', \'
result In presoge, b
Ut "
a prestIge w h ose cuI rural content is very different than in
away of we.thh for nwr' l Iht'n, ~ "I "h h
' "h'
our I}WO sOCIety' (1977'207) . The Sta rus game d IS . value' attributed to
t e SOCIal
ers. wtulc lllhul,ll 11"11'" 11'-1\ 11\

~~,iihllJ[y tl) produce such wealth." In Chapler 4. PoUy Wiessner provides Wllhout plll\""hn~ pi rdll .,\ \ \I \n Ih

auw[wn.J (jbiervalltms along rh ese Imes. Sh· lbl' '\WII tllll1 111\ , I' 11 \h 11 I
L e suggests that presnge accrued to
111',1(: wh() brtlugh[ btn ·fi
un f' .
h
t ItS to [ t' gmup. h()wever this "presugc" was really a It
"u,I,h\lt)l\ b,'\lI\,\ ,lIh," h \" I
,\\1. I
...~n{J In
If .ggf~ndl/.-ers t'/ prl}du(r w," hh ... .
a • mJIfY nlJny WOmen. Jnd n:IUlll se!
\"'"~\I\\" "lit 11 "It IlII t, l
I wlluld .f~l· thill . . 11" '\lhlll I1 I1 ,\tU,'" ,\I
Uldprutl a mill(' .lppmpll,l!l· [I,I((~bll()" of 11111111
fI m (flnt"rrlJ"".ry [, fm Jrll!:lrl Ill" '( (('dll I al 11 '1-' " . I, "" \\ 111\ 1111 Ih'\
11II'Miurhe 1 tl If,,! I '
& 1I1US I 1.1 "lJrbJlIIJlJ~ 1" ' /11'11' ~("k, "'1"'1 ",lIy 1111 f ,lJ''''g,t! \\,\1 " , It 1'1" \1\,1\11\ It!
 8'1tln 1I1l\',frrl
- A PAOU<iOMENON TO
THE
, '0' "" 01 repre <,; en r3 clons and are lherefore always open to tUD:Ot ·
rrocC'scs .Inu H r" I .~ . 6 la ~
tum . (lQQT827 e-mphJ SJS .1dcJed). . . values were. involved in tnlm"
. I ,.., to P~nt
SJITlJl.Jrly nlitz (J9Q3J ..2.J) argues mar jnruV1du a ls do not merely react to the so. to little avail until sUbstanuallines and hanl\'Cople: fio," eclL P
...-A IS , ,

". r
Od 1 'wonl 0 n,...
",a] bur continually create, alter, re.mterpret, or manipulate Its '
LO~
moral of these parable!. 15 as 'I arvm 1-.t~rns
• {'o
e an dCo.#A -
..-'~I- "'tie
- on tenr With dranlatic results. Jnd eed, if this were nOt the case w thar while culrural values ce.naml d t919 ~ r'Q-
1ormaoon c . e y 0 ellSt and >n "-&
would be ID rure seraJts m rrymg ro explain how and why cultures change We rual behavlOra.1 chOIces. prameal conse u an, IU4:d to Ix,tIJ.
would be wown back to relymg on diffuSIon or similar explanaoons In fact. in behavioral chOIces. q ence. pi. ~ much ~up
'1 . Cultural M.renansm . post-Processuausm . Ecology, Darwirusm a d In terms of feasting. one of th ..
I~' ar.\Jsm, ' n e mOSt POW~rful
Processualism all share a co mmitment to viewing individual actors as the locus ance of a contracrual debt whe.n One accepts a "OfolOl\g en,<tU !he
n "''''''!.l0 to ft
of change and as rationally pursuing their own self-ineerests as a fundamenta l create SOCIal bonds or reciprocal obU.
. ....
mameam the starus aSSOciated WIth gm
ganons. Deb ,_
I re"'Uon,hlp
= lntoN,d,
I
renet of understandrng cbe workings of culrure.
There is no more dramatic demo nstration of the relatively wea.k bold that cul_ active as long as the gm has not b glVmg ~(~- the ,u,..
een ",p:lld. An .' '10
rural traditions have over people's behavior tban the occurrence of noncon_ years for many gifts to be repaid M d 11 \lSUalr; ta
. oreo\-e.r oveN
{Of/rusts and revolutionaries. In the tribal cultures where I bave worked, I have economic rupture between social gro U u. IUlp d d I
. aJ 'gh ups \ altOIlI9:':: -
always been impressed at the large percentage of individuals who simply did nOt dioon wel ty consequences. But gtfts - . _It' ~

buy mro the traditional value system and who would be generally classified as ag- immediate advantages. The ultenor d and <kbt:
an -clap",.., d\-anu
nostic or atheistic in contemporary terms. For example, in the very traditional above (alli ances,_ .
amacnon of mates and '-00
lit [. lnV( -tIn
- '
Maya HlghJand villages where I worked, about ID percent of the household heads work, and pol.mcaJ control through debts). It I> C. .
IfltefYIewed would have to be classified as a-religious or agnostic, while another edge
.
the •
full range of Idiosyncratic belt. b
\'lOf"5... Ut n !'o a.~
differenna re these from me behaYlOT of the ma
10--20 percent of households had changed their beliefs and affiliation from tradi-
major traditions and msmution; are based. mm.dm
tional community cults to more charismatic forms of Christiartity. Izikowitz
A number of the chapters to t.\u,; volume ~ ~
(I95I:J21) makes similar observations for Southeast Asian tribal societies. It seems
benefits. and strategle of feasung u'm, ethn ...
that m all cultures, there are probably significant proportions of independe nt
Junker provides a broad overYle" of tb,
thmkers who evaluate situations on their own merits irrespective of hande d-
economic power m OUmcJ.$l ASIa oJ. it 1
down traditional WISdom or promulgated ideologies. It is the individual who is
feases to cstablt h economIc and: :131 run
rhe locus of culrural selection (Harns 1979:61) . Cultural values or ideas do not fet-
\Viessner e. ammc· ho" Cl -m~n n
ter mruvIduaJ acoons to rhe point of acting against important self-interests real
through fea.ts for lh~tr Cl\\ n h<'odlt In _'"
consequences from other community members do. It is the freethinkers who pi-
~ Itch., e! Dletl.:r d<).:um"nt th, h
oneer creaove new thoughes and new behaviors, and who serve as mode ls for
vldcd on the hlStl n, ,,'rth 1
possible new culrural, social, political, and economic configurations. rf this were
(DI(!ticr). In .m "'[\ll\,\{}\ 011
nor rhe case, there would be no unions or revolutions, and little cuJtural c hange.
~lso dcmlm'olr,\I ,h<",
To J1J~[rare rhe relative roles of ideology versus practical benefits , Il IS useful
~IC'OpIH,\Im .ln SI,II. l'<tlll n\1
10 (Jn$lder the parable of the shopping cart. Before 1970, supermarkel Sloreown
en appealt>.d tIrelessly co the traditional cullural values of customers (neatness,
COUrtesy, rtCJprr)[Jry. etc.) tf) rerum lheIr shopping carts to the store rather rh,1\1
VARIETIES OF FEA T
leavmg w!..'TlI ID p~rklng Ir)~ I!OWtVI'r, appeal to rht'se supposedly strong [ul 1l,I\IIlh ,It ,\1" .I th,
IjUt'\lhl\1\1 hi, \ ,\ I
addr.! (l/)fmJ had llUle cfhl {m P'" ' pIt, 's actud
. I I)(' h"VIlli ,mIll slore DWnt'lS bCg,l1l
\\ I,\. \ ( Itn
-A n8 a practlc.al (.fin qUI'WC 't) rhl Tt ' I urn I, I SJlllpP'1I1,;
L
t ,Ills tlu' IIlVnlllll' lll
:t.i c n 1(, ofJurn a can • r dttma" 1I UP/Ill I I J(' It IUIII "I ,ilL' (,ill 10,1 pllll'l' I 1\1\
I(j(;jllCJr 111 ch ng" In IJI 1IJV"II w. d'ilII'JW \111
J'VI'I1 II/JUgl' " 11"111.11
 ,. pROLE GOMENON TO tHE MPO""A.t<t.C\ 0," fl~

r "2t'. [ se type'S ar< thco",uca\\! almost Ilnutk

.. err"C earrugh t be used for holdmg {Uits .n:
..J. gC"J I~ Cl r C reatinL"l'.eo soelJI bonds vs. JChlCvenlCnt of more Imrncdial e, L0,. 6rf1l(

u d ab,e-cove.s; I·
r.' ""ts that P 'ople are constantly tI)'Ulg "ut n
e .'-_ . \'t't,
P OVlty.
Ij the use..: or presoge n,acerial~ or olher archaeological Jnchcators; ht}!fla" crea glvmg socially bmdmg gu,," ('ian 1996 60 \-I
0. p.lroclpJong. or core, SO~31 umes; . fea Sts or here find some Fretuts for hOMm {e
l"g
that people everyw
than 0 thers Thus, there 're some Ubem
honzonral vs. vertical sooal relatJOnslups berween guesr and host;
7.
8 the kmd of reciprocity Involved; P elling -M-.ese mdude feasts for m.u-nage £\mer
co!fl . .-vueS I " . ,.

9 the degree or obligarion (social necesSIty vs. self-irutiated hOSting); reot e(01c. " cevents. plantings. harvests. "or... tatus,
oon
10. season<ll or calendrica l occurrences vs. life or economic condiaons. !fl'W_,r. king peacc , oroals. ancestor ....orsl:up..
. and not
f ."d rn'
",a aI events. In Chapter .3. Dletler proVlde, .. di, "
son
l'an (1996:441f) discusses classification in regard to the parallel phenomenon or 5e. all theacncall)', and oroally charged Comu" n: e.
oo 'on y,
o[ gIlT gIving. The traditional ethnographic approach has been to classuy feasts
ero ring events.
.ate for feas f practical purposes Or .' o;u
according to their ernically stated purposes, based on the specific symbolical pO
7la t. In terms 0 \i
FILIIctio . w range 0 f ,mponant proxunate ~ t
These benefit nn ~ l!'O\l' <d II\
pretexts for holding feasts: harvest feasrs, ancestral feasts, marriage feasts, fu. rO
2· fat! . \y nar g feasts .
neral feasts, puberty [easts, and others. For the undersranding of feaSting as a un
fr o to hos gcoopera oon • alliance . or. ";U
bebavlOral form (in con trast to the symbolical conre nt of feasting), emic dassi_
.onS: creaun
SI omiC. b ene fits on the other ban i N: . t
ficacons are dearly the leasr useful type of classification, although Some do n
versus eco h se meant to create co pt"T tI
rend to have spea5c functions and can be dassed wirhin one Or mOre specific . n clude t 0 \ -h \
"ISIO to b rween groups I,
funcconal types of feast (e.g., community harvesr feasts as solidarity and/or . caveness e ~ .
promotional feascs). dlsun Hiances berween e- '''TOUr', A l. t
ta create a 'de Irahle mate: md I
All of the o cher approaches have much mOre utility for archaeologists, and in arcr alt
feastS to :lo "lIh pru~'\m,lt
facc, many of chese ocher dassificatory approaches are used by authors in this h VlOg to l
feastS a t~\;, ll\ c. tm ut
volume. Michael Clarke uses che range of social groups involved, james Perodie bsh .oml .
to Jccomp ' c' r. ast. 11 Itol 0

uses reciprocity expectations, and Michael Dietler uses a political function c1assi- ) 'ompen I I
(IOn
e\'~ots . I bp) . I lh t
ficacon. PoUy Wiessner uses a secular versus sacred distinction wich differing par- ·hment It nu
of pUnI' • . . IUoltl
rems of refuse and special strucrures. My Own preference is to adopt a functional . 'hh:hl'11\Crgt.:1l\.4 \
approach as an intermediary step to generating an archaeological classification III " le 'llhn' t T
Ph " )
t- nU"-" PI.'l'{,
based on matenal remains. Unforrunately, because of the complexity of feasting wh" I'H'llIl~C ,r 'h,'
<
I I
bebavior, chere are seldom feasts wich pure functions, and in some cases the same I.. l\\l"t St'II'<' I
1l1a ....t '
el7IJC pretexr for a feasr (e.g., a funeral feast) may have quire different funcrions to
thl' ""lIdh I,f th,
different househoJds (eg., in a poor versus a rich household) . In order to deal plusc,1)1 "th r th
W1rh such dmlflC[Jons, It IS elCher necessary co add a great deaJ more derail [0 our to
,
,,\ ltU1\tt\
N I \: , I Ih
dt-vriptlons and anaJyses of feasts or co create more subcategories of functional .1\1 I rt .IU' ,It i It
(,r cradirjrJO~J emlc caregones of feasts. However, r am hopeful [ha! this kind of 1\ 1,11\\ m
confu jf", WIll Jargely dIsappear when we pass to archaeologica l classificatIons uf • . 1.1f I
fj a Th end 'iN')! 1(, (rtare such a useful an hac'ologJCal typulogy i~ slJllln Its hh
J '"
l4Igc and I (JIlI (,I all' pnru Ipal rI'd SC/II S why wc' h.lvc JSSt' lIlhlt'd thiS
\UI\ \1 " I I I
, I
I I III I
IInl 1
 - A PROLEGOMENON fO lHE

ALL FEASTS
cial feasts. However, one m1ght e.xpeCt!iO .our
c m(' I.lIIU:.re-nCQ to Q(
creasing SLZes 0 f ICasts, In genual perha
_
h CUt wbh 1ft.
, ps t e. mC)re ~o , m
A.lUANCE &. ECONOMIC more specialized and numerous food item C d P ('lYohe4.1be
(hearths. roamng PICS. lutchens). food pre s, '00 prep.,....on (cih
COOPERATION FEASTS (Sumpluory
FEASTS (For g.ln) slalus I display) a l1a
paratton and seNt
architectural strucrures will be. Thus, irrespe' f ng VPssels,lNl
r SOLIDARITY r- FEASTS
SOUCITATION
& pose, one use ful f · COve 0 funcnon Or erns
way 0 classlfymg feasts for ch I C pur.
FEASTS PUNISHMENT ar Oleo OglCal purnn.r:..
(WithIn groups)
FEASTS be by sheer scale. Wlule tlus approach enable . ,--_s may
S us to make some. k~ of
the archaeologICal data. I would argue that IC might ob
r- RECIPAOCAl r- COMPETITIVE . 1di' , th at might be made Wi. h bSCUre some. unpor
FEASTS FEASTS cant potentla snnctlons '
(Between groups) (Pro/lis 'rom 108ns . t a n mOrt: diligent
& Inlerest) enqwry·
r- FEASTS TO
Social bonds vs , llnllted goals: Many linuted-goal fea (Y
r- FEASTS 4· . . ... Sts ao 1996' prob.bl
POLIrICAL SUPPORT ACQUIRE
POLITICAL leave muumally distmctlve matenal remalDS. Work r-..ts h
(To oblaln pollflcal POSITIONS ,so Olanon
"'<Q

supponers) (As a formal feasts, punishment feasts, criSIS feasts. and su:rular e'-nts th I
cnlerion for political ........ art: tl tt re 3-
advancement) tively small, and I or are unlikely to Involve particularly speaal foods Or
....... PAOMOTIONAl vessels. In these cases, we need to develop better tnteuon for dtsnngu>sh .
FEASTS MATURATION
(To display success & FEASTS ing such feasts from normal eating. However. M1chael O,euer (personol
IIlfradlabor Of (Investment of
economic support) surpluses In communication) has ohserved some work feasts where laVISh food .md
children)
prestige wares were used in order to attract mOre and bener-quali') boo,
r- FEASTS
WORK PARTY
Thus, limited-goal types of feasts may be elther rrurumally <h£nncme from
•
normal meals except for size and perhaps locanon, Or they m.y be bamt"
~ TRIBUTE
FEASTS
-
distinguish from other feast types. There may be some usefuldt"nncnon,
.
Figure A schemaoc diagram of the mosr unportant divisions in
2.1 for archaeologists in this approach to classificaoon, but the l:<sue n < to
the ~s of feasts dlscussed in this chapter. be explored in greater depth and more empmcal datl are on-h needed
5. Social units: One way of adcting mearung to SlZe cI._ ltican" . of fe ...,!. h
hy examining the soaal uruts lIlVolved 111 feasts, l> ug£,C>lcd b
\!du I
Clarke. Social units range from 1I1dtvldual f.mil,es, 10 line'l' .. to I n. t,
rure expressIOns should be quite different and because the consequences for
communities, and extend to reglons \\'!ule then- an- s,)I1\< di.Mctl ,
communlly dynamICS and impacts on reclltJological cllallges should be very differ-
mt. For lIlStance, solidarity feaslS, no marrer whal [heir size, should entail
that can be made at each level. the lugher le,els lend I,' m,lud I " r
els (e.g.. lineages mclude mJ,vidu;u f.m1hes\ anJ thu, l-h I I
rrurumal departures from standard daily foods or material irems, whereas
unit tends to be assooated \\'llh • spec1lk ·,U ranl'c ,nurn r f rut!
compeotlVe and promotional feasts should represent major departures
pams) of feasung. ThIS lS • produ(t\\c ",n ll.ln.h f lu
wlrh consequent pressures ro develop and change borh food and material
logical purposes, although wllhm (.d, ""loll, nlup It m nll
technologies.
desirable to rry to disnnglllsh 1",1SI, hdd f'l J,ff, [('nt (u
J. SIU' Feasts vary enormously in sIZe from the minimum of a two-person
solidamy versus promonon.1 ,H ('>1"1' Il\l\ t~ "I.
tdyadlC) £Q11(ltallon Or fnendslup (soHdarity) dinner ro inrercommuniry
6. Malenal bd.It',1 (fltdl .... ','",~1.-.d1 dll."'';.-'illh·'" In m nm 1\, \1
events mvolvmg hundreds or thousands of people. Clearly the smaller
IdeJllf we wlIld d,·wl"\,.IlI,1I h,I~,'I, j;l' ~I.I 111, I, n t
ryp~$ ,,( fca cs will b(, dIfficult to Identify archaeologically unless the re-
anly 1ll,lId\l'd l'lhlh' 'IJphl' 11\ \.tI""n ,'rtll I It 11< I
m.11IS of penal f"'Jds "{ sptClal servlngfprcparauon vessels are present. IlllW\'V"I, ,11 Ih" 11"', 11I1 ' 11" \11 hi hi Imh I lh \
Evrn ch~'Il. it may bf dlfflCulr rr, dercrrnll1e w/wlh('f such remall1s an:: fj.om
0\ '1"'(IIi, 11" WII\ '1"\11 I ll~lll~bl
maD peel.1 me.b "I Wnt-Inrf Ihty WI"rt; 1'"11 flf 1d/'gt'I, me>ll' IJvt>h srI'. Ihl ,11, h,l,'"I".:" .111\ .lIl Ill~ll I m

JI
 ",1,," IIj"·.",:"_-------------
- .---
A. PROLEGOME,...ON TO THE
IMPQ"TA.~C[ OF ,~,
. n s between feastmg
w dlstl.nctlO
I \,hCJhlr>.
. CJ"CJtlllg ne
.
. I10w past cultures . fune .
ndm8 TABLE 2.1 continued
r 1111\ (., 111.1IC'1"1Il III r. 111' for und('lstJ useful simply (0 IJst the
J /J b . q~'1'1I1C. bJy mOS L ruru;JUzed I{ems of eoquene
t '\'l'IH\ Ih.H \\ I c.;, ";JJJv 11 IS probil dhnrify feasang events from
. <-'J 11110. " used (0 I '-
fJflnt.'J ,inJ dlJnE: . s th .. r C:1n be • bm3 dons of these same
klnJ . . 0' illJre
nal rcmi1I~~nous values and COOl
. TJblc ,.). ' paraphernalia (or pubLe nruil~
r1)(" p.llif (.,{to
Existence of aggrandJu.rs

Recordkeepmg devices
TABLE 2.1 . of FeastS .
A chaeolog;cal Signatures lane or aOlmal spedes (especially Pictorial and wnnen ~cords of
feaslS
Food-s[Orage facilities
Stables. SlOrag~ pits, ~es
Resource charactfriSo.cs
Abundance ~ed kn
Ovt:i t ip10. ltiltion cxP uno". 4 ..."", i ab]m to

factors should be useful In trymg to dJsnn"'''<h ,,:<L_

t > - 'WJ<r~Ut n-pe,
evems, no maner wluch dasstficaoon approach ont adope.,

Undoubtedly. more types of observations can be add.d t the \i.,.r IQ T ' ~ I

However, even at this early stage of theory de\"elopmmt ardu "I pro
have more variables to work With than rrught b uuoa!h ; urn IQ thw" qIIe I
to deal Wlth past feastmg behavior. Many chapters In !ume fI
Food·p~pilnnon facWoes ber of specific matenaltocllCatOf> of feJ.;{l \\. o.n IX
SIZe and decoration of feasang vc' ·el, III the:\nuz i
the prelusparuc Pluhpplne,. LtndJ Brown for rh .. lau r If
Spto.! food-duposal features 8on~dumps

SpeaaJ refuse tires conramlOg feasting items

the Hill Tnbes of Th,tU.lncl. DeBoer al.o pro\ cl a
Feasnng middens usual example of cd nmal panph m m
Feamog {41aU0e5 SpeCIal structures (temporary vs. permanent) for rughest.rankmg does Llnda Brown for pn:hlston, rur.!1 b\ .u
guestS and hosts. or for large numbers of people with unusual Couch consumed to t"a.1. Th
Speoal dtsplay fac~JtJes. scaffolds. poles. Or other fearures tS emphaSized by Kmgh{ 'llf edrh 1,'uudbwJ
Speo.! loouoru Morruary or remote locanons chac are dearly not habJCation sites Junker tor Ihe earl' PhlltPPlllt' .hlt"fJ,)m
feg .• ID &Ont of MegahchlC tombs. at henge monuments,
Inside caves)
Tnbes. Largt" g.1nle su,h as dt'rf, .!nd I~rg
nemly to ull {ht's., l"\lt\t~XI.. I JJulg I
LoCI as",eiated w.th nu dear households, res.dential corporate
hOlJS<hold.!, large feastmg m.ddens or crntral community feasllng in th., dUIlIt" 11, illlon , I
'Pact! Ihe May .. hilI ts Jls(l hi I dt m m
Prcstncc (,r .. bKnce. ,and rtLmvr .. hund.mcr uf prcsilgr Ilt'n'I:"I achlOI SlnulJrl. th ill
ryptally u.. d In dlll«rnl Iyp•• "I Ird." (r j( • rJludl <hspldy thr t" (h"pl I' ( g. K 11
'UIlLI. f~,'hnl, .hell Jt"Wrlry)
llnd RalhJ '
Thl' ckt"UNJlJO of w..... hh fir prr"'lg'" Hrun: (VIJ hllC'IIt1I1I1.&I
br••a... '" bunol)
10
 ---'
•

IIne'0!l'e ancestor worship. James Krught argues rh at

•

•
A PROLEGOMENO" TO THE. lM-
...-vRTA"t E

-
bl ",hIed 10 . ..
'itfUcrurt". pll~"1 y ~ d (he southeastern Unlred States constitUte specia l nornjc hosP,twty would be <hspl'yed for pot<:ntulor
r
nnrm moun' 0 I . . d .
lht' CoIdv. r/a rures with scallo a: Ids while Parnck Kirch ocuments the sp
. ce- bands. even ,f only on a dyachc pal tn<:rstup baslS. uch
"cd IN,unl-! ,rrue I fc asting structures and food -preparation faCi/1t1 gh t for rnany reasons. IDcludmg defe"", -fu
~ Juon s of specl<1 e Cs sou , . -- ga In Ilma
lJwl.Ir cl.lbor I f polynesian cluefdoms. In the case of the SOuth . e and nruols (W,essner 197;. 1982\.
nag.
• J I ('omple., leve 5 0 . . . -
'" ",ert'.",n!:) d rJ,e Simpler Po/yneslan strucrures. these may be Even if It IS demonstrated that some kmds of -m.nee and
I tfi nl mounds an .
<."It'rn p a or . I. d ublic architecrure that occur In the regional cul_ ur among generahzed hunter! gathere['S th- . " . , .
- . les of speCla.uze P . . . ace . . .... may WlItt U\
rhe fir5t V;.lmp -'-nk ' worth asking whether the IDmal appearance of li darity and alliance feastS ID mOre complex soat
~e, • fi" ,,"ould
...... ,

es .nd I Ull It IS SO h

fUre sequenc . ' , nlany more or perhaps all, regional cultu ral se three important factors:
cd ublic S[fUctures III ' . . . . -
spcclJliz P I d feasting activines, PJJ1aUy, ill an =preSSJve tour de ) Feasting as we are most familiar with 1\ 4ll:l0
ce' may be re ate ro . 1 ng more <onlF ......
quen . . mains Denise Schmandt-Besserat rernmds us that laxgelY predicated on the accumulation, storag"', and use of 'UIplu,<,
r. rec centered on Sumenan re ' . . ed hunteri gatherers do not accumulate Or '<0- I
o d I b gleaned from pictorial represemanons and early Written er aliz . . " u'1' \l> " and th
Ihere IS J great ea to e . ' . C w if any m echarusms for deahng Wlth. Or transfomun, I
. me existence of feasnng. but Its dynamICS as weU . le >; Ilrp u, ,
te.,ts. nol only concerrung . . 6) Hunter I gatherers cenaIDly do IDVlle th'If' ... ~. t
. how mese various 19· 82 199 . - ...", 0 pOltU ~
d
In order to etermme , types
. of . observaaons nught fit to- ally desirable and abundant resource OC=nces when h .t, Iu bx
,
~mcr tn a provISIon
.. al a rchaeological classlficanon, It would . probably
. be useful
in their terntory than they can use (Flood 19 But ID uw m, nn
to see what matena . I pa tteming can be gleaned .ITom a. bnef. overvIew of feaSting
lies have a glut of the same abundant foods. and there" reall\- tlO re
I.fl severa I cL uerenr
lr. types of cultures. I will consIder this topIC next.
sharing between families .
2 ) In adchrion. the.re are few ways ID "'ruch generaliud hunt I
THE EVOLUTION OF FEASTING: GENERALIZED
create spedal foods by mte.nsifymg labor to procure or p •• ", ere ,ht
HUNTER/GATHERERS cle need for deve.loplDg m ore mtensifi.ed Wa, f p ·c. S n~
There IS Lttle information available on feasring among generalized hunter / gath-
grinding cereal grains may be one excepnon).. \ reo t.
erers. Wherher mis is because it is absent or rare as Polly Wiessner suggests (1996.
personal cornmurucation). or because ir may have a different character. or be-
ogy needed for more mrensified preparaa rh '" uJ"
highly nomachc groups itrularh It I' .;hl1kult to p ,
callSe If has Simply not been reported in the ethnographic literature is unclear. even routinely used) species nught bc found <r I'
Sharp (1994) argues that all Chipewyan meals are solidariry-enhancing events by rion these will be rare or dtfficu1t to get. and all
melf very nature and that no special meals are used for those purposes. On the probabilisnc or encounter ba'lS .\> Rich rd l
orher hand. among orher groups there are a few incUcations that large game kills IKung onl . kill about 2,' mc.iium or l.lll!
and ntual garhenngs were sometimes accompanied by festive meals (Sandal 1966; yearly average per hunter l. <)nl) 0 \ I
Richardson and Ianzelo (974). Whether these were special meals or Simply logis- would be dl.fficlll! tl) piJ.n.l ,·,1.t <'r an p..trn
tically convenient ways of organizmg meals for a gathering of people is unclear. ally bClI1g able to pro.:UI'\:' l r '< 1"' , " I
In rhe elt1Sting literature. there are few indications that mOSt ritual meals had any to return ~u(h rOl.,1 !;!Ith nl m IT,
.speaal connotation or mvolved any special foods or preparations, although large impos 'Iblt, b,'< au.c "II.I'\.;. <)\ .h I
quantities of meat Wlrh high fat content seem to have been highly valued by J) Th~l't' IS _1b,••1Il' U Ild
rmny groups. I
tenz!"s nlLlst , It 11\\( ,Ill
There are also occasional statements that special Cuts of meat were. or could nv!" tur sUI \ '1\ "I \\ \Ill f
be, reserved for men's consumption at special ritual locations (Woodburn 1966), I
the Id",1 "t "'Ill
This Lt ~rlups the closest apprOximation that exists to the feasts documt'ntl'd for
"1\
.m.! .tdapm ,Ultlll I \\1
more complex types of JOC' t I
le les, am unaware of feasting an-aunts I11vol VillI-: 111 nun.! ,\ l\l .11 < I I
tetband VlllbIIg and aJliance bile ' h k. .
ro nng, fIT t e rods of meals that may haw hl'('n IAn.! .. ~, IIIlI h.
krved at JUrn even" Nevenhel . d 'ffi I
ell,lI I (U I 10 Imagroe Ihal no ~P('( lal j(.lstl'C1 , r

43
 -- _. -.
-'
1" .1\ III mu.II,. 'r'l It· ItI·
r" 0 I J 'I1n,,"
. Wl10 gives ~1 '(·.l _~l bd~cd on hi.'; SlOlkptl' g of A PROlEGOMENON TO 'Ii"
~ IMPORl"
looJ, or /olllh .•",J I", <"Unlrol O\'CI f,n1lly J"cI mhcr lobor. Simply sccm. 10 be n all.
h I
III rllCl ro I Ilr n.'.\I" I· j:<°nr,.lJazed
,I,'mum 10'lhe re I.HI"")
I •. hllntc,'/ gatherer eXiStence. These rac(or~. ...
I , J' perhaps even mechaOlc"l. shanng of fOOd bc.
"" ay
mo
re emphasIS on food Storage. ra.dmg
- . "-'ea th icC\J
I -
"'Cl Of F(o\11'
~'"
. I 01,Il1lrv alliances VI' the consumPtIOn Or glVUlg 'w.y or rnlll.tIQn, '<Id Ill.:
rWt"tm hUIJ(t"r g~Hh('rt'r SOCIJJ ulIJrs- segalitanan sooencs. USe th eSe new ca "<""Oll\jc S\Jr,..J •• _
In .JJdHlon ( 0 t I1C.!liC /..le lors ~J foo 0 ds
. . Ihe besr·documented ex,'mple of speclJI",
. [ran -
lrh accumulacon. and econoflllcaUy bas d
paoo ts fOr -~11\
"''l'IUs
bClIlg l'on~'umeu. 1 (l h C h I nd le"
0 of 1,1<ge "mm3ls consumed at men s I1tual sites- wca e cornPeuu .........
-.".,,, -~ •.. I""c<~ ...... ~<>f
c ts. Some of rhe most tnterestinn "'"'es._ II on to cr..", "". -'''f>''
leas5
Woodbul n 1~66) seems ro represenl consumpuon ar remore and obSCure Tltual COS" ~<ll b_.,
age. clans • or cornmurutles. _ ......... Ii".
loc.wons.
. remove d .rOm
r. n orln ,lllivlIlg sites. It IS quesoonable as to whether Su ch Another type of transegalitarian feast is rh
10caClons would be very VIsible archaeologlcaiJy. wherher they would be recorded he economJC, . SoCta . I • an d po li beal
' success o efpromOtional
. ~taSt that ad-,
In ·1I1Y Jrch 3eo log ical. surveys . or whether they f
. could if:
mearungfuuy be discin . t
becoming '.
affiJJated WIth such groups either vi a sOoal group and the de'trabil.tlY '<lQs"
f
gUJshecl li-om transit encampments on the baSIS 0 their art actual Or feature li lical support. or b y a dopuon. . TypICally. the coa rnarn.ge . '" ealth <.xd,,_... ."" 0
conrenlS. .
srallation of major cew wealth Iterns. the nStructlon
death '-'j;.~
of • n"", ho"", the: U1-
Thus. tf feasong did exisl ar che generalized h~nrer/ gatherer level. it IS not cer.
f
"-'-'
. stallation 0 a new a'-'Uwustrator. and mama of ..., a~"trotOr anQ
r= thdr Il,e foods Involved were Significantly different /Tom daily seasonal fare.
U1
viewed .
as pnme .
Opporruruues to display successges Or manuanon ...~" "".u
thar there would be any dear hosr or guest relationship. Or that the remains could Profit and investment feasts probably also erne wh
be IdenuJied archaeologICally. While feasting certamly plays a pivotal role in es. . amp Ie enough . These mdude Work
surplus base IS ~ ft e.. the tnn'e~ '.. "'run
rabJJshmg allJances among more complex cultures. it ~ay be that for generalized wealth exchange leasts.
r high'expense maturation fi . asts. reQProcal .....
''''''l tnd

hunter/ga therers. the forging and maintenance of alliances were dealt With by where there is a contractual debt to rerum the amoUnl ' compentl-oet fta,
easts. and
alternatJve social techniques such as marriage, the negotlatmg of kinShip rela. .
increm ent or mterest. . ' .
Similarly. marupulauve Or calarru . .-.. .plUs Hubs~ti.1I
recCJ\'td

tJonships and dasses. gift giving, and participation in ritual cu lts (HaYden I987). A occur in transegalitanan
. . and more compte., SOQettes. ~. Ie"ts probably OM
great deal more basic resea rch is required dealing with generalized hUnterl gath- Another key component of the new feasrmg ""'c th.t en th
itarian societies is the presence of specialtzed et· ler,
es Or re \\1
'''''1J.. It'on.""" .
erers before a dear picrure of fea s ting at this important base level emerges. \\ltne'
function IS to Co
ensure that none of the contra,nu1 debts Jre v._ e nL -octt
ar
TRANSfGAlITARIAN HUNTERIGATHERERS AND lected, and to ensure that the full value of elevated m.\t"du ", J Ill.Utet f pub
HORTICUlTURAlISTS lic record. Because the amounts U1 these transaCtIons ,an nn I tI!nt .
we frequently find examples of sunple reconimg de 1, , r, utI "-
With the emergence of transegalitarian societies (those between chiefdoms and
ployed. whether m the form of notched sticks, n~m , or ,
true egahtanan societies), the full range of feasting that has been preViously dis. < ,l
cords. or clay tokens (Schrnandt.Beerat N' \\ lis ln
cussed becomes established. A range of other developments characterizes rranse.
196 9:2 14). In fact. gwen the e ethnographl' ,',urren, ,
galitanan SOoeoes. These developmems include the production of reuable dlb
nature of European Upper Palcol!tlu, m. 1l" ~ rth \ n
surpluses, storage of food and valuables, private Ownership of reSOurces and prod. ,I> m ~th
numerous cases of "penodll' nOt,loon on b n':UI i lu,h
Ucts. the transfo1/llation of surpluses into prestige items, economicaUy based corn.
by Marshack (1997) might n')t bl' ft'.lStll\~ n I (lilt ,
Ih" rt'J'On d
petition, and the establishment of contractual debts. It is probably these features 1 \ Ih
countmg systems of erhl\\)gr.lphi, Iran • htalUll ,
thar also make feasting a viable means of transforming surplus food into other de. th hun
dreds and Ihou ..lIlds. I:,r b, •"'",\ Ih' 1 num r n I !tm(1
slrable currencies such as establishing alliances in order to reduce the risk of starva- hunter I gJrht'l'l'rS
oon, attack, and other problems of existence. In fact, there appears to be a major It ISworth t'ml'h.hi II1g J~ IU'. th~1 t N
./tiJi III the types of risk· reducing strategIes used by generalized huntcr / gatherers srrJI"gtt's liS".! IO,h h,,'\ 1'" 16, It h.,ul:l ml
VfTSW tran.cegalJ!arian hunter/gatherers. Generalized hunrcr / garh('rcrs plil(c by Iht, ,hftl'I't'1\t 1"<'hl1l \11". ""I 11 1 'I I
fv the greateJt emphasis on shanng and amanee (ormallcm vIa klrlship ,lIld Iltuals nHxl'd 111 o1\kr hI m\1I Ih I Ih I 1\l1I~
(WIftIner 1981; Hayden 1987). Complex hunter I galht'I"t'rs, III IIlntrasl . pilI Illurh INlli1 1ll.1!tOIl 01 kln-hll'lt· ,Ih ,I
II sO'1I11 1111'1 1I1 ,111.1 h, 111m
 8ndIT IljJ),..1rr1

- -
f'~pCCJ.1Jh' I II
nrua a len
d to play Importanr subSlruary roles m feasts _wM. feastIng
h /un L.
re eo rd J constdenng the cnteria In Table:t I th
_ . c. ~u u.
-
. r suppornng role In events were sJ.JJP or ntual IS the 'ble [0 IdenoJ) the level of Involvement of
ohcn pJa.r s an lmporr.m
pOSSI , ~<ific ha
central focu.!i answer IS yes , Thlrd. IS It pOSSlble to drstln~ ...L USe'
The ..~. Dl<3:Un
. the answer IS yes .
CH'EFDOMS AND EARLY STATES . J\glUD ,h h'
," can affirm WIt OUt ~ltaeon that It IS ce""n~_
vve -- - 1 '!.'S\ le
There a.re" un d ou b te dl y additional permutaoons_ and developments of feasting feastS m the archaeolog>cal record There tQ
_L che emergence of duefdom and state-level societies• some _ _ ~ m~y tI\s:b
I
eventS thac rake pace WlUJ umented m prelustory. espeCIally In the Euro~ 11 ,
, doc . . .....>1\ eohthic ..-b
Cluelaoms, espea'all~ are probably much more variable in both organizational and , d remams of speCIallzed nature have been found fro en
' chan I had initialJy assumed (Hayde n [995:64), ,DO _ m nt () Or
feasnng cb aracrensocs _. On . the basis bs and associated Wltb causewayed enclOSUres th
~ (.or instance i[ seems rhat an Important disnncuo n should (Orn _ Or Q a nr ..
o f Laura Junker's d a,,:>, I
tS (Bradley 1984: Hedges 1984) There are manv oth '
rn en • ~r "3mpl
UI soaopolitical dynamics of territory-based versus Jabor-based
be md d e berween -Le . this volume . The earliest clear CVldence ll\ world p \. ..•
duefdoms Ocher discincnons, especially those related to the population size of Ul ~Ul.:i.on: I'"
HalIan Ce[l1l (Rosenberg and Davis 1992 ' -
duefdoms, are also undoubtedly importanr, However, the complexities of the iSsue
terms of culrural evolueon. Lt IS probable tlut r.,a, , ~
[n
(nor che least of willcb is how to discinguish between complex transega1irarian so-
sO me Upper Paleolirluc rransegalitanan. faunallv nch -and dr; -
aenes and duefdoms see Miller and Boxberger [994) require more derailed con-
. S such as Alrarnrra Cueto de la Mma Cookev'
Site • _, Of e~ ~
SJderanon chan IS possible here. Nevertheless, it is dear thar major changes in
servation), If so, I! should come as no surpftSt that "vod
feascng bebavior rake place with the transition from transegaJirarian to stratified
also occur In relacvely afiluent Ep'paleolithk rr>n~",llUnm
soaeaes. We may nor be able to identiJY all these changes or provide coherenr ex- Cemi (Rosenberg and DaVls 19<12) ..nd som< i~ 'U ,
planaaons for them ar this point, bur ir does seem thar changes in the scale and
However, In most of these ca e. feason!; Ius ~m doe
funccon of feasts broacb new dimensions in many chiefdoms and early srates such
unusually large scale and someomes spea.llltX~n La
as dIScussed by KeI1y. Kircb, Junker, Dietler, and Scbmandr-Besserat, In particular
not particularly rlifficult to ,dentil)' .lS felSb Tb rul
the prerext of feascing seems to be manipulated by chiefs and elites in early states in
whether the e..X1 tence of ,maller S<:lle f< t <un
order to collecr surpluses from the populace (alluded to by Pat Kirch [1984:263J and eot lunds of feasts .lt sever.lI '(ale, of >tU .:an
dealr Wlth ID more decail by Laura Junker, Michael Dieder, and Denise Scbmandt-
posslb,ury that some Ic.lsttn~ loCI "~re epl
Besserat m this volume and by Urry [1993] for New Zealand), The feasts held at
cred areas, as with kl' ,b Idcnnh ID, 'rc:-t.u,
Mesoamenean ballcourrs and documented by Fox (1996), may weU have served a
there are no rooJ ",m.lIn, mp""': n d r
rurular function , This change appears to coinade with the holding of feasts on pre-
wc wul concrntr,lIt: (In S1(U.lU. n, \ th < rJ.~r
VIOusly unheard-of scales of size, generating enormous amounts of speCIalized
Intcrm"dl.llelz < f"J,ttll" \\uh ut I
feastIng refuse The speCtacular 65,OOo-cubic-meter Bronze Age feasting I11Jdden at
klOd, or ICJIUrn, '(rtI(,lllr,,1 r nuln,
E35t Clusenbury near Stonehenge is probably only the first of rhis type of deposit
Ilfir.l[101l of PH'''' 1.'."1111 I. u
[0 be recogruzed (McOmish 1996). This is a prime candidate for remams of chleny
,p"(I,lllm.IlIl\t1' ,uch ," (11 g hlh.. I
level tnbute feasts. The feastmg refuse that fills cLtches surrounding British cause.
lion "IWlh"1 h,\tI"h"I.I, ,/I la!; Iu I h
wayed enclr)$ures probably represenrs earlier versions of tribute feasts among
the hllll,dlUld """llIhl.,· Ih llh I
maller Uue(df)ms, F(" now; however, I WIll umit my discussion fO transcgabtanan
he tht' nlllsl "l'p.1I III ~r\ h~ I
(eastmg. wuh whIch I am m()st famtllar
Illhll ll\lI l (1'1'11,1, 1'1 \1> .1
11\\,,,1\ .t III It ~'(1Il I 1 I
ARCHAEOLOGICAL CONSTELLATIONS OF FEASTING TRAITS
11 ",\U'-'h \ ~II.I h
l/l'Tt. I would lIke (I, f'X.m'n~ ,L .•., ' I
c ",mt !}fll." ,,1'11111 tulm 1/1 "JSllng IIt.1I flllgltl 1'1,' ,1/1.1 lu<),1 ['I (l I
Ickntlfll1bJr III thl! arch.. t( I" I ' d " I
"'",1I11 rt /f,r .WVl/3 h.slI '1IU'MIIIIl' 1I<'l,d III Ilt' ,Id I allull 11\ I I
11 '\ P"~ ,.,'1 \f, ,dcnlJfy f"a IIIlK I'VI'IUS III 1111' aI' h,,,',,III";11 ,11
p~I\I' 'I Ill •

...
 - -
o lcis or commun1Ut'.s md th~t the
hO'""s"hwhere there an: bN h' g.lI
Iy CCTanu Uld
oped w e W ould "-'Peet 10 find Nst<Jg1"ams of
lOgs· atlon . and servmg vessds to ahlbtl '$ me: de
ar
prep
dalIry "
(e g Cla rke s .uta 10 Chapter, FI
,,
,< ,
O
ro lZe b etween the mo.ie os wen ... u..,
nee U1 s
fere ch relanve SIZe of the feasnng group, and the
neer e
re [lIlg .or c the h ousehold, corporate reSlden« co~- .~..
aS
fe °t Haus'eh o lds that dJd not host "gmfico.nt orn"
uTU ' w o uld b e expected to ha- e ununoo..a\
I vel feasts
e
However, " must b e kept Il1 mmd that 11\ earl 0 =.u
essels m ay h ave been u,-""d for • ..,t prrp;on
ceranuc v
b ' Clark and Gos er I99'S _uch \CIUIl t"
1995 al' ssel-slZe cUscnbutJons as \\ cl!
rood ye
Where domesticat ed ammals are u, for
tiona[e e fr q u e n nes of vanou> SIZed and a,
d with a parncular household,
aSS0C13re
, 0 f vanOU' kinds of feasts, etch r
and SIZe
where cra rual and 10 " -unht.,. bone. l'
hold members w ere guest, "here bon rrm
ah reClpro,,1 tea:nn. " ul.!
nate . aIth ou e-
F.gure 2 ,2 , StOrage of oversized food-preparanon vessels and extra serving vessels used
low-u till)
I
' bones). Th<,oren~alh, th· f\! nh
for feasang ID the household of a Yao village headman , The Occurrence of large sizes and
Iugh frequencies of serving or preparation vessels clearly .dentifies this household as in- che r.ea t -should be Th" relatllln,h,l'
volved ID major feasting acov"'es. ca} obser\'anon~ e .g. h e had l r
sus \\ J ' le IS prol:>Jl:>h' a i" I'< bl ,\ t
occurnng 10 ,' 01.\\1 , r 101<rm .It
On the basis of ethnographic observations among the Maya and the Akha. it
reslden(c . . the t «(urr.. n, of
appears thar, m general, only households rhar regularly hosr feasrs of a certain size
acquire vessels and containers appropnare for rhar sIZe feast For mfrequent feasts
JtC ' ''l cJ 1•.\ I ' ,\\''(. ' -n
of unusual SIze, the food-preparation and serving needs of particular households
n''''~l (\)fl\fl\\..ll\ . It n l t
are generally mer by borrowmg the requIred materials. Of course. care must be 011
clle' " lur 1<''''lItt ' Kc
taken to differentiate food-preparation and servlllg vessels from storage vessels, b.I'IS vi <Ill'''' 'r phI, ,
but thIS should not present a major problem m most cases. In some cases, I he fine Ii.,o,l w,,<·I, .11111, I
qualiry (IC decoratIon of serving vessels makes it abundantly cleal 111.11 re ll .ll11 .11'pt.1I III It' ll. d I
wares were pnmarily used In feasting contexts, for examp le [he Peltl1 Poly \\ Ilh'"ltlh, " li lT 1\
chr(,mes (If the Maya , rhl: Kamares ware of Cret!' (Day Jnd WtlSOIl 1'I'IHl , III \>, 1'" "hi 11, , :1
,!ht'r ca 1$, Ihe ("(JlIIPXli and d'sl t ,buflfms of ren.llIl W<lrC', lor cx.101ple Iht Nt
(,hr c r,p,(JVcd liar' (,f tl" H/llls), hl/· (';11"".111 l'JIW55J or l' lI'IIPt'.11l 11I'.lke" I
.,1t: {, ii ling f CJ(t/f>fJ III allY "V/Ill, 1"1 11 ,. MIIIII' IlIr III1W IIt ,II till' 1.11111111 "Ill,
(,{ (; it nng v d 1311 I,.. /I 11 lIly 1.\11 lI'd ,",1 Ill. ~I" I till .111 11,1\',,1111'11.,1 l'lhl III I

4.
 - ----- -~ -

Figure 2·4 The mulnple outsIde hearths m.de for. T. Oi ~

F.gure lJ For large feascs such as thIS Hmong funeral, multiple Note the locatton only a few mete", from the rur of tho \ n.
.'"
oucs.de hearths are [he 'YP.cal solution co prepanng large-scale guests were served
meals One hearth nor bemg used occurs In the foreground; [Wo
others In use occur belund .t No[e also [he very large sIZe of
food·preparatlon and servmg vessels on the hearths. on the
by posrulanng tha, sohJancy feasts \\~11 olt(n ~ the 1- I
ground, and on the [able
just cliscussed
Second, there ,s probably a n:lanonshlr b t\,
cost of presuge I d,splJY 'terns t)n th~ Oil han ,
serue, or that u mey do. their feasts probably most closely resemble what I Would
compelltlon Involved In th~ [c,l.t"'" th, tb, r h ...
caU ~olldamy feasts. In many (bUt perhaps not aJJ) sohdaricy feasts, there seems to
levcl or at Ihe Inlcr(ummumt 1,·\ 1 \rn. n t
be mlrumal attempt at expendmg large amounts of resources or consuming spc.
qllcntly seems l() b~ unl) .1 It.,,,, fit h t n
clal frJods, there IS lmle ostentaoous display, and a/J partiCIpants often make equal
hOllschukl WCJllh "' \",111" .. 11''''' r In , mm~~(l
(fJlltnbuuon5. Thus, these feasts should be minimally differentiated from daJ/y
hIS .1Il.,ly\" nf th,' \1..1", Ih"" I \, u-,
meals, and may only differ from them 10 terms of sizc Thesc characteristics
,l11'Jnrcs (usu"I" h.",.\ ,,"l..ll\,hll' th
kan Cfmmtent With what we currently knllW about generalized hunter/galh
er 1 CJ,mmun~1 meals. nl0~t IIllptH lit\{ \UHt "I \ nlll "th: n ,
,hl·m'I'lv..-. "1\ I, h,," h l\,L r
Allh Iranitg<lln.. nan If~d, I~JI"n' atl ~I~(-,.~I h"lJnMI( pnIlClpl,.\ Ihal ,an 1)('
prop(lv:d fr,r dlfftrtnualJ/lu Ft _ I ( I1 I III I'll ,",11\1\. , ,.1\' I 1(1.1\'\\1\
" " "'/0: Ill" WJIIS,,, fJ wh" It 11'1)'"1<' I.If ,I'I\l'I I'"' 1. 1I\\\Iub
~"d
1','111.\\
JrTUOIly Ith mplJJ(ill d.illl, Idll" ((" lit. IC' VJ It 1.11 '"'' W,·, ,1111>'"1,':11'. lil>l, \ l, ,uh dll\ tU'" It, ,1 l\ \ t,",h n I

.50 I
 /4. PROUGOMlNON TO lkt 1MPOR1AH'
- -E
~ --"Us

d ual -household level (Hayden and Cannon I~' _ ,,~

Indl\fl ~..... .... rut
c c 's the fact that such matenal. as the (oods d
portan ." PU-Op
Wit
. h different levels
.
and rypes of feasting e:ust.t.U '-d
......
th c:n. t
''''erentially disrnbured among the socnl uruts Wllhin •
aw' d f th ~,<r \'aI C hllll
- he magrutu e 0 ese Ulue.rences can be mOOlI d
that t ore It ~ the
e rall feasnng system and the magrurude of ~,~ "
chc QV u.were.mptton 'Ai thr
h at is of the greatest archaeologlCalunpottance Il\
tern r , not necessanh th
. 'fication of each household's scatus Wltbm the Cornm COlt<ct
IdentL _. . urul)' Or Ihe ''''m,
. fun a specific lineage . However, to obtam a prease estun r
Wlt " at~ 0 su(hcli Qe
. n wirfun a cornmuruty, excavauons and analysis of II\~- d -, h
auo. "'VI u... ouseb d
semblages is essennal .
A third potential principle for inrerprerrng transe~I.tan'n' _
b~ ~ .. e>;" t. b"-~dOtl
initial perusal of the \jterarure indicating that the purposeful d~tructl n
t wealth items (versus personal use) Items vu breaka~e bu
C~ . . • ~~ll\_
bun'al (in offenngs or graves), or submersion mdeep \\aler, m., UIU):cur ~_'-
Inrhe
context of competitive feasts. Thus. the Occunence of de'tro\td aim.,
_.'- - ernptified by the burned Liangzu bunal offenn", In Guru \1I'nrn 1-191 th
bronze wealth objects dropped in Bntish nven; Or bo~ SraJle t the hi
valued Northwest Coast coppers dropped mlo the ,ea. ilnd nun other e
Figure 2.5 A doseup of the food-preparation area in Figure 2.4 shOwing several hearths 1
10 use and the large food-preparation vessels. pies, can probably be used to distingwsh sunple !,romon n~\ od t
feasting from the more elaborate compeuu\'e rea rrng fO"'I> Th pre,,'o
quency, and relative cost of major wealth Item, m.W I be ~ rn, a'ur r lh
gree of surpluses and competitivene tmohcJ m e~,tu\
poor or poutically isolated families could be disenfranchised or even enslaved or
A possible fourth pnnciple is relaled ro ;peculiz ,tru::t\lr(
killed for minor transgressions or disputes with rhe more powerful. Thus, indi-
feasrs can be for purposes of commuruf) .obJ.in hn,
vidual households generally seek alliances wirh rhe strongest lineage (o r orher)
motion , or community compennon. 11 ,. m., UI Uul
network open TO them, and it is in rheir interests TO see that the lineage is
feast-related actlvmes charactenze thl> <nnl\' nil I ,
strengthened as much as possible. Therefore, they make substantial contribu- It seems po slble that _trudurr .. , f Ih I
tions TO alJ lmeage marriage, funeral, house building, and orher feasts, and they than erected only for smgle . t'nt' , rn,l\ n' 1\
partiCIpate ID rhe many lineage solidarity feasts.
tive or promonon.11 (Clr perh,lp. " n 11I,m,
In terms of feasting, this results in rhe major promotional and competitive loci J11mistrators of 1.1rg' gl mlp' 'u, h ,11Il
occurring at lineage or community levels rather than at rhe nuclear household Exactly how Itnc.lg< 1t',1'lmg <lnd ntu \ ,ttu
leve/. The faer that IDdJVidual households may exhibit elaborate feasting para- enurely dc,\t lll'lll Ih. "Ihll\" \,h. th 1 I I I I \

phernalIa but not necessarily be the most wealthy or rhe most powerful house- t n
cnnstlll(tl'd Pi im,ml I pI 'Ill, tl 11 \
hrAd In th(: hneage or clan or community (although this is often the case) can tht ,1Ihl" h.1II\\. th "I "I \
dJHrcss sl)me archacl)logists. Yet, from an archaeological perspective, such rOI1-

((,rdanre r)f malenal wJth t'Cl)nomJC, SOCIal, and political roles of lI1uivldu,ll pin .111.1 \\"1\111 . 1l\\I, hill
huu$(:hlAd IS 0,.1 '){ rnlJeallmplJl rann', since Wt' know JIlIOO wl'll lh,1\ v,llying II Ill<" lIld 11\\\\.\1 11 I
and IIidlvldual ldll,SYII( raslt's 'It JII' ,I /.:n·.1I d(',11 of v,lIl,thdllY ,11 Iht' un.!, 1'1 Ilhllll • I ! I I 1
 '1/14111 1I.,\·,lnl
- - -~--•
A PROU.GOMlNON T'J THE ~MpOR
. - , _ ~A~~ Of HA\1

occur as J rule- wlthm norm.!l rcstdenct."'S th

than perhaps shghtly I,rger ordmary prep.r.t
• Wl O'Ut
d
src 131 p r r
, If:)n an rvtng is
Where surplusc!FI arc hmltcd. alliance feast b
I _
murunes may also be mm,maUy dlSUnCtivc m lh
s Ct91cc:n Un 01. '" t ""m
.. '
I , r
.01.1. p esl1ge UCrt'h ' t T" bt:
I used for dIsplay or for servmg, although amm.ls f
o greater va\u.e could cl
to accommodare the larger numbers expected h
ID sue CU'cum!>tilJ1ttS. Another ~
seance where aruma\s of unusual value mIght b d
. e USe as part of sollJ.umo k.."
is the large-scale commumry meal m wluch all Int dh
, creste o~hol~ nu.
mbu tlons to obtam an unusually large domesnc arum I h ~ '-
il sue a~ a w.~ p1.g T
bull. The ammal can be lulled at a cenrrallocanon bu th
. .. _ • t e. me-at,. often dl"J
up accordmg to mruVldual household fmanual con .... bu · I th
.... , nons. n _ou e<l_ t ...
household members take the meat back to their house ' ,
- . ~ lOr coo mg il.t'l on-
sumption wIth no vu/age,wlde communal meal , although con"dera I -Inn
often occurs, Arumal horns or manrubles from such commun aI mt , .U-e U~u.w,_" ·
saved and placed in pronunem locations such "" rhe ,'ill'ge p"<st, or he dlll,m,
house m order to eltsp/ay the communiry 's abUlry to sponsor such nb F\~, ~_
and 2 ,8), As far as I know, beyond tIus sunpl. COrporate d.spl.1y, pn"n~ ,tem,.l'<'
FIgure z 6. A \ '.. mamese Imenge shrine used for lineage feasrs , Only Iugh ~ rankmg lineage no t assooated WIth such sohdariry feasts
men us. the mlenorof tillS scrucrure for feastmg and nrua/s, Women, chudren, and low~ Small- and m eruum-sized work feasts probably sh.re mol 0 rh- rn." n>l
ranking IIneagr members ear rhelr meals ou[slde the strucrure . characteristics of sohdanry feasts~ As w,th commuml) fe"" man' h."" I'r
bly seek to mmimize costs and mIght nOt u>e pre,n!=.e ,er 'ltIg., ,-,', I
workers, especially if they dra" mamh on kmshlp n 'to "',\'UI! "'t f ' L •
(•• snng evems mto a number of broad categories, Four such categories might some cornmumry sohdanty feasts, work fe.1Sts ;Omeom , r a, III ,lllllSU.!
conSISt of locations (forests or spnngs) . On the other h,lnJ. . Itch., I
munication) has observed th'l as the number t It'quiI'!'d, 1

1. MINIMALLY DISTINCTIVE FEASTS creases beyo nd the near km group, gn:.t r m.renal du. 'U\ nu
provided to artract the required number ,lr e. p< rt: t Th, un
There are no archaeological examples of muumally cllstincnve feasts proposed in
tlus volume, However. er/mographically, at least at some leve ls, solidarity fea sts
usually hlgh -qu.lltt} foous .ithl set\m~ bn '<'"
encercammenr or treJt; m.w be pn\\\,\ ,\ Thl' I I t , ' m hi
are mlfl1mally cllsnnctive . Most generalized hunter /ga therer feasts are probably
classed wtth promotlon.,l k,tsls m It to" \ r mal nal
mInimally cllsnnctive as well. In these cases, only the size of [he food -preparation
and er\'mg matenals may differ from dally meals, as well perhaps as some food
2, PROMOTIONAL' ALLIANCE f E A. T'
sprCJes 1)( mmimally higher value (chIckens, ducks, rabbits, small pigs), There arc I
Although mdl",lll,11 f.lImh,', 'r,II"'1 1\\ 1\ "", lun I r
many bmall-bcale (less rhan 10 people) household and moderate-sized (,lbolll n 1\1 In
ICI- 'j0 pe(/ple) Imeage sl)lldanry feases of rhls type , as well as dyadlc friendship son.11 gnllll' .11 1,1t ,,' """ '[,'1'1." " I bt 1 f
{~II ohm,won {ea (5. and pOSSIbly pUJ1JShmenl fl.'aSls fur whllh .1.11,1 MC Thl'lc .\t\', III "'m,, ,Inll,.'n.llll 11"
par Given the mgl< evelll and unfi"nl' I'1l n,lI ure of pUJ1Ishmell( f(',lst" ,IS well I
,IS ",",' I hI'" "'1,1,111" th I
1'tl\
a rh likely de Ire 'Jr the g IV('! (0 111111111111.(" ("(ISls, hllle 'peu,11 foud prt'jl.1l ,lIlun ,11\.1 11",,',11>1, l,b'\I \ I' n"I' 1\1111 III Ih I I h
or rvmgparaphcrnOllu wl)uld hI t'X1'Ct"II'd trIll(' lI\(' d fOI 11Illll,hll1t' 1l1 fr.ISIS," Ill" ,1\ ,111,,\11, , 1''' ," ' 11\ 11\ t
((pr lhmugh borrowmg ' VrJllll lldt'l ,lI l' ~II.I IIJ){,,'W ' , ,,hd,llilY " ",,1. l"IOh.lbll' ~h\)\ll" 11" h ~" 'lU n, \ 1 I

54
 '" P fW LE C. 0 MEN O_"_T..:O'-.:T'-.:":.::l..:'"';::P t) RT
~(£ ..0' FEA\l "'le.
_
- ~ -

Preparation vessels, sc.rvtngc ves~tls. and pcrh~p. L~n t.mom-.~ ~

nmlcally ch.rocten>:e t h.se ,easts. Such fcas' ••1 d < ---,
-I r ~ so t.." to b typified ....
of assoCiated ntual paraphernal .. used to mdlCat h VI •
c .
derS(and the same ,e.sttng convennons and recoon e t at _Lp.nlapanu '!1c an4
.,. _12< Ule «mtuctuoln.tlUr\:
debts mcurred by accepting ,nVltatlOns to feasts S h
. . ~ uc par.phernalio1 loci
tems such as pipes and the ntual .hanng of tobacco .. ~_
I
the consumption of alcoholic Or Other dnnks like cbo I
smO""'g~,_ ~ ptaal, fur
. . co ate:, Pr..d.~ or coffee: c
D ieder 1990) , and other ntuallzed n.rcottc paraphemal C '
. la. ommuml)' ..tlian.:.
and promononal feasts are probably indistman"hable fr I
- b~ Om tnc-agr-. Or cbn~
sponsored promotional feasts In terms of size and mate I.
. . na Signature a1<hou-.:h
loca tions may shl ft from IndiVldual fanuly Or corporate _ d .
,,,Sl coces to c~ntru
spaces or facihties of commuruties. Speaalized SUUCtures m'y b . d h
e: a~OC1ate Wlt u-
some levels of this type of feasting. Large household-sponsored work feast'
household or lineage investment feasts, (such as maturation feasts far duldren In
wealthy families), as well as diacritical feasts as discussed In Ch'pter 3 and o,.t1.r
([99 6 ), may be archaeologically indistingwshable from promooon..1feasts e\ 'ept
perhaps for size. Several of the archaeological examples In tlus volume prob.bl~
represent promotional and alliance feasting, in particular, the ~laya hne .. ge fust-
ing and ritual structure documented by Brown and <he Woodland platform
mounds described by Knight. By further examining these archaeolo 'lcall"Ultutt.
in more detail , it may be possible to further refine tlus gro level of Int~rpretl~
tion in specific cases. The feasnng documented at Cahokl. bv KeU, ,l11J ID <h
philippines by Junker may also mcorporare promotional and aUlance fea'M
components, however their scale and the melUSlon of Co,U) pr"'ti~ " tt. .'
dated with cluefs seem to indicate other feasong compon~nt. 'uch a. mbllt r
competitive feascing_

3. COMPETITIVE FEASTS
These feasts have all the matena! charactensocs of r lOll t1 nal ,,
even more and more costly presage ltems. m,lre pn:'o " , m
times inrenrionally destroyed hlgh ~,·"luc \\c.llth u\'rn • ,t pt' " I
.ll \
FJgure 27 (top). Water-buffalo horns from feasts are frequently displayed on the houses rate, permanent, specialized stru,turcs fo, IC,I>tIll!! I ,\ ,1tI '
of the sponsonng mwviduals Here. an Akha village head has placed horns from commu- Philippine feasts IIkcly IIlcllldcd (nmrClIII\ . r,'J'I . ~1'\" I th '1\1' [I,m (
nlly feasts on the walls of his house as a wsplay of communiry prosperlry. In other nese porce\ollll W<lrt'S \ Ch,'Pll'r 10),
groups, such as Tora)an rommunltles In Sulawesi, horns are dJsplayed on houses to Indl There IS bound to h< hlm"ng b,'I\\,' ')\ lh' Ib, \
~te ho~hold (lr lJn~age wealth Figur~ 2 8 (bottom) Pig mandJbles are also conserved pluses become .lbllnd,llll. \\ Indl I .1.1 hI III T t 1\ I It I 1
alit'r maJlcr r. uu and used to dJ~play hou,chold. lineage, and sometImes commlllllry
3ctJVJtJes, aJ m Irll Akha admJnJstr,1l0(·S hOllst
cess III k,"IS Ih.11 ,11\' 1\11\.1.1111< \\I ,lilt pI ,\"
111.1\ III

.\ 11\
, 1 Ilh \\
I
son.11 group 111 t.h I, II 1".11\ 101 ill1,i I pilI f, 1\1\ t
J 1 h
l'\'\'11 tl1<' " ' 111 ,11 1" 1,,"\1 "'1\11\1\11\\1\ ",h,bll I
\I
"'nll III hllll h." ", '\"I'\.I\ ",1111 lb. 1\\111111\11
 - - A PA()l H,,<;,ML Ch T) Ht
J -
J --
l.llncd through w(,I]k re ts f· - al~
m{"nt, to rnampul .. tc people: Gnd perhOlfK
I 4 , Fea
.
'lng IS prob.bly 'h< malO ~yn.mu: [.e'G. b.
r- :no. r

PrCSlI!!;C
-
tcchnol"g"'"
,
especaUy the dC...
_IOPiUt:ht
lhc domr..5l1C'aw)n fir plant.s and '",mills
4 TRIBUTE fEASTS '11.>u
. I . II clllrancnzc chlefdum and early 'tatc Icveb of
Th,,\( le"l' pro ,.1 , Y • f rh. .
<"".
'" n'~a
5 Pcasong In lranscgahlan;ln and olhtl (0
.
calcd qn the production and wc uf econr ,
p~ type, I ""
I
l __

. . , thJn Jny other type 0 least. T ey MC held · ~11Ue urp

non They mJY be rJr a.gcr I . . . at regu ence and magnItude of "oragc f.rrhnc:s should b.. nl t
, I · cl shm.ld be as .ncluslve as poss.ble wahln a
llr cJkndncaJ rnlt.'rv,l!i all . gIV(:n rntcO>Il)' of fcasllng The great« the SUTnlll .L
. , I k 'Iy .hJt wea lth cI.str-ibut.on would be common Since the • r- KS. w~ glQ
'JullfY I•• c,'m> un' ' I d gOal coS[ and frequency of preslIgc ".ms, P'dllg<: foods,!>Tt
, , . • much surplus as poss.b e. an to sequester as I
of lhcse {cast' IS 10 amass a. argo a ,eis, and pOSSIbly feastrng archltcctUn: A)"., .... ta ~
rl."
.. ossrblc for use . These types of feasts probably gen .. Ul ,
elite """-I.

proportron 0 f P .' ,rate greater ,he expected promouonaland cOIllI< ~ n

{ rood refuse due 10 the large-scale consumpt.on of mOSt
J lar~c amounr 0 " . SUr· 6 Peasung IS probably not a prnmtn.nt p.rt of gen.:uhud h
plus food by the populace .n order to motivate them to suppOrt the ehtes and behavlor
. r 1i bute {cascs are Itkely to be tnttmately ued to ntuals hono . T The larger the feast and the larger the surplu5P$ the e et
.nbuce IcaHS. n . '. nng
polny dCIUCS an d In many cases are assoclaled w.th monumental Struclures
. an d food and good. IS expected to be, cu1mma1Ut In tm,
d h chose delocs, Schmandt-Besserat makes a convinCing tion of weal ch rn compeuuve feasts . 1'hu se.: support d
spaces a!'iSOCh1Ce W I C .. .. case
for mbute (easts 10 Sumer (Chapter 14). and s.mllar events may be represented by graph.c srudtes and srudtes of modern tnattrul ~
Kclly's CahokJan feasts (Chapter 12). rhe large ~ntJsh Neohth.c and Bronze Age Wtlson and Ram]e Ul thIS volume
(ea'ttng mJddens previously mentioned (McOmJsh 1996). and large-sca le feaStIng 8 Peasnng may also be strongly ImplicateJ an th
rematns at Incan s.tes (Morns '988), clal -funcnon archlcecrural structures in tTlt UI
9 As m most archaeolog.cal mqum . m, e!in
behav.or or ~OCla1 or~alllzallon an: t U ~t
PRINCIPLES AND CONClUSIONS craStes of pcopk. hlslOl'). pre "'dtlOn. .ull!'
The major points that r wish to make abour feasttng can be su mmarized as and InterprclatlOn How., r, It .·houIJ ~
follows : the many contrtbullon, III thr, lum ,
not rCstn({~d III a rngle Itn of ,den h
. , The lugh cost of some feasLS. rhelr widespread occurrence. and the.r per
type, of data. both thl'Ort'tl a1 nd
sislence over t.me rndlcate that feasts are probably adaptive in an evolu-
,IOU rnvc'tl~al" the pf"Iu'1 n \
tionary and cui rural ecological sense
cndo,sl' the tt'" uf ,n m hn (
2 Feam are techmques for transJormmg surpluses tntO SOCially. economIcally.
rn~fe.l,tmg .. ,'d 10
and poltticaJJy useful currencIes that can be used LO further inulvldu,ll and
metaphu. It " 11", , nil 1((1, nn
group sclf.nreresl and survIval. Th.s appears to be onc of the mosl umque
IO~It: .11hl pn h,lP' I' 'll~ru~
and disttncllvc capabIlItIes Ihat distinguIsh humans from th .. n'sl of thl' an 1Il~ to ' • •'ppl,' \\ IIh thIS I'd
(ma) world ,
J In rransega)ltanan socierics. clear adaprivc adv3nragcs (.In bc' c~tabltshl'U III \lllh IIISh 'n. 11 I rth It t •
via feaslS rh"r gIve hllus('holus dnd Irnl'.Iges JdvJllIage~ 111 w,.rf;m', "ll)t111 d"I'loUt,ll1\ 01 It t .\ ,
mg malCJ, help in cmtrg('Il( I('S Jlld fJlaSlropht", ,lilt! III p"htit.d lIml.1I1 lit" 'tlll tl.Oll IMp r 11

over rCMlurtcs and pCllpl1' I'easllllg III-l]ut'ntly "Ill'nllt' hy t"t.,hlt,ltlllg \ .lIh, t ~ t hJI ..

n, \l
",n , I ,

Ilmg t('rrn '" (alIII" and drillS dlth'"lglt 1I1lttlt d.,llt' 1H'lIclit 'If' "lit,,, I,h lit IUS 111\

JI
 •

J e rhnograp hy have nor been of great Service t

rhropology an 0 al'ch. A PROLEGOMENON TO lH{ !MPORTA ... C.t. or: ft"~l"r.
In I ems cl,ar [he future development and validat ' eOlog,s
In thIS respecr t se IOn of a Is
. 'ples relared to feastrng must be undertaken by eth CClr rat
.. nd n:IrJble prtna . nOarch • Byrd Bnan
'lstS or s\rmpa e I
rh te ethnographers. There IS a great deal of lrt erattJre: aeolo.
.. . 1989 Th~ NafuJian Encatnpm~1 JUtb.nd Archa~Q\og&al
!; cl' raplues. bur most of It has debliJtatlng gaps that rend . On the Denmark.: Aarhus Uruversny 'Press.
roplC III e wog ' . er It of .
fa rchaeological purposes. For mstance. despIte the g min. k John and De:nis Gosser
Imal vJlue r a . reat ""eal Clar • . . .
.' New Guinea feasts. there are no published p lans of fi . th or 1995 Reinveomlg Mesoamenca s FtTSt POtt~t')'. In ~ ["Wigmu "f
descnpoons on ' . easttn s
ny indrca rion of the loca tlOns of feastmg or food-prep . g trut. by W. BarnettandJ Hoop ••. pp. 209-UI Wa lun~on DC
rures or even a ' . aratlon f . stiruuon Press.
. -" roasting pits for fea sts. PoUy W,essner prOVIdes sOme f acu.
loes suU' as 0 the f1r Condorrunas. Georges
I
rl usaatlOns. ' tlus volume. The task for ethnoarchaeologists and eth
ID
nogra h se
1977 We Have Earm the Forcst. New "ork; Hill and \"\'J.ng
S bu t it is not tOO late ro launch su ch an undertaking T h P ers
IS enormou . . e ga the . conkey, Margaret
of rrunds represented in tlus volume rs . ampI e testJrnony
. to the interest and nng 1980 The Identification of PTehistonc Hunu~.r Gathc.tt:t A.~ _ n~ s"u . .
reooal relevance thar the future srudy of feasting holds for us all. Po- Case of Altlmtra Current Anth.ropology u:609 6}O.
Cowgill. George
1996 population, Human Nature, Knov.mg Acto~. anJ Exrbmtng th~ . .~\ {
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ComplelUry In D<batlng Complcclty. edlted bl D I'''t P [l.,. ond
My SUlceresr gratirude is extended to Ralana Maneepraserr and Cbantabo on SUtrh.i D. Hann.. pp. 16-22 Calgary' Uruvernry of Calpry
·
mer Drrector) of the Tnbal Research Insatute . Chi ang Mat,' Tb a il and. as weU a
In (fOr_ Association.
s to Pro- DaltoD . George
fessor Chang Quoc Vuong. Director of the Vietnamese Culture and Ecology Pr
. ogram at 1977 Aboriginal Econorrues ID tateless oaeo~ In Ex.."iI.4JI.~ " \tc'n\S '"
HanOI National Universiry. Their unselfish sharmg of knowledge and help in ViSiting tradi_
edlled by T Earl. and J Encson. pp 191-=_ ow \or·· ."Cl < f't<
r:ional Hill Tnbe comrnuruties was invaluable in opening my eyes to the realities of Hill
Oat. Peter M .. and David E. WlIson ..
Tnbe culrure and feasting. Funding for these investigations was provided by the SOda] Sd-
ence and Humaruries Research Council of Canada. 1998 Corrsuming Power Kamares \\ = ID !'n.', r~btl.ll

72:350-35 8
Dietler. Mlchael
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Wtlson. N , and A Towne

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6
Van. Xuang "Feast" IS anan.,lyuc.,1 ruhn, u' J I" ,I< n m' nnul
199 Tht Flow of Gifts Stanford. Stanford UniverSIty Press .
6 the commun.,1 consuml'n,'" oi i,l' \ h\ nil
bhavl. AmotZ. and Av'lshag Zahavl
1997 Tht HandICap PnuClplt . Oxford' Oxford UniversIty Press
1111pOftant soo.,1, eClllwnll, .. ,,,J
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' I rap"sl" on " requires ,IClJllcd, cartful and subll ,h.
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1) \ It,,ill 01 " IIl\lIn'" hy whit h. dw 1l1l'ICJI" o/lIi('\, U I w al< P , c an_,,, t aplor>,,,,,,
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,, 11 1,1 ,Il ' 1.11 I 1'1 " b 1Ill' on l)' wuy wc: wi ll n1CJVt' I'll'yond ll1("fh . ht . .nl ,I (' I. I
I."" 'Ik IlIe pl \ lp'~ lil l' I ". .11' 1( oled above, I uc me ca'L' exp lady as a form ,,[ pubt t
le ntua .Ctl\~", c~
in III llc.·r\'I ,llIdll1~ /W, I C)J'I(oJ I r.ln~ 0I1l1"llon ~ uf
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\ vanfJUs' As n
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I 1111i1 11{ ,,·dll l ll lll lL' JlI '- . ,. , •
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th o nr ) \\"11/1111 .\ ¥\ U·l1h , Ir 11 "' flI r,'" III " W ,\ (' w"y, . \ ,lI1d, III the pU I SLll t 01 lhe lr COn qllium lecture Moreover, as the last example suggt ~, ntu." n ed 'lot n, 'C" r
" 11 ,111 .\ W I II (/1<' slllI ri llrl'S III • Ih'e, 'systems
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I
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j\ 11\"t' d .lIllI ,·.''p I,11(!l
, e..n II1 11'<' Ill'(' 10 /111 PllI .lI1 aIYll e'" CJ lcgO ll cs Wllh m C" I1I1'grul lIvillCS m terrn s o f fo rms o r acn on or purpOse In K<rttsr s N~ 9 phr th~
l fl'lInlt ,1114 I .It I\{. I(h, ( ' I)t:'yood "Wc/III"I" ic SlllIclllI"nl conci nll o ns, vague pro arc "aCtIon wrapped III ,1 web o r symbOhsm " \101\' \\ ill be '~Id. Ut ch., ~r
IBIUIH ,"111 "'111' .1 1)I)lll (11'(' rtkt t' IJlliIWd WK I,ll procl'sses, ,ll1d sweep ing evoluti onIst Pa r rhe mom ent, let m e sImply assert that, as \\ Ith l1lhCT r\f ' 0 ntual. k
I, Ir(l/(l~ it" prOVide an arel\,' iC)r bOlh the h1ghl\' condensed, 'mbob, repre, nt;)U n nd th
arnve manipulatio n o f 'OCI,II rc lauons ~ l <"e'l\er. a, ,t p,lrtl(\Ilar I rm 'I nl\l.1 m
FEASTS. POLITICS, AND ARCHAEOLOGY which food Jnd clnnk constl(u tc (he m,'alum of c' pre" \ n and mm 0' I ,m
rIltr" h,I\ h('I'11 II1l1ch WIIII I'11 'l'(I' J1tiy ,lbulIl th e m 'et! to deVelop a praClIce, sumptlon ( o nsnrul cs the b.l slC symbOh( Idltlm, '.'1 h.,
"'''' lIInl ~ I'I'IlI,lch 111 ,lIdl,l co/ogy, bUI I,ll hCI /l'w ( Oh ~ IC nl s uggesltOlls o r elTee erucs (whIch , agoIll, WIll be dlS( ussed m m,'('t dl'l Ubt r I
ml' dr n"""" ,IfI()I1S 1)( h()w Ihl' ( .Ill he ,l cnlll1ph shcd Thi S IS o n e of Ih e PIIIl((l'al In e.rher pubitc ,\tlo ns, IU" ' d (I1mp,lr.ltt\l cum gruphll d.u
.UII P<I""IS ,,( 8 ("W' Oil /(-,I.IIS, Although ,IS ye l (uriously untie r ar kll o wlctlgcd, orellcal d'SCUSSIon o f 'c\,~I .l1 m ,ll "r polm, ..1 ,\1111<0 I I
Ihl ' "111""'" all'olu", ' of (1' ,1.\111114 IS ,1 dom.un 01 polllllal nC lI O" lhat IS bOlh d"lIIKt\OIlS h,lsed lIpon ,1 ( Ilnsldn lt1\ll1 Ilf th· nJun. tu
" Irr nu I)' 11111'"1'1"111 on J w"r1dwldt, se,111' and PO(CIIIIJlly acce SSible 10 ar(h.ll'O ic.,1 m1es pl,IYl' tI by r~.1sts ,ll1d Ih,' H.lfII ", "r Ih, If ' I mb , I I
IUI:ICJl I ~"alpls (VIt' I"'r 'INO , 11190, I~QI1.I : Ilaydcl1 IQI)O, 1996) Il1dl'cd , I would modes III rUIl1II1l'IIS,ll p"hlte' 1\ ,' r,' 1,lbd , d tUt
Cc)ntc·"d bUlh t/1olI (,'asls J«'lI1ht'rclllly pO/IIIt,11 ,1I1t1 Ihalthl'Y CUllslilUlt'" fund" "dl,\(lIlt(,ll' 1(o,IS[s , ,111.1 l'lS,'d ,hlktt' m ' '''\1' Is lI\ rrrhl ' tl'ill
m~nt.1I IIUlTUnlt'nt JnJ lit~JI"r 01 po/uleJI lei.UIOI1S , In makll1g Ihls Statl'l11t'l1t , It't how Ihe ,11'1''',",111111\ ,)1 tills P""I', lIh" 11\ 1.\ ~n;h~ I
mt rlpu lil y c-mphJ 17.1' Ihal ImJ"I/('Mly do IlOI 1111',111 to milkl' Ihe naive letlllC i.lll('ll'nt sucic..·lh,·' (Sl' l' nil elt' ! lvu" . l -')C' 1 hIt
nOllJft argum('1II rh~r /eJsI ~ ar," oll/Y Uholll powt'!, nOI do 1111\"111 (h,1I tht,y .Hl' lht, V,IIWIY 111 I·thllllgl tl'hl" <'",kll\\ Iwm \ It'!. ~n .1
only gmfic.lnl dllnl311101 poll III Jl ~11"1/1 "a( 110/1111 /lllI II)('y ,It(' CIII1ltll0111y ,Ill fllnl1<'1 dll, Id,u<' lit,,, tlU,,11 'It, "I q lr"lru t " .\
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'mptlTUIII arrn3 (or th~ rrprt'~rnr ~ ltoll ,lIltl IIIJl1lpul.lllIIII of pOllllLl1 rl'i .llI!lII\,
IIIIt'IIS 111'<111 Alth .! h" ' " I ll, .I .111' U 1111 \
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rural 1nl/nullO" I/OWI"Vt'T, b Ill,,' Wc~" ~hll tll /ully nl'III" lld, I"IIIII""I~ ,IV
hr>th,tlld " 1" ' 111 11\, "I 11 Ir"lII 1\,1\" • I" n I
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 _ ,,'.,!: I"frl nu't/(r _ _ __ SUMPTION. COMMENSAL POl.lTIC\ "~' .. v.i.'"
OF CON - _ •
- • ,.1 TU I' l. 5 - - --::..::~~~~~

, 1 lht' t.·lhrulj.:r.lphlC rc:rr.lin thal rC:~llly gave birth - I tlons that bmd people together In v.no". In~
h t "( Ih 11 ;\tnc.. '" to id\ re a I fr ~
('\t.', ' 'I I l' .Il • . "t,;ld l.""ll"dJe J9Q8.58 Moore 1994). Because so rtl Po. 310 sOc WIde range of sea es, Om the 100.1 ho h"
lHhHJ UlltJl1clr(l/o~)' .1"·1 h " fnl:lric,dly driven fTonl In t lIeh fe.!. ( \tS 00 a OLQ f
I '(lJnn.)f cril ".1~ pi Jg ear Y dal n<tWor , I comrnuruty, For example, they are ntremel~
w,lId, dU11I1": I ll' " f pollncs 10 both mynad Slat I " by I olitlC' , , : Itnt"Orunt
d r'" IOU Ihe upcr.Hlon 0 e ess sOci ~ion' P , entS of friendsrup, kinslup, and COmmuUl'" t.~-
.1I1t"n1pr~ lu un t . • , 'J ' that were encountered (e p Cll es • sen~ -, -
,lI1J dl(' 1.lI"gl" ~enLJ ,1 IZ
ed kin"L"t 0"1> ' g" fr' I Ort Cs and "stuoS , bonds between affine groups and pohnc.llmIr., b"l'- ,_
h.I'" P.,lch,IN 1040, ' l
, M d IIt'ron Jnd TJJt (95 8 ), the A Ican I[erature IS un
USUally ce men ~g ds In this sense, they may b e seen to perform, at ' nE
, , s ktn " ~ 'UletV 0
" ,b Jno"S all, and IOslghts I1ll0, structures of power v. nou , ' tegrarive functlon of creaong cornrnunltas, whICh", d tiIi
nch 111 ~'omr"lr:1I1Vt: 0 serv . b ' _ and th claSSIC m f ' al ( ' >1 m cl
, d iJ)' /tfe Moreover, desp.lte the 0 VIOUS cautious e the . nalist analysts 0 ntu see espeaally Turntr t9O<l1 "_'
npcr.HJ(l11 of po I1Clc.s 111 J " SOUrce , r fun euo " v'>.Jott\Uute
'Satiating much of [he carher structural-funct ' ear\le ,ve I liroJted consIderations of feasnng bv arehaeol""t:st> lu
,,:ntICl~n1 necessary III ne , ~ _, lonalist .L.,
latl Y • -" \n\T.,,<'IltlOl
po I\lle.1 I \1'01' k, Afrl'CJI1ISI' hove I'cmall1cd at the vanguard
, S and
of pohucal analysl' the re much beyond this level until qUlte recently, As hter ~,
' of power Hence , Africa does offer an enecrare '" w=mn
[ht' [heoretlc.ll "'1' ora nonI " ' " especiall to P ate a more productive pohtlcal analySlS of fe"tII\~ must aJ
oostr , . '. ~ o~
promlsmg conrc..\:1 or I
'fc nvesriganng d,e poiJncal dimenSIon .
of feaSting, y dem I contradictory processes and tenstons sunultaneou, 0 -
camp ex , ' ' - .-ntm, 10
Afn c. is also of mteresc because It has frequently be the , 'aL However, tt IS Lmportant to acknowledge t\u, mte~ntr; fun
Bur [he..., IS more. . " "
gled our by ,cholars as presenDn~ some II1tngumgly distinctive characterisrics to
en Slo,
<uqn
leaS
tu "
g other things, enables feasts to act frequentl ' as the noJ;d c nt
=
hich aro on
t he red Im of II
"ood and pohtlcs • ThIS IS, a feel' all, the
..
connnent
_. ...
that was deSign ated Vi 'ulate regional exchange systems commrnsal hosplulit\' e'tabh,ot, ~h,
OC
G d ( 82) as d,e procorypic land without CUJsme , H,s book Cooking C that ar hips betWeen exchange pat mers, a III nes, or pol'ItI"ollleader:;
-, and p <It, the
by oo}' 19 , , , ' I<i,
SII\(, allll Class was largely dedicated co explammg why African SOcieties, even the [Ions b ' ce for the exchange of valuable, bndewealth, and ot\! r 0.1., th"
~amlan ,
rughly Sll aofied kmgdoms, had not developed the kind, of markedly differenti_ so th ough a region. Feasts may also pro"Je the m.un ,Onte fur the amI
citcula re r , , _
ared cuhnary practices that charactenze Europe and China, I hasten to add that , f disputes, the passmg of legal Judgment, anJ the rub1h ,un!; "It "f
one should be wary of Goody's rather sweeping regional generalizations, but [ra[lon 0 h
. (dicu.le mimicry, oscraosm, etc .) t at mmnam, :ul OtllIU\" I
sanCtions n , ,
they do POln[ to some mteresting theoretical issues that are impOrtant for under_ . In the unportant religIOUS sphere, feam, .lho, f\ III \,r', dUn, l
cornmurury,
standmg the archaeological interpreration of feasting, Likewise, several scholars ancestors that can also be u ed to define the 'IT\l(lU1'(
me go ds or ,
have recently suggested both chat the narure of power in Africa differs funda- 'al gTOUPS or categones ",)thm a reg.,on or 'onunumt
[Ween soa ,
mentally from that in "the West" (in that it is centered more around consump_ , a l mechamsm fOT the pro,cs' ot \aoor m t- tI WI un h
VIde a cruel
tion than around "cransformation," that is, the capacity to consume rather than " I omy ~nd they serve to aro(uilte, n r.
politlca econ • ,
the abilir)' to get people to do things: Schatzberg I993:446), and that it is insepara- exchange (see Chapter q),
bly assooated with metaphors of food and its consumption (see Bayart 1993;
Exa mples of these features are Ub1qU111 11> In th
I
Lentz 1998; Schatzberg 1993), Agam, Lentz (1998) quite rightly cautions against literature on Afnca But, Important th" a .1'
accepting such broad generahzarions and remcarions, pointing out the cremen- feasting must move bcyon,\ fUtKlll)nal ,-,1fl1,1 aO n nr\ ,llll \

dow dJversiry of political praCtIces, strategies, and moral philosophies of power roles to examme the dYll.lnu<, n.lll\n' , t Cl l, t, ,pn l
In Africa, But, whether one ultimately accepts these arguments for African excep, and economIC pr .Il'tl(l', III ~hl)\\ III ,\ tal! h, \\, J1nJ tI Ih '''1111
{Jonamm or not, what such examples indicate is that African societies do furnish strate how fcasts .Ire Imp",'aled In " ....'1 I, a
a challengmg context in wruch to examine and refine theoretical constructs con-
cerrung feastmg and politics derIved from broader surveys of ethnographic data. FEASTS AS RITUAL, RITUAL AS POllTl
mmunal
As noted earlu,or, I a,,' re \ 1111 \ 'r I
h nIl I
n\
FEASTS AND THE POLITICAL ECONOMY drink consumpllon rhl III .In' Ih , I h f III
I
8effJre underuking a more deralltd analysis of Ihe mlCropoilllca\ Jlnll'IlSIOnS of sum~ltIon pral lI, t':, hUI .11 th .101 t '" th I
ft'altlngnruaJ, or what may be labdtd "mmmellsal politics," I will bl'glll WIth Ihe tut d thnlu~h \ ompl 11,,\I I 1
~ral observation rhar In Afdra, as c:Ist'wh!'r1', f(OaSIS sl'rY<' ,I wld!' V.II'1t'IY of 1111 and buth foil t1\ I It I mm,m
porlanl JlruClural role. In the bmadl'l puln" al (" OIlOIllY Tlu-y , 1t',IlI' .Ill.! 11101111 ~tli\pt 11 I III 1'1 I 111\ \1\\ \\1 tI

6'
 -
k,' r' 11It',ll 14. dlllSII'.II(' 11"" Ihl'tlllgh .1 s1I111"
H.I(';I
PI 111 10 f It Ullllhll l to <''t-, l .. !1d Conl.1f O n 1991. '993. KeU it d
t .. ,'1,1 ell lilt; C.llhola n111S' m.IY ht., set:" .1'" l'SS,·",
11 " nlpl" IllJ(O I n
I ,11 " lllC
t III1HtlU , .. _ ' • . I., Y.l ~ , 1'ur ncr IQOQ I \n ,hiS lauer \'em man
C.l~l
I

'" 1dblllhul/tHl.1Il...i f(n1SlI rn r 'lOl1 ()j hrt .lu Jnu Will'· -'"1
1"
'9 85.•nu<lHy j conservauve .lumontarian ti
'll.- .\..-
111\'P IVIII)! t 1(' 11 .1 . ,
,11 ,-VC'111 hOlh d,' rlVl' S 11'0111 .IIltl pl.l y!-. lIl")",,... "'Ci\n eSse Ulalt
11l~ (I t f I" '" t lit I.. 1/ "1'1'"" re IJ U Ol1S of power. wh,l~ othcn c g. AptU '99~ (.
. "",'1'-:\' ,If (hilly 11 H.' ,I Is. hut 1.\. ,ll fhe ~.11l1f.; fln'I' 1
t lis 0.'
'glllal
nlc.II"Il~ 111 11, l
.( . .J by the syl1lholu: Iri.lll1lflg dl'vlrcs dUI Ulstlngul~h the..' In .
,". _ . (. !',In,.lf .
1993; Kcrtzcr lQ8R) Vlt:~ It as a.n lmponam hism
1C.:.lliy
1t.II1:"ro Ilf Illl . ,I s~ as JucnO n ;lnd the lflllstormJ.tlOn of rclOlUOt\$ of
. ( ' 1'" ,,' [IclllOf d)II'-'('" quolidi lln meals ,Ire also. to cl C4:rtlll' , a the
~ CXtc.:nt"·
jltl
I
n I1 l . ,
III t/1dl 1i'H.'Y .lIl' hi~hly SlI uctl.lfCJ
pi.actll:e -on l!l1te.U pcrspccuvc approach.: ..- ritual 15pow
III
lhI!IZC.'"r' ("\'t'/1I.\
. 1 uences or J II OIl rl1Jt
seq . se
• 11t · . nand rC!:Ils tan Cc_, as an arena for tht: .O;;V1ll\..~'!-
Irl ,h"I')(.' tht" '· h.lhTlu~" (Buun.JicLI
. 19(0) of IIllhVI( uals (InCl.llc~lllrh-'="r tlI SPOS
· rVe
ltl O·
nO ~U\JU4,. natut

an~j conlcstanon of aUlhoncy .It ,hould go w \ thOUt )In

g11ld,ng 1',.re <"I· Jnd ",m1l ,," 7.11'8 11", SOLlJ I orde") ., "cl the,r conSlllUcnl I . n,
ll . I I ' , e C"'enl ea,li er caveat by noung that, In tn:.tln~ the i'Ohtiul
(.111 b,' 111.1I11I'ul.lloJ ,ubdy (0 ", •• k• .po .tI~., sta lcmelllS (App.,d',ra, '98. ). BU'
nO ( •l([Crnptmg to reduce nrulls such Q~. rea," to an ol
Ihe) d,tTer from Illore lorma' mu." (casl evenlS 1n bell1g gcncrJlly I~ss c I
'-!L

pohncS. There 15 dearly a lOt more of (onsldcrabk

,nnus') publl'l'edonn.1I"cS The way' 111 wh,ch (casts .1re symbolrcall On·
ual and pohtlc arc ,"separably hnkcd 111 WI'j - rh t IU"t
. .' d X 1" Y "'Jrked s
.1.\ d,'fTl1l"f from d~ltly pr.lculc JIC VJI1.1bJe .• 1Il . e l cn1c!y 1l11pOnanl IClr .1rchacol. The cRcCt\vcne ,of nru.tl 111 tlm dom.lJO ,-=
<>8"[.' to u"dcrM.md . More wdl be s.",' .,boul . Ih,s later.
'Par the mOme nt , illS 1111 . (1979) has noted. the most emotlonJ.!l~ com and
p"rl.1n( to rCCO!;TlIZe lhal lhls rcl.Hlonsh,p belween leasts .lncl dady meal, . Jre those thJI arc not o,"enl) pounol but ra~r d
cruCIal horh fO.
undersl.,nJ,ng' Ihe symbohc Slgn(ficance of feaslS and 10 Our~r's c.lhcy" meILtlflg Ifltcnst p<",on~1 e:qsenrn~ or
Jir.l.r)' ,dcnlrly (eastmg
(0 ~rchaeologlcJlIy y broader srrucrurcs of power B "COndCINn
.Ill rillS po.nt. It ,s necessary ro exp.",d Ihe diSCUSSIon shghtly and set reasts
. In a ISt11lnfWiCS SI.)o.tl n{lrn'~ and ,atc!'~on\'~ 'Ia."tm rill 1\uner
broader IheorerieJI (Onlext by saying J few words aboul the emerglllg a nLh ropo. rC.1S on that tTJ,um ,lt\!.: hte: -e nSl!'> C\ nh ~u h ~
1<I!;lc•• 1 undcrsl.lnUmg of the nJrure of nlLlJI in general and ItS rcilllonsl
, "Plopol. tllilJOr ntu31 ,11"<113 I", thl>manlru!auon
ItIC' .md power One con~lsrcntly cOlllmon fcatLlre of recent views 'n eu Itllr.1 emotlon.,1 power or nluals abo ,t m. m
,.",hropolngy " J 'CJectlon
. of assumptions that connnlle lO underlie many ar. nlechants m ' (0111mo,,1\ cmrl", J U\'
chJt'nloglCJI Interprctallons; th.lt rlfLlal IS .1 stralghtrorward l'e Occllo n 0 f' social
. tend HI Ii-,lmc nnul oh "mts,,\!, U
" nu pOIIlIC.,1 slr~crurc and /~r ,111 InCOIlSCqLlCllll.tlly epiphenomenal aspect of the llf J311) pl.I'lI'~. Ihu, I,,, u \l\ rcor'
. . VI'".w 0 I nlual
supn,trucrure 01 SOCietY. rhc older DLlrkhclmlan runctlolllilst cpI,,"k, ,,\ hc.ght'·"c,1 cm,lll nal
U an adJPIIVl" mechanism (d kmd of JllpllrpO~c .ldhc~lve slIbslln
•• 'C") I"or the ~l' n1U.'II." ..l.l1\I,.lt\~ . rhvtMU :I.

rn,lmll'nann'
• -Iv', t"rnl
of SU(lal solldarllY (or '\y\lClll equlllbnum • In . ' lilt) Iogy or I\od IllIll\"..H"l\\ PI H"J.t\1 t

ont:" 01 the mort •• nhJeologlCally popular verslolls nf flIllCIl()111Itsl',

• . ) I....1Iso
· now Ih"Oll!;h 1<11\\1 1,1 ,,,,llh, d• .u
I; n r"\ly ,('wgn,zcd >
to bt·.) P.lrl ••ll.,lld flawed ullllnsl.lndllw Thl< 1\ 11 I III 11 1Icny
" . ' "
(.,th.u .. ' . . "nh Unpl\n,.\1'\t
or Ign'Jrt Ihal nrllaJs frt·tllltntly s,·'vc le) ut'JIt' ,lilt! rl'l,rodllc(' •
I \('ll\C
. . 1)1 ((I"WIIl
. \ll'f.'\\H\\lI\\,,,h 11\\ l\\{,\h)
"'flU (Curn' r t'lt,y, van Cl'l1lltP tYM) . BUI .1I11hmpologll"illllnLiel"'I.'l1dlllg "r 111<" I"llll .• hud . '<"1' \It \ I

ymh(JiJe W"f~ ut fltll"l h,lS ftlllv(·d well bl'YOlllllh" 'l',HUII', .111<1 ,1I11·1\llunI1.l, lIH~ Uh.ll\ll\.\h)f h
now rumcd to ,I,,' III ,"nrJlly lrl'tlllllH"11I.lll'(1ll· "' litll.d 111 (n .I\lllg. ddllll1l" "I Ih, l'1
and t r '
'lIllg I flU 'url fJ POw!' I ". h,,1I ,"
hl' 1 II-.,
Int:" r 1~lIl1n htp 11111,11 ,lilt! 1'"1"11
fr, (WCIII I "'111 10 .11' IIltll'1.111 III It· III

01 I ""11 II"w,,1 tI" ,,1'1'" I. JllI"" """ 11111..1 WltillHI! i'"IIIII'

J'\L Y 11 J' ,II' I fI It)I},) J 11' IIO\\TVI I , 1111 H tu 11 11\
o po/tile wult'JUt r1lU .. I (ILII •Itn I'
I Ih r
I (tlmpl I om Ih~1 h .. ·~f IUI,llf t I fI t It 11 lVI , lIHI filii 111 fllltl 111111\1\.
, ,. I , I\IIttr JlI/L,'J 1I If/l/h, BIII( h IlJ U ( "hi 11 III " I I I
n IIrl,wllol""y
1\ I ~.\

o
 - RITU~LS 0 f CONSUMPTION . COMMENSAL POLITICS A"~

.· rhe amrrol of rcprc~cntjlll()n~ ~\nd ,heir Inter

- , w POWER

I
\\cr Ind ~Inl~ {!i
f'
OH r _ prClatlQ
P" ,• .d "It,r.' MC .111 Import.lnl "tc of hlStoncal chang . n f reparanon that tend to amplify theIr "gnm
t 1,Ih'n'l1uJIII "tl!.JI, • , I C I fo,,", cans 0 p I <.ante on tht
'\ , ' I < ,<k.lbzed "'prcscnrJnon 01 r le sOCIal order. ntu I . ' 111 lca I aspects of ntua (Dletler 1990), Mo reo, , h
l'\t'r HI ,1dJJrJun ro [ '1. . a S also turg cr, t tS propr f
• 1f llnlpularlol1 by mdlvlduals or groups anCmpllflg J1'I" uasi.maglcal transformation of food 'nt rty 0
Ilk, tlw Pt"t'IW.l or n • to aller . n as a q 0 • '<Ub lance
(or make :.:tJICl11cnL'\ J bour thclr rdaClve posllIon wlrhm that socIal Orde r as It is [10 human conscIousness augments the symb It III
tr.nsformslJmUlal aspects 0 f nrua Is . 0 c value of .alCohol III
" I
t'l"('eln.· d. ple~('nlel. on
d COlltcsred. As such. fcasts_ arc subject to sirnulr aneo1Js common ,
rm.tnlpUI,1II0 n I'or b0 th IdeologICal and morc Immediately -" cood and drink are also a hIghly perishable ~Ol f
personal goals I Bou' I' , III 0 good th run
. . n Other
Is CJII use b I'c potential of whIch IS realized Ul the drama of bit polluc
\.\ ord~. 111 d 1\ ,1Il Utl ~ ~ fCdsts to compete agamst ea h oLher WithOut qUes. sym 0 I , pu c.conumn
hat consritute a pnme arena for the reCiprocal con" -'t'tI
oonlOg 01 S I1.1I"ecl \,1 I
son of the soctal order rhat the feast reproduccs and na h~ural •
. eventS t . .. emon of W~t Bo
u ( 9 0) metaphoncally calls symboltc capital" and econo Ur
IU .. or .", wC\ can
use [ca ts to sim ultaneo usly struggle for personal
, Position and die 19 . nu, captlal !>ubli
, D1'b cion and consumption of a bastc need denves added bo
promote contr.l.srl'I1P'" Visions or the proper srrucrure of the sOCIal wor/d , dis u , ')'m lit ,.wcnce
. demonstration of confidence and managenal skill th .1_
Feasts arc Jparllcularly powerful form o[ rirual activil), thar also have the from itS Ul ere""" "'£ pro-
. n More importamly, however, consumpoon is plaved OUI th
pragmaoc Vu"ru·, of bemg' potentially visible. ill the ardlaeological recOrd . Be. ductlo . . . J In e ~\~m h
L.I idiom of commensal hospitality. 1 belteve tlus fe.lUrt I '
CJU e or rhelr mherent emoove and symbohc power, feasts are very often inti. powen ( l i • . . IS (fUO. to un.
derstanding the political dimensIOns of feasts. and It IS for tlus reason thatl ha,
march embedded m nres de passage or life·crisis ceremonies, such as funerals; and
11 IS d~s fearure that often feJ1ders them archaeologically derectable as disrinct
chosen to emphasize what I have called "commensal poltnc ,•
Anigbo has asserted thar "Commensality IS nOI e <onill)' aboul e~m>:.
e"ems, tlloreover, the culillary narure of feasts generally necessirares rhe Use of
love or intimacy" (1996:101-102). because it IS clear th.t eo.-en Indmduat, a:~rb'
contJmers for both preparation and consumption. Very frequenrly, over the paSt
sively opposed to each other may use commensahry to define thel1 reunom!ul'
10,000 years of human history ar least, a substantial portion of these COntainers
However, commensality is a powerfully expre 'Ive trope of Uluml, tlut erUlr,
has tended to be made of ceramIC or metal, whim preserve extremely welJ in the
and reproduces relationsrups capable of encomp;! 'mg sm ta.Uled l~ ,1\ cam
archaeologICal record even when broken. Detecting feasrs in rhe Paleolithic is, of
petition by effectively euphemizing It in a symbohc pracnee that enc un e, c I
course, conSiderably more difficulr (see Diecler 1996; Marshall 1993; Per/es 1996);
lective misrecognition of the self·mterested nature of th· pe,' od,
and the polmcaJ dJrnenslOns of feasting are somewhar different among forager
Bourdieu has pointed out
soaeoes (see Hayden, Chapter 2; Wiessner 1996) than among the agrarian soei.
eoes dJscussed here In the work of reproducUlg esrabltshed rel.nons- ell, , rem 1
The pre"lously asserred porency of feasts as a particular form of ritual activity gifts, VISitS or courtesIes. and. obm" all, numagc, \ ht'h" n
denves from the fact thar food and drink serve as the media of expression and tence of the group thJn the reproducoon 01 the <':l'nomt,
commensal hosplralIty constJrures the syntax in rhe COntext of a ritual of con. labour required to conceal the lunctlon of the t\ ·h.ln."", ,
. labour needed to perform rht~ function . (t,,<)O III
sumpoon Food and dnnk are highly charged symbolic media because they are
uembodJed marenal cuJrure". thar IS, a special form of material culture produced 11\1
Hence, one beglOs to glllnpsl' tht· 'Imb,)h, fe' -
speaficaJly for mgestJon mro the body. They are a basic and continual human h
als. Feasts aCt a' " form or SI mbt,hc m tJI'f\ du,tl< n. '
physJI)JogJCal need, wluch are also a form of "highly condensed social fact" (see mizing bro~der on.11 rei.llt"ns 1111< t 11" ,'I th h I" 'om
•
Appadural 19111 494) embodying relatIons of production and exchange and link. Furthermore. commt IIs,ll htlSl'tl.tlil\ 111.1
f
I1Ig the domesllc and pohtlcal economIes m a hIghly personalized way. Moreover, gtft exchange Ih,lIl·SI.lbhsht' Ih '.UII r IJn 11 I I
although eating and dnnkmg are among rhe few bIologically essential acts, they hosl Jnd guesl .IS h, 1\\ ,'CII ,h'l\<It :.111,1 I 1\ r \11 th
are llCVer Imply b((lllJglCaJ acts. Rather, they arc learned "techniques du corps" durabll' Iyp,·s ,11 'Ibl" l\ \ \.\\1 rh n
J9JS, culturally patterned t('ch11Jquc5 of bodIly mmpOrlmClll th~l .tre slmY"J III till' .111 ,It ,,1111111111 JI n I

In a (undamcnl<ll way Ilf Id, nllly and ddfelt'nft' Akohob( hl'v('r.I~('s slmy,·.! hy 1Il~ "UII' tl 1111 Ih
ntfy hnl' a pnvl1egcd relle 111 Ih('lca~lIng unllt'X I hl,("lll ,'C' Ihc'Y .11'(' ('~Sl'1I "ulnlll"Il.llltlll ,11 lit ·tlt t,,111t
IOod wrrh urlam PfythIJa(/lv fI'l/pt'lIU' /I'~llhlllg 11 '0111 .111 ,lhc'III.IIIVI' pllW Iful '\lllhtlh, ,\till 11 hIll Illhl pr
 NSUMPTlON , eOMMENSAl POllfles ..
~ITUALS OF CO

'Il.
rh un=e 1.1. durable "aluables, rhe rood , consumed cannot be reclreul a ted - -
• re.l1l\'e.s re d ) In orher gifr-exchange relanonslups: food must be produ c e d an (Or a 1 olItlcs. The hospItality of fea.stmg IS, of co
,enS P .\..
chro h eulrural and cullllary labor In order to fulfill reciprocal obl ' co f1'll' . fields of poliocal acnon Ular may be: ~rub1v
ug~
e",
'Ptio
.• danficaoon should be raIsed here, however, because food can also b ns. pOlenoal more detail in me later c:UsCUSSlon oi the Luo t
,., e USed r.
d tJ'UCtl\'e exchange in rhe same {asluon as durable valuables, In c Or sho","" lCaL!1 11 used by md.IVldual.s either to complement or to
noo~ on~St reg Y d d fr
rh prepared food consumed ar feasts, this food may be either raw (e g to sera f resrige and power enve Om other dO!D>m, of
e , " Yarn [arms 0 p 'tal such as warfare , magIC, gtft gwUl publi ora
sacks of flour). processed (e.g., cooked or smoked meat), Or even live p S, bolic capl ' . fY..etc
food (eg.. cluckens, goats, cartle), In the case 0 f bve . arumals,
. . particular,
m . Otentlal
the syrtl 0 . Lemonruer 1990 ; Mod)eska 1982). Ho'\\e~l the lttl·",l,
di u 199 , . Itn:
tential for long-term reinvestment IS ' 0 b VlOUS
' ; b ut even th e more perishable fOrpo_ e . is mat, because of the momate nature of the pr"(tJ.ce 0 ,
may be qLUckJy redeployed to a certain extent in other local exchange necw L ms feasOIlg \' power of me trope of commensali", of all t...__ c~
s mbo IC • '''''ID. _
• . . . Or", Or the
LIl subsequent commensal hospHality. The exchange of food 111 this manu . ' Yerhaps -L.e uo
most effective at subdy
~ .
eUphenuzing _
thee\f'101<_ ... • ~
, er may It IS P s and creanng a shared smcere licuon m Bourd.eu . I
rake place completely outsIde of a cornmensal·consumpaon COnteXt th the proces .
would properly call a feast; or a feast may serve as the arena for such exchanat One . rested generosIty.
diSL!1tC
, ges. In
the latrer case dilferent kinds of foods may sometimes be used for the fcea
' Stand ES Of COMMENSAl POLITICS
the exchange transaction. Although both of the two political uses of fOod de- 00
AA rn to some selected Afncan empm· cam
scnbed above (commensal consumption and nondestructive gift exchange) may I will now tu .
take place at feasts, it IS Important for the analyncal purposes of this diSCUSSion licare sever al preVIously defined theorencal co crun_
p d f commensal polmes. or "" nera! p.att , m th
that the disnncnon between them not be obscured by subSUming them both ent mo es 0 . .

opera te sy mbohcally m servmg as sue

. and_ rn_ trumrnt. of
under the general term ftastmg. They are not the same thing (Dieder I996) ,
Commensal consumption (which, to reiterate, is here taken to be a definitive One can, 0 f course, propo e •a vanet) at more
d upon J range 01 cnrena, ,u -h
ato lbure of feasts) places obvious limitations on the possibilities of rhe guest/ re- b
fcastS ase ,_
. hb o
nelg hood
r , community, , etc.). specthc ttlrurul
ceIver to redeploy the food (s)he has received in the flllfillment of reciprocal obli-
riage feasts, iruo300n fe.l.ts, el.:'.• (l( man' 'I.m
gations of other exchange relationships: it removes goods permanendy and
funcoons (religIOUS tca,c. . tabor fe.l>! .. .:mnm
tmmediately from arculation, It IS thus a more temporally restrictive use of food
6
199 an cl vJnous ch.1pters
. In thiS lurn r
in marupuJating SOCial relations than is the nondesrructive exchange pattern that
However, the \ •llUl' 01 .1 d.l,_IIi ...lO,)U ~
mayor may not accompany a feast. Because of the commensal aspect, It is also a
potennally even more subde marupulation . tended to .oh,'
The ,ilstinnlOl1s llutlin
The cnDcal poinr to retam IS that COmmensal hospitality cenrenng on food and
derSIJndlll~ ot !h~ 'I' ,Ilk pn)bl m
dnnk dismbutJon and consumption is a practice, which, like the exchange of
A.., Will b~lllmt' dl:'ill lO till' dJ. ,u h t
gifts, serves [f) establish and reproduce soaal relations . ThiS IS why feasts are
enng ft'.lst " no 's,Uh 11l.l11\ () lh th T
f)~J1 Viewed as mechamsms of SOCIal sohdanty that serve to establIsh a sense of 1I hl~hlr~h" Iht' \\ a\ . Ih.lt ",Tt III
community However, as Mauss (r966) long ago pOinted out, these arc relations
PJr~ntly ,hlll'n'nl t I llIl~' OIl I
of r. crpmcaJ ()bbgao(JO that Simultaneously serve 10 create and define differences pllt(\~y of • k 111<1: "I f, •
m The re/<ll/fmsrup of giver to receiver, or hOM 10 guesl, translates 111[0 a palll'l"lIl'd lit-pO'1I ,
lh \
"
n( ~Klal JUpenonty and In(l'nonly unll'ss and until th(' l'qulvalelll Ralher, I III ,Ill nlplll h
Trl('d J\ (ht· Bcmba 11)1 Zambia] ~ay, 'You havl' l'atl'll "amba (Ihe \l 1\ 1
rh,. ",ulUI",ba trce) and JI
(r(,m kI 11, your SIOll1dt h' I l' , y"U III Ih
d your IfImach wuh (ood (H)m IIOIC 011(' and 11 pillS YIJU IIl1dl'l J I'll Illnt • 11 "I I h
whim IkJ h.mu 1919 rJ~) III Ihl IC'oIlur • !Ill' I"JII' lItJJI Clt •, \
) .. a tool In cl f/rung lo( loll rclolllllll , Iu 1111 1111 lit I Ih
 M I.h.u/ J)1f/1n-

- - - - - '.:::::::..:.=--------.. . . . . . . ~ITUAL 5 OF co'"

SUM PT ION, COMMENSAl POLITICS. AND POWER Ih
AUICA" co~ h1\ •

rJ ,1l(' :u.qW·riIOOIl ur ('I\:Jllon ot socIal (and econo mIc) powe r and tlie
L la l -
10'" rd th · mJUllCI1JnCe 01 etlsung m equa lotlcs In Po ICr ~. gs particularly m traverslIlg lmgu.soc &ono~ .. .Le
\~ 0 ti ff" Jut'(tcl.l run .l ( , w Cr reI dersranwn . . , ... In ~lUch!he C\Il-
I rdlC rnmanly throug h .n empha sIS o n qu antltv a ",,suI' . f the term dJIfe rs Hence let me reltente that In
IOn' Th, hr. I '"'' " PC J. alld lh tal odlflg 0 USlng the lam
[hr\Jug ..L In CIllph.", on H)'le Th e Iirsl rwo wo rk thrOugh th C IcL" e tIl manIfestly nor refernng o nly to aC0V10es that lItV I .
0 ~an~th
C ve
[
IN vr<'r~lc\
.
. . uu I am , .
pr do""r ...."". . tnon'" 5ubordonatlon relano ns w,th,n an onc/us
..r, ,up 'J . IVc b'nd
Il) CO,"pf
C cha en
II ge to monopollze powe r, Wlth resulrmg expliat • ""_n._
--•• l> ~d
. d . d whaca. ' [he laner works through Ihe Idiom of diacrit OOlso somethmg more subtle 1Il mind than che Ideolocn.. f <....
on~ "dldn!!, .\ J . Ica l C~
du',o" on an I"",kr I OUI"dcr relationsh,p "losers.
" I have
absrn or
- b J 0 '«:. 'mukt
football! Nor am I refernng only to feasts that IIlvolve
.
._1
m .~ .... tJn£
(ap'c of osten ta oous reciprocal hospltallty (of che weU known , 'e... c Wn~ '
1
EMPO WERING FEASTS sca e ee Le m o nnier 1990, (996).
" tYPe: s
Th . c .. r of Ihc ' e fCJ5 t pJrterns. which I ea U the "empowenng [east." involve
h ",an l ea n thar feasts are inherently political, but With an underst~Jm f
• '"' . st c Rather. m . _ th ake b0
pUlanon or commcnsJ1 hospllaJJly IOward rhe acquIStrJon and mainte th sense it has acqUI red 1Il e W of work by Bourdteu (I""'" Fo
molJ11 nance wer in e 7'7'1 . u.
of .-<ndlll form~ of symboltc capItal . and SOmetIm es econorntc capital as weU pOault (e.g .. 19 _ as a relanonal
80). and o rhers: . phenomenon rather th.n as alunited
The [<NIl COW" a rang~ of symbolIC consumpnon practices rhat are mS[ru ( ood. Henc the e symbo
. " lic capttal realized through
' empowe.nng
. feasnog I' _, >_ III
_
UIUl n<""om"/: sooal posltlonmg. In previous pubuca tlo ns (Dle d er 996 I men· gberently " co mpetitlve phe no m e non In that It descnbes condition; of rrL!1l\'t
,,- . 1 , 999a)
I hd'l: rdared 10 tM category as the "entreprene urial feas t." but Subseque ~. ' rnmem.es in relatio nslups. between people. and. moreover.
. asyrnmern . that
aUlom h"c led me to bel,eve rhal rIus term has th e pote nnal to crea te nsOmet "'s- asyust b e renegotiated continually through symbouc pncuces TIus com~.
ml<undcNandmg Ir IV" tnl ended SImply as a converue nt trop e. bur runs the risk rn
cion" . not n ecessarily one that sm ves toward
IS . aggressIve donunanon md reI t

.
of bemg Interpreted Il rerall), as a sorr of crude neoclassIcal econOml'c co
. . ncept less accumulation of power' It IS often sunply one ' . statu! amon
of marntammg
h4n
rhr ( !i" on lel mlnolog)' also. I beLeve. helps to underltne the fa ct that I am peers or 0 f defining one's peers. No r LS It necessarily one rhat directs an exp crt
not arrempnn!: 10 distinguIsh a !)'Pe of spcdahzed feast Involvmg openly a&gres_ .
challenge to particular individuals or groups: It often involve irnrlr a po. I U.
SJI'e compel/tll'e contest (as dJsnncI from, for example a "harmonious e li .
firmatlOn 0 f the prestige of the host and Ius / h er group thAt unrlicate 0 r,
. . ga tar- . a re latlve , incUrec( '
general
Idn communI!)' eelt·brauon ). Rather. I use the more passIve term "emp '" only III . sense . There LS dear! • . a .Igrufi ant
owenng
as a "a) to mdorate an etfernve pOlltlcal role of feasting events of Various kinds between. rlor example • mamtauung fnendly reaproLa! obli 100no ~th
rarher than neee sanl)' an overr rneentJOn of rhe hosts Although .L.. I . neighbors In hostmg small beer paraes and the agorumc .m mpt
. u= ro e IS
sometime) fuUy. Or a( lease paroally. recogruzed by the parnclpants. much of the Guinea big·men to crush theLT nvals ""lIh hospltality Th"re are
e~co\'Cness or tlu polttleal mechalllsm denves li-om the facr that it often enrarls ally speo.fic behavlOral sanction and m o r a.I plulO'oophl6 I I

~ ~ 0: collectJ\e mlsreCOgrution or euphenuzaoon of the self-interesred na - that resrrict the escalation of such co mmcnsal pr.Kt" - and a" thJt
rrd/!o t e praCllce It rnvolves what Bourdleu characrenzes as a "sincere fictIon
o "lntercsred cXchang c" ( .
rhe laner extreme form are fillrly unusu~l But so m,' of m
mem abont h b th 1990.IU). Indeed. a major parr of Bourdieu 's argu- volved In all these empowenng lea:( context . Tho -h d n I
a IIUS 15 ar the skill and f th lund . Such practices a1way . affect (h~ rdol ll\ (.ltUs and mllu n
actor rcbe upon th t b grace 0 e genumely COmpetent sooal
a actor elllg unaware of h and the quahty of relationshIps In (h" srns( . o mm ...lb.lI
aCOom Awaren t e ponclples that mform his or her
css anses 10 the COntext of . ke pennve in Its effects. eVt'n though the p"hnl.ll lmph hm
raU(: unctrralml~' ab . rntS[a s. of alternative acOons rhat
- ~ OUI preClSCly how h I
of CDnSO(JUsness III <A~ I
Ited. and thoroughly euphemIzed
one s ou d act. AlthOUgh the l.un.rted role
"""la actIon IS an aspe f B '. Consequently, It must al 0 hl' n'Hlgm zN thal.
f)VU'I.a/ed and ub ct 0 ourdleu s work that is perhaps
~eCl tlJ SOme queStIon and ". Sincerely by the parIlClp.ln( . .l hJrm<llll( u
he lJ COrrect In Idenofym h h ' cntJasm. nevertheless. I bebeve (ha(
g t e eup emlzano f If . and unity are slmult""t'll\u/v arell.!s I,ll' m;ampul
pea of iJ[Ual'Z(;d frJr m$ of h nOse -Interest as an important as-
AIltJCh Qc ange. such a, fea,rs tigt'. social credit. and the an u I
n prdlrntnary p rtempUVt dad .
ha"t' r" erre d 10 empOWennalmtc Ii ,. necessary 10 c1anfy the facc that
symbolic eaplI.1 1Il ...1 rh
or even Il;ahl • Oil tu
nOl mUIU 11
r[>Jcrlrr I""'~' 1 . g t'lIars as a domam of mherelll sonal
77". 996). rh,. WO d I h h gont' \ g., olld rit R Ih r
r 31X1 aa Ih" pOle nriallo givl." r1St. '"
political Ih unit ..
7,
 N CO M MENSAl POLIT ICS . AND POWEft ,
- - ------ •
rtJ ALS
Of CO
NSU""PTlO .

mulr.Ull'Clu,,'\' dc..'fint' n :JJll n n.!'hlps ~lllJ houT1J ~lnc~ This feJ ture rn ~y \Veil . . ia 3Ss um p o on of the mIc of bawk '. and", el",..tro
c("rrJHl ~lrll ( fur.ll (onrrJtIInto . ' n,..: UI' 111 IC'ICM.
' . b1I I II d o cs n Ot n cceSsa nl y resCl1lall
ult orze of BthioP ' . 0 f feas ts so taVlSh that there 1S e'en '''~ ~lucu.!Xe t
hosong
e
nml1KI. or (.""CI1 th~ pl'fccprion 01 II1Cong rullY. III the COurse or pra clice. If) os (cq vlres lh ru t13UOn
. procedure CHalpenn and Olmste.d 19" _
1'10.1111. 1<1 me Jb" emphasiz e lhal. ", Ireatlng lhe po li tical dimension I' ",."d ertake rbe Ia of C am erOO n , rhere IS a formalized age-grade ~. em tbat'
such ,1\ n:l . .
'j,:j()lI, le,lsts, 0 thingS
I Jm mJl1Ifesdy nOI Jtrempllllg to ",ake a Vu lgar r LI
",0 0
g the 1<0il [1'1 s fo r •mw~ 'vlduals [0 become tugh-rankmg Inltlates and rt
I
tt()lll~ ( .lr,guIllCnl of clle boftom- lIle ' "pracoca I reason " varl(~ ty. I do nOt \.\Ilsh
cdue. a h ' possib Jtle
[0 t " I'cy W1U.l_~ . n the viUage as they progresslvel~'
.
gam a.:ce.< to m ~ .
' ,. rS of po knowte
J d ge w ith each step. Movmg up through tlu> S) 'tem T't U1I't
reduce rhe polfnCJp.J1LS to ull ldJme nSlOna l cynica l manipu lators and de h la ",.,e
.
n!Lgwu$ slJ1(cnry ,lI1d the aRccnve . tional
motiva . force of relJg ' .l beli nYlclr
ef Qu ' eret religiOUShi of speo. a I feasts known as "carde dances" that an: held b · . mm
o lls
I , -~ . . f d ' p an d are fue/ed w lth a g reat deal of mdlet and surghum r
lht' ron rr.lry Ralher, I be IJeve UIIS J5 an Iss ue 0 au le nce : It m ust be rem e ....... b
Ite
[he sponsors . wife
' " ered h o nor his
thJ I ,111 mu . ls, mciudmg feasrs, have simultaneous mul tiple audiences. Religious [0 be h e Id by a m an o nly six o r seven runes Ul a hfenme, md the
e
feasts for " ,ample, J re dea rly dJl'ccled ar co mmul1Ica tlJ1g With gods ance
'. . • Stors bee f. 'fhes Id can such a e least 'IS decided by fellow villagers who Judge
, wheth ran m.
or spm rual forces: U1CY are a slllcere attempt to "bnng th em to the ta ble" . abiliey to ho . ed the necessary symbohc and economIC caplu.! for the ran
spe.tk But they are simultan eously dtrected toward an audience o f li VUl h , so to di vidval has acqwr Th e are of course, many other feasnng conrn'lS for _
spues. er ,
g u· tha t are nOt n ed du-ectly ro the .ge.!;! ade sttUC'tW'l'
mans. and perhaps several g ro ups o r ca tegon es o f living humans. Feasts are pol- co which he onat
a .
presnge
) sem ous. m terms o f audience, m o nvation , and form s of empowerment. qairing. pers
clude beer parnes, hosted for gathenngs on market d.l), for c 'I.
Concentrating On an analYSIS of th e polttical should n o t be Inte rpreted as a denial These 1!1 . s ritual acovloes (Ganne 1996 ).
u
of the Importance o f o ther dimensIOns. and for vano. . Wlth . an egalitarian political ethos, the self'mte",,,ed m~mr m
Symbo uc capital cranslates mto an ability to Ulfluence g roup deciSIons Or ac. In sooenes b concealed o r euphemIZed by [he bet th.t It b .u
f the process may e h
tions Tlus mfluence denves from the relations created and reprodu ced in the nature 0 the u h the soo'ally valued and mtegrated msn tunon of. n ro, ' r
process of personal lnteraction, In the case of feasting, those ate multiple rela- tied out 0 g b perceived by the parna p am s as a 1 ling
. d it may even e !- _, onu
no ns of reoprocal obuganon and temporary sentiments of social asymmetry be. taliey, an his apparent Ieve lmg is , Ul a sen e . mereh the ( om L 1 n _
tween host and guests created through displays of hospitality. The "power" However, t u ' aI In fact feasts may be u 'ed a, .1 tilt "1 tFU1h
. al ' to symbo C capn . , .
denved from tlus sort of commensal polmcs may range from a subtle and tem- caplt Ul all d " debtedness engmeenng' e''et') b a a: mu-h , th tan n
( 83) has c e m h < re
po rary affirmation of elevated starus (such as attirudes of gratirude Or deference) 19 Thi 's qulte clear m the cases \\ ere LCa 'nng , b th
of valuables. sI _1
to demands for speoal nghts and leading managerial roles in group decisions. In
artidpants [0 b e ope nly aggressIve , as WIU, the e'louaM. h th
socieCtes wuhout formal spedalized pobncal roles, hosting feasts is very often a P the Mamblla of igenJ \\ tt
exchange parmers among . ... hfi hI
m ajor means of acqwnng and mamtaining the respect and prestige necessary to feast results 111 Jeenng and nd1Cul \ "~ III
yet more COpIOUS
exercise Je.adersrup. It does not create the power to command, but it does imbue equaUy operaCtve in cases where compett~\e mJrupubn
m dtvlduals WIU, rhe moral auu,ority u,at is a necessary condition to exert per. nuzed and where there IS no escalatton 01 pre'tan OIl
suasive Influence .
Commensal hospltahry may be mampulated ID th
rn SOCJe ues where IIlstirutlonalJ2ed poutical roles or formal starus distinctions . pllltllJ
for econonuc advantage JS wdl .is tor I 1 \\ r Iht In
Cl:J t, but without fixed hereditary rules for deterrrunmg who may fiJJ u,em, host.
stitution of u,e "work feast ", and tht · w . p.1rt1cuIJ m U'U
mg feasts lS often the means by wruch indiVIduals assume and hold these roles past, As this tnslitutionahud pr a(t1ce IS nllll't' Ih h
and sra tuse s. In all such cases, u,is kllld of power is conrinually being renegoti. Ih
thIS volume (see Ch.lpter Q), , will SitUP" I\ut h
ated, ustalll ed , and conrested through commensality. Tlus form of commensal
form of labor nlobihz.mon prJl' u,- t und
p<llioC5 has be en dcscnbcd by various anthropologists 111 many contexts across around the world) . It COl\stttut ·s UI\ pot \0
... fnea (m)t menllon the PaCIfic, Latlll Amenca, ASIa, and rhe rest of u,e
practices, here ,'a lied .. ((lll n
I f)
ork
wf;rld) Amf)ng Ihe Yf)ruba of Nlgena . for example, men move up rhe SOCial hJer·
the "work e "hang " Th rk r. t , 01 0
:iTchy by lak.mg ut! . Th" 15 anompilshed by dIsplays of prestige 111 fcasts fur· called togeth r 10 wurk 011 re- 1h
WIth l;i rg qua nutJt' or bel'r or palm ,wlIl(' (Obayeml 1976) Among the then treat d tu Iilo.i lid or cl"",,"

71
 ON (OMMENSAl POl,.lflC.\ ,.~o Itown, I A .. _

u.-,I. S
'3
Of (
F
~"~;~U~M~P~T'~~'~-­ -
". r hur.ll pn.IJUCe. Thf:' InSlltutlmu.l Iilrnn
t Jgncu i:':
ly
tly S'urr 0 "Ye ... upP It cS of IJbor Jnd ,00d v• .,.~ • glu, duI
r(·1 h(st.' IJl"g . he orgdnlZ.1UOn .1oJ neCUllon of ~ 1
.1'1} ,bhp. I I," I p,(, I I 11 · ~ II -H '1III'"lt-'1I .lIld ~1"1'.,d III I/w 1.11"11 •• 11" ItlOIHoLI!)' "lllll I1g I 11 CJses l
.• \11 'lhlll\ "IC " 11I11~ I1W.IIl' 11"'\:. ludlng ".lVl·IVl hv whlth ,\ h/.I bll [ 11' .1 . gel" h IS. USU,1lly adv.lnta~ou.s for a b _
Iltll). \11111 ( \\ I \\\111 elY' od manJ
I
,.;nlup '."~\· I 11.111
•• I 'I '..-11t nllll I fluid hr lIlohd
lne ,Ill l •
•../n,IIt-11
••
,I prOWl I Il'llllllllh' ••
_. a
"h O ~1 I." be 3 gOblc to pr OVldc • large pet"non . ,f not the bulk. or the b
1.II~t"I 1IIIIUtHII1.I , I. 11 tl' I fh,\, .. p.Ulldl,.lIhIlUl Id StlllC:I1C:~WllhOlll'I,:IIII'll"J'l'd . "I t () be .1 n reserves, -and a high IndJco("c of
I (c .1S rn \l!i aY!
- III I ' \'I '11
pl1hlh.1 I .HI' I 111111\.'1 l)hll,.:.I'I")' fnllll't l ll .lhlll«(fln'IIt')nr~. IIlI :rl·dh)'t hl~·h . rh,l, fro of ",formal le,de", " oli.n ated In tlus
111JtC her rypes
"UI~' IIp,,, .''l \\ ,111111 IIU\ ,dl(1111
,11
POIlIl (",I'
rn l' ll 'u,d a t03. 7; G eSC h, re 1982.. Fned.m3n 1984. Lc:monruc::r 1990
\\ ,11,., k."'" M1' " 'It' IIU'' '' Iflll'tu 1.1111 III Ihe.:
t" n:Ollul11y ht.·c", tU S(· of fhe
erUP '97 k feasts m,y also be .mplo 'cd to ham . th r r ",ben
L ",11\ 11.1'(,
111
I ,ht" d(lllll.,;I'HUI .lnd ('tlIlVCI.,>1\)l1 I)J ,ymhol,l' ,111\,,1 l'Co
rw~ . CJses w o r _ *
(l'H'-" Inn ~
In SO"1C
-nlly t11crea stn g the producnve base 01 certam hou.
t

.
'HlIlll1 t.4pl!.1 I ", , 11".. lif'". 11Iu(.·
• • ,h Wl,h ,1/1 ntht.'r tyres ClI fe:.1sI , they pn)Vidl,.' ,1n
cl,ffe«n'" o f very large feastS. how.ver, the h ,1 mu I tnnbIJlr
Hpr'" Il!lW) I,) I ,'Mkt· l'lIhhr \' • IIl·mem .. JIWlIl prt"tI~t· , .1Ilt! ,lCqUIre: symbohl «lp. In e st C,l SCS -

11 .. 1 \ JJ\'I'h \vtllk. k.l" .llI}o!Illt"IHs lilt: rc.:put.H HH1 Of the hus, 111 the ~.ln'e W.ly tha, re r 9)' In rncl an d I3 bo r- eon m b utions through p""'"nal n
11 foo
IJ
""l .. ",pnn~ .I LI """\U"I nfu;I' docs Howevcr, It .1lso prov ldc.!- .1 mc.lns 01' 1I
on. These ne rworks of support "'" e$ldbh,h.d b ad.:p' bul
hJt Ilt·s .. ,"~ Ilk" I.lhot ()I 01 ht'rs III on.lc.'r to JlqUI1C economIC c.'plt.lllhiH C.1n sub. Obligation - capita ove
I r the years through vonou, areCl.l. I pn
,t.qut:nth ht· to \rmhol ,c CJpHJI by several me~lnS In t:llect, Work
!."tlll\'(·rh.'J SymbolIC I )entS of econonue caplcal. H.nc~ •
. us dep oyn
no
k.I\[S .It"! .f.!! .1 /1l("ch;ltllsl1l of 1I1utntt-' CllIWCfSlon 111 muln-centnc economics lh~H J"J v. - olate d e\ 'e n t - It IS a m o ment of publIC nnul dnm.. 111
L.H, J'1(l\ ,Jr .. rOlen llJJ fJIJlysl Iflr lIll"reaslI1g lIlequ.l lt ry In SOCIal reiJ[tons (~ee Just .0 ISof po I(Qca ' I mampulation that serves as.n -h rtl (11\ m
Ch.lrrcr ~). process . hat J SOCIa l m anag<r h a. been abl
ort ba.se t
the supp . _ t the s.me time th.t It proJuc ,further ,
SOCIOECONOMIC PARAMETERS OF EMPOWERING FEA ST S ansacnon.s. a _ ~
ous tr
IS Import,UU
to underline the "grufi.:ant . cale
. 'h ~.
The (' mpowe n ng tc...... t pJuc:rn opc r~Hes o n J va n ery of sca les J nd In nu merous I
t d (0 thiS k ,n.101' commens.l po lloc.11 .Ctl\'!" UI m Cl ,
L (mr C\r~ \\'Idun J g ln-n snnery 11 nl.ly exte nd fTo m rhe priv<lte hosong of a por of
VOle e resou rc"S
~
devoted to the proJUi:U n l f I
h«'1 J mtln~ J ",,''', g roup o f Iflends. ro Ihe hosting o f ernde partners fro m an 10 I10te th . - L.
. , D,etler 1990:361--'''',), One tn-'1uent..
ot her c:o mmUnll)~ lO the sponsorshIp of major communlry life-cn siS cere monies
Purposes (sec _," rood proJuction reqUIre me nl UUlI _L_

.1Ild I't'llg'ous (esm.,ls Gu ~s rs may mdude m embers of the local commw,ity or f "subSistence l'
people tTom other commUl1ltll' s. The extenl of the symboltc capital derived from o h I _bever.ges and do nut Ill<C . Uch cruc ..I t I r
of aleo 0 «
thoc awvltJes \ anc, accordmg to the Contexr. the IJV1sMess o f the hospltahty "
repr<>d Ulno n and politics Into J i:,,1unt ) t h
provided. and rhe rJnge of guests convened Th e host may be either an mdlViduaJ measure S uc h thlll'"
t"-
III ethnographic- c nt I

ho usehold. J KIn.shlp umt. or .1n ennre commumty. In the latter cases there are prt Stve - Ha~""bl.de ( 111111). !l,re.'. ampl • n \1
I

u,uall.l cerram 1I1dl\'lduals who JCI .IS managers and derive presnge from their sume 15- 20 percent of all the gr In pn>Ju
ro k m successfully orgaOlzmg and c\ecuong feasts that represent the group to of it consumed In work f('.1'" dunng lh
o ut.stdef>. hence presnge Jccrues to both the hosting group as a whole and to cer- intoxicated mo t of th time Inul rl
lam m!luenn.1 indIVIduals who can mobilize group acnvlties. age household .mong th 8emb. o f Z.lm
Nthough most households will engage m some form of thIS kind of fcastlng year in b~wing beer, OUI of ~ t 'lal P
behaVlor. hosnng large-scale least.> reqwrcs conSiderable planning. ume. and (I.e ., about 17 p !'Cent): and ~ r hI
labor ~ for both agnculrural production and culinary preparatIOn). as well ,Is large part of their dutI of haspll It nd
surplus stoclu of food and l or dnnk. The ktnds of food and dnnk rradtnonJlly much high r N mng t964
a at/able In most Afncan agranan SOClelles (dnd most prehIStoric ~ocienes) would 40 gaUons ( I IIn ) t mill I
generally have had very limited storablllty. espeCially once prepared fill' con non tOr Ih ell t
sumpno n ThIS would neceSSlfate, tn mosl cases. a large I.bur force lor finJI
tnclinonal beer r re
preparatIOn and .. rvtng )U SI pnor la rhe INS! as well as fOmll1Jnd 01 ,I IJr~c
belna In the tOrlll at

.0
 - - -
Ih .1I J " H II1~ 11
I (' nL " (1nl
. .1 01 ( ,lnH.' rnfUl \Urghlll ll bc(' r pr()vidcs .1bOUt .1 rhl rd 01 t ilL l'
I I
l (ll .lf.10lIt',' (I. ' '' .''Wilt:..! Llllnll to1' lIu' ye:" , I fl'
. ~ InVeSt
lu rlh t.·r calc ul a te d th e I.lrftC,:! mCrrl cai soc ial power ThiS corresponds to 01 sP fi ~
' 1 II I " 0 .,1,1"1~(' d ,ltt-rl' nt h.1I1d .. o f_ fC.lS IS . Po r o ne age ·g rildc cerenl C n y,
11lt,: IlI .. 111\ n I" Lt .syrTl
' lIy bee n ca 11 e d " re d b utlo n · 1Il th e ln c.raru <Cl I.C Or", of '"'!u'!u•
Isrn
nf bt't' r ( ~ QO lu c rs 1l1.HJ e fro m a b o ut 100 kg o f ce rea l), plus I n . t10f1~ re 0 economic antb
(111(' tlC'(' d" '0 pOl ... f polanyi 1957, Sahhns 972). The operanve SYlllbo~c tr
1
III I' l" 5 0 ~ l. , " I' •'I""llllm
~ tlllUI fOr.1.1 porridge balls, r'us .1 number of ca ttle ( IL11 3 1 (c .. ,
mensa I politics IS the sam e as for the previOUS od .
~~~~~ ""'"
.,n,' w\lnh up III S·teo (' ,Ich ); fo r.1 (J ult.' J ance. o ne needs 75 POts of beer, 20 POr. cOrTI III e. the rtIaU,m."_
. cal obug.tlon engendered through hospltahry I .L. _ --"yof ..
I t ' 1.,. ,11 'I. .ll1J tht, m o sl l'rcSl1glo us ( :tule , and fo r the fun eral o f a WOOl an , Onc: ( Ipro . , , . n UU!t C~e, howC'Ytt the
nu1.: [aUon of equa l reclprocanon IS no longer maLntalntd o-th Cl
",'cd, .17 p aIS of beel CC.mnl· 1090). Jm"ariy, Rc hfi sch (1987) noted lhar, among f
,
pe, conunually unequal pattern of hospltaltry symbol eaU~ n , the ;CCtnr-",~ r -~'
, (he MJlll hll.l of NI~WriJ . one b{'er fl' ast III rh e COmpCl lCJve se n es h e Stud Ied mobl _ o a n , I Yerp~~~l;S (he rortnal
. allO of unequal relanons of starus and power and Ideol . -'I .
"zed ()"cr 480 POI' of beer (pIu> ·17 chicke ns. I sheep, a dog, kola nUlS, and la. 'z . . oglCoU y n~turalizcs It
hra ugh repetition of an eVent that lOduces senomentsaf SO<;" d b
h.1 co) m counrel'.1 previous lea, l In whICh 430 POts of becr (an d 30 chickens) had h[ nd those who are contmually
•
m the role of guests are sy IoUbalC: t On the- one:
I b.'·1I ofli!n·J In Manga (a MosS! lOWII of .,bOll l 7,000 ", habltaMs IJ1 BurklO. a , . m ">Ill" 1<n"",1.
edging their accepta nce of subordinate starus VIS-VIS the conOnual host. On ~
I ' "Jso ). mc monal cercmomcs called bone are me occasions for [he mOSt laVis h O ther hand. the role of conanual and generous host for the COmm '--
!I"cr r. J"S In onc week. five klll1rr were held III one ward. consuming ' .900 kg of co mes co be seen as a du ty Incumbe nt upon the person who o"cup UQU\", at IOURt: I
.. h::_ ~ parttClI U
rccl ",rghum mJ de mro beer (With seven carrlo.ds of wood- I,400 kg- requJred elevated status POSit, on or formal political role. lnsutuoon.hzooan of .utho
(or bre wm8 Jnd cOtllung for one of these feasts alone), and, dunng a SlOgle dry reues on rhts bindlOg asy mmerncal commensalltnk between unequal p.nn<r<>n U1
.sCJso n , wlt hm dle ro wn as a w ho le. ro tOilS of sorghu m were converted In [O beer a parron / ruent telaoonshtp,
101' rhese memo nal feasts alone, with a toral annual festive consu mpnon eSti- TIus IS the pnnClple that lies be.lund the regular 1.V\Sh hospltal.iry ''P''C'ted of
mated at W [ons of gra m brewed fo r beer (S.UI1 98 1). Fmally, amo ng the Luo of chiefs and lungs m almost aU SOClenes where they "-USl. and ((ITatn" th"", m
Kc nra, funera ls are the occaSIons for the most laVish feasts m ounted Ln thts SOCI- Africa Tlus sense of obhgation for generosity In a commensal context IS rueeh-
et} These e"cnts frequently resulr ID lhe se rious Jmpoven shment of the hostmg encapsulated in the Baganda definition of the essennal quahne of. good chref
(a mill'. and the Kenya n government has even attempted to in tervene legally to 'beer, meat and politeness" (Marr 1934:t83). Among the r- yoro, .wo of l gill1<U.
IJ mJt the sc" 'e of Luo fun erals. the kmg was expected to regularly hold great leasts and gM' gtfts. .md RUm of
..\11 of thiS represents a substantial Lnvestment of agriculrural and cUlinary his special names emphaSIZe t1us expected generoSity A dedme In th,I.",hn<s>
labor Ln the essentIally political acrivlry of acqumng and maintaming symbolic of the feasts proVided by the klOg was cause for complamts Chi, undtt the
caplral and crea ttng and susrammg SOCIal relano nslups, Moreover. conrrary to lung were also expected to foUow chts pane m on a mOre 10ulle..1 &alllf t960
some pemsnng archaeolog ical concepnons of econo nucaUy autonomous do- Similarly. among the Pondo of South Afnca. Hunter not..! th.at GeDemslIV IS I
m e.mc uruts. It represents a substantial pOrnon of domestic agricultural produc- primary virtue and the mark of a chlef - II "'as pMDcularh- unponant for W
non rhat IS regularly dedtcated from the begmrung to fJowmg outside the chief to dtspense generous hospJlahry. iIild -there was IIwa much tlter It die
ho useho ld and belllg consumed by people III other domesnc uruts. Hence, It IS great places." Indeed, the Pondo word for chief. lftkM, also W UI

everyday usage for "thank you" (19'\1:,387-,388\. Dillon providts .. tnOI'< 4naiIed
clear that recognizmg the Importance of feasting for both SOCial reproduCtIon
idea of the scale of such obhg.ltIons among the Mtta of Clr.KI\lOCI.
and polmcal action m agrarian SOClenes should provoke a corollary recogrution
of the scale of productive labor and resources necessarily devoted ro these crUCial The forcmo" dury or '/0" (,.,u.g«hict) In the nund of "" Met. pt,.... to
fea tures of soaallrfe. Feasts are an Lnstrumenral force in the organization of pro. reed hiS people. ThIS was done mOo<1lavrshly when he pn1'1<iod ..... ,",.-r..a
ducrion as well as III the StTuctunng of social relations and power. at [he rimr of hiS lflstaU~tlon " Yct thrIO" .1_- m,"~
.u"u ..... 1 •• "P
---a._-...IftftMW
-'--'iorhi
lar basis. Each nme lhat the VlUagers wo... "" mM ~,dtOMd'"
..... Ill ....
PATRON - ROLE FEASTS when they h.d finrshed thelt IAsk. and h. h. .,d W C111ft
an annual crl.brOltOn tnvolVl"8 danong If die ..... _
The second m ajor mode of commensaJ politics that may be distinguished I Will
fi'" ... had 10 proVld. th.... turrung warriors dI ...
call the "patron-role feast." This Involves the formalized use of commensal hos-
evtn if no uch activm. bad ,.km
.,a- WI1IIID.
pitality to symbQlrcally reiterate and leginrruze institutionalized relatiOns of "'~ct.d th. fp" 10 ~ Ihen•• fust slmpIy lit

u
 ,
- N SUMPT ION , COMMENSAl POLITIC!.. A~O POWED

- AtfU/l l S OF cO ., IN AFR CA

h cl Lh e nghr (by Vl rru e of lme.ge ,onIon"') In co- -

ha a _J ......, • .,. un_
ove' tW S .. whIch secs the dare for eaUog new yaou 'M. . ---....dt'nt
"llS (onfha ~,I_
"(ens
of yam ,
d pure over who would host the Centrally ._
d In a . I~ "HPQn.\nt ~
--Ul
",re h ndid.te ended up holdmg tIus (ea51 On a dlfferenr ~_
)'. eaC ca h boycorung che feast of hIS
(ea"crs . nvaJ "'y, \0; th the su,,-r
of eac . .
PO~hicfs raise food suppUes for tlus laVIsh public hOSPitality In a vanety of ,
H unter '961.384- 389, Rlchards 1939. Schapera 19381 Often ~b
.e
(eg·, ~,_,. F rnishes an important part, with mdlV]duals obh=ted u'
d d,;,", u .
.
,,_
I Ut.m .~
,

0 Pruv,Ue I~
,n
cl . h portion of che" Own prodUCtion For tJlample GUttn
ef w, t a . ann ( 19"... }.I6
vred ch Chagga chiefs collected part of cherr mOute m tbe (arm of .
I I ,
~!Ill! ,Ir \', .lmOI ~ . no ar h a POrtlon of
• Ille Bt'mb. of Z,.mbla , R.chards noted that che chief Was re- beer brewed by house olds. He stato.s chat the people ,_ L
the banana __ '" ''Or!' 10
~pon\1 bl (.' n}r
r H!r ..(w'·n.·
o·,lIlho,. who proVIded mbule work On h.s <arV/!, , pro;eclS
J, _c. rnbuce because It enabled the eluef to mamt"", a ConnnUul tlpt-n
render u u s .
L
(OUrOc.' f " e\el.. ..... - ,
· U('" offi",'I, ' 0
"I""n" counaJors, and ochers She estUllated that tat c'us residence, wlucl1 they IJ.I<.ed to attend, but aJso thar the d"ef h ....
dunng on. nmc·montll penod 11,. m.1Il chIef prO\oded food and beer for at least ka • • en,.
Olen were constantly checkmg to make sure chat no household bee".d "1"wOUt
on,' JJ, for ,01 nWl Jnd ILl women who proVIded labor and, among others, aymg che beer rnbute. . .
~~
,lbouI tnbal counnlor. w.th chelr "o,'es and retinue at least lWIce (1939;147). As P The work feast (especally m the more obUg_tory '-0"," form . din,cr.,J to"-at\l
she nmed, rh~ cu"nar) labor for rllls IS provided by the multiple WIves of the
. for mob"~-
S
the exten lve fields of che chief, is anotber common mec1lam'm """".
c1ll.( under the d.recnon of the semor wIfe who was necessarily a woman Wich foo d st000 for such purposes (see Chapter 9· Among che Bemb~ of Zamb" _ r
good de.1 of orgJIlIZlng abu.ty, apable of supervlsmg younger Wives, arrang_
,I examp le , Rlc1lards (1939) noted that chiefS organIZe che ll",,,,, I tabor gTou •
'"~ for the endless gnndmg alld breWing requtred in rhe cap"al, and the stirring
,
found In the country to work thetr Own fields' she e'flJllared, ~ r ...nlp! • th~
of huge POts of porndge 10 be served In enormous eaemg-baskets about eight 275 men-days and 210 women-days per year were reqUired tor the g..dell> - ne
time.' the SIze of an ordmary lope" (r939·148). As she furcher stated, "The whole
smaller eluef for cunmg and dearmg branches, respecrr\'eh . \10= r,
of chlS system of dmnbuung food IS of course necessary to the chief if he IS to
chiefs are very often ostentanously polygynollS m (omp.>O-'<lrl 10 th 1frk
make guruens JIld conduct tnbal bUSiness through Ius counciJors. But IS more
If
proVIding - large pool of household labor; JIld the ' someem . h. I~
than [Jus The gmng of food, a, m most Afncan tribes. IS an abSOlutely essentiaJ forms of dependent labor (such as, m the p •• r, 51., \
annbure of dueftamslup, )USI as rr IS of authonry In the village Or hOUsehold"
(19J9"~8). Correspondmgl), the failure of a duef to prm~de food for Ius sub)ecrs DIACRITICAL FEASTS
conSlderabl)' weakens Ius presnge The rradmon of che generous king SurvIves
The rlurd major mode of commens.1 pohu,:, wh"h I ..iD
a, a srandaru agamst whIch [he modern ruler IS constamly measured, and meas-
feast," involves che use of differentIated nllsme.mJ -"Ies f
ured ro Ius dlsad"anrage" (Rlchards 19J9:2<>4).
acritic.1 symbolic deVICe to naturahze ,mJ reify ,'on, pt> f ranb-d
Ir" m'porrant to emphaSIze char rhls kind of practice is nor, as has sometimes
the st.rus of sOlial orders or classes ,d Eh., I~ ,G IIowdIeu I DI

~n rotl funmon t\) W

been pOSIted tn (uncOonalist accounrs, necessanly a systenucally adapove means
Although it serves a somewhat Similar
(i.e., the naruralization and ob,emtkauon of m~U.Jbt\ In :iiI
of pro\,l(jmg balanced food secunty for a population Rather, It is first and fore-
most 3 polltico-symboLc deVice for legltimlzmg starus differences, and any nutri-
fen horn it in several important resprft . In the- finl pia.: tilt
flonal bt'nelit, to che POpuJaoon at large are lughly vanable (see Friedman 19 4,
8 force sltifrs from quantity 10 matt cs of I in.!
Hayden and Gargert 1990; Pryor 19n). TIus POlltlcal funcnon IS underlmed by [he
(aCI [hal (haJ/~nge, ro chIefly authonry can also be launched through feasnng sIufts from in asymmeln('ilI ommensal bond
Slitement of e c1usi al\d Wl qual :onlmensal
AnlgbO 1(996) pnMdes an excellent example of such a challenge among the Igbo hOSPitality are no Ih bui I
(Jf NIgcna In [he u"m <If a cast" In whICh two COnteslams for [he chlefshlp fought This is Ih~
"luerltiC''' and
01
 MlrlUlt'I nw/lo
•
L.S OF CONSUMPTION, (OMMENSAl POLITICS
. Rl fUA ""'0 'QWU N '"

I . I1 K(-' nf -
( 1I 1!' 1I1 C ,
According 10 Goody, th e devclopmcnl of Sl le I,
,lnd ~ lgOlll. l
g ill " , _ oftc n hnked ro the deve lopment of specia lized te
or<1 .
CUISIOC and /o r consumpOon paraphern.u. L._."
a ""CPtmiln
I'n "
\I'" prilcUC'CS I~
I mularion bemg reacted againSt The nucru upon the
I J I,ll"nuc:1 ell I •
nlo1 1ht,t'hrceJss
I (replac •
ms wives In thiS ro le, who- become-
COrn [he e anng tt:JiJUton of
Inod pr('p.II'C· . sll cxcl llslVlry is often acco m pn l1l cd by class e d upon both the nature of rustoncU d (3 'blCh
s) .md COn'l l11 CJ1 , _ _ 11. depel1 prece '''It, 'nJ -
nlc.'ns.d POfIl1Cf, . _ of the H awa ii an kmgdo ms descri bed by KJrch g lc stufts presented by invention and the OPPO"," U ior
r The" le.lsung pJ l tcrn~ _ srra tC mcorponnon of
AfrlC3 IS an lfltcresnng case in the analysIS or the d!~nCil t"lQO( dC:hWitts
,

JO~:l1I1) , 0) l re I clil!i:S!c eXJ

, h
le il pl cr . •
.
mp
le of th iS , nnd of w ha t I m ean by the d Jaclillca l
h G dy 's di cho to m y m ay be an overly broad generaliz . . I)' bee. use. accordJ ng to Goody (1982) one sh uld
else . 0
fun p·ttun P<t-
nOt find ... _
de . Allhoug a
It ~ Tb.:
I feas t 01 0 th
.. dN r that c prac 1
00 .
" .
.
l ce of diJcn rica l rcasrmg rransfo rms c ine feas ts Into pon
do of South Africa prOVide a good ""ample of .< L. _ ,
U.l~ t.lIlIJ of 51
ru."Qn tha-
I, 11011. It I. R6 ' ) has called "tournaments of valu e. whi ch serve bOlh to Go ody took to be cypical th
of African sooenes: tn ""lte f .<
-r 0 u.<fact Wtcru.
.hal AppndurJI ( I Q .21 . . .. .
\\ b rshlp llnd f.O chann el sacral compeollo n within dea rly rh e W ealthiest men In e country. duefs always ~v.d .
, very much ., Ihcir
""~
defi ne elit e SrAtU S n\c m c . ., . d moSt still do. Al th e great place there is mOre be d \'CUp
J c.fin ed boundones. - D la critJc •ai sly Hstlc rusall ctl olls may be based upo n th e use of an ~r.ln m~at ~ ~bc:
. . foods or food ing red ients. Or bur otherwise there IS no dJffe rence between the Wet of. duef and u.. It.
ra re. expensive, or exonc . th ey may be o rchestrated
.
I thro ugh cl l e' use 0 r e Ia borare food·serviee vessels and Implem ents. o r arc!Utcclon.
mo ners " (Hunter 196". 388)
.
However, altho ug h it 15 (TUc thac Afncan soaents do no
t of corn

I ICilJ1y cUsonguls. hed seranm: b~

thar serve to "!Tame" elite. co nsumpa o n as a disttnc _ . (lIlSIOes 10 the "me <lIl "PPUrto h..... <k- ~
,
..
ed highly elaboraled dtacnacaJ . th
nvt prJc[lce even w hen the food itself is not distmca ve . Or th. ey m ay be based op . ~nt a.:t e: SU[t~ Eu.
op e and Asia . they are no t WlthOUl wacntical food pnctt .L.

upon dlJalertnces U1 the compleXJty of the pattern of preparation ."

and consump.
_ ..
r
<vmbolically demarcate kmgs. duefs. and nobles. Oft." ,,___ ~ _ _.
(H_ ml
oon of food and the specialized knowledge and taste (I.e., cultural capital · .., - ·-un .. _, ro\'.tJ Or
culinary cbacritica are expressed In the form of speoal iooJ ...,.~~ or
I BourdJeu 1984 ) that proper consumption entails.
leged consumption of cemun arumals of ntu;u " gruJicance rath<t thJn throu
I B<eause thiS type of feasnng rehes upon style and taste for ItS symbolic fo rce. "
consumprion of specially elabo rated C\llSUl • . Fo, example 'mon the co oi
IS subJecr to emul,Hlon by those aspiring to higher status. Such emulation consti.
Uganda. tbe lung was not allowed to eal cerr.un ktnds of common foo.i, thou t
rur .. an artempred e1evaoon of srarus through representational means. which
ro be of low sratus (e.g., sweet potatoes. CilS...~\'a and ctnam ""t" t U ~ dM:
may focus on either (or both) the mrmeric development of styles of action (man.
men he appointed as "crown wearers (Le. grtat mid, of h'!!h ,',"" and
ne;I, tastes. erc.) or the use and consumption of objects (foods, service vessels,
caJ authority) bad to observe the same restncnOn:> \10"''''-., th· ,
erc) thar are marenalized SignS of a particular social identity. Tbis can result in the
were not allowed to ha,'e sexual mterrours. lusl bdot< or dunn, th oittnut
g radual spread through a society of foods and food practices by whar Appadurai
ing penods of sel"Vlce ID the p;uJce ,Beam. ,_ \m",
(1986) has descnbed as a "turnstile elfect:' Tlus happened in annent Greece with
Cameroon, the f~" [village chief) has "clus"e ngh'" 10 t<
the expansion of the symposlolI (wme·drinking party) from its aristocranc ongins
pose of cermm prestigious md dangerou.., aJ\lm.tl~ Uhl\\n i,.,
throughout urban society (Oentzer 1982. Murray 1990), and it was a common fea ·
leopards and pythons) from \\luch he WJS bdtc, ,\ 10 'quirr
rw-e U1 the development of European bourgeOiS manners and food culture (Bour.
also share speCifically preswbed part, of thes< aruM " ,th
cbeu 1984 ; Ehas 1978). Junker (Chapter 10) offers another example among
tables (OLllon '9"0;1\)' I),. '5) ' I ~). Among Ih, lunr""
Plullppme cluefdoms
serves all the common food prohlblO,)n, 01 Iu., ubi
Such emulanon, and the resulnng devaluation of cbacrltlcal SignIficance. can
not eat goat. black fish. or the Ilesh 01 J ,·.n ,,01 rh
be thwarted onl), by the Imposition of sumptuary laws that restrict consumpuon
earth·shnnes . Moreovrr, hIS JICI " (T,ln"rJ I bt
wHlun clear SOCIal boundanos or by the use of exonc foods and consumption
gumea fowl .II1U millet ",'rndg, prrl '" I roar.
paraphernalia, access to which can be controlled through elevated expense or
under the SUpt~rViMon of th(' se-m or \\If(' ( an.I U Iq
bmHed nerworks of acquISition. In the absence of effective means of monopo.
of Zamb',I. even when IU' hng . .1 hI f ,...,1\01
lizatlon , the weakenmg of diacnnca1 symboltc force caused by emulauon may
l'ubj('cts b('{.lus .., · pt'rl1d~r:: '-1'H..'IktJ I'm mJ'4ll'"'
provoke continual slufts In elue tastes as they reacr to the process of imitation ,
(RIChard, 19N IINl Rather , ,~" (,,,..I m.t n
The,. 'hlfLS need nOt be solely m the dlrectton of mcreasIOg claborauon In many
JIl' mukru hy onr 01 Ihr, htrl '" I n tl t1wl
Q .I:S, rhl' rcaCUOn may be r<)ward ostentatiously SImpler, rather than more c1Jb
"chlcls vl"lmg d, h "Ih r will ,h I

86
at
 ~"'l h~ 1 fhf" :.."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _•
OF CON SUMPTION COMMENSAL POLITICS

- - Al flJALS
- . A~D ~OWU I", A•• IC ....
,
, n..
11"'o1'(' III\'l' 'i 1.1 .
I ' f'" hcaJ w de cClldd !lend (l roya l viSllor di shes 01
hUf tUllv .1 t l ie
. _J
h " I J. f
I) ' 118 ). r lll.II'y, among t c gil .'I 0 Nlge n a tt, . . Iso no
red how vanoUS guests we re tTeated depen'"
' wng On th
---
~~

J ·""h t R It.:h. II-u ,\ ,uJ - I1 r ' th the host" ('990:(]0), <U'Utu'">and't\a.

plm·".I}.!l· .111 H J ~ be lieved to not CJ I al a . In laC(. th e king I U0 0 5 W l
. i J 10 ht" JI Vlll C .111 . I . <I , Ilarly, soc.al groups or networks of vanous \un"-
I kJII~ /'\ (clO'" ('re · " _~ Id i'lI'ld m C~I J.s nrC referred to only In c u p h eJl"l1~rn 51rT'- ~ t41ffinc.C\
\\ J \' \ ,,'.1 " 111 q .'dll\I(JIl.1l14 l ' ~ oc s , uendy marked by the same k.mds of pramc c. . , ·gqrw.., tIC
arc Ire q . _ e:s tnat art \l.Std t
I 06S 1<4 10S), I 'd versUS stran ge r distin ctions. Conce:pts of ethru tnlU other
I)
( ' ""WO I · .. Ic ll CCS differe ntiating ce rta ill e eva ted kmds 0 in Sl er . ' CIty. ror !!Urn 1
n
. d,l.ln1m:.tJ ( ull ,1I V pr. . r I involve beilefs (of va nable accuracy) abou d pt, ~ry In:
I •
" ell t r.
• J
I ' I do eXISI eve n in Africa , Il ow cver, lhey arc by 110
()r people:- r ( .1 r y
\
quen[ y
ry P racuces, The Luo love fish and know
t 15unctl\;1: food
thOl 'C C• . L "'la IIld
(.II t.:~tm t', eU II na UU3 "",ungulSn th
I :r A(n c,1Il kingdom · and cnJcfdoms, Mo reove r, Lh ese ritu.
rn N II \ U/lI\'I.·r,"J I .1In o n~ I r J(jsii neighbors to the east who eschew fish TheY"'-be c, em mnll
rhel . bo e that th
I, '
lis IIT !'> o rn c tlml'~\OC: ,'(c ~
, ., h
focused .15 (0 be effectiVe. y n o nco mme.nsallO the
_ IUlril ve ly
d fy rh e defilllllon of a feast, and they tend to mark cer, re vU
OOQ
lsion at the idea of eaung caterpilla_rs sets them aport fr c.r OWh
Om oth", n".Loo
e\ lt"l1l IhJf lhey p e r J PS (' h north. Peasts can be a theater for the symbobc m I 'W' n
. '- d ,,,Ioncdl role, r.lIher than social classes, Neve rtheless, such to t e '!Upu ' Oon of SUch cuIi
f.l ln lo ,wulIOnJ uU f . . distincrions m the expressIOn of sentune.ms of mclUSl .
., ,rfor", Lhe ntu.1 work noted above of relfymg asymmctnca l rela. nary 0 0 and adUSton , •
pr,Kllfl'oCj u l) p c vano us leve1s.
I 11 00\ II ( power th ro
ugh the .symboltc m.l1Ipulatlo n of food consumptio n in a par.
s dIfference Jnd separation of at least a small elite segment of
.Ias the situation is yet more compltcated for archatolog '" I •._
N' . I'uoo_b_
I fe rll I hJI t' mp hJ ~ lZe .
tht' 'i oCJery
dence of what are here defined as ruacnucal feasts betaust nnular symbottc de
VIce
s can be used to mark categones of events as
.
"-"en as C'att\'{J
0 nu 0 1"<"l'1<
r
Particular care must be taken not to ffilStake the k.mlh of pr.ctlc" th.tt",.. be
FEASTS AND SOCIAL BOUNDARIES used to di.lferenriate feasts m general <as nrual eVents , from t"\'tryd.. tnl'omul
To be an"lyucally useful, the concept of cUacntlcal feasts requ.ires some further consumption m soclet.es wlthout ruacnocal feast:; fot those used.o chlTtl"ClllUto
,JUIIOU, danficatton Tlus IS because nearly all feasts actuaUy serve m SOme ways social classes In SOCletles havmg dtacntical feam In many C>St, tlus former chs.
'" define sO(l.,1 bound"nes while SImultaneously creating a sense of community, nncrion (Le .• marlung feasts as ntual events) IS accompb'heJ >Imp ' b JdIer
That 1\ nc"r1y all fe"sts 'erve to mark. reify, and mculcate diacritical distinctions enees in the sheer quantity of food .nd dnnk proffertd ""J <otmlmd or •
bcn,een ,octal groups, categones, and sratuses whlle at the same rime establISh- change m the location and ommg of consumption . Ho"" r the np<$ of ,,=
Ing reldtlOnsrups across the boundanes that they define, Gender categories and devices used as symbohc dtacnnca m marking 'oclll Jt>UllCtl 'IIUV rm
age cUstlllctJons. for e,ample, are very commonly signa led 10 what I have distm- ployed to dlStlngtJ1sh ntu.l from quotldtan practICe bl " I 'll> ~ Jr
gtll,hed ., 'empo\\'enng feasting practices even among peoples with a strongly vices" that act as cue, es,.bltslung the ntual Slgntfic&n,r of t"\'tTlt
egahtoman pohllcal ethos. For example, among rhe Luo of Kenya (who do nor '985'l81-(83), For example. lea,ts may be marked b, p<Cl.l1 e
have 'cUacntlcal feam an the sense defined above), categoncal dlSttnctlons be- are expenSIve, ra re, exotic, .speCIally nch parti(uluh, t lilt tin
tween men .nd women, between elders and younger men, and between kll1shlp Among the Luo, for example. beer" not ,,'mcthtn~ ( <umN" rh
group' aIt' slgnaled at feas~, by spanal cnteria (le" who SIts where and Wllh meals and beef .s a fond that t> nl>rnl,\U~ r<,([' ,d e ,Iu " tor I
whom). temporal dlStmctlons (I e" the order of serving), by cl.tfferent types of though accomp.m«1 by the SI,md.tN f Jn~C nt ,th r d.uh t
dnnkll1g "e. ,els and practlces, and by d.fferent types of beer and food (see the special servICe vessds or other paf.'phrrn.h. tlO.luJm . Ionn' <'f
later dlSeu<s1on of rhe Luo case), S.mdar k.mds of practices, ill culrurally speedic or other bodily ,ldllrmnelltl, 01 spcClal ardut\dur.tl u mg m"
mamfe'tanorl.\, are ublqultoll.S m the Afncan ethnographic record (e.g" seC Carl- for tIllS markmg purpllse '1'<. u,,' the I \I," an amp)
son 1990; Hunter 1961. Karp 1980; Pensl1any 1939; Rlcbards 1939: Sangree 196.), UIlCUve paired sct 01 wr\' I,trgl' h«,t I".t' ".U J t 'aoJ
, tIt;It

Such practICes can also be a subtle but powerful means of marking the SOCIal only at Import.lIlt I,·.,t, \11 rhllh JnJ Dletl T'
r.nlung of andlviduals m hIerarchies of prestige and mfluence. As D.llon noted beer. beef. JnJ (t'rt.lln kmJ:\ nt lrit'rtlnu, \ b
fr,r Ihe Mc~ "f Camcmon r . I h "
, Jor c,amp e, t ey wcre very sensitive to subtle cllS' as mual <vrllts !-tn,tlh, ,11\\,1(,,1,01\\1" .1\ tt\
(nmma,,'," "nrct~d III h,s ) p. IaI
"y, dnd onc man 's atmude toward a"ot her ~,,,
of servtn' .. nJ \ I tal \Unpt\lln 1\1
mIght t". """,/lcdntly alter d cl, d h .
b C , {pen Ing ''" w ether he had made a spen.tl dlcHt Dollgla .~R4 \,
r'J serve lum (,r offered only I P I
"m(" t"XC'US("S. t"op ". dttc.·ndmg Important gJth"rmg!'o 11.. h "J

.. •
 __~'~"C~h~"'~I~"~~~fl'~"_________________________,-
-
rUALS Of CONS UMPTION , CO MMENSAl POl
- J I between " dl~l '1ucal reasts" and lh
Jrsnnglll!"h I ('J I Y . ese Oth .
RI ITlC~. AND POWEFt Ut
•In'tMc.'Cl/ogl.I;' to (". Ihose 111.1rkll1g both boundanes ber-we er AJIICA" co
I k prlt.:IICC!<- IC ., e nSO('i I
nOlllh'"lrY -InJr 109 . b dones berwcen nrual and quotidian CDnte" a b ascd upon vanous permutations ,
of symbol ".
le '-U;JCf10u !
I ·ones ,lIlJ Oun . ts). all ritlctiO flS (that IS, segregation or olh~r structurc:d dtft . Ulc udJng. I 'P'1h«l4u,
~r(lup!i JIl!. r.llC'g · r . nbohc logic IS both possible and useful t
'tu - d ..enl.ll1ghng (l sy' . _ In lllan
<rtOll.l P<>siUoru~. Q '"
I hclu.'Vl" ( ~ I. _ re jJ careful and cnneal cvalu3uon of the COn > Y ~
d women whue eatmg), (2) t.mporal dIJII"_
, '-.w~(~ -~-a.
oach ose WIll requf , , teXtual l su mptlOn). (J) qflaiflatlve dLSfJnctto~ (for'. I .. ordc, of _ _
Ilbf.II1Ct"S
s. f he evidence and a muJosrranded. thkk.ly l CO l ......arnp e, 1I1 the 1..-..1 .- ... ~ or
'
and .1SSOClJn
onnl p.urenl 0 I
-
....
d . ro differentiate between diacntJcal feas ls"
CJctured service vessels men and women aTe give ""lW of fOOd, ~.... _\.
le 'rrgumcn[ In or Cl Illark. or .'. n or Ue aliO\\.'c:d _'"
-. a ttlitarive dLSttncUons (m [he relative. i&mounrs f r: 10 COtls1.arne •
Inrerprftl\, d ,1.. J'ocnocaJ use of cuisine (0 mark other sOdal cate ' qfl . 0 ,0Od Or dn •
'JJ dasses ,In (Jle UJ . gOnes nd women), or (,5) behaVloral dLStlnCfJo'lJ (thallS ".... ok "'~ to 1l1cn
I 1f1g soo . cia l rirual evenrs. To take a lughly sImplified hYPOther <l • \.U!.lerenc~
or 10 nlark fe,lsrs as spe fi . lea) comportment between women and men dunn d' III <>petted bodIlv
e.\,lmple speoal . l)'Pes 0 r ce ramic tableware. lhat
_.
are ound only
.
J.n funerary
COn. ch trung. s as permlssl
. bl e SIgnS of UltOXlcation 1,11 g ..an
-
.ft.r fusun g "",uduo
,__ •
nr)' contexIS are more likely Iepresentatlve or the latter (that su . """"g ...lul. '
I t'X[.) bur In a// J u n e . ,
C
fi ~ od serving or being served. Wlthdrawtng from th c'ung, ".chlll fot
o , e Illeal fim and
IS .nll1rkmg
. . I1le nru3 . I n ature or an event); whereas those. ound exclusively in lllaJ e An Important reature to SIgnal here IS that whe <h • '0 on
.•
'rJve.$, bUl !O a11 male graves probably Imply both a .ntual 'and . ca tegoncal dist'Inc, " 10 operaUon.
sense define d ab ove ) 15 . 're
these panerns of 'Olo"l d r...une III rh•
g
0011, an
d la e bronze drinking vessels round only ill a limited number or very
rg . f "di '. al '
vary greatly between sodal classes. In other words g." ..... der ddferento.Jti on m.,
, . . ,,-, or may be rnarkrd ID
wca Ithy bun als most hkely Uldicate the . operation 0 acnnc. ,easts." BUI th e quire rufferent ways WIthin the feasnng praCllces of e th cl
plJuslbiluy or such an Ulrerpretaoon will depend upon other eVIdence from settle. Goody (1982) noted a fr equem pattern m wruch \'lIb thead I~ For eump e...
men[ dDca as ,,'ell (see Dlotler 1996 for archaeological examples). "'< opm<'lll of end
amous sodal dasses marked by restneted cornrnensa] urcl.. , ",
~ anu Ul'OlOca! cui>
It IS Important to POUlt out that a general increase in, for example, the COIll_ nary practices, one often notes a sluft m the POSItion of WOlllen of dot cfut d.lu
ple.ul)' or elaborateness of the decoranon of tablewares in comparison to COok_ from food servers and prepares 10 commensa] p'rtne", ",th. (Qm'poodin~ J.,
Ing warcs (or of ceramIcs m general J.n comparison to a previous habitanon level velopment of speClalJSt food preparers and serve", \\ ho "" , mcrun , .;,*
or archaeological penod) is not necessarily an indication of the use of style in the This does not imply any correspondmg change ID gcndered pI,,·tl«, m el>llll
developmenr or diacriocal feasts. This may simply be relared to an increasing among the non-elite classes; and one can annop.te ID ",ch (.lSe,. m.u:' dUf.r
"comple.tilication" of food-consumption parterns (in the sense of Douglas 19i14) ence between the classes m. for e.xample . the spana] ;md bth .. oral JistJn:tlon.,
through more marked symbolic emphasis on distinctions such as that between by which gender IS marked
ntual and quoodian duung practice. The diacritical feast pattern rests on an ex. It is also tmportanr to telterate thal feasong pra(tlcn, altho"l:hnurk • IInd-
cluslve sumptuary use of style in food-consumption rituals by cerrain social aries of gender Identlnes m the ways noted aho\'t, "mull;mco' "t'I't It
classes whal,,'er the relative complexity of food patterns within the SOCiety as a tionslups of mu mal dependence acros< thrue b<'unJ.lOr; tiul III rum. rel""",1
and natural",e IdeologIes srrucrunng larger ,o,1<r.1 rel,DOo, produ.."IIOo on.!
whole. More will be said about these issues Iarer, bur for the moment it is useful
authonty. This leads to a mote general poml I wISh t om
to open a brief parenthetical consideration of one of the most common categor.
JCa1 disnnctlons defined through feastmg. standmg the gender relallon, rha! umlrtbe, and olr<' rrproJu.:
[ruc,.1 parr of the project of Ihc'''''[I(.1 .n.I, ',.. th.t~, Ori ,
FEASTS AND GENDER a productlvc focus of archJcolog"'JllIlquu,\ 1n.ll< A
various aspects of symboltc rt'prcscnr,lO,m O\ll d .00'
As noted earuer, gender IS one cultural category of sooal identity that is nearly
tamed by a gcndell't! JsynHlI~u'\ III I<'nm 01 I. r.mJ
everywhere marked, remed, and naturalized to some extent through feasting male labor (produ(rng Jlld pro,e '1Il~ Ih .tgn(u1rur.&i
practices In fact, gender IS one of the most common categOrical disrincnons for feasts) ottt'll I"rgdy supports J , slem ,\I ..,
made through food/dnnk·related pracuces In general, albeit in a wide vanety of mary hendlnan<'s III Ih., p"ltu,.1 =n TillS tIIt_
culturally specmc ways IBacon 1976; Chrld , Barry, and Bacon 1965; Coumhan and IS such a slrong Itnk.Jge h"""'<'11 ""t-.gvn 11.1 tmk I
Kaplan r998, D .. der 1990; Crfou·Madlanou 1992; Herbich 1991; McDonald (994). elsewht'lt' (,r 11""'1up Iv' I. I. I'ntdman
As rhe Lu/) cX<implc discussed below Illustrates (cf Karp 1980, Ngokwey 1987 for nll'l" 1\,)~O , Vin,,'l" lu lit,) 1 ...1 tl nJ H rbI 11
Othl" Afnc.n examples), such ,.teg/meal boundary m.rkrng at fcasts mdY br I'rmdl 1.11",,, .. Il'l1 "r m.Jor r

.0
"
 /11,, -/111('/ f)ft',/tr

prc)l lie'101
j
I I ,.IIIhoUl,h rc/,1[.lv{' ge ndcfcd contribution in this dO
(h e IS bY
- RITlIA
LS Of CONSUMPTION , COMMENSA.L POllllC
5, ,,~O PO'llu.
'" "'Flle"" c~
et
rnaln
• 11\ U01/orm (Boscrup 1970; Cuyer (088). However, even more co."...... no
nlc.1 . . ''' on IS
.1
uOIlIJIl.
1111 fCllllJC
•
conrrlbun on to the e r-uoal , c ulinary and Serving lab Or thaa
rr;l fl~fo rm:!i raw food mg rcuicnl.\ into :casts (FncdJ 1975; ~oOdy (982). Moreovert
••Ithough cases such as the Luo (descnbed below). In wmdl wornen provide th~
JgncuJrural, culinary. and serviJlg labor for male political activities are qUite COll)~
mOll (0 g .. see Bohannan .nd Boh.nnan 1968; Cla rk r98~) . examples of the lo.
verse parrern (where men consIstently provide the agnculrural. culllla""
, servlllg labor that underwnres feasts formally hosted by Women) are extremely
ra!'t', if they exlSf at all.
• J' and
RELATING THE MODES. OF COMMENSAL POLITICS
L~U
s nOW return co the conSIderation of the chffere:
'.. nt _ ~_
__
.' outlined eariler, because It IS also necessary to say r. ofmmm~ po\.
J[1CS J. ew \\ ords .thou lh
At firsl glance, It may be tempting to imerpret tms facr as a sysrematic form of . nships of these modes to each other. The firSt thmg t h e rdo
I I"bor exploitation, Ul Ime WIth Marx's observation that women probably COnst/. 00
h tld deCIdedly not be mterpreted as evolunon"", 0 emp iISlzt" tin! .h_
Sla.... ••• _,
S ot . ..._ uut can bt corrtt. N
rured the first exploited class (MeillassoUJ( 1975'7 8). However. the question of ex. ·th for example, outmoded evoluoonary typologtes of " I

plolt3non frequendy lunges upon a subtle contexrual consideranon of the WI d, cribe, cmefdom,
. state. etc .). There to be sure an \lOuoQ! Or;..'>1lJ2",Qn
b-
(b IS.
an • '. 10~ ccrrdaOQn to
. 0
quesnon posed by Clark for the Kikuyu : are women "controllers of reSOUrces Or me extent WIth mcreasmg sooal Stranficaoon and compl"",~ f
so ~.' 0 )truC'tUrt'i. of
themselves reSOurces controlled by men?" (Clark 1980:367). Although exploit•. olitical power (for example. diacntical feasts . as defined he",. are -~n.. ....
p . " ..... _, • OQ.
Don IS frequently. justiJiable analytical conclUSion, this is by no means a pattern cure encountered exduslvely among state soaeoe>-bUt not:Ul SI"" ...
"I1l M .It
that IS uruversal or even general.izable in a simple way. For example. in SOme soci. acritical feasts), However, rather than descnbmg a "'ne. of \U, '"
eues there is typlcaJJy a more balanced, or even male-domina red, pattern of labo evolutionary stages. these feasnog modes should be \1r\\·ed .. 'onsurunn l Pit).
r gressively expansive repertotre of forms of pollocal actlOn throu h t1n~ <
U1 the production of feasts (although this generaJJy does not extend to the prepa.

raUon of daily meals). Moreover. women may share in the starus and political form does not replace another; some fomlS Sllllply expand the r""!:t 0
benefits from thetr labor by being members of an influential household Or line. sal politics in operation. It IS true that there have boen. and "'" 00 . 11\"
age (In marrilmeal COntexts). Their labor (and male dependence upon ir) may also only empowering feasts are opemo," tIus IS the Ill">t b.." and fun,l"h<ntallv
be overtly recognized and valued. and women may even derive considerable cat- ubIquitOUS mode of commensal pollncs HO\\<\-rf "et'! m
egoncal and IndJ\~dual status from the ... central role m the furnishing of hospi- feasts are found are also cert,un to ha\ each of the "'0 r 10
In
other words, where cul.me .. used as J illa(Tlnc I ,nn
tality Or III malntaming commensal relations with rhe gods (e.g.• see Cera 1992,
dasses, the pohuc. of commemallt)" ",iU'nll be '" d b
March 1998). And, U1 many societies, women do host their Own work feases and
jockeymg for relative SlanlS wHhm those d. 'Furth I1tlOI"r
Other feast events. although usually on a smaller scale than men. For example,
others In patron posItion ' WIll olien "multan",) . tmpk
among the TIV of Nigena. women host smaller work feasts than men. bur these
hospitality 111 the p.lltOn rolc pallfrn '" ItgJturuz III
"underscore the prestige of unportant women If a woman calls a big hoeing
thority roles. l.Ikewlse . both rmp"" nil!! ~Ild p.atmn
parry and supplIes generous amOunts of food and beer, she will be caJJed 'impor,
operanve whc~ Ihe." lallcr 'YP<' I.' rounJ lht' u. f
tant woman' (shagba kwasc) for momhs afterwards" (Bohannan and Bohannan
6 stitutlonahzcd patruns (t·~. (hltf. I \ l\1amt~U1 t
19 8.73). Finally, the common tradlttOnal female monopolization of cooking and
brewmg responSIbIlIties has, With the penetranon of the monelized market econ.
roles does Ilut predudt' Ihe USt' 0'
h\l''Plt~hlY b •
tuses below that uf su(h p.II",,\!., r Its u' b ,~
omy, frequently presented women With Opportunrties for gatrung a source of In
and defin~ tht'" rt'1~!t <.. !\~ ~ h~
()me (e g .. through beer sales), and thiS has sometimes enabled them 10 acquire
chll'tly amhon! \\ hat \u h
{()n.nd,·rable t'Clmomlc Independent'c and mlrafamlllal power under changing
common huusrhul.h \\ tll H)lIlmU hoIJ
)l1(J("'(m()ml crmdllJIJns (c.g .. :lee Colson and Scudder 19HII. Netting 1964).
lOmmuntty ,11\\11 I. ullal l~tI 1.1:Ih
The c.lalltm flip belween f.. a5ls and gender IS dearly a complex bUI analYl1
Hrll(r, Ihr "1< 11\ I n III n
ully nch ~Ild Imp"rtdnr ('"l' I'e:u" ~r Imirn.'~ly Impl" al"d III th,' rrl'rl'srnl.1
"
 •
Of CON S UMPTION , COMMEN S A.l POUTICll A.
- ~rTUAl5 . NO POWER I~ "Ut, .... CO
-
\ .. c.:..(( , III I l'Illnl III bl~ .1f 10 mind IS lh,H lht.' dl.slIllcrions betwee"h •
l <: II
{' 11111l1lCn:\ 11 pohucs art.' not preCisely of (he same orde r 1ree Uo FEASTS
Il1(Jl t"I of •• - and lh. I.. d to further c1anfy some of the more abSl ra
(Jel has Import.1nl 100plicallons for the role of fcats In socia l change . The d,; In or er et po",,, m.d" •. _L
. 0 rreat several aspects of feasrmg among the Lu f ~""r. 1 III
1c.:_,T'en(....... b"'\\'l.'cn emnowenng lea:as and pmron·role feasts IS really One 0 I' est b brte Y 0 0 \V~~i It Kt"
... r ore dera" than the other examples raised m th dt Y> "' ~
hshmg ~I Ir,m.smon.1i dJVISlon alo ng a co n tinuum of expeCtations. The S b· ' ",har m . t '="on Th L
e ' , Yrn olte . spealung people who inhabit a re"'on of abo < no ~ •
h b d
100lC or bOlh IS qUJtC SlInd.w bot opcrare y ennmg a smgle "consu . Nilo(lC~ b' Ut 10.000 kmJ. uno
.. rnpuon. Winam Gulf. in the northeast corner of Lake Vict Th IUIdm
co mmutllry " wlthll1 wh ich .1SYI11JllctrteS a re expressed and n a rurallzed to difTi the . . h ona ey have. p.tnhn _.
. hi sysrem and live m omesteads scattered acro h <..
<01 de"l'Ces b), the sh.1ling o( food It IS really the extent of inslirutio I er. !Ons P ss t e eountry"J, hi
et na IZed e occupied by polygynous extended families w,th a patnlocal <, ch
.trcep13nce. or expectJuon. o( a c~ nDnuing partern of unre~iprocared Or unbal. .. attern (see D 'letI er an d H erb'th
I 1989. 1993' Evans p ch postm.nul rt" .
anced ho,pltahry lhal defines the ddference . As the example In the follow ' dence P . . nt >rd 1949' Hrtblch
. .' . . . Ing sec. . J-Ierblch and Dlerler 1992 . 1993; Slupton 1989; SouthaU _,
~ o n "oIl ~.
.how lhere IS ofren a subtle dlSDnctlon belween rhe two ,and 't . 1987. '9,- ,
1 IS not of their ruet. and rhts IS cam d
Agn' culrure provides the base b
.... •
dtfficulr 10 ,magme how the patron· role feast may crysralllze our of certain C . __ e. OUI \' \\'Omro m
. . lorrns rtered sets of small plots m the Vlarury of the homestead G~.- .
o( empowenng (easts. Ir IS also Important to recogmze thar rensions and conflict sea . ' . -. UOP\ mdudf.
HLUI

seve ral' varienes of sorghum. .millet, and ffiatZe Root crops . ."'" . 11 S\\~t ~
~t_ ... aa
may. acrually be created when groups approach such feasts with diJferent une~ d es and cassava. are also tmportant. as are vanous kinds of L .
taW lXilIh gieen\.
standtngs o( therr pohticalloglC: (or example, when the hosrs view rhe feast in the ·'Is and wild leaves. In some areas, bananas are also grown Prot .
Ien..... , em sources U\~
parron ·role mode and the guesrs view it m the empowering mode. This is partlc. elude milk. fish (caughr in the Gulf and traded ",dely througllo uI the repon
ularly a nsk with feasrmg across culrural boundaries, where, for example. hosts chickens. sheep. and goats. Beef IS also highly pnzed. but canle art an ,mporunl
and guests are members of diJferent erhnic groups that do nor share rhe sarne symbol of wealth and are usually slaughtered only for feasts Aside from pur
culrural codes and behavioral expectations. But ir can also be manipulared Con. chased fish and sporadic "rarget" buymg and selling of gram at the lco..-oil mu <I.
sClousl), by mdividuals or groups who are quite aware of the conventions but most households grow most of the food they eat Then:" Itnl. I'<\un,. un f,
who. for example, choose to challenge chiefly aurhoriry by refuSing to acknowl_ stuffs imported from outside the region (aSide from salt and a few lu un"., ch
edge a parron-role feasr as such and rteating ir ins read in the competitive empow. as tea. sugar. and tobacco).
enng mode. This form of "fesrive revolution" is. of course, one of the many With these basic ingredients. the Luo manage to m.unt.un a rebtl' 1\ '-an cl
ways m which feasting can become a site of contestation and a dynamiC agent in repertoire of dishes. and there are regional and fa.rruh· rrt~ rto-e. fur rr"~
pohocal change The main meals are constituted around a tluck. bread·like pomdg
In comrasr to the other two modes. the diacritical feast manifests a symbolic made from botled sorghu m or m:lIle flour Thts I' the ....mboli m
logIC that differs in kind . It serves ro reify asymmetries along lines of class or social gredient of the diet. and a Luo who has not eJlen ~'" will , , thal
order by definmg the boundanes of separate "consumption·communities." It also. not earen. Various stew-Irke dishe made from \'t~t~hle. mUI 6"'-
sentially as a condlmenr to klloll n..-ks and le . I' meals I I a mmun-i
of course. serves ro solidifY idenDry withm rhose consumption-communities
through food sharing and the cultivation of shared rastes. Again. it is Important to bean mixrurc (nyoyo). a thll1 nullt't or mJIU rom~
emphastze that ail feasting rituals involve boundary-defimng practices . Social cate· and sour milk. and olher such Jlsh s. The m.w\ ai, moo
gories such as age and gender. for example, are very commonly marked in the ways (kong'o) made from m!llet anJ / 0r nUlze. allh,>u~
noted tn previous sections; and It is Importam for archaeologists to be aware of the e1lallg'an has .1lso become popular In rt'c 111 J ~J
operation of such diacriocal devices. But these other disrinctions are establlshed are not Items conslIml"d \\~th J.1lh· meals. r.uh r. Ih na.!
Wlthrn commcnsal networks through variations in food·sharing practices Whal 01' feasts
arc ht':re called "dlacntlcal feascs" represem a speCial kmd of boundary·definmg As wnh many All-Koln '0,. n • Iht:lT
practIC£: based upon commcnsal exclUSion that I believe is suffiCiently dIfferent and JUSt bdore Ihe nlam h.lr\'est ul Iht' r -ht'l\

heunstKally valuable rt) mmt dlstlngulshrng carcgoncally. As pnor studies of pre· mu SI be IJ't'lch"J l uu h. 101 • oil,.,
I'amtnl' rduseJ bv ,rup I .lure and tll
hi Ifmc IJuropean ((JI1texts have she,wn (Stl' Dlctlcr 1996, 1999a). II can b~ a pro·
ducttv (3tt'gtlry fllr arrhaNllogtralanalyOls.
by It.me all.! Ih,' \ • IIlIl'Mt nl 11< uah

'4
 •
AlII IlIId.:.":.::".:.'}:..:"______________
--- . 'TU
J',LS Of CONSUMPTION. COMM£NS-'l POtlT1
CS .~O OO""l
..
0/ fo lk-rlln' I11l' !l10r-y (~
et' O Il'IICI ,lI1d Ilcrhl(h 19QJ). 01' Wh~H Sh'pl. on ( 1990 '
... .375)
"- ."",
-----..:

I ' II I " ,I,,· h lldl lll,'; posrs of.

IU S.ll't)Llt'l
hlMory
. d l I
11 11 elt.·mcnt nl Luo h ie. an I lCY P ay most of Lh e Va -
re."" lIn.' .11' lI11port . " ._. _ l10us
I ." nlpnwrnng llll1dt., III lh e e.ulJ e l ,Lscusslon T he la.
rol~!<o .lIlnbl.lI l'd (0 L'I( (" . _. I gesl
.d I " Inrrrcsr l-, .lIh cn n gs 111 th e SOC ICry o utside of m arkets l k
/t' ,tMS, .:m d 111 J cc.: I. 1( C'" ~ , a e
. I T'I ' . cvenl S 31"eheld", th" homesteJd or the deceased and
p l'HX' .1 1 /uncra $. lCSc.: . • are
.
m.lrke d by t he r' OVISlo n
. or IMgr qu"n"tles of bee ,
r and beef. along With the St a n _
h
tJJ rd kucJ/I an d o t t: I 10
.. , ods. They are accompalll
. .
ed by ntu al dramaturgica l pra c.
u ccs .s uc I' JS' p il r.l. d'1119 of ca ,tie, danclllg, Slllg mg, speeches. and the reCitation 0 f
, I 'ecotll1l lhe accomplishm ents
p r~ll se song:t l131 I . of .borh the deceased and th e
k
speJ ers. TI,ey ofr en last for several days, durmg whi
. ch a large group of lineage
. .
I rr: . • nd nelghbors must be kepr sa tl sned WIth COpiOUS amounts f
m CJ11 be rs. ilJJlncs, ....... 0
food .1I1d dnnk. The presuge of th e deceased and his/ her fa mily are thought to
be reO'Cled 111 the size of the ga rhermg capable of being assembled and Sustained
JI rhe funeral fe ast and the laVishness of the hospitality provided, InOuentiai men
have the most osrentatiously laVIsh fun erals, but every Luo is cOncerned about
haVIng an unpress,vc funeral mounted for him / her, This concern is often voiced
b older Widows as a major reason for joining religious groups. as these aSSure Figure 3.1 Photograph of Luo communal h<er dnn Ill!: "'" on
mentation pot (dnkong 'o). on "ght Scale m cm . Photo m t o..d..
cl;elf followers of a proper funeral . As noted earlier, the scale of hospitality at fu-
nerals is often so great that at least temporary impoverishment of the famtly may
result. and the lavishness of such feasts among the Luo and other west Kenyan beer dnnks III a special bamboo case. I ~ d <If :lgnof ~urm.u
peoples IS the subJecI of frequent harangues by government ministers and mem, large pot, calJed a dak~lIg 'o (Fig n I, tn ",hl<h Ih 11<(1
bers of other ethnic groups (e,g., Mburu 1978), stands near the thago. and beer IS removed from It ilIId mut<!
Less spectacular feasts are also held for marriages. harvesr celebrations, collec, consumption from the [hag" YounR r men C1II
uve labor mobilization, the founding of a new homestead, and a hosr of other clear area LI1 front 0) the hous,' known "'"' ~
things (such as ceremomes concermng rhe birth of rwins), Small-scale gatherings tered beer [hat IS served III J f".'t l-alled ",M. h
of elders or meetings berween fnends are also often marked by sharing a POt of They WIll consume rhelr b"er tw Jtpp~
beer In general, feasrs are dJsungulshed from daily meals by several fearures, lowed gourd (11.1.,\"<1101, somenm no", no ~n-' r
Most commonly. these Include the consumption of beer (and / or challg'aa) and Women m.w also ,on,unlt' ."m
,
r Ul
beef which are not everyday foods. They are also sometimes marked by Ihe loca- household WIll h.we al lea..'1 ,'n ",Joint but !M
lion of consumption and the use of special contamers. lana Jrc I.lrg'" expcnSIVl" pu. Ih~t ma
In the rermory of Alego, for example, homesteads have a speCial shaded area homesteads In nl"lghborhood Olh r
known as siwanda that serves as the place where senior men at feasts gal her to' when they WIsh tu ll~.lllll 11 111\1" runt
gether to dnnk beer and eat· At feasts of some importance, these elders Will con· usually 3rt' known ·lIhll1. n ittb
sum" unfillered beer our of a spcClallarge pot ca lled a thago (Pig. 3.1) , A rllllgo may pies we Illund III home- . '"
be larger rhan a meler In dIameter and a merer rail, and It IS supported by beUlg 3 splendid Knm, rt'p nt U I f
partly buned in Ihe ground al th" >lwanda . The men Sll around tht, PUI III J Circle gun,'s by th s pr~"1 It I
drinkmg fwm I"ng .traw. (olrkC) made ,,( hulluw vine stems with a wown tiltrr kc. ,cnl I'(SII, h r h 11$
Hn th end (FIg. ~ 2), 'I he pO»C' sum 0/ ~ prl sonal Slraw, whlrh om' l'art1C5 In N 70s d p.rt 0'

I.
 5 Of CONS UMPTlON. COMMENSAl pOlrncs M40 PO~[., AIR
,.uTU,AL
-

Pi re 3.3· Ph 0 rograph of a mural on the exteno, of an . b.."d ed b«r 1W1 ....

gu represen ration of a Luo feasr . Nore the eJd<r men dIll,..,,_J
'come
I ( I ) through long straws (osdu) wlule young<'r men
nal por I "'go . b b I tI
cups. an d a wo man acts ID a se"~ng capaa,,' LP oto e er

dr ing Sltloho (a processed gram flour produd re 'ulnn" fr,: an 10 m

Y ,
rhe cltaille optralOlYe of the beer tem)ent~non pr '
H
h
floor of another abandoned beer h,ill \\llh a Ii-a'[ll\, m
FIgure J 2 . Phorograph shOWing how beer IS consum ed from thago through a long vine.
stem straw (Ostkt). (phoro by M Dletle, and I H erblCh) This is one of the many I,bonou step' n ( . an I p
a suffiCIent quannry of grain to mount a I . t ~
culinary labor force thJt ues behind th .. piu, n
they share In the ensumg prestige ~nd lh~r n
postcolorual Kenyan governmems ro exert state conrrol over alcohol : see Ambler [he generous host. ""omen gro\\ th , n'p. I' n
1991). brewing. dnd ervmg Th" I' nn, "I lh ,
The consumption of food IS also done on a commu nal basis. A "loaf" of kllO.1 havll1g many WIves I, nor ,>nl I I~ ,> , ,,\th.

will be served on a basket plate and shared by several diners who will break off mount large fC,I,t' \,qllmng \\ 1\ ' r\'
morsels and dip them inro a common ceramjc bowl (tawo) of the stew/sauce cause one nHIM g", .1 \.l(~ 1I1ll"lltll ,'I n:l I h
(sometimes these servmg Contamers are now replaced by Imported ename l form of cJnit .lIh!. 1111\, . "I(,'n"I\ n r. 11
dIshes). These serving contamers are genera lly not dlfferenr fTom those used '" ever. mult'l'it' " 1\,'" \\11",11 tclhl " It
everyday meah. I.WlSh h<)'I'II.l),t\ . "hI, h, I, IlIrth r I
Flgur< 34 is a phot<Jgraph [hal rather Ironically encapsu lates the ge nclrred r~' II11plic.lI.tlm ( " ', .1,,\ n ... !l 11, I1 r I,

lalllJOs IJ{ pmduCllOn thal underlie LUQ fca sllng. 11 portrays a woman workll1g.1I rhe I UII .I" 111'1 h.I\, 11 11
01 Nt,\\ l.\l\ll" ,t 1 I It"- n i \ ,h

98
 ,
--
-

Flgun: U Photograph of • Luo wom.n cngogcJ In Jry1n& """ho, onc 'lep In .he bo,.
0U5 duJfM t1pt1~14I" or
beer productIon I on I he 000r ,,' on .b."Joncd b<cr h>ll .. th.
liillT2l1bowul .an adeahud rc:prc t'n[~u(}n (A a I.uo It' I In the b~ fOund Photo by
I Dr<tler and I Herorch

7 Yet generosity In comn,,'" al h" 1'11.111

171:1 nt2tnm a man', pr I1 C od Inllu,'" c, nil th fun r~J
non of ltalUl Luo ~I 'J I"(wld~ ... pnm
" awry whIch I1 a h'ghl ".IUt d IlIlh I I J I' 11
udes (orrru <If mu hud b" ling tn \\ .Id mm ~ I I Ibrt,
d den ~I rh' ~ 01 1"<11 nv I I' I hUd 1'"
n a form of Iyrl.' "yall/, n. I 1,.. "'oplu

rI 1< f il

or I
 ,
O f CONSUMPTION , COMMENSAl POlnlCS
. - -
ftlnJ,AL S
. "_ A,.
• AhD POWU ''''
--~=
.
L' un: I I"I ~ "lip r
Ulll)f Wl'lkc..-r
"
",iJ. III 1... ' ( t e n ant ) I,nc.lgc groups tha t hJd
, . Settled
1 c capItal I towevec the SUppression of
sy"..bO I ".n.,., and
fl cr b C.'IIW· !o((cd o ut o r fisslumng elsewhere. III ,
both a
major former arena for the acqUlS1.f1
on pm
r
I
[)C; lf l l' l nlory .1 e"> 0
' .. - \ \ 'lw.;sOI1 ( I Qb l :7) pOint e d ('lU I, the malO so urces of power th at "n f the cattle that produced the WlVes anJ f and an
11 (IHt: ••IS .. 'n source 0 . cast\ t\C:e
. )b Ul the other major arena of pollne.1 • ry IQ <>,--.. sue
I I I
llVlI.
·
U.I
I '
(..(lll
Id nl',1Illul
"
:IIC came fTom
.
( I cmg a sCllIa r m em ber of a
Powerf I
·sl.n •\1. Jbd"y '" ",.rlMC . and (3) ,he ca pacIty 10 marsh'n l a Slgnifj.
. U
ceSs fIJ Ily .
a: ' t to compensate for tlus loss and the Stat
ctIan Govt.ru
man
IIl1l'')gC. )
( PCI
l. SLlJ lloen _ e. took. ~ dim
. • nUllr of .. upport 111 I he face of co nnl CL Skill m the use of magIcal . ome through bnbery. As m the case of an 1 VIft. of •
l,lIl1 •• m ~ . Power ing Inc ear Y Akmbo .... ,~
(brlI1) was polrt lcularly Ul1ponJ.111 111 ~mOlng prestige, 111 the sphere of warfare .jo. . d those who were unable to keep up the I h h
Odul 0 , . . aV\S 0'1'11.11 . L .
'wd
111ft) (l1hlglCians) were fCJred and rc:>pccred. for t he Ir p~wers of dlVtnation and pecte d
of a tradmon.1 ruolh someumes fell from non,
. .- .. er In thd
ty ..... PC:l1<t>opl. n
10 mag'c on enemles. The ablltty to rally supp
u<c kJ II Ul" rtllng by n vals from other lineages (\VIusson 196 . >et 01 <ontm
Lel
h r~llJ b I ty " 0 . onde. sch e I.n ). Oth.... wt
an ule Jccumulatlo n of wea lth and prestige , and It IS U1 lhis d . 've by better adapang to theu role as agents of th '" to
pen de cl uP OmalO , urvI . . . . e
t to miSSIOn schools and gauung the skIlls of utera"" th h
""t
by h.vm ....
Ih. I f(,.song played an ,,"po l'ta lll role Wea lth 111 thIS con text would be reckoned sen .' . ilt t e go\ mm
",<\I'

111 lerms of OIU C and WIves, both of whJCh were essential for the production of 'cuIarly prIZed. It IS no ticeable, however. that successful lu.<- c:t\tP>f
o 1 rh e 0' lodzj .rt , ,CleEm
feasts AcqU lOng large numbe rs of catri e was greatly ruded by slUU in ra.ding 'cuously m o re po ygy nous an the rest of theu ptonle F on-
sP' d . h ' or tumple on. tbid
(wh.ch was .tself a source of prestige). T hese cattle were used for prized meat at '" 0
ur research area ha 45 WlVes w en we amved and 0\ er ,0,. • h en wdeft thrtc
feasts. bu t also for the payme n t of bndewealth that was necessary to acquIre yea rs later
WI\'es. A large nu mber of WIves greatl y in creased the capacity of the homestead
fo r agnc ultural and culinary labo r, so that wealthy m en were able create and use CONClUSION
food surpluses to host feasts fo r the bneage leaders who assembled to ruscuss po. "'he
I
Luo examples sh. ould. serve to give a bener seme of the ..:Xf<
•.-",-riurnet ot mm
hocal and )uruClal m atters. As W1usson no ted , this wealth (in ca ttle, wives. and mensal politics that lies behind the mare abstract lheortnul d,,,,,,,,,,,, o!fm,d
crops) was used to encertain "the leaders of the clans and subelans fo rming the earlier In particular, one can begm to undersund the "'"\' In whi,h the tal
nucleus o f a council or court and m eeang 111 the home of the richest or most re· ity used U1 empowenng feasts to acqui re and m,umam $;m Ii, APltal nil
spected man. This man became ruotll , the lead er" (196 1:7). come rransformed mtO the tnsatutionalized e~cutl"n f tbe ~tron It
The strongest leaders would be able to draw upon all three of the rnutuaUy and one can see how a failure to meet those e~c .. n)ns can .
enhancmg sources of power noted above . But a skilled jabilo from a weaker line· credIbIlity and underl"tlt autho n ty. One CJJ1 also gt:t a betRr ~
age who had accumulated the cattl e a nd wives to host lavish feasts could even feasting either combU1es o r competes ,,'th other urcc' of

o\'ereame a genealogICal hanrucap by rallying the support of other Imeages and (prowess U1 warfare, oratoncal skill . pow ers U1 m.l C.

cre. nng pohtical alliances. The Bntish colorual governmenc attempted to glvmg. etc.) to establish presage and mOuenc . ~ tl b
arena of political acnon. but It i \'erv ~qucnd an xutm
squeeze this faIrly loose and OUld set of pohncal relations mto their preconceived
crucial. one The Luo case also Illustrates the ubt! 1~ Ul
m o del of "chiefdoms" operaang as a hierarchical adrrunistranve system . They
gones and boundane are symbo llcallv marked b~ ~ ntual pnroo;
Ifllposed a model of instirutionalIzed central authority with formaliz ed pohtical
ro les and rules of succession upon a much more dynamic and competlnve set of
and why those operative among the <mpo nug re die ut 'l'ldt dIf

rerent m the\! symbolic log ":- from th . de IOr ~ "IClItKa! PiNIIy.

polmcal pracnces sustained by culrural perceptions of authOrity that were fat
llus case also hIghlights the often u~m tdallON
more contingent.
that support commensal politiC'. Tb dj, on loIbor and
The process by which the Bmish "idennfied" Luo chIefs and the marupulanons
along gender Imes IS ee[(,unl not hk.nn.:a1 nor
that went on among competing Luo men of inOuence seeking to be named
rhat among the Luo; but thIS IS ;a}w an tmporWII
chIefs t5 a complex tale . What is important to retam for the purposes of thIS dis·
nzaClon nf fN Stltlg.
OI55lon of feasts t5 that the colonial sItuation under whICh these new chiefs oper·
For archa o loglSt ,rh tmpll a
ated created contrad,ctions that somenmes undermined theIr aurhonty. These
u e several and Imp0rlillll In rh
nlN' chiefs were agen ts of the state, bur their ability to perform the functions that
a van ety nf <T U loll U u IUt I
the tate demand ed o f them d e pe nded upon maintam'"g the tradItional forms of

101
 O NS UM PT ION , COMMENSAl POLITICS . ""0 POWE~
RITUAL S Of C . N "Fl.C ... CONTLlT\
- -
J rr J Y (,1 I <.;(ll."ll' •h• ." rl C~1I th.lt f<" .lM.!- ~' n.' . ~1 p r llnl' a l'c n ~, :lI"'' d ""'t
I. ". •llsu I .~ l'Un'"n
' ... hcd wllho Ul [he host and guests actually e:Uuw in th
eomp IS '" t Ume spur-
t)hn (.I' Jf llllll b, IJ'I(:hVIJU .l ls ;.l nJ M l ( I .1 J gro up!' pur!'- lllllg econ o mic and . l of 3e " s actuall y conSidered Impohte for the: ho'io\ to ~ tU, IOttw::
P Po llt'ca l nce x{S Il I pte.~t 1ribnt. ha
h I I I
gc).lh ~1I1J (O lllpe lll1g rn r II1llue ncl' Wll 111 l l e lr sorltl w o rd s. I lo w evc r. lhe \y • cO ume their rood (e.g .. see Rtchards ' 939 ' 35-136) H
sLS co ns I)W",~ desputtbo
In which k,.,( \ \l'J'VC the Llcqul~ ltI o n .lnd tr~ln s fo r-m a n on of sYlnbo bc and cays gut
wbaC 0
k r bemg g round ed m a Eurocentnc culrural trope lh
e ' Utn CDnunau.Jl doo
I1UrIor
converuent way of mru ca ung a range: of forms of Comrnun~ r__ • _
t

no ml( ( apH .•1 .1Il' ... "reme1y complex. Jnd JrCh " co logls ls need a we ll'develo;~ dr<l d
pro.... ' eO , lUOQ CQtbWltp.
h Posstble alternatlve rerms LO common usage such d
rlwo fC lIc.lll1nJcl.rJndlllg or th e n,]rurc o f rc as lIng mua llf w e a re to und erstand Lion. Ot er , " U 1 )t.CU"t'.tl y(:,SlOUS of
( mdicatmg the shanng of bread . from Latul ) .nd ~po .• _
uhu c .' Itfe III ,meten. >oc.c tJ es Ifl so m e thing more that m echaniSti c rvn I COmp(JIIIOtt , -J'" SHun UlC stunn"" of
P . . . ,,,.. oogleal Greek), have even more probiemaoc semantic hrno n d
, It IS entlc.1l lh.H wc bCglll ro rackle ISSUe.s of Sltualed drink; om fr " t!~ in a..">Oc:utlOQ.l)
1"', rmS. In Ill\' \'ie\.\
. . . ' age ncy And the game or mventmg neologISms. such as co,. I""",,,
anJ .he role of rracn ce III .rJns forn,,~g s rructu.c .f w e w.sh to say anything of rob Iems. _ ry. ro-gtu~
P . umerable other posslbihrtes. seems a needlessly pedantlc t i t - •
Iflsiglurul sigmncolncc JbOUI the h.stoncal development of dtffe rent forms of so. or~elM " .
mparative echnograpluc focus of tlus chapter IS luruted to ......".0
=
The co , e-' SOOttlh lI\
n;).1 ",equallt), In Ihl~ paper I have tned co prese •." several theoretical constructs ,. s this presents a more than suffiCIently compl"" arul' 01 'Tb
Africa, 3 ' '' . L'\.SU( ~
ba$eJ upon comrJr.wve analys.s of ethnographIC data lhat I beheve hold some re d m the Issue of feasong among forager.; ."d "comple. hunt- th
Inreres . ~. P tIt) ~
prom.se In Jnalyz U1g feasting mu"' . and I have elsewhere tried lO demonstrate mcludmg African examples. are directed to tbe works or \V,essner ( 1", • ."J H.n.kn
ho" thel. m.,)' he applied 10 archaeologICal cases III ways that Yield frUitful n ew (1990. 199 6 ).
m"shts (cg., Dlctler 1990. 1996. '9993, 1999 b ). However. tlus .s by no means a de. All unreferenced descripnons of pracoces among the Luo people III th" p'p<r In:
fiOlm-e ronnulJ!lon. Jnd I look forward co [he emergmg dialogue On these issues 3· derived from research conducted by Ingnd Herblch and me m WW(tn Ken. from

that" prom.sed by the convergence of perspecnves m this volume. '9 80 to 1983 (see. eg., Dietler and Herb.ch 1993: Herb,ch lOS-. ''''I ~ Herblch ."d
Dletler 199], 1993)· Thanks are due to the National SCIence Foun<hoon the \\e=.
Gren poundation, the BOlSe Fund of Oxford Uruvem!',·. the Office of the p",. dent of
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Kenya. the National Museums of Kenya. and espeClalh' our Luo ",d s.un•• 110",. ~
My thmktng on lhlS ISsue has been evolvmg for over a decade, and It has greatly benefited OUt research aSSIStants, Rhoda Onyango.Momca o"er. .lJ1d the tue EhJ.b O.:uru
from the opportunH), ro recetve chaUengmg comments on different papers exploring tillS I owe the "metaproduction" formulation to an InSightful commrnt b Te~ TUm"
4·
theme from .lUWences m .1 '"anery of COntexts. mosr particularly the "Pood and the Starus everal Prench colleagues. m parncular. have noted th" the " cd """'F'"lInun
5 S
Quest sympoSium at the Rtngberg Castle of the Max Planck Institute in Germany ('99'), evokes a strongly agomstlc struggle for donunane< \\ nh m>riled!) n'S"1I
•
the Les Pnnce, de I. Procolusco.re et rEmergence de rEtat" symposium at rhe Cenae COMotaoons. Unforrunateiy. English IJcks , con''em.m means 10 aur\ the bIle
Jean Bhard In Naples. /tall' (1994). a semmar while a VlS.ong professor at the Ecole des distinction berween compehflon and the more JXlstO\d}' \,(\\c-d ."""... "c.... Hrftt."('
Haures Etudes en Sciences Soaales (1996), the SAA symposIUm that generated thIS book my use of the Engltsh term 'competltlon' should be und~ t 1 ~ tnllrt
('998). and a sympos.um on "Consummg Power Pe.stlng as Commensal Politics" con· range of such poss.ble reiaoonshlps My thanks to Ptr= temo)nrutt. hel md
"ened at Cornell Uruver.;.ty \1999} m wluch my work served as a keynote for "vely mocal Andn! Tcherma. m particular. for chaUengmg me 10 dmf.. tlus u.ugr
ruscu>s.on I am grateful to aJJ the parnapants or these vanous seSSIOns for their cam· 6. For the sake of slmpltaty. I use term m this p.t~T that _ ID b<t • the
men" (mcludlOg those \\~th whom I dIsagree). and most parncularly to Mlchel Bats, Mau· terricones of several Luo subgroups m ..ya dJsml"t such the
nee Godclier. Bnan Hayden. PIerre Lemonnier, Jean-Paul Morel, Michel Py, Nenss. terms vary m other drNS S.m.larly. the SlWclW I not a f\~ de6ned
Russel. Andrc Tchernia. Terry Turner. and Polly Wiessner Speaal thanks are due to In· homesteads of all Luo group .
gnd Herb.ch for generous shanng of data and mvaluable mtelJecrual collaboration I wdI.,~
7- To avo.d c1unering Ihe texl w.1h nlulnpl\,tatlons of the W1lf
pomt OUI here thar Ihe h.stoncal ,"f"rmanon .n th fnIIowmg
NOTES seleCtIve summary of puts of M.ch. I wtu n '91'1 Iknt..-.wr n"
I To avou! poSSible confusIOn, let me emphasIZe that I use the word commfnsaJ m ItS Asembo and Ihe Curse of Kak ••. "
origmal $t:llSe, ralher than .ts pecul.ar biOlogIcal adaptation The word denves from 8. I Use the words "he" .1I1d "man h re pu~1 to ~IC
Ihe Laun corn /IImJ4!u. mdIc.llng the shanng of a lable-hence, eating together of these leadersh.p 1'01 .. For one thang, Luo _n ~ "ncMOl
edJess v) ay. many people around Ihe world manage to eat together qUite well mlo whICh Ihey marry 11 lie the do not lw the
Without uSing a lable Moreover, m a number of cases the shanng 0 fCod.s
00 aUlhonlY .n maners rel.uIIII t th I Ihc

104
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s, ng .
W. H
The soaal Funcoons of Beer D
nnkm
. g m Bantu Tin
1992 D rlH/, -RltluJi ami SOCIal SlnlCnm~ "' ClasSical A'HlqUILy . Cambnd . C
61
o,Jer 1'1' ~ 1\
ge. ambnd
Uruve rslt)1 Press. ge 19 Vru,kIIIg Parrent.!, edlled by D J Ptnman ond C
Murrn y, O York WiJey.
1<)00 Symponc HJSlon'. In Sympotica: A Sy mpoSlllm 011 ,lie S
" ympo!lolI . edIred by Saul. M
o MUTray, pp. 3- 13 Oxford Clarendon 19 81
Beer. Sorghum, and Women : ProductIon for the
NetlIng. R Volta Afiica 5[;7-16-764
IQ64 Beer as a Locus of Value among the Wesr Afncan Ko"yar' Amenea. I Arlllropo
I I. Work Parti~s. Wages. a.nd A(cumul.l.o(ltl In 11 \
og'" 66:375- 384 . oglst 1077-9 6 .
'gokwey. N
Schapera, I
1987 VaneLIes of Palm Wme among the Lele of the Kas", In COIlStn4C"ve Vnll"mg; L nd n
1938
Propecllves on Dnllk from AIIt/tropology. edlred by M. Douglas. pp. 113- 121 Scha[Zberg. M
Cambndge; Cambndge Uruverslry Press. 199.1 Power legItImJ(' JnJ • Dcm ' rJt\: Il n n
Obavemt, A. M U.
,
Scott. J C.
1976 Alcohol Usage m an Afncan Sociery. In CroSS'C1.ltural Approaclles to IIIf Sludy Il,)QO Dmnln,UH1 n ~Jnll ,11", ..\ rl ~" Rt.) ~ 14" ,
of Alcohol; A. itltndt.!C1phMry P",specllve. erured by E. Everen. J WadeU and Shlpron, P
o Heath, pp 199-208 The Hague: Mo uton 1989 Blrh'T M.ml"Y. Culr"roll f. .,,"""'" ,,""
p.UJcr, G. Co .... ,'lllIes men,oUt Elhnologt,<&\
1972 les doloneres de Ouagadougou (Haure· Volta). Travaux er doeumoll .1 fir 8io tOn. D.e
graphIC Iropu:ak 7 120- 139 . 1990 Afn,.n Pamlll" .10.1 ",,>\I um
PtTatlany, J G VIew '1 A.uJI"'J"""ltY 19
1939 rh. SoetalitlSlIl"IIOtlS of rh. KlpS lgrJ . London : Rout ledge. Soulh.lI. A W
Pula. C 19\. lJne.~ ""mdnon
1996 1.0 .ua~gl~ ahmenrarres dans les remps prehlstonques In HuIOIr' lit d.m j6. l und.m
l'alamnrtatwn , edIted by J L. Flondnn and M. Mum"nan. pp 29-46. Pans 1~56 AI., ""tI)' 11IJv "
"aprd anJ Ollll

112
 - -------

Tll r Foro r "1 Sy",/I(lh . Atl'feu 0./ Ndn Pllm R,tunl Ith aca' Corn ~ 11
Un IVerSity
Prt'!i"
OF FEASTING AND VALUE
Til e H,ull1l Pro((s$ : SInKf'H't' dlul A'lfI · SlrI4 Cfl4re I[h:).ca Co rn ell
106",
ENGA FEA STS IN A HISTO RI CAL PE
Pre5's R5PECTIV£
( PAPUA NEW GUI NEA)
v.m Gcnn ep. A
1 ~60 Til t Rif ts of PIlssflgr Translatcd by M Il. Vizedom a nd G L. C '"ee.
".
Chicago:
Unlvers"y of C hi cago Press
Polly Wiessner
Vincent. ,
1971 Afneall Ehl<: The Big Mrll of a Small Town New Yo rk. Colu mbia Un IverS1ty
Pr~s~

Wh l s~on . M
1961 The RJse of Asembo and the Curse of Kakla . In Eru t Afneall h lJ l" Ult oJ.rS Onal
R,.ft~lIrcll Cotfftrcnu ProctedUlgs , no paginatio n Kam pala. Makarerc: College .

Wlessnt'r. P
199 6 Levehng th e Hun ter ' Constra mts on the Sta m s Q uest In Poragmg SOcieties.
In Food alld the Status Quest: All /IIt<rd IJCtphlla ry Persptcll ve. edited by P. W less·
n e r and W. Scluefenhovel. pp. 1]1- t92. Oxford. Berghahn Books.

Papua New Guinea I at on c th !mol of III4l die

mgue. I and the twO arc tntertwtntd inualIy
compaOlcd by feaStIng. and dunng an AI.I
The strong pohucal onentallon of Papua
tributes to the tact that o~r ~.enl
nallon of some thre nd • hAlf million
or f;,a -ts b the OCtal. on
frame . partlC\llarl fur th
per onalur gtll\IP pro) unfold
th proc\;um d pu r
Non th I

114
 -
0.11 behovHlrs. anu~ proVlslomng
. .lCOVloes. coaJesce [0 form the final aceaSIOn,
. a
· . by thell' components'
bre.lkdown 0 ( fccast> IS useful
. tOr understandmg when and why FIfth. and very Impomntly. t;,astlng ~\Un:. abun~
. J re deployed Here I will bnefly
certtun strareglf~s outline the eSsential cornponents cl s nor go round or runs OUt IS not a good p
. food oe . arty. !"bun
. suggesr some pOSSIble archaeological .correlates o( each. and rn entlo
. ost trnporrant factor ID detemurung "hich
o( (e.song. . SIngle m . ,trat~
( h
some 0 ( e SOOw '- ' and pobocal strategies they facilitate. Tben. draWing on an eth.
n ' . a feast. Mere suffiaency pertUles • \muted an
dunng .
r
.y 0 lru
. J stu dy o( (eastlTlg and exchange among the Enga of highland p apUa
norusronca . hes many more In foragmg SOCeOe, ond 'Un I h
furCUS . p.
New Gwnea. I will outline the complementary role of secular and sacred feas'"~ 'g tn . diao ns of abundance may be dIfficult to achteve or to Ilm
con en food IS av ail abe. l'
consrrauung pohocal ~ t e. !ha'
the developmenr o( the grear ceremonial exchange networks of Enga and go on to h
lace w ' ... e. , Dc\"<ndm,
tOcus on the role of (easting in the constructi~n of the value ~d meaning of things. P
is cons
ul11ed in a feast or how food IS presented abundan
. ' " e t It\.il.. tnort-
The Enga case illustrares: (I) how matenal goods are differentially valued in arch aeOlogicaUy VISIble.
. Uy since feasts are about the consumpOon of _"'-_ ,._
the context of (easting; (2) how the narural properties of things valued affects the FUla ,
on producaon. If these demands are ",cdenon rh '
"""""-'Xl
e thn-
course o( production and competition; and (3) how cuI rural conStructions of man ds VTu..
value are constantly tesred agamst the realities of the surrounding world. When changUlg patterns of land use .
contradictions occur. as they did m Enga, feasting can be called On to revalue If aU of these conditions for fe.song are met. the
goods and redirect the course of change. men.t warmth. and festivity. lending SPlnt to the <leC
in such an atmosphere usually makes deer lffi!'n!.'l ,The
COMPONENTS OF FEASTING remforced by emotionally laden aesthetic e~nen ',. ;1=
Of whar is feasting composed? First. feasting requires the aggregation of people. dance .
Aggregation in and of itself does not require feasting, though it is gready facili. The sodal components of rea ong beh,'1or, ben c IIlb.ncd.
tated by it; if no food is available, crowds must disperse before long. Aggregation number of polmcal su ategles Table --I 1 brn ,cl wn th. e
ing and relares them to speafic 'ooal or pobtl(,u tnT'
should be detectable in the archaeological record, for example through the pres-
ence of unusually large sires Or a diversity of styles in artifacts found at a given site.
FE ASTING AND VALUE
Second, feasting involves food sharing and food distribution. Pood sharing ap.
All of the political .rr.reg! s It ted m Ta e 4 I
pears to have Its roots in the parent-child relationship and thus can be a way of
feasts Here I wl\1 concentrate on th .... -0", tru,
expressmg affection and exrending familial behavior to distant Or non-kin m
111 anthropology that the ,~Iu of Ihm
order to bond larger groups (Eibl-Elbesfeldt 1989). By contrast, food distribution,
1I1pUI. labor 1Oput. uuitt). ~hund.lO' r la
which often requires rerurns at a later date, creates temporary unbalance be.
value. 1Ocludml! rdll!loll. and pdlU at'lrnlfi
tween donors and reapients and permits the construction of inequahty. Food
Bloch IQ!lQ. Thomas 10)0)1 Ilh,'ugh th
shanng and food drstnbunon during feasting may be inferred m the archaeologl'
on the basIS l,1 ,',onoml,' mude\.
cal record from faunal dismbunon or the collection of food remams Irom a broad
constructed' Th .. ,ulruroll t tru lion r
catchmenr area at one place. Sharing IS more bkely to leave remams ar the slle
bOlh l!ltis .l11d ,uf1\lllodltl
than food dIStribution. where a good portion of the food may be carried away
fr(Jm the dmnbution site. or uses m an ob),'n' hi hI tUt

and then l!'V n.l .I gIll J tin p

11urd. most feasts are held for a specllic occasion: to appease ancestors, IllItiate
of objects lor .I num\>(or )f n f
youth, marry. bury the dead, pay compensation, or assemble a labor force. The
mUt~II()1lS ut" \ III and m rn
gCJal (If (easts may be mferred (rom the presence of certam archaeological fea.
ture (If an/fact,. 1".'lInl: sel ,I d It nil rUI In
li~ul ' rrnmm III III ult J
F(lurth, (ealung u ually mvulves some form of display, whether Ihis is display
I'uhhd ,,'r 1'1.1, 1III '11
()( f(,rld (Ib)ecu, md.v.duals, or groups. Arllfacts or strut lures (onstru ted (or 1'11111.11 ,h.l
duplay .ndude 'Peual ve Jrl ,platforml,gravl", or huust's.
ul gJIIIII'tl I 1\1

I,.
 _ ______________~E~
N~G~
A ~F~EA~S~T~S~I:N~.~H~I~ST~O~~~~~~~
- AICAL PEkSPttTlv£

"a --_.-
PIJCable to matt ll 31 go"ds. T hird " the..... I
r~C" purp'»c of • re..,
In g iVing the object> ulIlozed or cU.played . fi t Is
' ptO c tnearun "-- ......
generated dunng the communal f" slIng 'V~"" the t
. ""ng, and dan« tur "_
slon5 mtO lastm g o nes. n uc:~tingWitn

. a a aa THE ENGA: A CASE STUDY

The subjects of thiS case study, the Enga, are tu""l d h
6'u.n ortJcultu,.hru n.. _ L - -
ing about 200 , 000 and well known m the anthra I I ~'"""
. po oglo Illcratull: thro........ ~
works of Megglll ( 1965, [972, 1974 . 19nJ, Feu ('9'" ~ hi ......
... . , 0 1 '978 l.4cOY I
and WaddeU ( 1972), among many others. Thetr 5I.ple ' 97';

tl aaaa .
vated on an mtenSlve system of mulch moundmg to reed
crop, SW.e. potato IS culti
hurn.m' and
Populatlons. The Enga population IS dIVIded mto a tgm •.___
. em.ry WlQgt m of
Phratnes or tnbes composed of some 1.000 to 6 .000 memucr>, L~ ,
anu thm COl>
smueor exogamous clans, subclans. and hnea~es ) The nn'tJ, I I d.
.. . ,_U "I> ~n oa>lnct
works, and exchange occupy much of men's ttrnt and dfon whol.
devote themselves pnmartly to famtly, gardtrung. and pig h band., mquent
and destructive warfare creates sharp dJvts.ons berv.een clan "rggm •.,-, ~t
'"
QJ
arc penodJCally repaOTed through ceremorual exchange '0 ree u.bh.,h ~.
men are defined as pOtennally equal, though tho e "ho eel m pu lhfdi.

-
VI tion, organization of evenlS, oratory, dnd the mampubuon of ",ulth
names for themselves as big-men Women e cn conSIderable mOurn r both
.--o a tI a aa production and exchange 10 the pnv.te realm
C-
Ol
The Enga hold a nch body of oraltradmons th" mcludr mYth
-
C
"0
spells, IOcantauons, and IuslOncal trJJltlons (ah'Ift( plI wiu.h m
c from myth or 'toncs (IHUIo pll), In that th~ are s<ud t be, IOundtd m
& ncssed events of tht' past HlSwncaltradJuon cuntolln uUOrm.lDan
'"::QJ
tCI'S as tnbal locatiOns dnJ subs'>!.n,c pram, som clgllllU t n
3 .. a .. 8 ago, Wars and migrations, agnculture. th of:ul ~
"0
c cxchangc nctwnrks, leaJershlP. rraJ., cn'\J'tlnmcnt~
"'
01
C In song and drc ss Gcnealogles of e.ght to t
;:;
schcnw of scquennng or JJtlllg (fable 4,1 Tb mllteNt I wiI1
'"
.t"'
11

" comes from a study 01 these hl,tun,al rradioons ~ 11\

'0 lcague, Akn Tumu, In to Enga tnbe, and l\amll
tJ
~
such 01 hWold Sl'all' nud It p< lhi t Identify
wnhm tht, spoln 01 Eng.l oral h ndro
&
~
verglllg \in • 01 vlden
'rh., penod 1Il I'\'d b
.Iultlon 01 th
~ th 1910s, "nd on
11

a sw "1 p"l~lll
 -
TABLE 4.2 d ' 'TC t
Chronological Scheme 0
f Evenrs D,scusse In ,ex
DEVELOPMENTS WITHIN THE SP
._." "--
- ENGA HISTORICAL TRADITIONS AN OF
Prehhlory Flrq II1Ull1g'''111t.'' .unve In P.lpua New GUU1ca by se", from A . Descripnons from the earite.s[ gene .
~O . O()U 11 P .,he<" .:m:hacolog 'c.1] eVidence for Enga Yuku cave In e
"S13
rallons 01 En tu.
-" aste.rn rufferent from that of mOre recent g. to<\, I"'Il"1' ._
11 ,DUO It " " Enga. hlln[lllg .. nd gnt h enng site ar ca . 1,300 m tunes Ln the f, I • '"
where most of the land lIes under a enl • ~.... f <"Ut..
"lifer.) roc:ksheh er In western E!nga . hunting and gathering at . pprOXJn1.ltel " .Ul.
I (J,1I0Cl fl ,. ists culnvated taro. yams. bananas Y 1.900 m. ",J nurv a
l •.100 Ol . . Sugarcane and :n
po Uen eVidence Indic:lI es (orest clearance for horticulture to their diet Wlth hunting. In central E . other CIa!", .upp
4000- Z000 B. P.
nga at alOtudes b
castern enga where taro and yams are not as prod etw.en 1.900 rn:tnd 1 ,
. ' UCllve. luston a l ' , ..:;."">om
In troduction of swee t potilLO to Enga a nd begmning of Enga hortlcu!ruralists who cultivated nu.~ed d c 1111"'00"-< d. 'n
400- 2 '5"0 nr gar ens and hu d t
lustorical [radlrions more rugged valleys of western Enga .L me . n the le < fenil. ond
. Ule POpulation . .,.
Hi.slOricJ.l Traditions bile groups who depended heavt.ly On h '\as ...."d.d bv 1lI~ I
untmg and "..be ,_L.
Gll1t:TQtIt.tn hrforr pt1!.fcnt above apprmumately 2.100-2.200 m D.L • . rtn!: UUl.lbltrd re 1
popuJanon shift from hJgh alrirudes to lower vaUeys . al h . 0 Ulese bunter, v.
8 phys,c strengr and possessIOn of powerful . ere attnbur gleu
Begmrong of early Tee cycle ntuA1 and m. '1.,,"_
ruralists. who subSISted on faro and orher 1C 'Ul\lDg holU<uJ
-
, KepeJe cult firsl pracriced by ~ortkulruraLscs of western Enga
Begmmng of Greal CeremomaJ Wars . '
.
h unnng. inh ab Ite d t h e steep narrow v U garden
bel
. • ey. Ov.-. Then- I
produ( unnl~·
rr cme IN
6
Kepe1e cult Imported Into cen tral Enga, caBed Aeatee mtermarnage and exchange between pe I ' . mcnoon 01 regular
5 (c•. 18H-IBB5') op e at the hI h cou d
4 (",. IB85-1915)
Tee cycle expanded to finance Great Ceremonial Wars the val1eys. as well as a good deal of tenst d ntr; an
. . On;}fl ffi!SunJersun,!,rt .. Tb
Aeatee cult expanded to coordinate Tee cycle and Grea( Enga the populaoon IS descnbed as spa-. hI -'I; roug
." \\It ong Jj,un~ b"rv.-'(~
Cere.momal Wars ments. Wars were fought and problems ul~ I "en nk-
Female Spi.nt Cu.it Imported meo eastern Enga . "mate ~ 'oh db .lispeNl m
c.o mpens. aClon .to alltes was p3.ld \\~th land and gills of <..._~ •
Tee cycle beglflS to subsume Great Ceremonial Wars .""" r ..,..<tttmn,g 1
3(",. 1915- 1945) ome. pnze d giftsand commodlOes mcluded Slo ,.1
Ae.tee / Kepele culr used to organize the Tee cycle . ne a.. S..... I and nem: for If
decoraoon. rhe larrer of which were dtSpl~ 'ed .~.
First contact WIth Europeans in 1934 prommtnu, ~I trildinuul r.
Last Cre.r Ceremonial W.r fought 1938--1941 and dances. The plors of histoncA1 rrawlIons fro ..... ~'"
m uu> pc:1 ..>d o&m Ihnl
Tee cycle subsumes Great War exchange. routes around hunnng. trade. rrawtlonal dan(~s. or,,~ PIgs ~1Iv
Am'scu!r 1941 - 1942 m small numbers. bur enter only penpheraU\ lilt the ani rrconi
Z l ea 1945-1975) Colonl.1 penod beglns- Iale 19405 m east. 1950-605 In weSi Acceptance and unhzanon of the et pota! ried b
Female Spmr CUll spreads roncal tradlClons from all area ~port tufts III popu1a
1 fa 1975-2005) 1975 Papua New Cuinea's mdependence populalion growth. and the expaflSlon f ~tII0l1lal
and feasClng ID response to ID'~a al md
and Tumu 19'1H). The purpo~es. structu~ .md :ontent
crn. (cmral. and western Enga dt~1't'd ~ath In
the scope of reliable genealogical dating. Our best estimate is that H arrived be· sltpped IIl10 the ganden ~glm with bt* nott D'I
tween 250 and 400 years ago. releaSIng many constraints on productiOn owing to ID1pan was only an Imitreel n '-10
IU hIgh yield per acre. abrlity grow well In poor soils and at high altitudes. re is· higher r<'glons 10 th.· .outh.mJ e m pu
tance 10 bllglll. and superiority a~ pig fodder (Watson 1965a. 1965b. 1977)· The grants. who cam tTom lans I tM
par population of I:nga thal had preVIOusly subsisled by tarn gardening or abb. threat n cl the ti
hunting and galhenng WitS able IfJ (·xpand IOto higher niches. produce a n.'SPUIlS".big mell )f th
t "I urplUJ and ((,re I1 "on Ihr: hoof " In pig populallons. Another ~OO-3S0 yeal1 ul tinJnl'· Ihrough Iu h \(

~f'lf'e I uWpt'iln gold prospeclorb and patrols entered Ih p~pua New pmnlln 11, Ih
I'Jrtll I ~Iun > tahlillh
( IughbndJ

no
 r"lI" \VtCHll r l

- __ __------------~E~
N =G~A~F=E=A~ST~S~I~N~.~HI~S~TO~.~~~~~!!
. j.
i<.lr Ol 0 pigs ~1I I,.J ~
" liu J bl es on credit, ra ther than by barte r, and for tho
l'
. .
<pecuve I'J rtne rs down the Ime to do the sa m e. When W I
..... rn to el).
teAL PUSPEClIVt
-.-_.-
courilgc t helr ~ rc , ea th a _ As It grew, the Tee developed mto a th h
ree·p '''' l") cl. Feil
n\"lng Jlong Ihese chains of fin ance reached the Saka Valley. they lIlVested it I: During the first phase, the saaruh pin<>, IJ]] I Mc:
0" tLlIO" gUts of U
. d o ther rela tIOnships that wo uld mcrease their spheres of inn valuables were gIVen on a pnvate basIS by A. ' 'nu PI
m .1m Jges JIl , uence mWVldlUi f""ilit
'ns 11'-r a m these Investme nts, toge cher with wealth from home produCt10 . . clans to thelr west, more often than not ad . le'T« partll«>
R e fUJ . n . ~acent clan, I
pay Creditors m a publi c Tee fesaval. Thu s through the COncat ' one direction and were mtended to ·pull· th Illll.to il
we re use d to . " . enatiol1 • lu Plng. th· h
rmershJ 'ps based on kinshtp [les, chams of finance were constru When a sufficienc number of saandl irunat .,,-. ' < p. of trum
o f [fa d e po Cted to ory gu'-> h.d m"'~ .
skeleton of what was to become the Tee ceremon.ial exchange men made efforts to launch the phase of the ".,tv.-.rd. b
compo se the . CYcle. Dl4Ul guts to wluch full
The early Tee was conducted on a small scale, but nonetheless it introduced a cassowary, pearl shells, and other valuables W L .gmwn
ere ""'lnbuted b .h\
powerfuJ innovation into Enga exchange--chaJl1s of finance cbat gave access t lies during public clan festivals co partners wh h d Y m ~du;d fanu
o a gIVen Lnlll>tO ......
the wealth of people who were usuaUy beyond the bounds of kinship reckonin 0 days or weeks after tbe westemmost clan Ln th '" h ry ~~~ , hI<
. e ee .d held Its dNnb
neighbonng clan to the east followed SWt and . th . llllOn. the
Some twO to three generacions after its concepcion, neighboring groups realiz! >0 e 1« !'U\.(l "un. J
wesrward, clan by clan, With the mam gtfts !la" th Its wav
the advantage of the Tee for obcaining wealth to finance bridewealth payments . .. ifr 'lIlg m e uPro· "e ~ t
the woatory g s Tee pinK' festlvals were event f .
amaCl allies In warfare, pay war reparacions, and secure partners along trad~ o un.,u'P"" unlmwu.
pomp, and ceremony Suspense and antlep.non w lu h .~ __
rouces And so Ir spread throughout eascern Enga (Fig, 4 .1), . ere g uuVUghOUI for I
give and receive large numbers of pigs, goods and ",1 bl •
. ' . ' lL1 ., was an mdi ..or f
. . the flow of wealth . Put o
political VICtory m controlling f th. ..tn _. distnbutN
in cbe phase of tbe mam gifts traveled the enure Tee netv.'or", ~ . port as pulled
out to finance local events.
When the phase of the mam gifts reached the em«nm 51 clm 1Il W ott
work, efforts were m ade to launch the final reClptocal ph= of the Tt<, I. W
ntena yae pinK' or slmply yar The Y'" involved the dismbutlonof but~ pan.
chat craveled In the oppOSite rurecnon of the mOU\ gifts. 1't'tnc1ng Its
.....• Donors from the phase of the m.un gUts I't'cel~d: 011< _
butchered pork for each pig chey had gIVen It W4S during the _ phur that
tenstve feasnng took place, wealth m the form of pon. cooswiKd. and de-
mands for production renewed Howe r. pork rec~ III W nDl
consumpoon only, bUI .1 0 used to pay a vmety of and
With which to lrutlale a new CV('le that would nd the mam 1ft the
• •

•• •• dlfection

. In central Enga, development thal toO tht

•
• •
o,
.. ,
sweel potato were qUlle ruffi:~nt. Wan ~d
to take land III the lernie valley after the IOuodudl"C' *
4 ,) and large segment. of th

• ........ system of exchange mergtd tM

of ,I sent's (arefull
r_ ' I(
• or months lought ~ ur~ntly
•

~
""'££
(Ji¥
•
..
".C, "Wan • • • ,
3?5
1Io ,,\1""
palfs of tnb. '0 n f Ih
•••• ht.t2tJl., ,' $ ;
them with d banl 11 1.1.
• Hp'lIiM.an.
WUI' Th .. ,r purp
Flgun 4 I 'rtw"rks I)f ,rr.. mumal <'X(hangt', w.r1art', and Mtual thal d veloped after \he haUllfs to
introduction ,A th.. ""Cfl polal ..

121
 - .J I) )\1(: Al1I. lg nni s 11l W.1S 1II1llll' d to til .s p l ~lY" n h
ENGA FEA STS IN A ~IHO RI("'l
P! IUP( CT'Vt
• =

~ ---
I f 111l' I1I1~Hlt .1 ( I ~
p ( lpI,I.IIIOIl .\ 11 " II I . ' 1 fled 0 1 loM St.·COIH.I. I hey WCTC fO Ll g h t to b .. lcns1hCd to meet new t.icmdncb. bUl lhclr v \
/lI1d nlll t 'It~. 1 Jew In . . • u, "'03 not h.....
h~ lIddl\' ld liP· 11' I l h 11 followed the (';r<.: ;n Wa r s be l wee n " ow Ourogc '" tc".oncallon A numbe r of hJstoncol t d .....
.• h . ITlAf~ .tfll '- . I ~" • 11 c r ~ c • r •• IIOllS dtr.......
,ht' " .. ,,,.11 r\< I Ill"
- , .. Iht'1I hp' I ~ , .1I1f. .1 1 •
These '" ' ncd bonds o f brolherhood e" L
, il l) p
coplc wcre s.mply nOI ,"[cresled In the drudg r -wI
cry 0 , . ...1/1 mar.,
le
J 01 the hJ.! H. _ • "OIlC)l11ll' re J.t11 0ns of cxch .l ngc. PUlllllg d'spl a cl b.g·men. who realtzed that thclr ambltlons as well h P>gs
I • duo h~hllllA 111 10 C( cc f as 1 c needs or Ih
h.,hl'< I ,u lI ng r ue ,nt! ,·x, h.l ng'· ,llld crea tlng nCtworils bel", .. CO li Id onl y be met by Increased pig prodUctIOn h er....."
h ·k 011 rh,- In.Jp 11 11 .1 • CC I) .. . soug l to en~ \h
llo"" I,,·1t . . .S ( Wll'.,SIll" .Ind Tumu (99 8 ) . Grea r Wa r eXChanges. Sll h th e p.gs. So m ~ took prom,slng young men Into th eor holUehol<4 to •
I, or 111"1"1' ,·.IHey 'Y'" 111 fI ' .1 C more aboul p.g husbandry or encouraged theor da u .~ leach Ihnn
•, I . I dlc. n,lU 'l<' d.w lbullo 0 .ve p.gs anu valu abl es "n I
llS
&,lcrs 10 d( m~nd 11
I T 't.' -yd e..' 1I1 VO V(l • n (
,l\ 11<' , < . k v Ih IJr"c f"l1SI~ occ urnng durong the lallcr. ber or p.gs as a part of their bridewealth. They aI rga num·
I ·.1 hUl rh"r'd 1'0 1' • , I n . o tUrne d 10 mo fIi
I .,," l s who were (ormcl'iy dependent 0 11 hunting and ga lh means- cults and feasting. n: t ClCtll
In \\'l'SIt' ! n Fllgll. g roup , ~ .
I I ,"a 'I' Valley "1ll1 se lLicd on 1,lI1d ocquJred from rclalives rc.
crll1 g 1ll ( IVl ' J 1111 0 I H~ .. \ eo . I ' . ENGA FEASTING: SECULAR AND SACRED
. , . Slll-h move. In cll ed lenSl on. wh,c 1 IS ev,denced in a
l.lIt'd dll ouJ:I1 mJIn.lJ:e . • . peasting. which was so integral to the development of th T
h m 1I1y ,nlall wars ,lilt! mlg rall ons. The peopl e of weSlern e cc cv le , \he Cn:u
hl>I<lr) repIelt> wll • . . Ceremonial Wars. the Kepele cull. and other events w'" h Id •
.1 11 ufe lo r II1l cgrnll on. A large cult call ed the Kepele Was , e m two C'Ontrm
J·ngtl lurtl «:u lU ntu . the secular and the sacred Sacred and ecular reasts we L Iv
' Li," lrobe . rcn llirnl ul1Iry, ond draw allenuo n ,1way from local
IT., (Il·u , ., JS , e lll bl c , re "",onct separ~ltd.
though the twO complemented one another Most secular fcosts we~ embedded
,- le r ulLl of difTcrenl Inbcs of wesrern Enga werc 'l1legl'ared 'nro a
d "pUl es ,,"pc • in exchange events composed of two- Or thre..·ph= wealth dlStnbutlons sepa_
Il C IWOI k boUI 10 log...
.. rher by the exchJnge of ritual experts, cult procedures. II1no·
rated by weeks. months, or years. s,milar 10 those dtscuss<od tUb« for \he Tee
I II "JldJllCe b)' rclallves from otilcr rribes (Fig. 4 . 1) . DUring the five
\' JII ClI1 .\, .mu.1 .... cycle . UsuaUy. twO of these phases tnvol~d the c:.xchange of I"", pogs. game
dJ\' of K"rcl~ dcbrJlillnS, specl.,1 feasrs were held for lhose takJllg part 111 sa·
goods, and valuables. and at least one Involved Ihe exchange of bUlchtm! pork.
( I','d CWlm the mlll.HCS. ance lors. rirual experts-as well as for celebral1ls who
vegetable foods. and Wild game meat. Secular feasong adhered 10 tM pnncipIn
l~mJoned oUlside Ihe sacred Jren women. children, and invitcd guests.
of the economic exchange, thal IS to say. IndtVlduaI contribUtlON of pork were
!'unh('fOlore . as the populalion grew and connicts accelerated throughoul coordUlated into a dallW1de pubhc dtStribuDon of wulthontheloal eremomal
[ngJ. IVar oepJraoons, whICh were IradirionalJy paId to allies for men losl in bat· ground . However. the actual donations were not pooled DId Wblflibuted by ,
tie. ""R' extended 10 cnemles. Wlule formerly opponents had dispersed afler big-man , but gIven by tndIViduals to theIr partners In the ~nt group!. WIth
\\ Jrf.1!'l'. "nc oustong the other. as the population grew and the land fiUed , con- obhgations for future reclprocanon Individuals lood to gam status fiom
fllwng p.lrlll·' h.ld to sray put and pcace, a condItion thar was ach,eved generously and from mdebnng others.
rhrough wealth exchange War reparations II1volved an Initial payment of cooked At the domestic level. secular feaslS mcluded work party " " , to ita""
pork Jnd subsequent feastmg. followed by a series of exchanges of live pIgS, sistance m household production, planning ~aslS for ~
good,. and \'aluables. When successful, peace and balance of power were feasts. payments to malernal kin to mark the growth of
rc'(()r~d , former exchange ne. with enemIes were reactivated, and new ones for their II1JUry, and funeral £ aslS in which maternal kiJl
created. the loss of an indIVIdual who wa born and ra",,:d b In "of
Intllally. aJJ of the above exchange systems depended heavily on wealth other except work feasts and planrung ~asts. contributlQAS ra _ _
Ihan p'gs. The early Tee cycle II1volved the exchange of a small numbers of pigs. lineage were given to affinal or matemallt.in OII<"lcIe the cia
but emphasIS was on trade goods: salt. axes. cosmetic oil. plumes, woven net· taon long·term exchange rdanonships. In
wear, hcll . and other Items for self·decoratlon. Early Kepele feasts were heavily ular feasts were held to e<:ure interclan
proVlliloned wllh marsupIals, cassowary. and forest products, as were the Great example. paymC'nl 10 compensate the
War exchanges. War reparations and compensation were paid with land and food to enemies to camp os t and temIiMtt
(or fea mg BUl ll5 Ihe population grew, the land fil1ed, and competition acceler· cook.. d pork m th final ph fthe
ated, trade goocb, game animab, and land no longer sufficed to fil1 the needs for Ii r ph as s nd t I the
exchange PlgJ were the only form of wealth whos~ produClion could be readily Acrnrdingl . lolrg ul.ar

114
 -
,•.
ENGA FEASTS IN A HISTO
- "leA.l Pu'SPlCl

•S11111 11 Cl
l r c\(hJ n ~rc~
· :s' ('cul • . t'"
.mu
were o fren timed to plan and fina nee
fCJS l S
_'- cenrer of IDsrobutlons and actively demo
-_c _
IJrgcr unes . we ll>~'e thc:u
. Iy. m o<r <ecu lar rC~lsts were not even cs thac unlled the two part'IfS In
. eco n omic cu rrency. PGtCltiJ1 01
hllcresrmg ,,~ ~
I cOI" umpn on . VegelJble foods prepared to welcome guests were Sacred feasts foUowed dlifetent pnnoples th
COOl mu na.:- .. 'n ~cular on
t opporrunmes for rhe enterpnsmg. At th ., and If, Itd
eaten on I hC spor. SOlllcn me,~ with scrap' of pork. but the substantial COnt n'b u ~ en . . eu Cort \\ as. co
ns and che spu" world unHed through eel b Illn\cn..litv
lions 0 f po rk 0 ' n,arsupials
• were handled as exd,ange items. tn mOSt secular d'IS- rna ~ ratlon nt in
tnbullons. even weddmgs. rec'p,ents collected their shares and SOOn after set Off d food shanng. Sacred culr feasts were beld 'os. t>
an . at man . 1",-.1 t
for home before darkness reil to distribute [hem within their extended fam.ilies Or 'on of a single p'g at small heahog eetemOUle ' nlm the COi',
u . S to cul" for th
to tl,ose who had helped finance the exchanges. Public distribution permitted in- drew together hundreds of people ill fesm'lues las . < an .tOt'> dut
dmduaJ and groups to gain prcslIge. but the bonding of the two groups Was Sacred feasts were "neste d"-srn all er ceremorue.s. tmg up b to ~h-. d. 0 r ,_ IUiI1 II:t
• . "ere cid ~t and if
rruncated by eparace consumption in the absence of song, dance, and other fes- ble conditions perslSced. ever larger ones were h Id . unf",,,,
a . e .ometnbtha
lIVlDes. Though nOt eaten communally with donors. consumption or meat re. toire of up to cen different cules and aCCOmpanym ~ . d. '4<1
g eb'{S du, could '--Id '-.
cowed III exchange was nonetheless seen as a form of indirect commensaliey. for che ancestors, "sky people: and other Spmts A mbe •• __ "" IV<
. . d . Or u.m , re~nolrC of cuI
Bnga dtd not consume meat steOlm.ing from groups who were conside red to be was periodicaUy reVlse through the Ifnponauon of ne\> cul", fro
d
who appeare to e b thn ·
vmg Or thr ough the m\'l'auoo of nCU2l m other .......
~'---r'
-
enemies. Moreover, consumption of pork among the Bnga, whose daily dIet is
other gtOUpS who mrroduced addIuonaJ mes
one of vegetable foods. is an event of excitement and great pleasure that draws
The largest sacred feases. orgaruzed by big-men ".there.! _•• _
praIse, warmth. and gratirude for the food donors. And so. despite the absence of • or tnb.U 0)( u.
• eo '- WI1
communal consumption ID Enga secular feasts. the addition of a round of ex- bers for five days of communal consumption at the cult slte aM eote~ In
vited guests from Other mbes. Unlike secular feasts that m, Ived ,,)In\,<
changes ulVolvlDg htghly divisible foods that pleased many consumers added a
provisiorung and dIsmbutlon. m sacred feast "'-." hO_hold ootnbutN
sigruficam sodal element to secular exchange cycles .
equaUy and everybody receIved freely {O re.fIi, m equality ,f group mcm
Benefits obtained by ambitious men for arranging excbanges and accompany.
is said that even the dogs dtd not go hungry Food proJu~ r cult ieasts
mg secular feasts were substantial. They gained "name" for their organizational
grown specifically for that purpo e and ne' r used to mcur Of
efforts, and they gained wealth from successful exchange. Some of this was ap-
rions related to secular exchange and feasting The rotnmensality
piled to clan needs. but enough was left to pursue personal interests and SOcial
aUowed for strong bondtng at the group I d duI dad not 11\
position-to procure the wealth necessary to pay bridewealth for one or more
As a result. enure mbes could be united
wIves. to attract allies in warfare, to recruic disabled individuals or war refugees Ritual experts who pr~slded over cult nte
to aSSISt ID production, and to secure trade partnersrups. econonucally. although they dId not h~ the
Two features of secular feasting affected its potential for serving social and po- ings much J way as to WIeld po r. In ntrast. tilt
Iltlcal ends The one was the lack of communal consumption, and the other. rhe ganized these Impres..<lvt event W ~ dMn
fact that the food dtstribured carried exchange obligations. The absence of com- the presnge that .le,rued ITom their ~bili
munal consumptton involving donor and recipient limited the potential of secu- arion. and partiClpanon ne ry
lar feasts to generate feelmgs of unity. And maintenance of a certain distance fcasts . Prestige brought mo~ Ihm ~fSOftoII
may have been intentional, for even though strong supportive ties were formed In thIS ocie-ry whe~ all ~ poImaal
(Juuide the clan through exchange, these had to be suspended in times of war- defended, name wa onl 10
fare The: fact that economIC goals were embedded 10 secular feasting meant that group a a whol . !>re ~ stgn.a1~ a mM
all moves of blg·men (0 bring about changes were regarded as economicaUy man ot renuwn wr than
dnven and .rubJect to scrutiny. Such an atmosphere was not conducive to manip· marr, crv.mt h
uJalJ()n of norms and valuei. Nonetheless, the- inmrporation of a phase of feast- chang. 10 r,
Ing InW Jccu~r rxch.mge allowed bIg men to put IIIneasing numbers of pigs an sld red I Kl IIll nl

u.
 Hll1v \\ 'ir \\Iwl

- , , - ---------- A.:.ST:.::S:..:':.:.N..::A:.:H::I~~l~O:~~IC:!'':L!!'£ R.SPE(l 'VI

___-----.......:E:cNe,:G:cA:cF..:Ee,:
· ,. I 11" " J!<i ,"j {) t In~ I ~'!1l1fi c.lIl1 IT1 .1 soci ety wh ere apprOXln'''''" t eIY 2.s -
II I ~C ) ( h IMI... ~
l " lIt 0 1 mt l1lh ~ 111 " ,,,1:11<' (M cgg llt 1977). PCr feas t l ng site wlth shelters for the partta pams', er)mm.una\ COI\sum
\ st'n )l ".1 bCllt' Ii t " I'l'n tu hlg
·
lnCI1 throug h pa rtlcipatll1g In the orgall JZat lo ,100 cl Icft exrenslve faunal remams on the fcasung lie,.' th golh.nn ptJO!>
n
tuh I'crfi" 'IlIJnccs w ,,, the oppo rtunIty to altc r norms and va lues BIg-men pa~r bran
I S and guests called for dlVtdcd sacred and scrul
or ar~ 10 ~e
. t 'u 111 ImrOIlIl1 " IlCW cult s /i'om g ro ups who appearcd mOre su fr o
rn outsiders: and on larger Enga cult SItes, speaal . tru- .
[1ell',1 C " . ccessful ..ruruWt l t (
. ml11onll1g chose n ntuJl cxperts from other groups, and rearra nging cult ' r ,"cred nles. each of which had Its Own atea for f~~ > -rtn:
su . . proce. lor ~ vvu pttpan. on '
dures 10 bctre r comll1L1l11catc Wi th the ancestors. In dOing so, th ey werc able to su rn pttO n .
.11t"" nOrms .1I1d \'.du cs wilh Ih cu' pe rsona l proJecls Beca use all cult-related de . slgnlfica~t also 15 the diff:renttal unpact of competll"" secular and
.. b Id
Sl OIl< were m ade 111 [h e na mC o f g ro up e llcrment anc etached fro m eco ' c,· ncompetltlve sacred feasung on food production and as . d Cnstingl
no , . SOO4.tc utUZOltlOQ of
, ' . . I1Ol11i·
( .llly o n cnl ed ,.change, th e m ot:ves of blg· m cm we re no t subj ect to the same th e landscape. Plgu re. 4 ·2 compares the number of Pt""' ..- gwen bl b Ig mtn and
h ·r wives tn the m am phase of the Tee cycle with the num'- .
t _'-
. crutllly ,tS were rhelr ll1ancu ve rs m secul a r feasn ng and excha nge To g ive sOl11e t e v<r conuwtUed b.
'g m en ro proviSIOn tb e Kepele cult by generation It starts m th b
C~Jmpl es thro ug h Importmg the p ra ise poeITy o f b ache lo rs" cul ts from Other b I - _ . t: \('tot gnlet
anon before present Just as the Tee cycle was begmrung and ptgs Wt"' being UI
groups Jnd m3iung addi n ons 111 th e process, big -m en could update the ideal fOr
troduced 1I1ro th e Kepele It ends in the durd to second gener;ooon th ~mnmg
males, cul l.> expressing equahty of a ll m e n to the eyes of the ancesto rs could be
of the colo rnal pen od) Wtth a Tee beld tn the early 195o, 4ItU the Im Kerelt pet
ri m ed Jpprop na re ly to appease grudges e m an aring fro m e m e rgent econonuc m.
forman ces h eld be fore Christianity took hold In western Eng. Appronm.o", a
equJltn e ·, and very Impo rtantly, goods and values w e re revalu ed thro ugh theIr third of the pigs g iven in Tee are produced by the housebold s« also 11:111
promlJ1ent presentatto n m assoCIatio n with the sa cred . and [Wo thirds received as gtfts: apprOJomately balf of the ptgs .fumbuted m Toe
DI(fcrcnt tho ugh they were, rh e re lation be twee n sacred and secular feasts were slaughtered m the final phase of feasltng and the other; JlI\"sted 11110
was J compl ementary one In a sense, sacred fea sts laid rhe groundwork of rules bridewealth , compensation , and other payments All of the plSS conmbuled 10
from whIch compentive exchange could proceed . They defined all males and the Kepele cult performances were produced at home and ronsurneddunng the
the Ir family unm as potential equal competitors for exchange, they displayed cult. As is clear in Figure 4 ·2 , the overtly competlO\" dlsrnbuoon of,."alth III
what was valued before the eyes of the ancestors, and when exchange depended ular events and accompanying opporturuttes for mdiVldualln~stmenl U\d t(ec::oo-
heaVIly on group partiCIpatiOn , they established a spirit of cooperation among nomic gain fostered rapid growth to (ompanson 10 th. mo", gndu&l growIb m
corpo rate groups. When these condmons were met, mdividuals could go out the noncompetitive Kepele Although such growth rrughl nOl be """Itnt fNm
and pursue theLr careers m secular exchange to benefit themselves and their the sparse remains left on secular feasttng Slt. , Its unpact app '1Cl11 m palM'"
clans. In rum, success m secular exchange and feasting established the pracrical and extent of land clearance and use.
Rerurrung to the role of feasts to the valuatt n of ma!n1al I
value of Items valued dunng sacred feasts and reaffirmed the importance of reg·
give one example of an elaborate cult c nt mi 01\ ~ W
of
ular cult feasts to secure the goodwill of the ancestors for economIC enterpnses.
Al ternately, failures m exchange called for new cults, new rites, or in some cases, em Enga, through which pigs we~ mad protnJDm\ ID III
ne w values. duCtlon was arduuus. Then I will go on to W
complementary strategIc ' to ecular md S<lutd fi:asrinlJ
In an archaeologICal context, secular and sacred feasting left different signa·
tures. The absence of communal consumption m secular feasts had a profound struCl ever-larger exch~nge netwOrks, tht dIM
subsequent efforts to devalue the pig r shift
e ffect on the remams. When food was distributed and carried home, only traces
of structures for food display and distribution remained at the aggregation site-
po tho les lrom display platforms, small amounts of bone from meat consumed THE KEPELE CULT
dun ng fo od pre pa rauon, and m some cases large eanh ovens near the ceremonial The Kepete had it ro ol Ut" P
~nd gathe nng of th high
ground to s team pork. though much meat was prepared at individual houses,
tOl<> the se n Tt ot lh
lbe fac t th at meat was not consumed at the distribution site caused the majority
tht'se tnb ~cql\l d t.md
of faunal re m a ms to end up a round household steaming pits in other clans. Par
aCTed t by contrast , prolonge d aggregation required the construction of a
hwulthl Ih K pe'

121
 _~ --------------~EN~G~A~F~EA~S~l~S~IN~'~H~I~ST~O~R~IC~'~~~~~
l PEIlSPECTI'I( __
. _____ _
250
•

20

Tee Cycle
c:
'"
E, 1 SO
-
0>
.D
~

Cl
a.
(/l
Q> 100
a.

50

Kepele Cult
o •

7 6 5 4 3 2
generation before present
rlgu« ~2 Companson of me growth of secular competiove exchange and feasrmg WJm
noncompecrive sacred feasong as measured m number of pigs conmbured by big-men
Thrse figures are approxunate For me Tee cycle, number of pigs chstributed IS taken
from me hmonulll'adltJons derailing che lives of major big-men from the Yakan, and
Apuhru mbes of cenll'aJ Ecga It IS not possible to verilY the accuracy of figures for ear-
her genenoons However. smce rrees were planted at the end of hnes of pigs dismbuted
to mark the accomplishmentS of each generation of big-men. the order of magrurude
.houJd be correct. Prior to about me fourm generaoon, only wealtluer clan members
paroopated m me Tee cycle, after me fourth generation, most famules disrnbuted at
least a few plgs.S a marter of po de and sign of econolTUc mdependence. Figures pre.
$<Omed here are the maJUmum for major big-men who were Tee cycle organIZers; m me
second and durd generations, big-men of less powerful clans might present 40--1 SO pigs,
mmor blg·men. 30-50 pigs. and ordmary men fewer than 10
Figura for Kcpcle cult performances were calculated on the baSIS of claims that early
cult performances were provlSloned With marsupials and later ones mcreasmgly With pigs.
Fmm appriJlOmatdy the fourth generauon on. It was sopulated that every male tnbal
mcmbt-r should ClJntnbule one pig and ane pig only Big·men with more male children
w(}U1d thu c(mtr1burr more pigs as well as prOVide .ome pork for arganlzallonal activities.
but mt1r contribulltms did nOI grutly oUlSlnp Ih" .... of other clan members
 rS IN A HISTORICAL PERSPECltVE
ENGA FEA S

the Kepcle ceremony. th~

Ounng .
<he ghost. b {Ween layers of .ill edIble pl>.nt fooclo
P e.se d ' a pyre e
, 0 JP place 11' mated . When cult me we", ron
cl ",e fe nlaUy ere
]Jt< d and cererno d i[ was believed that the goodwill 0 th a
",00 were desIToye . .
!if< J houses c ~ l. ry would prevail.
h CO [ cl and ,eruu f
[ e evoke foUowmg the introduCtlon 0 the '" t po ",
Bd been eneraoo ns
h cl SO ,0 <he g all C cs and rites of the Kepele cult chat had om e n
/'.0 d intO ,eas
'ntroduce d c st products. In dus conte.n. p.gs and por re n
were I e an lo re
. hOd by gam . outing the cult h ouse construction p.gs rep ,nt
fur nls . f rneanJ1lgs. .
Irip!iOry 0 t feasts. chese ruV1Slons were dlsmantled throu -h th
, nlU , .' subsequen
'bal diviSIons. ID mprion o f po rk fa t. among other thm~. \\ ' put rth
tn k 1'he consu _
riJlg of por . . boys to m en . Po rk was used to .ppelbe th -1\ , ' ,
I
SI' f rransformtng
",cans 0 Ii II shared with the ancestors to bnng ~bout;:
" d ymbo ca Y . ,
[he de,d an s f k n dIfferent ways for different age group>
tion 0 pa r I
The prepafa ch crure of Enga sooety. The demand that ,h
affirmed e srru ,
Sloons re ch Kepele remforced equalit) of male mb", m n an
ig for e
duce one P . d tion The great feasts for the public tlut , pI
. for pIg pro uc
ave .
incen ve a tangIble reward for pro du -n n to men
. rhe sacred area ga
SIde ho were not IDvolved ID the , au ed nte '
d inVlted guests w •
,n . f K e1e s!les conformed to no speclnc pl U m r
Loca aon 0 ep . th h
.
chaeolog!Sts. !les
s' were placed cenually ID mbal temt ri -
. . _ •
tt
• C mill'e - whose houses were wIde I) >< ~u red, r I I nJ
cesSlble to la > ,
. offered magruficent VIews. ,,\·hile other re n I
~eeslteS 1 - d
All K epele s.tes were planted wIth a " , de ,l,,;l I trt"~ n
races.
shrubs-some of the largest and older trees In the FIl bll
monial grounds or cult sites RemaIDs Id, on Ke I
gradual valuation of p.gs ,,"d tht· mulnple nlt'.Il1l
smlung for archaeologIsts would be the num r f tru tu

of pIg bones on Jssoc.~non wllh everv une .t. th

pig bones, such as skulls, with . pC(lfi.: lrU , tu

of the me and hIghly dlfiert"nnat d area \\ I\hm 11

cation for a gIven SOClJlul1lt and the I glumJlan n

PROMOTIN G PIGS AND COMPETITION : TH

The upshot of enhanCing pOI'\ In lu I
that by the fourth to filth g 11 r lion
em Eng. offered ,1\ rs o noml ntu I
as networks nf C l't'tl1oll\~ 1
rur"'ory the ('IX full
" •• '101\ "01l11'<'1II'

In ,
 ENGA FEASTS IN ... I1ISTORI(
~L PEftSP(CTTvt
••• ••• •• ••••••••• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
9
•••••••••••••• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • d for the Kepcle m song. The reason.s for I~
, , , , • use ..r
tated but mIDal pe"ormances were 5aJd t b h
''''po" In the «.,
WU1.~g<tle..,. r.".",
, •
,
• not s ' 0 t c::1d on I
. • • , ·
•
.. '. ,• • ..• •• ••• • • ••
·..... • • • th genera non. Aeatee ntes to unite the tnb
t: and ~rt: Se:
un.n ......,
In th.
...... •
• •• • • •
•• • four . .

.. quality 0{ ""'n
• • • -

• , • , • , , bers
were elaborated mto a SlX-Stage perform.nc
. e 'P~d OUI 0\ "--
• • • • , Wit h each stage lIwolvmg e.xtenslve feasting Aear c:
ec It"a5U Wen:
0 u\"t: to ten
•
PUBLIC FEASTING AND DANCING AREA
phases of the Tee cycle to facilitate its o rganization and turunmlcnb",Utt<! ith
fir stage of the Aeatee assembled tbe tribe for a g ·T.b., } The
FENce AROUNO SACRED AREA st m'''''pt>! fe.st and 1.,--, . •
'ry withm. Par the second and thud stages wbe _, ..tl.....,..,
~ TO PII(PAA(
un! . n Ult: ground Wi\5,
WATUor urt th e cult house constructed, bIg-men from clans to th e east who ~ prtP.,.dand
.... ~
. ,0 xxx
"""",,,0 .,. cycle were invited as Spectators and ""ests 10 _L -.~-~t<! tht
I ee b- r Ult accompan"'" ,
J'" If".am

...•..
..
•
TABLE 4.3
The Six Stages of the Aeatee Cult of Central Enga
, ,
• . ,,
RfSIOENTlAL
and Its Relation to the Tee Cycle
- )[ 0
NEE NAPE...,.

,S
/5

l!.
$
S'
I ~ ~
II 11 OON:;
...... Stage Feast
RcIa_ .. T.. c.a.
\!3J SleW. HQ! !SE Collection of bui1dmg Communal hunt; Urutes~
mate.rials for the: cult marsupial feast
FIgure 4·3 Schematic drawmg of a Kepe1e cult site This diagram IS based on descnpflons house
Trampling of the grass Marsupial feasf Urutt\ mbe. c:srf"tSsM
of mformantS wlule VISltlOg Kepele SItes. nOt the measuring and mapping of a smgle Slte.
on (he buiJdmg site tnbill S.U\Kturt
Though KepeJe SItes vary. many have the features presented here. Large Sites may COver
an area of lOO m by ZOO m or more .
ConstrUcrion of rhe: Major pork fe:3)t: Unn~ mb.:. ar'~I$U
Aea[ce house one plg per male tTiNl muctUft .and
lnbtsman compkmmwlI¥ ot
em. cenrral, and westem Enga to craft rhe final Tee cyde. Specifically, the thin
web of the early Tee cycle wlrh ltS cooperative chams of finance was called on to
fuel the Grear Ceremonial Wars, removing the Iirruration of finance by home oIppt.a," aoc:(31lln

production Tbls began m the fourth generation before present around .890 C1earung of [ht: house Commun.ll hunt Tnb< IlDltN
Sire, redecorJ[lon of ,he m.u\"UpIJI fent
(Table 42). As rhe Grear Wars expanded umder rhe forces of dramatic mrergroup
wJ.Us
compennon, bIg· men mvolved 10 rhe Great Ceremonial Wars constructed longer Rues for th~ solcnJ (...Jrg(' pork fuSl "",.... 01_:........ .....••
Tee chams ro rap 1Oro the wealrh of the easr and to reinvest the great mass of ancestT.ll ~tones bwWd. Ilib .. PftIIPII'lJ --
........t
wealth that flowed our of rhe Great War exchanges. The Tee was thereby trans·
formed from a relatively dIscreet stream of finance ro a network flooded with
....
weal rh , The spheres of exchange carved out by alliance in rhe Great Ceremonial Burnmg of the i\eoItr"e lolqtt'Sl pork fi:&St
Wars larer prOVIded the pathways for the Tee cyde to expand (Pig. 4.1). hl'lUSC:

The COSt, conflIcts. and complexiry of organization of the Great Ceremonial

Wan and Tee cycle then became formIdable . Big-men in tribes straddling the Tee
cyde and Great Wars. aware of the dJ/ferent strategies that could be employed in
ICcular and sacred feasting and the benefits of their Juxtaposition, imported the
K.epde cult from the west into central Enga . There it was called Aealee. a lerm

114
 •

I crio'lllancc . •hey r<a "zed th at tnbes of weSte

Upon W UT1CSSII1!! l le' P " I " n) Boga
. d . ' 'rollS' ami th.1I. 11 was trm e to en k Tee Thjs was d One On ) found that over 60 percent of the sweel'pOt.t .. .
w~rt' uw he . prospt.: (197'- E 0 .... ~ ...... <...
n. mhc of eastern nga And now for the m .." to III
the " de .n IIle qu.el 0 f rnen's. hOllse•. FollowlIlg the g rea t feast of the third . Phase the uAr I) 1 Inltteu;n

, h J<t were se nt home w.th g .lts to launch the saa>rrli pII.", ( h . d accel era ted production cannot escalate cl fuu pan;
b'g·men, ro m t < e . " . P ase cion an tn c tcl tn
... ) of rh e Tee cycle. In the fourth stage of the Aeatee. a larg O the eve of first contact Wlth Europeans a be:
of m. DJWry g ll~' . . e POrk g ive. n . . . nurn r of n:
[he oCC3<ion o f the feedlllg and matOlg of. ancestral srOne s. M [.tion were mlttated that IDvolved . among oth h to
~J. t"' J S he Id fia r • .. compe <r I .nl!'. re. \t\unn
. h Enga scheme of vaJue and rnearung. the,
(en\ J rd 3,· bIg· m en fi'o lll the west set off w.th rhelr Tee assoaares from the east to In ( e

I
rr ' to uun h th e Phase of the majn gifts in the east. The fifTh stage of the Aealee RESPONSES IN THE WEST: AIN'S CULT
was held when the phase of the main gifts in the Tee had worked irs way to rhe
h less fertile. rugged vaJJeys of westero Enga were the " __
wesrernmoSl poim. At th.is Dme the largest pork feast for the ancestors was held T e '1nl to t<>~ lip ,
. onmentaJ constraints. for the stuft from game amm,l J •
to mark the cnd of 3 successfuJ cuJt performance that expressed equality. cooper. enVlf ~ an tu",C' to
300n, weallh, and assured prospenty through communication with the anCes. the pig as the primary currency of ntual and exchange rmPD" 'd • hn, \\ .
load on residents in western areas. By tbe early twentteth CtllIllrt \\.n~ iuti
rors; to rhe SIXth stage the cult house was burned . Once these goaJs Were
become endemic. and nutnttonaJJy related ruseases pre\";lknl Eldm IIlten d
ac/ueved. tOcUviduaJs were allowed to go out to pursue their own interests. The
voiced the dismay they felt at the Urne over demand> On . m.ill hall hold 1 bar
wu phase of the Tee cycle. that involving the distribution and consumption of
forces to produce large numbers of pIgs for ntual. '00.11. md pobn..ol 0",-
burchered pork. was U1Jtiared therealter.
particuJarly for Kepele cult performances. war reparaoo . and I he finOUlC"r
Throughout. Aearee and Tee performances and feasts were separated in time
relatives within the sphere of the Tee cycle . Pressure, for pIg prod\lCtlon In tIIm
and space. no pork was passed from one event to the other. and knowledge of
incited conllict over pigs and good garden land. semng off a sptnl runp'nt
thm re/ations/up was kept ITom the public- big-men concealed the I'ole of the
and destructive warfare that took the lives of rna",·. o.hr-< ~ the QTCUIII
Aeatee to faolrtating their goaJs for the Tee cyde. In short, the feasts of the
stances that ir was said that tbe Itves of men seemed ID h.... Im)e m al
Aeatee were used by big·men to mediate tensions, reaffirm old values. introduce
than tbe life of pIgs. These perceptions cor re ponJed to p~dicnons m a
new ones. reaJlgn feelmgs of tribal members, and demonstrate to participants
erful cuJt. the Dmdr Camu. that em,ronment and SOOt!'; \\"tlt 011 a _-an!
and spectators thar the tribe was strong. weaJthy. and able to act as a corporate
spiral and that the end of the world was m1mment \\'1e er ...d Twnll 11\
WU(. Once these goals were achieved and all men prod aimed as pocennaJ equals.
press). DIseases Introduced by Europeans .nd rum of Europun " " ' _
indrvlduaJs were allowed to pursue theU' own inrerests to make a nan1e ID ex. contributed to the mIsery and created a feelmg that ban Il\ all"
change.
In (be early 1940S a new cult was launched b~ a f~nu1v and nI\III
Dunng the decades before first contact wirh Europeans. the Great Ceremonial pens from the northwestern corner of Enga-I\ln :ult the
Wars coUapsed under theU' own weight and thetr spheres of exchange were sup. goaJ was to stave off dIsaster through ntual IIlte DllOD
planted by rhe expandrng Tee cyde (Wiessner and Tumu (998). By first contact 1977; Fell (983). Among other thm~. the pig. ~J((",ed
w.th Europeans ID the 1930S the Tee cyde involved some 40,000 people and the problems, was devalued by (ult pre. mpnoru FU"St
exchanges of rens of thousands of pigs. The Tee cyde recorded by ethnogra· were decreased by abohshmg nt. that rtquirN
phers and misslonanes rn the 1950s-1970S (Bus r95 1 • Elkrn 1953; Meggitt 1972, r974, and thus war reparation' and malor ulu su'h the
FelJ 1984) was thus formed by forging three vast systems of feasting and exchange part of the pIg population wa' remo from
rn the decades before first Contact with Europeans. herds and rhelr sacnli.' .. tu tht' un Thout1h
The results of Sl)me five generations of rncreased agricultural potential. the the cult, disn'sp et 1,)[ pork
vaJuau(JIl of the pig. and the mergrng of exchange systems was that competition a praCtlCl' very at 1'1(011111
In Engil accelerared at a runaway pace. with the sons of each generation outdo· western Enj(J 11 took nn
mg their fathers In numbt:r of pigs dl~tnbured. Mounrrng pressure was put on come 111 the lorm of 81 nt
pmducti/m. (Ir example:. whllt In rhe bl"V"nth generation pigs are said to have de ("edse. lor Wr Ith .uld "'
pcndcd pnmanJy I)n fitragrng for thclr 5USlenance. by the late 19005 WaddeU elfon When Ih 1'''111

,.6
 _-
------------~E~N~G~A~FE~A~S~T~S~I~N~A~H~IS~T=0=R~IC~4~l~P~[~R~S.~(~CT~I~(__
- -----------
/',,1/\' \\ ·,(.IIIIt'1
'-' -
'd d 0[0 tWO m Olenes. one re:p~sennn'"
mJI , and
fort." Ihe grc;]ICI p~l r l of Ihl' pig p opula ti o n of weSler n Enga Was slaughtered C dlV1 e l .
Shord), .dte l \ .lrJs. p.lIro)s ~lI1d l11issioll nnes emered (he area. . wer It's cenaal m eme m at male and f~m~le must b.,
s [he cu t
prfS l'oked (Sa amern 1979a). 11us theme " as tumly f, r Ihe •
SO
lubly .I I ""change nerworks u.a! _L d epended on women\,. __ ,
RESPONSES IN THE EAST: THE FEMALE SPIRIT CULT eJ11o nt3-
ce r . h ffinal and m a!ernalluo After a suspe!l>dul diIy of ce"""
&U\,I

T he Imp.cl of occc leranng competillon and II1 tenslficaoon of pIg prodUCtion 'cs Wlt a , . n m
WJ:t nOt so hcavy IJ1 e,lSlcrn Enga. w he re (he sou was n cher and enviro nment o h se for which thirty IQ SIXty pIgs were laugh!ered rnll.
ul[ Ou . dr •
more forgJVl ng. Il owevcr, on unll1rended consequence of valUing PIgS, rather c d from the cult house tn a amatlc pan de. holdin~ pe~rl '
Ihan " COlS WIth mo re lomited ava ilabili ty, was th at aU able·bodled Bnga Could emergeI el with theU" eyes. Tbey danced ""m stampmg m~ment · ""'.. _,
chern , ev WoN
produ ce p'gs, distnbute the m , and thereby become competitors in exchange. 'al grounds !O me awe of me crowds and men pJraded b. to ....
cereOl OnJ . wt
W, th a g rowmg popula" on and expanding nerworks of exchange, the number of emerging wlm tbe ne! bags of pork for me conunun.1 re t \\ h
house, re - m
competi tO rs became unmanageable- the pla ns of even tbe most powerful bi . over IIlvi!ed guests from central Enga talked Tee 1U't .> Ih had
~asr- S
men were foiled by competitors on the rise. In th,s context, big-men of the fO\lr~
' . '
tee performances. .No doubt me prorruneoce of the ,hen, III th ~·lt
after Aea . ,~

generooon ,"troduced gold-lip pea rl shells cut into crescent shapes as valuables
tn to m e Tee cycle and other exchanges as part of an effort to consoudate pOwer
Pearl she Us, unlike pigs, could nOr easily be obtained by ordtnary men who did
nOr have a long·standing conaol of trade ne cworks to me south and southeast
(see Clark 1991 ). Furthermore, they did nor have to be fed or slaughtered, bur
could be retatned indefirutely, accumulated, and passed on to descendants
(Lemonnier 1990, (996). Pearl shells were gradually accepted as valuable by tribes
of easternmoSt Enga because they were pnzed by meir eastern and southern
neighbors Daughters of wealthy men began to demand these valuables in their
requests for brideweaJth . 'o However, the central Enga, key participants in the Tee
cycle, rejected the eaStern valuanon of pearl shells, preferring pigs, stone axes,
and cowry shells.
Blg.men then attempted to mfluence the valuation of pearl shells by another
means- through trnporting the Female Spin! culr, which placed pearl shells at its
center and m assodation with prosperity and fertility. Initial motivations for irn·
porrlOg the cult from non·Enga groups to the south (Strathern 1970 , 1979a), as
their association wim fertility and prospentv did not e ".pe ...Iuan n
shrewd men .
As the Female Spirit cult spread through dans of eastern En. , m'n~ <kt
performance and mearung were lost or altered a5 11 was ~~Pted t n '"
rions (Wiessner and Tumu 199 8). The parade , ...·luch pre>ent cl peMI
coveted valuable with a sacred dunenslOn. was perpetuat~d Th . -
pead shells as "ems of great econorruc and symboli.: \'alue f't~d H
fore meir trnpact on me sodal and political order could b., <kt~muned. W'I:
peans intervened, aulifting literally m.thon:; of pearl shdb Int the ~~ t'
be used as a currency m dealings ""th 1O.:hgenous populanoru Inll 'n I ut
shells occurred and theIr value sub equentl declmed Wbet~r the peu! shtll:
would have been accepted as the ulomate \o1uable h ther ~ rcul.I
would have narrowed the field ot' competition. rtb iN pf't Im r N rrodIK
oon, or led to IIlsnlUtlon.lllZed 00.11 1Oequaboe through the
wealth remain open questions \ ee Fell 19 and
By contrast to the case of pIgs 10 Kepele ~ 00

stared m h,stoncal rradlnons, were to enhance clan or tribal fortune as well as to dence would be hke\y to be tound fOr th a1uanon I pe
host an event similar to the Aeatee cult of central Enga, which would draw peo· Splnt cult However, IOdlrect mfeft'nc . ,u1d "'* from t~
plc from near and far to plan the Tee cycle . HistOrical traditions tell of voyages cult slles with a new struCNft' at the me rune dwt uI
taken by big-men from eastern Enga, laden with goods and valuables contnbuted plaques ot' hardened resm on which sheU. 11\

by themselves and fellow c1anspeople, to purchase the sacred objects, spells, and chdeologlC.1 record 10 greater numbe
ntes of the culr as well as the services of a ntual expert to insntute rhe cult 10

theIr clans, SUMMARY

The Female Splnt cult was rurecced at a sptnr woman who came to men as a Wltl-un the sp~n of Fng•• hI tonc.a\lT"lldin IM
bnde but remamed a vll"gm WIth a closed vagina, giving men protectiOn against value .nd me.lllng re ,on~r
the (I,ntammaung menstrual flUids of women but bnnglOg feruhty to them and dunng secular un Ptg h.d
theIr familIes Two house~ were constructed, onc male and one female, and seg· prlldu(ed hv all pt"rmllt d unhri 11
ts the ran that th
regated frl}m pubhc areas by three elaborately decorated fences Male celtbran

n.
 Pally Wu' u lla
ENGA FEA STS IN A HI STORICAL 'tR~P(CT\\t1.

\'c,red m.ldc rhem an 1J1.1rpropnate rorm of wealth ror the conso hd

- use banana and bre.1dfrun In'\~ fo r ~r\'m 1Yod. I'IoL1t
- ~-

I rn nsml S~lo n 0 r po\ve r ..S0 Once pigs were e n d owed Wlt b sufficlcn <llIOIl
. nd 6 En. ~
... tva lue
com e In al1·pu r pose c urre ncy fo r 50CI:l. I. po llOcal. a nd re ligio us m att to be . vesselSd' es and ntes for the Kepde VUted from tnbe 'to ti:bt _.10
ers, co . _ cc u f . uu.
n o n Jccelcrared a ( a runaway pace , Whe n such compe titi o n reach d O1PCtl 7 prO o rtTHlOce Th e one given hen. 1$ .. lteilaaJ. dCSCl'tpl 'KIQ
e the
whe re 11 Introduced umsJOns and contradicrio ns Lnto Enga sOcie ty POint perfi d t th e maJon ry of cult bou=
and ran erforme a
ag JlIlsr cons lrain ts of the exte rnal wo rld , cults and their accomp up p e d stones used m Enga n rual "'en: fr-cquently ""'rt.lrs
anYlng fea The sacr
we re lhe n sought by big-men to e.ehe r devalue the pig o r shift value t . Sts 8. habltancs of Eng., pub.ps thw- du,.", fon:ban.
form er 10
""rh Hmited availability and greater durability, for exampl e, pead shells. 0 •te ll1s ancescors and morta rS fem ale ones. The .. ..1'''" 6gun: or""'"
r -_ . to"'-
.~

To conclude, I would like to make the follOWing points. First th from [h e Sep tk region. Sacred stones had been u.sc:d b .. SUrround. _ .. '\
fertile va./leyS pnor to the mtroducuon of the "'~el p.lUt • h<>"~:r ... ~ .
, e eVent f
feasong.s a composlte one and emphasis on its different components will h 0 C~, \oUn
' .easting,
r: avean K epele cull of western Enga.
I d out d unng
effect on srrareg.es that can b e paye as well as th (0 the
e strU crtJr E ~ names. such :as clan o r cult nunts.. lw.~ ..t ~nn
of rem.ms in the archaeologteal record . By juxtaposing feasts that per e M~y n~ .
rnltted dif- 9, tn S
cng Aeatee was the so ng term to r Kc.ptle
ferem strateg.es, such as secular and sacred ones, complex institutions s h chem ' , ..
Uc as [he Enga bndes reSIde IJl theU' future husb..,Js ~"drnces for
Enga Tee cycle can be formed . Second, a good portion of the value and . . 0. es are finalIZed At th.ts nme they ; ID!; . 10 thar
rneantng mamag .
of material goods .s culturally constructed. Feasting, by combming a n b aslung for speCIfic lIems to be p... d ~ poUt of th bn~e
. urn er of
social activities and behavlOrs, provides an optimal setting for breWing su h
C COn. 199 .
2 ) Demands of bndes can thus h.",
an Im",ct OD the
notations. Third , strategies couched in feasting, including the valuat' axes were requested by bndes of «ntral En. '"
Ion of
dungs, should be idennliable in certain archaeological Contexts. And fourth , [he were requested In the east.
artnbutes of .rems for whic1h value is promoted, such as reqwrements for pro-
duction, availability. durability, diVisibility, lifespan, and disposal, have a Slron REFERENCES
'mpaer on the course of sodal, economic, and poJjtical competition . Many SOCi~ Appadllral, A.
strateg,es ride piggyback on [he narural properties of goods and valuables as '986 Th' SOCIal L~( of TIling" Comm.-.lUlN III
demonstrated 1I1 the Enga Case. Accordingly, altering the values and meanings of bndge Ul1Jver.nty Pre ,
thmgs through feasang can direct or redirect the course of c1hange. Bus. G
'95'
Th. Te Fe'tl\' ,I or GIft
GUIO~.l t -\nthh'l"S.l(\ ' , ~1.4
NOTES
Chance. M R.'I.
1 There are some excellent pubhcauons on feastmg m the New Gumea literature, ro Ancntwn Stnh.:tu~ th
'967
mention a few ' Rappaport 1968; Young 1971, Strathern '971; Lemonnler 1990, '996; CI,lrke. J
Kahn 1986; Knaufi: 1993.
'9QI PCJrlshdl S, "'h"I" ns In HI
2. Exchange value IS an mrerestmg ISsue for 11 mvolves mediaemg between values placed en,,- tn rhe \\ IrU IT I
on Items by those m dtiferent segments of a sOCIety or different societies
3· The term phratry, as used by Meggm ('965) is perhaps 'he must accurale D.rrier, M
anthropologIcal term for lala andake tn Enga-poiJucal un.[s composed of .AArega,es 1t,K)f' h'.J,st .. nJ <. \llnm
of clans unlled by an ongm tradnlon and genealogy that link members to a common SUIU In P1ThH~tt 11~ t
itllCotlJr As dISCussed elsewhere (Witssncr and Tumu 199~), wc have .hos,·n '0 use 1\"1 fl . dll b I' \\ I
Inbr a ICSJ preCl~ nOli on, m order to use a term comprehenSIble to the BngJ B rglo lon 8,
thcmsdvo E1hl ~Ibe I !.It, I
4 HI Ilry portray' Kmup. '" the hIgh country a hunter galh",ers. apparcnlly 'hey NQ
malnt<ifned a JeIU<' Ilf ,denllty a. luch However, It IS poss,blr that Ihey tult •• altd FI~IlI.
. mall gard<:n u we.ll III I
, le frn .",.IIr, fn,u. both ... red and R, ular, would not be .15,hle arrh.eulll':"'Uy uh

140
 ENG A FE. ASTS IN A HISTORICA.l PERSPlCllVl
• I'•• /h \\ .It'H"rI:..-_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
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"
'977 nd M Bloch
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.9 89
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_'"
1\ ,1\'.' (11 J-,\I'"" \I.!'"
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t965-
L.1cry. R New Gumea Journal of the P"lvnt>U1n • ''''1ltY ~
1975 Oral Tr.dIrions .. HIstory An Exploratton of Oral Sources among the Enga From Hunttng 10 Hom.-ulrure tn the
of the New Gwnea Htghlands. Unpublished PhD tbesis. Univers,ty of 4.' 295- 30 9
\\ 'lSconsin 1977 PIgs. Fodder, and the Jone E~(/ In Post lpom
Lemonmer, P 6:57- 7 0
1990 Gktl'l ts t! F(strll.!.' PalX, eciulnges, et comptrlClOtl dall.! les Htghlaruls de No.veUe. Wiessner. P, and A. Tumu
Gu,"fr. Pans.' MalSon des Soences de I'Homme. 1998 Huloncal Vln<$: Enga NrtwI>rIu ..f £xcIIA
Food, Compennon and Starus m New Gumea In Food and rhe Status Qu",: GUInea . Washtngton, 0 C . nuthsonun
All inuTdiSCIplltlory Pl!Tspectlve, ed.ted by P. WIessner and W Schiefenhtivel 1999 A Collage of Cult C.af\b(lla ~ I

Oxford ' Berghahn Books. 1000 Avernng the 8u htiJT Oil Am

Meggrn . M (in press) Engaging tht Anll""",,1osY of It
1965 Tht LlrwJgt Sysrmr of rht Mae·Enga of New Gumea New York.' Barnes and Messer. Ann Arbor Uru
Noble Wohlt, P
1972 System and Sub-System . The "Te" Exchange Cycle among the Mae "ngot 1978 EcoWgy. AgnnIrhl ~,
a ....
Hu"".. EcolDgy 1.'111 - Ul no" I" rht thghwlUb "
1973 The Sun and the Shakers: A MrlJenanan Cult and lIS Transformation in the Young, M.
C'W Gumea HrghIands Ocraniil 441 - 37 and I09-U.6. 1971 Figh« wuh
tV74 PIp Are Our H earu' '"me Tt:: Exchange Cycle among the Mac: Enga of New mbridF
CUrMa OUQ"IIJ 44 165 :10)

143
 - my research have been to do<ument (ht. "'.....
s
oal 0 f tnd!
e -.
-rh g . h socIal structure. ro construct a typolog>a.I ')
U\
cLS WI[ f c m f"
1l1ter3 arenal correlates 0 leasnng OlctWltV that n-. ........
AKHA FEASTING arc h for m " , ~ ""l,;"llt SCE i t:
[Ose di rors of feasong acnvlry In the pasL fur the pu"",,-_
a110 ca -r-~Q
10glC 5 any ntualozed meal that IS consumed b two
AN ETHNOARCHAEOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE 3 fea st a • Or mOft:
define . I m ean that the meal is not eaten sol~lv for ~[~n' _
r ed - .n,.,
Michael J. C1arke .... "'a JZ d' only one facet of a greater sooal event.
ns1'de re as '
co
GRAPHIC BACKGROUND
ETlH'-.I 0 I 0 known as the Kaw or E-Kaw) are an ethruc mm" "
(
Akha as n,; ''lIl U\ III
rhe ern ountainous regions of mainland SoutheaH .-\sl". thou.... th .
orch rn . . all. 1::-:'" «:'11' t"\J.;:t
n u1anon
. ' not known, It IS .gener y beu""ed that the\,_ nurn
IS
pop 00 000 Individuals (Tnbal Research IflSUtute 19<), . 'Tb
around 5 ' . CL.- rh h '
. U1
W a live . Yunnan Provmce. UlUa oug S1gruficam num
. sou thward for the past century or longer. and man . n
g
ranog
M a.nmar, as well as Nonhern Thailand, Lao,. ;md \- tn.m 'Ill
I""
ID
State. Y _
me-m bers of the Lolo branch. of the Tlbeto-Burman
'.. linl:;U1Stl
"- up and It
lim d rh al they (along Wlth most other Hill Tnb6 on':lOated • fro 1i
plateau an d slowly mIgrated east and south tOward
. th"'T prt or h
exact da re of the Akha's first encry mto Thailand
_ IS not 0 'n, utI!,

as reeen [ as the late 1800s Most Akha lfl Th.ulan.:lli, ID' ~

their tOtal population IS tn excess of 4 .500 people b 'Ul tn 1';' Tlihol
search lnstinlte 1995)·
The maJonry of Akha m Thati.m.:! snU prel<-r [
a[ approximately 1.000 m ele, Juon w h~re [hn an 'I' C
of slufung cultivanon They grow Jr~ n, ,mill t ,
and a vanery of other vcgt'r"blcs for "lmsumpn )1\
governmental effort. [0 h.llt mIgratIOn dnd [
illa now tend sustolJnJble frUit orrh rd, t
This chapter presents the results of rwo field seasons (1996, (997) of erhnoar.
Crop production IS oltcn In.ldt qll~te r. r ,on, umpt
chaeologlCal research on the feastmg practices of the Akha of Northern ThaI'
men! their die[ by ~JthenJ\g ,\lId pl.lJ\t, nd h n
land. The mam argument that ( will present is that the Akha place great
workmg lor wa!(~s as (arm IJbon'cs Hunt! nJ
Importance on feasting In their sOCIety because (1) feasts function as social Ir was m [he P,IS! They UI ~ .1 '.lnet\ f d ,,,...
mechamsms that facilitate the creanon and maintenance of a life ·mm suppOrt sacnfie<'S dnd ren'lll<lnks. ,IS \\ U 01 fur
nerwork, and (2) feasts provide arenas for competition berween extended family fowl (rh,,·ken. du(k, [urk ... ~), In dJlUl n
grlJUps for contml over baSIC socioeconomIc resources such as land. labor. dnd dogs The Akh.l oll'l' I'dnth i t, h pit!
polwcal Influence. f will dISCUSS the nature of the Akha resource base and [he 'plnt plolldllnn, olnd n,' "tU I
ddficuJlJe~ a~ 0 lated with 11, some of [he various forms of feast types [hat func EJ(h kh.1 I n
lion to cop~ wnh these ditfirultle , and lastly, archaeologIcal indicators of feast· I'oIlIi 1nl
ng actIVIty rxtrnde,! (anlll ilh th

144
 -
famIly H e fu.n(oons .1S (.lI"d)' pnc.st In regulJr offerings made to h
, t can
__--------------------~A~.~H~.~F~E~.~ST~I~NG~_____________
The pal nlUle.1ges (groups of rel~1ted extended famd les Within a vula cestors, ~--
aJJ rdatlonsrups LOvolvlng km, hip tics, marriage. residentiaJ pane gc) t'l1 edl ace In a village, and thus. he was trellled wuh
rn s, and ' great =~ct and I
of succession I1gh" Today. however. (he Akha tmPOrt theu t 15 fr ntu,a aed
00 om Th~1 ma.rLc
Although the Akha are nOnllJ131ly egalnanan , there are InStitutton . role or the Blacksmith has been reduced t t tow
o IU ccremomoll
rrunlS[Taove POSIoOns in each village. A descnprion of these positio . allZed ad. less. he is stiU an m1luential man, and Ln terms r &I.L mUllmu.rn
ns IS ger o nAll.} (Osma\o h
to th]S ruscussJOn because the people who hold these offices are key la rnane to [he Village Pounder-Leader in unP0rtan ~ . et'\' n
ce .
. . r I. h ' r p yers In lh All villages also have a less Important po IlOCou
-, headman wh
feasong complex. It IS theIr .avor w"C IS o.ten courted m feasts held b e ..a .
. yless l more secuJar village·wide issues such as reI . 0 t~nu:) to dea!
nuenrial persons. and they themse Ives ' .re very actlve feast givers b n· .oons mrh the Th
. . ecause the' headman IS usually appointed by a counal of dders In W •• gQ\errun<nl. The
posloons are very ofren based on proof of sPJntua l poteocy which ' Ir
. " . ~derno power lies. The elders are all of the men in th vill ha," hand, the "'>l
s[Tated through econorruc success. Ofrentlmes, theIr major role In offi . n· e: age. over the ~ ~. r
. . ' . ~~tob They, as grandfathers, are rhe paternal heads r 1;c 0 • >ut iift."
the focal point of lineage-wIde or village-wIde feasung. e each look out for the mterests of theu respec;' ~~~;Ie hou>ehold, .•nd th
Foremost among these administrators is the DZllma, or Village Fou . _ . e \:s m t~nru. of th
nder deoslon-makmg process. Par example. when th _"
Leader (Kammerer's [1986J term). Each Akha village must have a Vi - . . e 'wage must dead<
to appropnate ill order to bwld a new scba I rh -'d
· riJ li ' illage .. 0 . e Q el'> will hold < ctl
Founder-Leader, an d hi s ro I e IS pnma
.
y a re glOus one. He is respons"bl r
I e,ord make the final deaslOn In rhe villages m wlucb I h . un anJ
. '\e conJu.:te-d rt. arch. t h"
\'l1.Iage-Wlde rehglOus events, of .w hich there ar~ a gre~t many. However, 111 Akha noted rhat certam elders will fOtln coaIJooos and U
. . ..' e mea ~. domm.ur iiIl 1.
culrure, the realm of the sacred IS not clearly clisungwshed from that of h incs vIa rhelr Jomt
t e pro- . control of the majon'"-, of the po puI anon. The. etWiti po ...,
fane and consequently, ir is often the Village Pounder-Leader's duty to b'
• . . . ar Itrate formed and mamtamed through vigotous and ongomg r.. e.,un b"", n th
lfldisputes, to fine people for soaal infractlons, and to validate decisions made b nes involved The elders are also the figu"'heads of an, m",n •. J IUI s m.m upronp.tr'

the council of elders reg.reting secular issues. He is considered the 'Pather of th~ group, tbe lineage, As such. thm households are otten the \O"·.non of Imc-
Village,' wluch bas both familial and authoritarian connotations. Ideally, the Vil- idariry feasts, and It is through rhe elders- and thm mJuIgm . . c th ~l unl r mt:tit.
lage Founder-Leader is a ritually pure man who was the firSt settler in a new 10- bers may. move up the ranks of Influence and 'erun" ""thm th I~~
.
canon. Once his position is established, it is considered hereclitary. However, it is play a pIVotal role m the fe. tmg compl.x . .llId b n-aJinon. U el a
come to attend any feasr that IS gl\'en ",thm the ilbg<- .Jthough ~ w
not unknown for men to be removed from this office by the assembled village
elders. If the Village Founder-Leader is a strong-willed man with many relatives
only attend those feasts gIven by mends and ",1.0\ nu nadin I d
lustrate the dynamIC relaoonslup be""'cen >O\.'oroUnl~ and
m his village, he can be extremely powerful and mfluential . He is always InvIted Akha soaety
to feasts as it is in everyone's best interest to coun his favor.
There are twO more quasi-political positions that are recogruzed by the Akha, THEORETICAL BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
both of which are religIOUS in narure . The first is a nrual specialist called a Bw The Akh. are J rran,egaiJtanan SOClC". as.ill b
Moe. These men are Ritual Reciters (Kammerer's [1986] term), and they are re- means rh.t, for the most pan. rhelt :OCItf\' ttWI\ U\

~ponslble for performIng rites for Individuals lfl times of Sickness, death, and rhat rhere arc SIzable dllfen-ncl" ID ~th .nd po
other such matters relanng to the spirit world. Tlus posinon carries a great famtly groups These nutenJI·n-sow and.
amount of respect, and In any Village where a Recirer resides, he will be an influ· emergence of sublle clas...Jlke dl nn
entIal man . Furthermore, almost all religiOUS services that he provides involve base of m.ny tradltlunal
presently) gcner.lll due ' nol a110\\
the .acMee of animals and a subsequent feast. He IS a key player ID the AkhJ
there are man mSI n t's, of tu h
fea tmg wmplex, and It IS ()flen through USIng hiS sacred services that an Akha
in,ll example, "here Ih re I
family Gin hl)S! a feast thal Will have igmfic.iDl social consequences in the srcular
.llId m,hVl,lual I
r aIm of YJUagr puhuu. equities Ihat ISI NoI
The third offiCial Village pOalll/ID 15 that of the: HtI)I, the village Blacksmith Jp m IIlV malll ,Iud
uadttWnaJ 1Imt' , the 81acKJmllh would holVl' bl'cn an IIllp"rtanl person 10 haw

,...
 •

TABLE S.l
Comparison of Rich and Poor Families
However. because the ownership of SWiddcn fi Ids
. c hn lradillo I "..,.0.
Il o u s~ Lan d , cemporary. and f amllies evenrually had to ch. tUt .. "
, ngt rtsldmct' once
P rotiu..:c rs (m J.) Cm ') Salts longer fernle, the long·term (rnulnge.ncranon,u l
Fil m,l), , Ic.. d.. No. In F.1 01lly Buffal os mooopot.z..non ,L.
(SUS) base by one allied group was no, posSIble Funh 0 "'"
• . . crmo~ . beau of .L. _
Rldt j\fc-n Ity of neW land. sooaJIy weaker and rubdonun - ..."
B 5 12 I 1 60 ,800 12 . .nt group. ah." lud
LJl chc Ca}
15 236.25 84.800 3'0 of movmg out of a village and farrrung la. nc", I~_,'
l.lI che Cb ) 27 0 ~c Co", quttl
4 175 43,200 3,60{) Ith I d
tion of a wea y an -ownmg gentry class w",
urche (c) 7 19 , not pos..-ibl c
Pend on long·term econorruc serun ty. and evcn m~re II!(OnoIIUC0 un could
4,504
Poor Men
LJl chc (x ) 5 4 J4 .8 20.800 0 precariouS and transitory thing for every farruly H ' \:01 a
70 0 . ence, then:" , and till
Lobu (y) 5 J 12.800 0 need for a structure d and dependable Ufe,cnSls ru " a
2 77 II,ZOO 0 pport nC''''or
L.1tchC' (z) 3 0 All individuals in Akha sOciety are aware of th
0 . . e prccanou. ne , of tbc
, norruc SItuatIOn, and most people realize that th· h - "
No, ..- ' p~ J
rvuucc
!'S" IS dIe number o f wo rkers an the hom e Buffiillos an=: md uded because [hey are the
. pinnacle of . , e~ may .\~ to <k~nd
_,.. I,oon ' SaJe ~' only ~ ""' MS .1ommlll sales for {he )'e:lrs 1995 and 1996. Latche (b) has n b ~ help of fri ends and fanuly wben they are faced ",th h od r- on
W...... UI accumu . b~- 0 uuaJoSonl • nme, , """" at!
~ausr hr sold.i III~ herd Lhe year previously. ,md he owns many carue . 'j sickness, disputes, or other rrusforrunes\ Funh.'rm . -~,. ~
. . . ~lilore • .Jt CC'tUln 10 ~\._
agricultural year It IS necessary tn nr=n"e COO"" po m \QC
-,,-- . _ UIJ\~ "or grou for ik
clearing. for example). wruch are essennaJJv b.' cd on lo' ds d P>
. . • - en an fan
In Akha society, soo oeconomic inequiry, competition, and aggrandizing be- eating labor. It IS unponant to maimalD these rc!.no L . n:'4~"
. ru,~.
havlor emerges pnmaruy between the lineages and clans as a Whole, rather than There are many ways lfl wmch a drasnc chanoe of ~,_
" .. ~C can 0C'CUr The lile..
between mdiVlduals, and this. more than anything, serves to define transegalitar. ture makes ample reference to bandits and amue robb
'. - me enlltt vill~ Le
iarnsm in the Akha case. Individual households in Akha sOciery, even if they are LeWls 1969. [970. Kammerer [986); nch mdl\1duals "'" etu· L.U <..,
. . i h l kS lieu J\.J{ nnsant
n ch, do not become socially dominant in the way that individual households be. crops can receIve madequate or exceSSlW ram. and dtse:a.... r ._
-- mS«b UheSlrovm-
come dominant in more complex transegalitarian or stratified SOcieties where are fields . In the past. famme Was not unknown among tM Hill 111-
stance. some of the nches[ fumilies m $am ng \ilbge lost almost All of
power is more easily centralized. Particular lineages, on the other hand, Can and
to disease lfl the past two ye.lI'S; one fanuh' I I ~:ar\y I
do become socially dominant . For the purpose of this srudy, [ follow Hayden and
The Akha reSOUrce base IS lfl 'omr won suniIu t lbat •
Maneeprasen ([996) and define clarn as patrilineally related families living In sep.
mg and gathenng people's resource N: 11 tlucnll.....
arate communiues. and lineages as parrilineally related families (smaller seg.
predIctable. and not smcrlv• nudutN In other
ments of clans) living m the same communiry.
the resource base of more complex 11
Clan , lineage relations among the Akha are strucrured m a systematic way
traction labor does not make resOIU(CS vuInenbIl-
through long tradition and cuI rural norms. They are both the explicit village so· crease tOtal output: the econom !Or
aopolitical srrucrure, and the impliCit supraregional soclOpolmcal structure surpluses. not .1.11 land IS of th.. smt quaJi And IInd dIM
(Kammerer 1986). Feasting is mtegral to the dynamics of clan I lineage relations, tiveiy pnvJ.tl' property
and as such, IS an "mstirutlon" (in the same sense as parliament, or the demo· On the baSIS of the field !Uta roIl«t
crauc system ) that can be used and manipulated by mdividuals and groups to ef· umque resource qualm -. rh mpIo
feet clunges m the sociopolitical sphere . compl~x · sonery soo~1 traregte
The nature of the Akha economy affects both social strucrure and feasting hunteq~ather probl m ' \the
practices Hill Tribe sWldden horticulture allows for a relatively high population an: dedit With b llim
ciemny, compared 10 hunting and gathenng, and consequently, presents unique !l'asttng W1rlll" th.. I nand
Is hu le nr nn
organl7~tlonal ch a lle nges. Hill Tnbe villages , whkh may have up to several hun
pi s nl
dred pe,,,,le In reSiden ce, a re, of n C( C)S lIy, . egml·nted into va nous aUI cl factions
Ins s, th
In Akh.l SlKlery, rhe pnme diViding hill' s('e rns 10 b e lineag... / d an membership.

'41
 /,d ll'llllrl). Clrukr

250

200 _ hunter-garher-rype sohdanry feasnng and Co I

U>
en mp t:J.-!oOOcty compenuQ(
-0. Ulg-aS [Wo degrees. rather than .s two c.nego n cs 0 f r1 ~ .lStm KUVI
-o 1 50 nOt mutually
.
exclUSIVe dIVIsions. A weddmg fe t r
Promotional . and therefore compeotive
as . or eLlmp t: ,
ID naru~ b
I
.U I
lUId lO
Recently Dead ... . ut a~o ~\
•
~
\lot
..
J:l
100 certam degree of mtraclan sohdanry and alliance enh
.' . .lnccmcnt A poor
E
z" 50
o Currently 0",.. ned weddmg will emphasIZe mtrahneage soudanry ' most
.
L __
gue .. ts uo.nlt; trom
the uneage) whereas a ncb family's weddmg ,,111. h th
. mp.S\U e promonon.al
aspects (many guests bemg fro m other hneages) Th", h ,,,,, __•
0
..
.c
-c
~

cv
.c
cv
-C
.->-
-
~

cv
.c
. " tSW)1tb"'-&W~tt
create feasLtng ciasslficaoon c.tegones based on funco'O I
n J onc
alth
00 h C';l.t.::h
<J
.- E" E 0 feas t category may share a structUral homogenetry It.• , all weddm h= er
'"
~

III .-
0
"
cv
Q)
"
>-
III .c " c.. tain prescribed ordenng of ritual and food consumpuon \• mO!'t ,u!~ ~ h I.~ il .in
() ~
cry of functions. which arc all maDlfested to va"'lIlg
.J
dog
... rtes
- lb it~ to
FIgure 5 1 Compound bar graph Illustrating the number of pigs that each clan in Sarn which any function is made marufest. whether It be soo~l bonJinl: "eaIth. r
Soong ,oJJage owns. and how many of those pIgs recently died of disease. asement, or outright debt fostenng. is conongent upon many bcro" Th. pn
ma ry factors seem to be the host's wealth. relaove sooopolm(~ po 10 n. OIld
ambitio ns.

AKHA FEAST TYPES

Tbe ryplCal complex-sociery problems that the Akha encounter (the competi_ Akha life IS rife wim feasting. Some feasts ~re small. mvolnn!! on! rle
tion for labor, spouses, land, and polirical control in general) are dealt With to a and me ritualized consumption of a ver), small amount of ti.lOct. WbrtN' tb r
great extent by feasring berweell the clans and lineages (e.g., feasts that foster al- fea sts are enormous. tnvolvmg many hundreds 01 peor le and the ron.,umrnoo f
bances between groups such as weddings, or which are grandiose enough to val- several water buffalos, pIgS, and c1uckens over a pcno.! of" elu Th<i~" no
Idate a claim to power such as funerals). These larger feasts serve to advertise the nificant secular or reltgious e""m that IS nOI 3c('omp.Ul1 d t-, • fe;o.<t nf "I1le
wealm and producnviry of the host lineages. These kinds of feasts exhibit Some kind. except for pOSSibly a few polttical meenngs For tru tan. ,the k.h.l bold
mildly aggrandizing attributes (such as food delicacies and an abundance of alco- feasts for punfications. ruvorces. menopause , tield « rem rue. and an U\lUlIlI<ln:I
of office
hol and narcorics) and have the erruc purpose of being impressive. The more os.
Feast quality (i e. expenSive, ovenl~ pubh•. or mo.k t and U\
tentarious Akha funeral feasts fail Into this category.
cases a function of the dIStance of Ihe gue IS ~o'~ and
AdvertiSing household and l or Imeage success is adaptive and advantageous
phySIcally) ITom the hos!. Greater. more mte~ and t1lOft
for at least two reasons. FLrst, because it attracts and maintains a large and reli-
are required ro commumcate 0(1011 t pcopk are fa*r IpII1 III
able work force in the form of healthy, hard-working wives from influential fam. most cases. It is only the la~r !yp('s of ~ Nch InIi
il,es marrymg IntO the family and relatives moving into the village Since village that have guests parti(lpanng m th m who arc not 11\ II\ttmIIe
poutJcal matters (espeClaily utigations) are often decided by the vOles of the elder with the host.
men who represent the vanous lineages in the community, it stands to any per· A large vanery of occaSIons m~nl a ~asllI\
50n 's advantage to have as many relatives as possible in their village. further- In common, however. I th. 1 Ih re ~ W
more. hard -working wives Increase a farm's production level. Second, sucCC$S cause the daily Akh. dJ t onSlS\S m tIy of n
advertisem ent is advantageous because it encourages deference . Wealthy men is consIdered ~ treal In thIS illI
are seen as both ble.ssed and intelhgent . Their opinions hold more Weight than an lie Ih~ hustlo ~ ,ert. m J ttrec of
averagt per5l>D's. Feasts are g n rail h 1.1 iJui.k home '11Ie

Jr IJ more appropriate to «mct'ptuaiJze the above division of acdviCY 11\1(, " .ept tilt Ih n ndlhe

110
 -
Sit InoppO<lte
~ hal\'es of rhe house and bOlh _ male and female cid crs arc
seats of honor upon a raJsed sleepmg platlo rm There" \'e') ha le OMentagIVen
dJ played ar Akha feasts by TABLE 5.2
. (he host jt IS ne, 'er conSIdered
. approp n a te to b~ flon
[0 boasr Ho" ever. some of Lbe larger Akh a feaS[ ryp es can be ch. racterued g Or Akha Feast T pe~
promo nonal," narure beca use Lbey contalO a g rea r va n et)' o f food d I as
. Ft e lcac lCl I
cohol and oLb.r destrable goods. It IS 0 en ar Lbese large r feas. . .a .
. - "he~
women ",lll don Lbe" full sl.h·er ornamental headdresses and aCCOm panYlngbrhe
\rICC'$Z r ofknn
gles. which are a famLly 's main repository of surplus weal(h (FIg. 5.2/. Tb an-
('~bom .,..
ally dJsplay Lbe" fanuly 's wealLb upon Lbe tOP of thelr heads (altho ug h t hey ey,Iner.
•• ~ le kneSS CUI'\tl ~

simply as formal wear). It SUl.:ht'n I

Table 5.2 IS a summary of most of the Important and more co mmOn '\kh \\ orkmcn '10
feasts. Ir IS in no way exhaustIve (for a more detailed accoum See Cl ar ke 199~ . )• p<.,.J"
Punfinnon
Man)' of Lbe feasts listed. such as punJicanon and penalty. feas". . hav c· a WIU.
CJlt
ery of possIble forms and functions Some pUrificattons are SImply <ma II Ctre van· tordJ of Earth
momes meant to deanse a holy place, others are larger evcnrs lh I . tl.1"C1t
. ' al~alet
problems lOvolvlOg an lOdJVIdual . whereas ,till others. ope '('us
- lOUt" mOrt I0
DIUttU • IJ1D\W
sodal realm and are concerned with social evenrs such a cUvoret: an d aduln
\\<ddon&
rery Furthermore. some of the larger fea ( 'ypes. espeaally the funeral . are aC!\J . ..-bow<
ally a senes of smal.! and large feasts .pread owr a penod of time . I ....,
Fun<rn

Tb

m
~ I r

I JI

, I ." Irn

, 11
11.

I
 -----_._--
AKHA FEASTING

water buffalo, whICh they will take away and consume at home For the:
Year festival they generally eat pork and dnnk (OPIO"," amounu of
households wIll have many guests viSltmg them dunng the '"",. Y""r f.
may be inclmed to spend a fairly large sum of money The anow!
pounder-Le.der's fea st IS considered. payback to the .•" ,
• • . • v w ..ge .... lor the uppon
they have g Iven him, and It IS also a time to thank the <ne I
¥t" ca protecu.. "1'tnt of
the Village Pounder-Leader.
The last four fea sts outlined in Table 5·2 • weddmg . new h ouse. menopaU!
a nd funeral feasts , tend to be the largest and most costly II'or IDwvt " dU.,u5>
.1 I t b ~t
rhese feasts where obvious delicades, such as candy, betel nUl (a nan;:oo( anJ
beer srart to appear on a regular basis. It is not uncommon \m recent "d'" for
printed inviration cards to be delivered to guests. A.ll of these charact<ruoc POID'
to the fact that these feasts are mtended to be grandiose and , hence , promooooal
Wedding feasts can vary greatly in s!Ze. dependmg upon the v;e.uth of th
host, but in general they are quite expensIve (relanve to mcomei and l.l." t,,, ,hree
days, One or rwo large pigs and several cluckens are usually consumed e
House feasts are very similar to wedding feasts . They tend to h.,. more )..'\. ,~
but are shorter in duration , lasting for only one full da~' anJ ru1!ht lenorau.
feasts are events that initiare women into. new ceremoru.u role. th.t ,r th
FIgure 5.3. Lmeage elders (the three men at the left), a Ritual Reciter (center rear), and White.Skirted Woman, and they are not given to even' woman. onh I •. I d

the younger lineage host (right, holding child) at a curing feast. One of the lineage elders few who qualify and can afford the necessary ceremorual s.lcnl1-c:,
is rymg a string around the child's wrisr for spiritual prorection as the Reciter looks on. Menopause feasts can be very costly ' several large pI!;' , numerous ch•.: (ru.. nd
(Phoro by B. Hayden) in some areas, goats are required in order to perfollll the «rem, 0\ If the re
mony is widely publiazed, then the famil . m.,· .uso ha, to ill. buff.lI"Ikr U\

to feed the many guests who ",ill amve. There IS no compul n t perlOtm tlus
Punficaoons and penalty feasts have a wide range of forms . Most are smaU in ceremony once menopause is reached. md. m ia,'t. 'amm rer I ' has 1\ Itd
size, and rhey are held infrequently. These feasts are a means of enforcing con. that.t is usually the husband who mSlst th,lt th be 'mpl tilt
forrruty to sodal norms and of asserting the power of the ruling elder males. It is honorable to have a W\ute- tuned Woman.ll a m m t ,f lilt'
the council of elders who decide rhe size, and hence the cost, of penalty and pu. also thought to bring great ble ing lnd I )rtun~, but m re unp: runt! from
nficanon feasts. ethnoarchaeologlcal per pecnve. It i an opportUntt\ tot a fam I

There are five annual village-wide feaStIng events: the ceremonial gate rebuild· cess, wealth, and demablhcy of affihatll)n to the.- peopl f th
109, rhe offering to the Lords (i.e" Spirits) of the Earth, the harvest festival (also Akha funerals art' by rar the m"st ml.-alh Im "nl r all ,emon"l
The Akha people atta:h great rehgl')u Imporlan to th n\ bul funtt
known as rhe swmgmg festival), the New Year's festival , and the annual feast
given by rhe Village Founder-Leader (Yo la la). The first two annual feasts, the fill very pracllcal son.,l tun, tIl'"' Th are nu It rhi h .no!
gate rebuddmg and rhe offering to the Lords of the Earth, are small feasts that the erful households Coin reoll" rt th Ir l.um t
are ,\11 ,Wl'nu ... ,Illln~ hllh od I
dders celebrate at the location of the ceremonial gate and the village water
lion. A \Vl,~lth t~n\lh s fun ral ti:,r
$IJurce, re)-ptcuvely, The expense for these feasts comes out of a village fund, The
\V,H,'f !->II tl dill, Il nJ nu",
harve.n and New Year'leSUva Is are typl filed by each family feasting
. . m . t helt' 0 .....
....
pf\"l\hn~ IllUal 'I' ,I It, nJ
home, With pOSSibly the elders IOvited ro a speCial meal al the Village pounder-
p'lISlvr 1,1lI '" th 11\\ ,m
Leader', hlJu!IC For rh h C h of • I
' e arvl'sl 11:5ltval, the Villagers will pur{hasr 5 are

114
 I Akh,. h .. r,,,"" "I 11",,, I'nv .... ly, hUI It... I\kh
011 I 11 ... (.In clr, hid k_~_
(,III 'l1
, Ihl'y ,,1t,' I1 d'r"lllloll Ih,' 1"',1l1 Jumm". r:.ahJr {flf'ptr t C ·"""'Ilt be
.. (11 fllI/.t"I1'illlp ,\lKI 1.111<.1 n~hl ' If ,hi' .. 1.1 lhn tn r to
111,1111 I H Wt:uu,nl; hJU ht.
" I I('SI,V<' <,Will , 11",,, Ill<' hosl would prnb.hl h en n'llSid<rtd •
A F A Tl NG )(AMPLE plll j Y y nOt olVt Invu~d th
'I I 1111 n Il 11" "1 111 HilllltfIlIJ~.1 ~Jl4'I!lU A ld' ,1 wl'ddlllP I" "" 11 ttl)l S Ill" benlll'" Ih,'" men Jr.' very P' w rf I
.-nllll 4.j' ' • ) C U. lhf' ho l u _,
~Tha'ad-
I \\.,"'d 1111\\ 11I I If' j( . 1 I • • 11'1 cII'I, nllllI1I1Y to (0\.111 thell- bvor !!t'\.I th('
I III Id ,Ii,' 11I1h!! " tlldl I h ~ I VC I1l lul, ' Ihll ~ 1.11 " Ill " wI·t.h lulu
cd-
\\hl! h \\/ 11 I11 11 '11 11 , \ It "of I ,.,
Lhng ,I~ •

1\1..1 'd'II't I dlnl M ill .'i •.!I ' p . "J 1I11I11( ' d tll 'l lI lilt My.lIlIlI.11 hilI I )ld"1 It I< ""k surh (' Or"Jll q ,lmOllnls "I roud 'h' f 1
H 11t~ I' I.111 III ,Ill
11 , I ' k ' "nu y had (1) h" 0 bo
(I [(If) 1nl; "nd .crvln~ vc".1 Th
I11 \ ' ' .
' I,II, -H'III .1111 ' If IlIt'\"lIlt,d III M ,u' ." ,dql, ,11111 till ICll.d vUl.1u" I'IIW ' ) 11."1\(' :," '" tnwnt ~ , c .nduucd
• r
I 11
III )t ' 11 .111 I 1111
I \ • ,.,
' " wok 50 (m ill Lh,11'I1l'tcr, anu fuu , rIm , one 55 cm ,. Ollc 'cry
()", - ,Inl Ill(' I ,IHIH' ''. ',11111,\ Ihl 1I1.I/IlIi1y lit Ihe ' p O I'III"I'flll I \1 1g:c In \.llolmctrr onc:
11111111 I,I! I1111 I" itI ' I
""'III11I11y I'"V"III,'
, .
vlIl.llI" Ill,' 1111' 1,11,, 111' 1.1I1111,,'s I"v,'
'
1'0' m "' ui"mCIC I (Pig, 5,4) They "Iso had "buut 5 ' ' 'Iscm, .nu
,IIH I 11 1,\ I IIh 1.1 1"11,,, ~ Iw( , . , 0 \crvlng bowls 15 d It.
I ,"aSS('S ~l nd 27 b ill,' ce l.III", whISkey Clips Whal,h Id b
" , •
1111 ,. WIIII Ill(' 'I. . " tllld lIi(1 s l ptlplllnll \ CI. III . 1111 1."llu,. dlld to ,nn
I11f11141 I ,I I I.,' I • • ,111 ng M ' ., • . ' • • ,. I' I . _ . I ou I.: nUleO is lhat th
~('''1I1 lilt' I Idl"l ' ill !ilt '\ I' IWIIII III}' dUI Ill/loll I" vl ll .IW· pnllllt' \ ' I 'III ~ .1111.lnll' W.IS r. ,ures olr I". In ex esS Cl I le averJg Akh. fam.ly ~dally I. I
"14 _ COOr...lng crvtn" \
11I-.lInl 11\, ,ltall ' 11I ,lfllI ,lIl1nl hy, 1I ' llpJ (Jt.1I 11 '1I'11I1~ hC ' 1 W,' (' 11 I III V. II IOlIs ',1111111«"
'clllbln"c
,Is:r;: l"
, NO"111a ll y, a 1'1I111 ly of t111~ sIze WIll need only not!' or t\\ 0 Wu ~ f
boul 10 COl 111 d ,,\nl('lcr, and I wo or Ihree pm. ranglOg from 0
\\ 1111111 lIu',,- ! \\'f I I 1.111 ' .1 , I~ cm 10 \0 Cm IQ dt

'111\ ft .1I11I 111.11 \\ll'ddillg ", .."I W.I' IH,ld "" I h(' \011 11 ' 1111' /I)lI:oI t pt 0111111('111 1.. lh" .1I1W It' I', O n avcragl', .. they_ Will own_ lcn _10. filteen servmg ,<"
...... I anu' ilroun cl ti vt'
111,'"111 till \ 111,,11' , 1\1,11' S"I<'p" Itllll,l l ltl" 111' 1 '1111'" ,I V"I Y 11 ,ldllll1n.t1I"",,,'hold, ll
rinkil'" l"J
gl. ssrs, 1 h .s ullh'rcn c IS significant bCC3U the rc!.I,'".. C . LZ .m J num
,111.1 11", '\I'ddllll\ W,I\ '"'",IIIYw,IY' ,I VI'I YI I'" ,d '·X.III1I'''' II I ,I 1.lrg<' IIkh,1 1".,,1 1)1'1' of COOk lllj.\ ,1I1d S 'I VlIlg vessel, IS a slrong J.rch.eologlc.u IOIllcllO. 01 r~. un'
1111 ,,",1'1 I,,"k 1'1 .11 I "' till' ""1111' III 1111' 1.11 1,,'1 III 1111' gllllllll ,lIld 1."1(,<1 I,"
till "I .1,,), (hllh.· d,IY1'11', ,'dlllg tI" ,"'III,d, 1'11'1" ,llIrIlIS. 11 1(' grOOI11 .lnd 1111' Imd,'
111'11 11 11'" d .1 hi "'I ,1I11,d IIIVIII" "lg Ih l' 1''''~ l nl\ III ,Ill "~~ h,lck ,I"" I," Ih 111'1WI'I'"
tI" '1I1 Altlllllll!h Ih l, lill""" 'UI"id(' II'd tlw ,'1'111," hlll ill l 1011 ,, 11111' 11 ••11'11 ,,1.;(', it IS
l!iI.1t 11 1,1t1\'1'1\, IlI d,' 111 11"111.1111 I' Nil '''11' Is "' IH" 1('.1 10 pay .111 l'.ll llll1 10 Ihi s ('(' I'
1111(11) Imlt .,.1, 11 ,,· 1111 IlIl lt,,, 01 ti ll' hO ll se' ,, " ld WI'I(' 11I"y " hIking Ih " pl'l 'p.II'ol
111'" 101 Iltl' 11'.1,1 11 ,,' "",,1 Il sllI I,' rll" sldl' I"'U tll(' p ll h l" .1I1111l1l 11" ' 111 1' 11 1 ,lilt!
I. (CIf,III"'"1 "I tll., 111111111 I lib III II\ " .I\I'S till' I11 le' Ih .l l "1 11.dl /l'd publl n)llS111I1 P
111"1 "11",,.1 1'1.,)" 1111 111 r", III.tllIlI l " I Ih l' IIk lt " I ClI ll lllllll ll y Sll ll< 1111 (' ,
III 111.111 I" I1 1'111 111 glll', ls. Ihl I.lIlw ( h.ld tu 1'" lVltl(·.1 1,lI gI', I.lt . n l111 /l'd. I.IS
I, JII .I h",1I ,/\ \I III ,i1 I It It k, 1l\ , 'I'h" ill .1 '"' 11 " .1 l 0 1l,id l' l .Ihl ,· " l ()IH lnll t
,1\ \('V('I

Ill\( II1U'IlI IIlII Iltl ., ' WII!' .i1 ,,, I.II W' n l'l' ll l hllll '" Ill ,ldl' Oil 11111('1' , h' lk ,lri,·, ' Ill h
wltl ~" I dlld\' 111\.111 111", .1 ".1 "" sl.ll'k', sill h .1' IIn·. ('.lbb.IW·, .llld 1('.1 Th l'
\ """ 1111 ,11 ,111111 11111'" \.I,IY I'Wlll W(' 11 1IIII y .' ',, 'S, IV(' III lI' III1' 01 tilt' ,1IlIlI1l111
all.! 1111 11""".1 \dH'1l (1 1111[1.11,·.1 III d ,III 1.11'(' MI '.1l 11 ",' 11 IS.I " cll r ,1( Y ill /\kh,[
III "1\ I J" \11 dd11l/, ., I\(II'IIIVIlk'd 1'('01'1., wllh ,11101'1'11I111I11I Y 10 g ,lIl1hll' .111l11O
oplUIII

(I rIll ""1 I d,oy • 1111'" Ih,III :'~ 1" '''1'1<- ,lIlt·lIdl·\1. ,Ihhollg h 1I1.IIlY dId nlll

p nil Iplle fl/l 1111 11111 .1111,1111111 fI ",Iglldll ,1111 10 '1111<' Ih .1l 1' 1.1,' " hOIll IIlltl'l vII
rn, III 11.11I1I1,,'II' J Ill" 11]( 1\ WI 1(' II' P"'\I' III .III V" S 01 ((' 1.11 1'.1 Itll",'g ('s hv
ID In ,by ~III g'. lld 1\ W I 1I111 "H I,1It1 III 111.11111 .1111 rOlll ,l( I wlllt 11t1'11l
ch Akha J)' rill dly I Ill' ,lit I V" ,II 11111(" dllllllg Ih(' 11 hl(' llIlIl', hi'
IYlorl!1 dl (L'
,,1111111111 1 I IMt., '1111 IlIlsl ,11 ,, 1 1ll.ld" ,I I'ohll "I h fotUl .. 1 ..1.1 ,,\l\lkn \,,'1
I I m, lIy h Itk' d I IIJI . 1t",,1 dl1l1ll1 11 .11'" Th",,' 111111 IlIlIk dllWll "t t It,,,1 h.r I I
Ih '\"''''''''
"6
 Mlrlrm" J. CI/I rkr
-
har f,lI111!JCS who are active ly engaged in
~ I has delernll ne d r < 30
ICtlVll Y t..fy rcseafL' ~ . ,ate an\ounr of these vessels. and that
.' . a dlsproporno •
ongomg fC.1 S [l11g vld.l own b d osi' led 111 [he mjddens surroundmg their
. f I v<.s<ls will e ep . 25
lh (" f't" l11ams 0 I 1 se

house d ' o~dariry- re inforcing event on many levels.

. Cc I ~erve 3S a S 20
The woddUlg eas , niry support group, all of the elder males
r the grearer com mu . .
Firsdy. III rcr01S 0 . cl e village were ID attendance, With the ex-
cl VrlOOUS lmeages In 1
"prescnong le ' d ChristianilY and thus had opted Out of the
h had converte co
ceptlon of Ihose wo . ' Their absence was very evident, and made a
. I 11 ooperaDve unit. . . 10
tradmona VI age c . .' At the lineage level. It IS worth noting that
_ lent of dlsassOCl30on . .
very clear sraten d prominent roles as orgamzers, workers, and
h cl embers assume 5
Late e an m '1 dcling and t1us was a very symbolic act of friend_
Ul tlus Labu f.nu y w e , .' . .
servers . tu h ' a reflection of the sOCIopolitical alliance that the
ship and cooperaoon , W c IS o
8" 10" 12' 14' 16' 18
tWO clans have formed lfl Mae Salep. . 4'
. 'd I I I this particular feast served to mtegrate the young Size 01 Woks
On an LfldJ\1l ua eve ,
, . h ehold inco the greater lineage support group, and it also
groom and hlS new ous
..r tuch his father the host, could advertise his family's suc- 70
served as a plauorm on w '. . . 65
hi sition as the village Ricual Reater. For mstance, at one
cess and revaLd ate s po 60
dcling t he young groom walked among the assembled guests and
POUl[ m cb ewe . 55
shared a small dnnk of whiskey with the men present. These men then made a 50
small cash donation to the household. This is considered 'begging for bleSSing," >- 45
and rhe money is to help defray rhe cost of the feast and to help the young couple
g 40
~ 35
ser up a household. However, it is also a symbolic act of inclusion within the er
~ 30
grearer lineage and, as such, the people are expressing their cooperative ethos u- 25
wluJe rhe young groom IS acknowledging his indebtedness to his lineage. 20
15
10
ARCHAEOLOGICAL INDICATORS OF FEASTING ACTIVITY
5
I have alluded re a number of archaeological correlares of feasting activlry in the o
8' 10' 12' I • 16 11
precedmg sections, bur I would now like ro discuss them in a more sysrematlc 6"
fasluon Although the followmg observatIons were made in a culrurally speCIfic
context, and no ethnoarchaeologlcal generalization can be considered a cross· 01 PoeI

cuI rural archaeologICal rruism, the relationships that I present have been struc- "I~ure ~ 1\
Hlstogr ms h
tured In a manner rhat is largely based on the marerial requiSites for feedtng large Akh. Vlll.gc SIU ,I balh
groups of people sunultaneously usmg traditional technology. These relanon- "ornullooJ plT!,"ror\"1\
ul
slups are nor intended to be a checkhsr of eVIdence for archaeologIsts to consul! rrep"' """ " "r
when rhry find sunilar data at their sites, but rather, it is hoped they WIll provide
IIISllllns tlul will help archaeologists explatn hitherto unexplained phenomena,
u weU as being cOlllplelllt'ntary to other data that IS used in 3tchaeolllgllal an~ly­
~ of ftutmg The ay t
• tmauc occurrence of large sral!" feastlllK 15 eVldt'nl to the
mulumodal IIU dill 'b (
n uUtm U CIluktog v(,15rl. tn lall(" ~u"ll1blagl" such ~
Ihotc of enUre IPlg '5)

'"
 /IIu ",'1'11 Cllll :::kr_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
- - -------------:::.:.:~~~--
A.kH" fE,o\S,T "'G
_.._---_.-
COOKIN G VESSE LS ore common however. IS the <hspl.y of '"
jVluch m r'
.1 r
", .1 I1(.' ,1 J )' 110ll' U ,1n r
• wcddllw
" (l',H IS. rhe size ,lnd number of cooki ng . vessels Ca n any as cwenty dlSplayed on the ~ ( e F; ,
have as m - \,
re
b t' lISC,' l j ,1:> .1 ,n(' J ~ ure ,. - lng .IC(lVllY· Ve ssels g reater than a ccnam SIze are r c.
, •l "il
.llIy un!)' pr.1(11(';.11 10 us,", when ont' IS cookll1g fo r IJrge l1 u m .b ers of people and COOKING FI RES
I.lIgt" \ 'f') ItJ mC'S O ( lood mu". be produced . Funhcrmorc.' cla dy mea ls. generall y
The re a I nve SIZe and number of hearths IS also .. !:UOd I
_ In< '''3 r
(: urtS I "i 1 O(]
. ,·'-""U
., 01 01 1\ 0 ro (hree dIshes (cxd udmg nee) tho ugh illS no, un • . Tlus may prove dJfficuJt to recOgruze arch.col calh- F
" rc
' .S(S 10 try: .. ..
Co
common 11 r 11 • • conslsl o r five 10 (en cl ilTcrcnl dis hes. In o rcler to be able t0 ..
rna 'pate In traclitional feasting often ha"" ur!e k,tch ".L
pa ~~ ~
prep., re surh ., wIde va l"lelY o ( dishes .H the same (illle. sever al ~oo king vessels nd brazlers. It lS frequently necessary to. pan.! th
nng a s . • lltt:lI tho t
.,," IIccessary 10' CoIeh dJsh. The ave rage Akha househo ld cons'sts o f approxi. a feast . .I n the case of the Akba. very ttarubona! home, \\ ltb. th d! ,
m.Hely lell people . •1Ild " r.,m ily will usually provide (or its daily cOoking needs
I
rna,e -
and fem ale halves. have dc;crete ash dump, r. r .~ch L _ .....
Ill.":61.Ulmtht
\\~ Ih one or (WO ,,"11 11 woks. three o r (o ur sm all po tS and one large pot appro.i. ThiS is because wom en and men mamtam theu own ea
m,HeI), 50 cm in d'Jmerer 10 cook pig food in . In all cases. h ouse ho lds that ex. woman have a separate entrance to the house E3Ch _0. Ju 1" .uh
ceedeu this norm III rhe cooking vessel asse mblage dJd so beca use they Owned. Or thelf tespeenve entrances. mclicanng the two ma or ( • In;:: ~ ,
bl,rrowed. vessels (or feastmg purposes.
TEMPORARY KITCHENS
SERVING VESSELS The constructton o f te mpo rary kltchen~ ma, . ~
The relan ve number of serving vessels per household (or other corporate g roup) ble These would only be needed for 'e~ b.rg 'I' "l'Mlr
'11") be mrucarive o ( feasting . .It would seem obvious that everyone would have a sometimes necessary if the exisnng kitchen I not too
(unctlOn,11 IllllllmUm of Ih ese Items. bur families with excessIve numbers must the feasting prep.u-ation In the .-\kba C3' C. and 1 ' U! t ath t
u,e them for olher purposes. In tradittonal Akba villages. no families acted as por.ry or extra k.itchens arc added on to ongma!
merchants for such vessels. In some societies, special elaborate serving vessels because most of the Implement: ne J,,\ f, t " Id
have .1 speofic feasrmg funCtIon . however. thts is nor the case for the Akha . The the two. and ilio b ecause the prc parau\lru ~t
only thmg rhat IS mrucative of feasting for the Akba, in terms of serving vessels. is
their number
GARBAGE FIRES
An average Akba family may own 10- 15 servtng bowls and plates. 1- 10 drinking Garbage tires "1th m.m\" rN,nog rem~l1\s 10 m
glasses. and 4--6 nce baskets. For some of the larger feasts. hundreds of these ves. tn Ihe Akha CJse orm 11 . small bit. f Fm
scls arc reqUIred NOt only are more vessels reqUlred because of the greater num. or swept through the 'p~, In rh n
berof guests. but also because of the larger variery of food and dnnk available aw,l)'. downslopt'. fWIll th ... h.,,!!, UtI It
No one ever owns me hundreds of vessels needed for the very large feasts . In Ihat seem III men! th effiut of ~ lilT IM
stead. they borrow what IS needed fi-om their relarives . However. rhose house. JmOUOl of , ~st.· prlldu.:-eJ fn m n'lt'
holds rhal engage III regular small - to medIum-scale feasting always own an corn tt" ex.lmpl ... The, tvpt'
adequate number of servlJlg vessels for these events, and thIS is always greater (\lilt nts. ptll..iIK ,
than me VIllage average .
a gJrbJgt' ti ..... IS n I: 11
TROPHY BONES
.IlwJys (om.lIn · I
whIskey buttl
V~ry often dfter a feasl , the host will saVe the Jaw or horns of d large sacnficed an flllOl lit Ih hUll
Im al (or dISplay It mU't b b d h . . .
• e remem ere t at meal IS not a dally component of
th~ diet. and Ih~ offenng' )fan expensIve
· I < . .
amma lor sacnfi"e IS reason enough tu FAUNAL R IN
g;uII prulige The dISplay of waler bufl'alo horns 15 paru(ularly preslIgious, as the rh
crihce ,,/ 'lIle or more w' t b fr I <
a er u.a 0 at a .uneral 15 a very ;auspkious l'vrnl

110
 Nllrllll~fj Ch"k,.
--------~~---------
"KH~ fEASTltrtG
I
a mU.\f comr letcly consumed , The people chew and swallow the Well ~cooked
bOUt'S, .1n d m OSI of rhose
--------------~--------.-
~ Ihar they cannot manage lO mgest. are general/ Y eaten
b h "rouS dogs and pigs thar are always at hand . This consUrnpt.
)' L e nu m.... " . . IOn Pat-
that ,leas ung can play m trad.tlonal
" nonmon"), OCQMrru", It IS _......
~ __

J',.kha SOCIety. feasnng functions pnmanly as a sooal moch"""lll Uut au and

tern. 0 f course • must change when people are eatmg large . anllna ls SUch as cows
. trun s a life-cnsts "suppOrt group. bnngmg ~oplo to""th
rn a.," e~ .. In .L~
or warer bu ff.los . AlLhough I have never had the opportunity to Witness a Water '-1.IXl

buffalo being butchered, I am s ure that they would not have attempted to cOI11_ enhanon r'" be:
. g events. Slrrularly. feasnng can be used as an >rtJC\ll>tlOn ""utt
pletely dice up and eat such large, thick bones. . d corporate groups (in tlus case clans and Imeag~ . The fe>.> prOVld ~
alhe .L . d . r-
',1 allies with a venue to express u,eu- CS<re to ally and to Pl'(J\< W 'I1l<Uttv
T he rem.,"s of a small cow that was ea len at a new house fea st provided sOl11e
diliat d e sire through gifts of highly demed food. dnnk. >nd nan;:OO( .m'
teno .
mmor mSlght inca large-mammal taphonomlC processes. l~ was only at these large
can aIso be an ave nue for people to Jockey for power po"oon, 1tlun thw
feases rhat an entire aJUmal was ever eaten aJI at once and In one location . Conse_ rearer support group.
quently, these are the only times when large portions of the skeleton of an allll11al g Related to feasong as a way of maIntauung a SUPPOrt group" the _\kh.t u
are ever deposited all in one dumpsite. In aU other Akha cases, and I SUSpect ' of feas!ln . g as a form of wealth and success advermement. Promotln th
many mbal soaeoes everywhere, portions of butchered animals are distributed In
nonu c suc cesS of the household allows families to atruer .nd bold III qualit'i
.>nil to on~rod
among friends and family members throughout the village. Consequently, the
labor an d spouses ' to .
create. and maIntaIn tradmg
. (Ont.er,
_ ' ..
bones are depomed m different rruddens throughout the village. ·
dopo Iloca I deference Wlthin thelt commurury In tact. It " COL\!,Jtm!1It
It JS pOSSIble that the Akha might choose to butcher and preserve (i.e., Smoke sary lor
r officeholders (those who make .speoal etum. b'.ed On 'l'U'tual
or sa lt) a large arumal. and then deposit its bones all in one dumpsite, but I have pot~ry ) to constantly revalidate thelt sooal pOSItion throu h the__b, tin f
never seen thIS done (although LewJS [1969J claims that in Burma they salt and regular r.eas ts' In Akha
. culture. econOlIDC sucee -". ten to_ be: b.X\I _n III
dry large game arumaIs). The praco.cal necessity of immediate consumption ruaJ punry . an d power (sImilar to the Idea of man. m .rhe. uth P••-.f\ RI
aside, It also serves a greater social function to divide up tbe mear. In one in- ings are gIven . by the ancestors and Me • "go 01 ~=J COIUIC t1\~
stance, a family caught a gopher and rather than JUSt eating the small animal Therefore , peOp le who make claims to offi",.l pabucal paw t po 1t10n. mu
be ab Ie to d e monstrate their ntual potenc. through n nu e
themselves, they divided it up IntO quarters and spread them around to their rel- <-
atives 111 the vlUage. concepts perva de man)' other outheast .... I.n culture and '"
as argued by Fnedman (tQ:5)·
Finally, faunal remains 111 human graves have sometunes been cited as evi-
M urn work mU needs to be don~ \1\ order! :a~ out
dence of feasong . In the Akha case, th,S seems to hold true. According to LewJs
6 .
feasong among t h e Hul Tnbes There are \ nl otMr IbM .,td'll W
(19 9), at dUferent POll1ts in the funeral, feasting food 15 offered to the deceased,
mountainOUS regions of malOland outheol! t th !
and some sacnficed arumals are hung over the coffin. They are subsequently
buned WJth the body. r . y complexes. As yet, IIttle IS known about tht:
leastlng . . I s ti~ t(' tht:
ps The practice 01 le~snng IS ( Cl ......
grou . _ h b«n i!~rcd .....
SUMMARY and although a great deal 01 dau a'
feasts, much morc data I mll reqUired on th
I beheve that feasting is a sodal phenomenon of great significance that often
pOSSIble
leaves recogruzable traces in the archaeological record . There is a growing body
of evJdence that suggests that promotional or competitive feasting may have
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ch"r"lc,K}' journJJl of Anlh,opolagl(al Archaeology 6 (4):'\17 liS

166
 POLYNESIAN FEASTING" (OMP""
ISOh 0' l"au, ~OC,t~
- " ~-.­
-
surp
(oerCl O
lus frUitS o f productio n extracted
n {both martial and ldeo\ogJcal)-were
ill.
nOm .\...
P<'l'U4c.c: ....
PUt to won. fu
... , 'UCipc:r
•
.' I aspu'a ttOns. To . Invoke th~ MarxlSt COncept10n of a SOO~
Uu nh'nt:i&
C3
ccupies strategIc terram at the. unenoce L. _
u<:twe"" mtn.uu
\
feast O
strUC r
ure . "rhrough the complex
.
act of f<as' '"
a ·vmg. th~ ~1'U\...
<ture a
d h.ierarchy were connnuaUy renegoo.ted. " - c:.r ha..
an
ouglas Oliver ( 19 89 .2 9'- 292). m Ius defiruove co mpa.rol U~
D
cc aru' c soocties. advances several criteria UlllI
..La. renn.1.nng f~,"
O
dorn estic eating. First, feasrs are qlUlrtt' tallvdy dunnguub.,d h) la",,, ' from .
.
par riopanrs, incorporanng consume.rs from mare Ulan .~ a "ngle .h~ nunme of
. amounrs of food per lDfended e"tt.a_ha
eCond ' feastS involve "larger ....., ....d lint!
S '~porrant qualItat,ve differences, such as the md f "~u., th're
a re u,' . . USl0n 0 dtuQQCS
rn rked foods m feasts. In PolyneSlan
.
societies. these <no> Cl _. f or
· r - .. ood, mdurl. £or
nnan,
- a
.rnple, pork.. dog, or fo.~I , pnzed speoes of fish (such as pel~g1c t , -
-"cle
n.... •
"fancy puddings (usually tDcorpotanng an ~molli
mt Suehgam·h,
o r "w~U·aged fermented breadfruit ~ . human n0
:0-

t " In SOme PoI)rneSWl ~OOc.u~s.

. as also a component of feasts. Fourth. there are sp.oal \.lWtrtn1".~~
W •. a . 1n the: ...
d places in. which
. feast foods were consumed • funhc r ...ut.,a rc:nlU~ thttn
an
from domesnc eacmg tn many PolyneS1an ,aa.nes there: 'P.na!h fint.d"""re
feascmg places, although these vary m the = t to ",ru,h th'1 w~rc:'t\:
icaUy mark.ed by permanent scructure FmaU) the di.<pO. of the ",,,mon
feasts somerimes differed from the ways m wru ·h onfuw-v n.:u ehold
mains were disposed of The detrirus of "'"!;lou. ft> " lXl1"bt ~
trearment, for such nruaUy charged garb.gt' could ~ .h.n>; rou., t -
came IntO contact With It
One of the great strengths of the PoI),n e>l.n ethnognplu.
opporrurunes for controlled comp.lmon among fa
terized as cltltfdom.l , yet displaymg a remarklbl ~ \11

tuerarchy or stranficanun. m S1Z~ of r<' pubn.w artd

the levels of producnon mtenslfi':.l(1<)" ...nd muut '
What could be more mually evocative of a "classic" Polynesian scene than a anve studies of Marsh.lI S.hlm · (t.:xs) nd I
fea"l ln the pubbc mlOd. the Hawauan I. 'all has indeed become a potent symbol opporrumnes to denve from th Po lytlt,\<ln t'('
of Pol)'neS1an~ne s Yet the (ntlcal role of the feast in Polynesian sOClenes is rural evolunoo 11\ pr~ , slJte , ranked · 1I n
cthnographlCally and ethnohtStOncally venfiable (Bell 1931 ), noe merely a lace The elhnograph'~ and elho.,hlSh n,
capnahst IO,-.ntlon of the mulnnauonal tOurise industry. Juse as che lase HawaIian gnst for a monogr .ph 01 Its <lwn H ['(' I Unul n 11
lung. K.tlakaua. used the I. 'ao as a pohrical seage to entertain such meernational 11\
Polynesl~n S(I(telles. ca(h rert'(' ~l\lan r
figures as Robtn LoutS Stevenson, so tus chiefly (and priestly) predecessors ritu·
so(topllhu(al dol: '11l U 'n hi t; I
ally IOcorporated the fi~t European explorer to the archipelago, Capeam James
scale "Tra.\monal P"lyoc l.m. hI t\!.lI'
Cook. 10 • symooUc act of fwlmg upon the eemple platform of Htk.,au (see
r doge "Op n 0,1 11 tI.'" n I tlUIJt\
Sahlms t995). For genmnons bt:fore Cook burst through the boundaries of
J (hI fd,,", so '''"'pi n.1 Ir tlh
K.tl!W. HawatWl tluefs had ea I bome d the fease as a social nexus wherem the

161
 - -
TABLE 6 . ' ..
Key Conrras(s between Tikopia. Marquesas. and HawaIIan Case Stud ies TABLE 6 .2
. 'p al Kind s o f Feast s In Ti kopia
- Prl n C1
•

c.;tJltJmol ll " \·I.. \~

Open
Slrol ll fi~d
- •
Indigenous '!A'DUot)'
.....1t.Jt;Ory :and ,,+
.n,w;,tifU
1,057 , lrutl,),tlon of young men I
"J,tlltl MU ,km) 16.692 SeCU I\1.
{domestiC feaStS
l 14"111 W", the.... ...,,'
lU1.l1 poru l.ll,on I.lS0 SO,OOO
Joo.ooo . . z. Munagc le "m" l4l'4lbaftth &>UtcStn
got re CW\llo(~ Ir ....
Pvrul.lllo/1 t~( _I/ chlefly feasts Ge.DC.ru term: Q"ga
l ,l50 1,500-.3,000 po I10, ;u
mUlm~1 pull lll ':u unH 30.000...' 0.000 I Mon ",a, fust o f n~ly dl!Cttd chlCf
levels,
M lnlm !!1 (2 Inl erm e djate
D(~n=c 01 High (cl.t5s 2._ Pul\gallFnu (anga jiJ m ,..l- - - r~_
hnle SIUU) ma rkmg) . ....~~r ~ of duer
u ••lOficol non endogam y bc'" 'ween J, A roaronm.a (anga lOm), fe.ut. u dutf ~
c hiefs a nd com " Ft.t lt4f lllliiHa (IUI.,gtl JtmI) (Cut \:at du'
mo ncrs) . r:tn et ' ~
5. Fa'uurtlltwa. fuul fe ast of dud'
•

Associated with ~ kty CottrpoMn~ of the:

cycl t, e.g.: "\\ur\. of the ("-od=""
~
ch:uc .s rare -" I explore me ex renr re whi ch variation in traditiona l feasting Witlu
\ ReCl ~o.ng .mcestral tetnpks
titese three Polyneslan societies ctisplays regularities or signal dis tlncn Ons_n l.. Dance. to Quell the: \VmJ ,T04~",gw
\\11th respect ro dJfferences m scale, stratification, or o rh er mdices of sociop , J Proclamilbon at RMokok.a
oUfIcai
complexHy. I do <Ius by exammm g three aspects of feasting: (1) tite fi<nctlolL5 of
feasts, wheth er erru calJy or erically cons tru ed: (2) tite foods prepared for and COn.
sumed in feasts. espeoally as titese ar e differentiated fro m eve ryday cuisme', and
0 1 the arrh,uc(OltlC spaa within wluch feasting w as practi ced. These latter two Dom estic feasts typIcally celebrate key stages "'CS
dt 1"'''. -Ill the hIt I.
features of feasts m ay be of particular sahence in developing an "archaeology of of members of ho useh olds. Importam feasts of t1u, kmd "..., th _ of Il( milt
feasting" withm Polynesia. irutiates at th e urne o f a rcumasion . and tIl olffiage f...cs In both • . mo..., than
a single ho useho ld uni t is mvolved, and the .,'chlnge 0\ fooJ
TlKOPIA: FEASTING AND KINSHIP holds is a key social fun ctio n of these e~n'"
Altho ugh Tikopia qualifies as a "cluefdom " SOciety, it is governed mOre by cultur. Maj o r auga feasts are also gIVe n b, c1uefs at p.roruJ.r I 'UI UI m.1l .",
alJy Illgramed concepts of kln.sillp than by the political pronouncements of its Of these cluefly fe asts. Flrth wntes that
fourankl , Or heredltary chiefs (Firth 1936). "We, the Tikopia, " Matou Nga TikopJa . From the pomt of \'1ew of the- duet" the .J"-~"a muls ,} ~ m. me:
IS an tncLgenous slogan encapsulating this notion of a closely Icrut commuOlty in reign It gwes an opporrunl tv to dlspbv h.UI fc.oJ re_ W(cs J
wluch everyone is bound CO everyone else through consangumeal or affinal ties. secures for hlIT\ ceremoru,l1 e~ptt'ss1I..'r\$ of thln 'I. hum his
The role of food m Tikopia was summed up Sir Raymond Firth III these words: alry from hIS cl.nspeople.• nJ ,n rh I.t« ' . ".
gods a.nd thereby C:11 ure. then c!,.,nllnuc:J mf re l him. w
"Food serves as a most Important material marufestaoon of social relaoonsrup,
and through it k.inslup ties, political loyalty, indemruty for wrong, and the canons There are. m theo ry. a progre'Mo n 01 ·u.h ~'I! th , \he
of hospltahty are expressed" (1939'38). begmOlng w,th the It m,," ~~~ fi a,! held> n Ut r
The cover term for "feast" m Tikopia IS anga, mearung either the feast itself. or reer fcas(s of Q rype known ;lS .1t....\f.J 'ft.'

the "speaJic assemblage of food for [a] stage in ceremony" (Firth 1985:11); how· grated taro (Nn') mvoh .\, tIl th f. dlOWlIo4,
~er. there are many specIfic mdlgenous leXical categories of feast, not all of when the chIef deternunr s that rh end. h hW
wluch are called anga (Table 6.2).3 Functionally. we may subdivide Tikopia feam Feasts marked \1rtU~Il~ all "I th
IOtO three malO groups: (. ) domesoc or secular feasts; (2) chiefly feasts; and 0) ril ' the COUIW l)l Ih mua\ \ ~r Futh \ ~
tu.! fusu. The latter are associated with particular religious ceremonies that the " [).ulCe h' Qu 11 th IIlJ

male up the annual cycle known as the "Work of the Gods" (Firth 1967). ( lIrd"g~ li) llf Ih k long Tin\ 1

170 tt,
 POLYNESIAN FEAStiNG A COMPA,R

- - -
l';O!'ol OJ 'HIlU v--
~'llU

. d, J,ccumu l.nc.· d . p
",p.l red. Jnd consumed in th ese va ri o us k"
t:.... Il'l ds of '" other, rela ted po!ynesiao groups>, pouncally the
-
'11 t h t' loo .
,,,,,:(1 .1nlOng
"
I
. ) dJStl nglllsh differe nces Jl o m ordin ary cl
rhe Tlkopt3. 'vc:: l..1 1 ,. .'
:1I11 dJsnn coon IS quan oraa ve ra th er than q
OTlle:Stlc fro ber of IIldependent mba! ururs. each ""'lColI
oum d -,r
r...:'
Y'''='N.,
"Ut ~ """.
" Ihhoug b [ l e m . UalH a ",dng several a Jaceot valleys (Hand)' 19 Tb n.
COllsumpDo n. . d o [ keep dogs o r pIgs fo r food . th e re IS no pa· - most u . 23. o~ I
e the T tkopJ.l 0 n ~ rtlcttlar llfU[S
were frequently at war Wlth each other Wlth
'. •
m
acu 0 UI"Jo ......_
Thc.t
IJve BecJ US ' 1 I r. ads fo r t heir feast s. Ra che.r, feas ts a re charact . raiding to obtam sacnfiaal VlctunS to ._-......,
specHl1 I cs ' 10 . " eOZed lirrll(e d . _. m ott b:tc.~ 1
e",ph,1S1S on r
aran o n 0 specln
. I kinds of "fancy puddings. concoctions of
Starch cOon of an enemy s producove resources r d
destrU • t o OUtrl, t
b) the prep . Irenr usuaUy coconut cream or coconut oil .' 0 est (Thomas 1990:87 pasmn). ~ .,
lxed w1d, all erno I , .. . ne sUch
s[Jplc m udding made from taro, breadfrUit or ripe b conqU .
food IS the 1'0 1. a P anana proto-hlsto~C Marquesan sooery falls mto • group ~on
(eas 01lg n d coconut cream , then cooked overnight" in the I esian soaenes as those of Mang:ua .md Rap~ III _ ~th Il<h
mu.ed \\'l m sago our an " . earth po yn " In dI·~~Ill.d
. ) ThiS 1'01 is a key component lfl many Tikopla rites Su h Goldman (t970) as open. connnst to " tradinonal
oven (Fu-th 1985.4°3 . 7 th ' c as
. f R rokoka (Firth 19 6 70 280 ). In e annual Work of S en soaeties were marked by more filUdi", .md
the Proclamaco n 0 a . Olno_ ~eop . - n.'~ l
somo, for examp Ie, a
IJ of the men who have marned women from a particuJ
. ' . ar .J1lg s[atuS positions of chief \halul 'On )_ "amor" (1Nl • -_. -d r :1. -~

us yea! made a gift of rOI to the clan chief. In quanti'" 's words these systems were mOre non h.. _et, In
clan durmg th e preVlo . 'J' such ",an ' _. ... - 'J " Wltat'!
diglOus as much as 40 baskets from a slflgle man requi ' rehg ioUS ," and stabiliry was mamtam"d mOre Jire:th b th
tfu coul d be p r o , " . ' nng
g begun months in advance (FlI'th I9 67:393) . Archaeologlcall powers" (1970:20). Elsewhere \Mch 19<H\4-l)_ 1 ha h.tnc <
"preparacoes . . . . . Y,
these special foods are likely to be preserved, WIth little pr b Marquesa n sOCIety as marked by an insoluted :l \l
however, none 0 f . . 0 a-

°
biliry f a qu illta C
'vely distinctive signature for feasung m the Tikopia arch
aeo- peo
·c·on -, As ethnolustonan 'icholas Thoma." 1
.
logical record. . . . . nas in wb.Jch such compeution took pbcc" re th
Tbe architectonk context of Tikop,a feasung vanes depending upon the type sucb a lughly competitive sooety. 11 IS not - urpn tlut
of feast. Secular feasts such as those for initiation and marriages take place WIthin the Marquesan ko'nUl me fe.1St-a.; a kmd mm t
the normal domestic quarters. Indeed, all food preparation for both domestic
bad no wealth thJt <mud be a.:,-umulol
EIIIIW
feasts and chiefly feasts urilized the same cookhouse facilities as fcr ordinary
gaoons ~e} were owed b\' the J.i>ml-<loOll -
bousehold food preparation . RJtual feasting, however, was spatially aSSOciated
marketplace All the t"oJ, .ul the nwnm non aD
,,~th the lineage and clan temples, located in me sacred district of Uta, along the
song were expcndecllO ~ . hc)rt onl~ , a
mner shore of the lake. In most respects, mese temples (which also had assOCI-
ared sacred cookhouses) were like ordinary domestic dwellings, and mdeed, rus· The M~rques~n co er term for I.S

tOncally they were the former dwellings of ancestors, wluch had become sacred, deSIgnated by .In .Idle((I\ OIl" m rm
"holy houses" through generations of use and mrough the burial of ancestors for the dead" (Tdbk (0 1 In ddlll l\ W
wlrIun them (see Kirch 1996, ;/,000). Whether such ritual spaces could be sepa- fedst," and hr<1t1<1, t\.lr ;lnmb.thsn
rately dJscinguished from domestic spaces in me archaeological record-WIthout twO slgtutkant kmd f
the aid of the ethnograpluc evidence IS a serious question, again ralSlIlg the Tlkupla, thel'l" \\.1 ID tt; JIt1 n.ll
possibilJ[Y that a prelusronc record of feasting ID Tikopia may well be refractory WJ'Slry of feast:, .. ' { uthn III

to archaeological analysis qUl"san ""-I t\ 0I1t I Eu

IIlwmpl tcl" knll ,!nn

THE MARQUESAS: FEASTING AND gr aphh ,) mm n"1\

COMPETITIVE INVOLUTION fOil tru, t ...d , nl
In marltd contrOlst t() -r Ikopl~, thl' Marqut".sas Islands and tht'lf populatlun never Ma"!u I
clJmpnK'd a JlIlgk, IIlI graltd wmmulllty hnlu-d by bOlld of klllShlP, or even by Ihl' U
m,)n lh
poIJlj(~lIy Induced integratIOn Although tht, M f4ue~illl haR'd - Onl
1\.1 I
mllllllltlguilgr and many of I uhult' (all (If wit .. h marked Ih "'. dUlln I

172
 - ~-- -
/',rll h" \ ' I\..i"
~
h
-
POlYNESIAN FEASTlNCt A C
. OMP"~ISO
- - .. O. T".I( SOc
T '

TASLE 6.3. (FeaSI> In the MarquesaS

[Cn ppar.nU ------
\fte rirns were eaten by the duefS . warn ors andYnOt
Prlncrpd l ~'ndS 0 --:_ _ --::-==:==~~::=_-------. Marquesan feasting was thus dlsti . Pn.:.ts
ImhJo!(.'ntlu~ ( I ,c'tical) ;1{cgory .l"d ubtypes ... , ngtush.d W4i

I Bt'lro{hul (C.ULS (Jro" "j' Will)

ri"e1y from ordJnary eaong. not only 10 th q llatlVdv ..
dmgs (as in Tikopia). but In the emphas e prep't;ltl<>n of
IS On p.....,
..
l_M.lrri~lg(' fe.lslS ( lro 'uttJ Iltmollo) but also in the heana feasts. human nesh • _ ]ge tlt h f"""" PQ6.
J T.trlOomg feo1~tS ("'(I'wn rI/Ill hit!)
. . =else....h -......
ompc=nnve en l/~r1all1menl feast (ko'inn Itakaillti) ParDcula r .ssoclaDon With rank and SI atus and Cf< U\ Polvn~ \he
may h",~ ~ n 1't1-. il'tcl,.
I
riJy, if not
.
exclUSiVely, for
.
consumpnon b '
y male~ .
PlC
l Mell10rial feastS (or deCc.3sed chiefs (rnllu)
J MCnlon~11 (easL.. for deified priests (ko'llen okt:, /(o 'ika 'J Turrung to the acchitectoruc Or Spanal ~ ...
• ) va TIOPII , a~d . rikin' B ' Context of r.
ko'rlell (j 111"111 Tikopi. IS st g. egmrung On archaeoIogtcal e""no ,L_
- .... "'" cOIItraa
4 Harv~S( festivals (Jco ',rlO tapnvau) si on period (ca. A.D. 1100-1400) . the M arquesans be"'1.dtnc.-dunn.. - -, \he 11_
Ko ' "Ul lu-o no laces calied tohua Essentially thes gan 10 cOIlsttuct ..,...
\ Volf l (oIllnlbOlhs[JC (castS P , . e ConSIsted of \ '''"".
- plazas. usually a leveled terrace , surrounded bv ~, rccl~
•
forms included foundations for temples ( , • platfornu \JICI<poIt "'--
"'" 01< ,chiefs h ......
forms for spectators who wimessed the el abe rate- daOIl ..... ~
feasring. There were also asSOciated cookh lKcs lbal
re hierarchically differentiated than that of Tikopia a d c OUSe snuct\lrcs
SI era bl Y mo , n ani pigs and other lood preparations were earned' die l..k....
d
.' we3 I-c " f: milies would orclinarily command the resources to carry Y
u,y a OUt such ·th· di 'd al OUI, ToIn.a --,
erabIe sIZe. W1 In VI u platforms of "mq;ali!hic' _ 1'1
< These included che households of chiefs (haka'iki) and other elites
,easts. . . ' such as Tohua Vahangeku'a in Taipl Valley \ ukuhiva dixiWII'K'A"; die
pnes (tall 'a), warriors (toa), and vanouS kIDds ofexpe~,ts (cuhlllta) .
ts wide, and is surrounded by a complexity of 174 III ~
Of greater significance were the memorial fesavals held in honor of the de. (Fig. 6.[; see also Suggs 1961:162-163) . Toll114anaIUry RiIlCIIGa . .
'lien: often t'bit
parted spirit of a man " (rarely were these celebrate~. for women), called mau, or mented with rellef or freestanding scu1pturt of • lAme...,
111 the case of festivals to d~ a deceased pnest, kD Ilea (Handy 1923:212 passim),
some cases commemorating individuals who bad
Mall and ko'lka feasts were Impressive displays, both of presage foodstuffs such as
feasts (Linton 1925:85).
numerous baked hogs, and of special starch and fermented breadfruit prepara- An exemplar of Goldman's "open-
oons, as well as of bodily ornamentation for elite participants and dancers san pattern of feasting displays important
Handy writes mat "the greatest of all feasts were the memorial festivals cele· Tikopia. Despite similarities in C8tegoiKS of
brated long after the actual death of chiefs and chiefesses, inspirational priests , or feasts), there are critical with
ceremonial priests for the purpose of deifying their spirits" (19 23: 216). Another role in the overall emphasis on aDd
category of feast assoaated with chiefs and held under their aegis was the harvest memorative, deificanon, and
festival (/to'11'Ul tapavau.), held after the completion of the breadfruit harvest and ImJe if any qualitanw distincnon
8
rhe successful filling of the silos of fermented breadfruit. san feasts emphaSized the provisaon
Finally. there were feasts held at the successful conclusion of a war against an the case of htana ~asts to
enemy tribe, "celebratmg the capture of human victims" (Handy 192):118), called architectonic spheTe, the
lto'lna MIna , or simply heana. According to Handy's all-too-brief account, these dopolitical competition
hLana were rather solemn affairs, lacking the elaborate dancing and singing that feast place, the roll ...
ment .
typically accompanied other feasts Rather, "the ko'intl heana consisted merely of
a fealt at the dance area Itohua I, where human flesh, pig, and popoi [fermcnlCd
breadfruit pastel were cons umed" (rY2j:2t9). The bodi s of sacrificial vi dmllD

174
 echaIU5n1 for assunng SO<lal Ii.\.,
as a 01 I:l
serves ]110 1>1). perceIved purpose In lh la
ifl corn c r T
gether rqUesa s , the feast had become an Uls1rum en f I'
(be rvl a eanS of 'fighnng Wlth foo.i .-\" Th
.. on a [11 mOl, ;nt
pellO . vem en LS. and the dilfenng qualtoes and
lIS m o quan
fao,d ust have, as a tot altry, provlded an mJ'
OOS rn Co { ;)rt
sen[gO ""er o r dependence lIqQo:Q-
0 00 of pO
ua
AI'I: fEASTING AND KINGSHIP
tl AW . 0 the H awallan lslands. We move fro m th
(Ilrfllog t . re.1
{o I of eluefdom soae,,· mto the stunti J In •
" leve ' " «" n
"open to-histo n e poIt ne. 0 f H aw ;u .I I .tre.un n' Ih
. the pro .. (' , , t
[ena . hn luston call ' or echno gt J.Fhlcalh d :umem J.
m s et 0 ilI'....
do tes " ln tbese Hawauan Foltue .. the hi 11 -b , \
" rchaJc st. . ,
, a y as rune g rades of duef , Fracn -cd ''1rru I "',
. to as Olan
10 . amage to m amtam the punty 0 1 the
• sibliog rn d
- •

conITOI 0
.
f land and other means 01 Fro u :t} n
.
tem of u ufruct nghts , ub,e:t t
m

(Ilong a sys
•
-' . a body 0 f
craft sp eClah , IS as \\ ell a, \\ am,,, an
. Uy leglon1ate d bl" .l reh'::Il'u •• ' .1 m ,
ideologlca _ - -
Lono (god a t d n land .l~ncllltllre th
.... t war) an d , -
· ,L. gene ,,-lo<'le thl t pr, cblmed I 1
fice. W IU' • C'

gods_ Indeed , go dhke r.1gln)!, bl. le

, \

whe the r \\ choth. tll d' , th t \

sern an oe I
ers of H"wa, ·, as chI f~· 11r km~ I \

Jnd refer ro [he po htlC,ll . , -,<"' < p

qllesno n of 10101< b .ltl' 1'1<'"" nt th n
that \Vc h.1W e,aIl1ml' d I r 1\ '1'1
.~

• • ,15 HJWJll.m "Ollt' \1 III ,\

Figure 6 . The main ceremonial plaza of Ta ·a' oa to/II<a on the island of I-hvaoa , Marque
sas Islands lnformanlS state that the platform in the foreground was for Lbe cooking and Ont' of Ihe Ill<' I . .111 1\1
display of hurnan sacrificial victims. (Photo by P V. Kirch)
ethnogr.1phl. Jlli 'Ihn. hI,
dearth III rdo .,"" I< d
((1tnll.1tl1 nd1tl I 1
l'l)n\lllnpl h'l\ , \ 1 I
histone record of the long· term development of feasting behavlor mIght be pos
.1111 I .1<'1111111 1\1
slbl.. (',r th,. Marquesas
Ihllll I\.
11," key dlfTt.>rr-nrr's 10 Tlk(Jplan and Marques,1Il prJCII(,(,s 01 k.I'lIn~ It'lkcr
\ ,11\ I r
(u nda rn"f1tal d,ff,." nu·. 111 lit( t WI) ~CJ( i(' II('~_ 1nl he sm.lil SI.111 11ll1lnlllllll y 01
't \lI~II"'n I'~
Ik r'pla ""h'·n ~ II m1tnlu-r . cII III "·'Y .111 111Ikl-d by tWIl.!' III klllSl,,!,. lilt· 1,' .1\1

116
 ---- - , .
. :lddcd). In dlCtr c ndomorphlsm , [he H a'" '
-
h
J l'nlp ,H.b • "Val1 a
('I Ill " ( lil JO: \/uJ J. • .u. n1t
, the Wld csprcad Po!yn csian cllltu ral log " n ,,eo S [foods • bu[ from wruch women Were "~....no11Y ..elUde
"I { . d (t.) .In c -xu"C lA le th at
hit"" hllJ ,.1' nC' h [hln I helr subJec tS. Bu t It appears they had complex maner of gender diJIerentiatoo d I
, J r lily be .gJ1cr ' also [ he . n Ul H.l\\'ilUiin '-_ ~
- llJ~ [\ ,Illl ul n .• ru· - - l I fnyform of cmt.w mpL10t1 , yet One more T11 [ co no[e tha[ [Ius was highly SYSle.manzed ....... .
~
(1 opted U1C , . •
fr p.[ as " d,.HH,d 'Y C 11 J ' .
, . ,- t he l11sclves tra m th e co mm on fo lk.
ca ns or cep
the eating of such ntually markc:d "ems as t.
. and \Deluded
"'"
,. Ind ddTcre n naung on por ... eerum \,j...._
dJ~ungtJI.-;hlOg. . sas do m esoc feasts su c h as t h ose accomp " cain speoes of fish. and so forth .....
" J nd rhe Ma. que , anYrng
In T. k·op·J OlJlg comprise a major ca tegory in the fun ct" The quantitative scale of such feases could b
. n arri.l,f;C, or r~lf[O ' . IOn al " .. ch I 0 ·d ' e gnnd .ndt.d,
Jll,UJflO , 111 . F r H ~waj'j, however, such do m esti c feasts are but 1- rury HawaJlan soar aVl ..Ialo descnbe: d fo r l fnst t
cen . .
Ii .lions of feasts. 0 .ttle tion of a new [""k,n. heta. , a [emple dedIcated h to con 'Iudo: th. 4odo-
I c1asS! lc, I I d' enoUS ethnographers as Kamakau ( ' 964 :2.5- 2.6) ca to t e \\~r Ku.:
k d even by suc 1 n .g . Par
renlllr e , r . tI e mnka'ai.IdIlD, were small feasts (usually focused on th Th", rugh[ a large numb"" of hogs, as many as loo tI..,
o~ Jmpor [3 n[ 10 1 1 h e
I '" ) clcbl'oce the curting of a new canoe, or t e successful h ."
n ests we.re separate d \Dto two chVlSlons. tm. • "''''''
one on lbu ....: t.. U!.t
,acnlice of "p'g ro c . ar- p ch~ ' . " '"",, and <me on .L __
I . f . red ra ro terraces (Kamakau 1976 .II9 , 36--37) , both critical che ma"a [house), ea wV\S,on [akmg part m th.5O.... -Iklo
ve"' f of a ser 0 Jrr lga as· fVlce oLU't:tltu't
I -
ecrs of producoo an n
d bOtll largely male-focused arenas.
.
The po rk was also divided mm tv.'o pornoru, 4QC of the
I
J P The chJefS, in comrast, could vU"cually be found feasnng every day of their che pnests seated a[ one end of che hwldmg md "'" '0 the prlb st.urd
I early_runereenrh-cencury documents p ertamillg to the cltiefl omer end (kala ). Th. pneses and th." men >." tholl. h f th. >ttbr
I",e. From many . . y [hel! prayers, wtChout sleep. unul monung ""'aD<\
'" . I a O'ahu !<Jrch and Sahlins (1992 ) chcocucle the ceaseless d
esra re tal vvaJ3 U
n the
I t . • e·
common people of that distnct for taro, POI , pigs , fish , and
The next mornmg. ",ruch was Kupau. th.lnub "'m,,. ,_ .aDd (0iiGb-
m,Ul ds pur up O .L
ued \Vi th out Ul[erllUSSlOn all day. Th at u.t,\'. 400 nr. . 'At
-t'"
d . \ . -
r-, le ~l\t can l \.UIr
other foodstuffs to support the bloated chiefly estabHshmenr in Honolulu . QUali- pers, 2 00 (ehma kallaha [ 0 rhose at one end of the l<mplr and
rarJvely rustincove foods, which in other Polynesian societies might be reserved other end
for spea.1 feast occaSIons, had become the daily fare of ali'i households. While The serv.ce was snll kept up dunng the en.<umlt t. :t.a<l

only the male chiefs ate pork (on a daily basis), the female ehiefesses developed a served ou[- .20 co pnests >c rh.. end 01 me templ. anJ t
great fondness for puppies, and hundreds of small poi-dogs (fattened upon the end of the «mple "The <n,ce mnunu<d ;ill tllghl
I srarchy raro paste) were raised 111 pens for the latter's regular enjoyment. Dunng the ne.xt da)'- Olel,;ukOlh, the 'ndb;er; •
When the chiefS and their retainers were not resident in one of their principal baked and ru"ueu ou< equ.lh be"' ''n th pm" at <
(Malo '951 rn_l
locales (such as Waipi'o or 111 Kona on Hawaj'i, or after European contact in La-
hama or Honolulu), they traveled about their domains Hterally feasnng off the All this p'gs. to be exaCt . m ore , r
( t.-I-lO
produce demanded up of theIr subjects. Thus m September of 1833, the king cails the ' gre~t teast " foil O\\lng th~ gudin
Kauikeaoub (Kamehameha Jil) traveled WIth his substantial household to Waz. cloth, at whteh the numb r of 'Laughl rN
alua, descenrung as the resident mISSIonary Emerson pur it, "like a company of Clearly, tor twO "I' th three nnbut
locusts" upon the common folk. Emerson's wife penned m her journal : "I shall be have focuscd- funcunn and th
glad when It's over. Pigs, dogs, fish and fowl have been slaughtered m large num· been ,-onsldt'rahl . tun for JII ID W
bers, and ever so many calabashes of poi have been prepared" (both Emerson SOCIety No long r.. 19m fi. nt
quOtts ID Klrch and Sahlins 1992:145- (46) . mundane , Ub,qllllOu_ .I_ ::t I th
In me proto-hlstone HawaiIan polities, and contmuing up until the abandon- were: csselln.!1 ttl ,hI ,1 f, t.
ment of uadioonal religIOUS practice dunng the later reign of Kamehameha I .Ilspla dunn ' t mp! ntu
and CraSUlg completely after hIS death m (819), the other great arena for feasting te,lOllll .. 11 , '\0 It
wu at me great cult templcJ dedicated to Ku and Lono (see Valeri 1985). Here me 1~S1d","l' • nd th
te.... wert furmaJ componenl5 of hIghly elaborated temple rituals. presid d over s "llh Ih
by a cadrt or prlellJ (/UllIUM) and tht' rhlets, and In whirh ( ome) mal common IT'Ol\l o
tn allowed ILl parlJClpatt aJ ob '" vrl ~nd :1I time ..s (onsum r of rt.ln lIIjt ' lit

'7'
 POLY'NESIAN flASTING "CO
MPA. RI 30"t OF

lOCI of feasLJng , .1nd refuse pitS associated wllh the se strUCtures sh

•
- ThREl \0(, t1 S

the n!lnaJns of remplc fcases . LikewIse, chIefly reside 'ng lO T lkopian sites (Kirch and y ..... - -
_
nccs oughl [0Qub id Cont'\ln ca .... an _ '-u 19 2 '. 1

oaUy marked fTom conlmoner h abita ti ons by the prese f _ e dlffercll_ . S of anythIng specr6caUy Idennfiabl cannot.., tIu I
_ . nce 0 prestige fa cl rrt a III e as il fe.~l.
espcaaUy the. bones of pIgs. dogs, and cerrain kll1ds of 6-s h (such as pcla0 . Items . For the Marquesas and HaWlU·i. and othu
fish). T, here IS lI1deed suppOrt for such differential- Ica; una I asse mbl a glc game '" rypes,'" the posSIbilities for an archaeOlogy of r ""lyn<SQn
Hawa.u.n archaeologIcal record (Weisler and Kirch 1985). ges In the re fl
ects both the emphasIS On qualitativcl ~".">Stlng
y ~=nt .,- ,
'''Ill
"'<In!
dally pig), and the architectural elabomoon of feosun.....>US 0{ b,
CONCLUSIONS the Marquesas, or chiefly resIdences and t g pla~s ...-be
.,. . empl. SItes Ut l-\ '"
I conclude this aU·too·brief comparison of feasting in three PI ' soci . a war I there are temanve archaeolO<rical 1
de.ntlfiQU ....... I I",',
---let\",
o ynes13n H t::r'-

\.vlrn rwo general observations. The firsr concerns variation ' u ' etJes S
iteS based on ctistinctive faunal assemblages ,"eu.u:l' 0,,-, of
_' and 1(.....\..
thr.n ",...'- .
.. ttuli
. . . . . m eastll1g beha .
on relanon to key structural charactensncs of these societies At . k Vlor ear potential for the reconstruction of feasnn \.._L. - - ' " I
. . . . . mof sOund gr g "="10t ., . At
les In short, an ar ch aeoI ol\)' of feasnng tn Po! t d ;Uh-
like an old-nme Malmowskian structural· functionalist the ca se can b e. 3r mgd
I
P . . ynesa IS ~Ql-
metaphor from contemporary local' Hawau;on eatm~ • 10 be ID""'- --r a
that differences in feasting between Tikopia the Marquesas and H ... gue
. . . ' • aW31 I do COt . wen , such bas always been the natUIe of Our Iustoncol ~
=0<1 I' ~ aut
relare closely wnh such armbutes as sooodemographic scale deg f
. ' . ' ree 0 stratifi.
canon and hierarchy; and extent of aggressIve competition (war). In a small.
.
sooety su ch as Tik-opta,
' were
h ki ns hi p un d erwrites rhe Durkheimi scale NOTES
. . ' an sense of 1. The revislOIDS( stance of A~ns (19-:'"Q \, wh\ch 1lr:0lt: dut
commuruty, feasts are largely orgaruzed ar the unmediate suprahousehold level
Western constrUction of the indtgenous Oth~t dO<'s. not
and are partaken of by commoners and chiefs alike . Indeed • in Tikopia chi elS
< afe'
or archaeologICal records for ,""nous Paafic Is.ut'!'
expecred to give feasrs forrhe common people ar key stages in their careers. In the ethnograptuc or a.rchaeologic.u , Or both-for th.
Marquesas, some differences emerge, correlating with the larger scale of Mar. for FIJI, the Marquesas, M.angat., wtet 1 lanJ ,nJ
quesan polities, bur more particularly with the increased hierarchy of Marquesan Dhver observes that for Decant. ~n.ralh. r.
sooery and with the involutionary emphasis on overt competition . In the Mar-
2

Islands' ethnographles th.n any othor lund "I ~

•
aN
quesas, the feast became less of a medium for regular social communion than an so-not because of the drJ.m.l USU,lU ~""OCUt
relanons t( represented and n:\t"alcJ- lQ...'\..:a.1 ,
lflStrument of political competition . The Hawaiian case takes us the fardleSt
3 Elsewhere. Firth \\ ntt: ... th.u the lCl UI N aprbn
from the Durkheimian mode, in which the feast was co-opted as a virtual prerog·
.u,o to the .c<umUI,tlOn-, of f,,,>.! for IlllWO
atlve of the mling class, less an mstrument of power than a pervasive, daily re·
4 In 197 1 p.rlIop,tlc,1 In thc of tb.
rrunder of the immense gulf of social dtstinctions tbat separated all'i from T,kop" Th"" onc p_1rt ,.r the \\ r
malca 'atnana ~!'Iuh of the ~\.,"\'("'Il'\n hl C.h~ tliUU
It is only an illusion that TikopJa, the Marquesas, and Hawai'i appear to repre· the turmrm' ,1\' ". th. fo..., f th~
sent ideal stages along some kind of evolurionary continuum for chiefdom sorl Nll'Jn~d me't all {'If lht' k.C'\ <TUt:n,l

enes. None of these is acrually ancestral to the other, and all are ernnohisroric l1umbrr "r !'Cople, th
endpomts preceded by m.illenma of hiStory. To trace rhe real htstory of feasting p"'pJr .lIon .. ' l~' I~I r. h
J .pccIJI Pt"('(Ill<l, IhJt f tll
m Polynesia requires that we pull back the ethnohistoric tapestry, and enter the
s Onr C"'pUlllI hI thl$ I> th I
messy realm of [he" archaeologIcal record ." In thiS chapter, 1 have alluded bndly
(hlrll) si t\lS \\ h.n tunl
to the pocenllals for an archaeology of feasting, and I have been mIxed With re· b< ke\'t 'or J., nr
gard to my assessments of these posslbllmes For Tikopl3, 1 frankly thlOk [hJ[ Ihe ou. il:smu lht"lr fl
Iltt:lihood of developmg a mbusI archaeologICal record of feasung bchavlUr ovet ,hue lout 1111 Ill,
I mt not very good 'rJ1uJplan rea IInl( has IIIIIl' to dIstingUish It '-!uJhlJlIvdy ~ Pi., nnlh r llul'
from ord nary eating. "0' ther any lahlll allon of Ihe.- archllcClOOl( (onlcxts m.J fuuJ
Ira ttng 'J(( ur lnot..-d. hhough I ' 1"-111 tWO I()II~ fi Id sNSon. e

110
 POLYNESIAN FE~Sil~G

.. 'If the depends upon ItS bemg used to

nll
"rhe "!lcrt." d nc~'" ( provide
_ r I rlh \\r'lfC'!> rh3 s-I Import.Jl1l re JJo" I OU~ ceremon ies. It IS S3.Jd then to be made b
1
Handy, E S. C
(lfknn~ In dH~ moo envc deltlcs 'Each makes It for rus god '" (1967" 28) Y lQ23 Th~ ,\lat1v~ CUlture 11\ the
[he'Lh,cf( e t ~
. IJ ·r" (or their respe
cl
n
II h
ded more than vlf[ua y any O( e r POJynesian
. O.
Honolulu \r..~r", ~ p
, hslSlencc epe , I SOC ICty
~ l\f.lrque5"n su S eN Islands) o n arborJC\.l rure o r orchard "a d Karnakau. S M
h ps rh al of the 00 "' . ' . b r enmg
(,,-,(ep' per J . he breadfruir (A Tloca'P"s alnils). Smce the h ",- ' '964 Ko Po '. Kahllco , Th. Pt ,. f
lie en1ph.1SIS on t . rea ......... llit of''' 0 0l.I. R-
I \\'lch spea
rs !O J short pen .
'od [he vast yield of search IS preserved thr
" OUgh a oan No. 51 Honolulu"losc. p 8isbap
ha rvest OCCU b' [fermentation and ensilage (see Kirch 1984 : 132_ 1 ) '97 6 Tlu Works of tilL People or OIJ
I me th 0
Q. Suggs
d of se rru -anaero K pi
(lQ6 r: p.--n, fig. 25
, ..
b) reports excavanng such an oven complex"
H Cheu VaUey, Nukuh,va .
.
35 .
at the
Kirch, P. V
6, Honolulu 8~11lK. p

H1k o !.. "'U ·a tollllO Sire

.
In a c. '
J 0 imponan( in Marquesan leasnng. as Thomas po' 1984 TIr. Evolution 0' rh< ~I
Of urse quanory was as , lnts OU(, , ." )'~" Ch·.b-
'0 cO , d d simply upon rerurning the eqUivalent of what had pre . . Press. ~1"'-_ C'
"Prescge depen e nor . Vlously
oiving more and parocularly more than the receive.r 199' Chlefsrup and Corn .... lllI\.
been rece,ved, b ur upon b ' ' s Could r- e Involutron ...... _
)
Polynesra. In Chl.rJ
~. \
'nu ,' A0\\'t'T £;"" ..'"
I ear" (199°:101). . li " '~ h'
C • compeong chiefdom po oes ID UJe arc Ipelago at the t' pp. 11~45· Camhndge Cunb cl
There were lour maID. , tme of n Lnn
I II
European contacr, C
enrered on the prinCipal islands of Kaua'i, O'ahu Ma
" UI, and
1994 Th. W.. an.iI rh< Drv. ImgiJlk !Id
, ChICago
_ Uru"e",!)" of r-L.
....... uc~ 0 Pt~
Ha~1 .
.L-ographers Sahlms ( '995) and Valen ( 198 5) have used the term k' Tikopl. - eClal P'c~ Re'''lled In
rl Hlstoncal euu, 'ng, I
of RogtT Gran, edited bv J D
beireve )ustiJiably
n the corpulence of Hawaiian chiefs in the early runeteenth century, see Kirch and o Brown. pp ''>·2-4 Dun~ n.
IJ O cia! Pubh(~uon
S.hlrns (1992.VOI. r,78-79)·
2000 Temples as Hel\' Huu'e,
14 M one Tongan informant put it ro the ethnographer E. W. Giiford, "Can't you see he
a chief? See how big he is" (19 Z 9:J24),
IS
TrJditlon,11 Po"ne""" "'.
.~ >.:'1 t e tn
dUIo."thlU ltl HrJu.u S\ 1°fl Lt d
...

I 15 Human sacnJice was also an essential aspecr of such luakilll ritual, but unlike the
Marquesan Slruaoon, human flesh was nor generally consumed, other than rhe PhllaJdrhl.1 l!rmct 11'\ of ~
K1rch. P \ .•m.! ~ 1 Sahhn,
symbolic eaDng of the victim's eye (see Valen (9 85).
10')2
\rr H of chI.
REFERENCES K"ch, l' \'. anJ D ~ )en
","'05. W hIS, T'k~rla' PtrhUlo
1979 Tht Man-Ealing Myth New York: Oxford UniversIty Press.
<"lllll I\ullt"tm
&/J F I. 1\otl<bu~, l) "'11
193' The Place of Food In the SOCial L,fe of Central PolyneSIa Ocroll'" 1 117 35 \, ,
Derung, C l "Ihurn
1980 IJIJlIldJ and Brachel. Ducol/ne 011 a Srlrm Land, Marqllf.lI/; ) 774 1880. Ilunululu I.LlllOIl,/l
UOIver iry ()( HawaIi Pres> I'll
fifth I< I h n lulu
(9)6 Wt.lhr Illwpw N~w YOlk' Aml'near> I\o"k C()Il1P~lIy ~Ial", [)

I 19 l'nmltt\'( I'olynr IUn !l101lOmy (",,",,1' H'Hllkd"t" IIJ Slim I", 114\\."
1'17 TIv Wnr~ pI Ihr r;od In llkr'I'w NI:W Y"I k IIUIIIJlIllU' 1''''), ')t1\1 J. • U
Tj}gpllll ngl h /)Ir/)/II""", Aud I "d AlII kJ,lIld V"IY •
•
I
Itly fj m {I I' III h,,1' Mu 11111 ~I" ,I I 1'1Ihlt, "u" /1. IICllllllulu t
(
1 I

A Ilrl y (
 -
.. 1"' k' Altout ell/HOW C(lok .jO r Fxnmplc . C hl c~go: Un lvers
J/iln' " III.~ '",,\'(J 1111 - . lty of
' hu.:.1g(l PI''C~-'

SUI'.;:>' R C
J eologv (~ U If ( •
.r N k H"' J
-
MtHt]IIf'JIlS
0po./slmuls , French PolYllesla AnUir
lohl Tile All: III f the Amcncan Museum of Narural Hls[ory. No. 49 . Ne
loglcdl Papers 0 \V

York . FEASTING FOR PROSP

ERITY
I Thomas. N
1000
tvlanJ"c.<QPI SOClCUe.s:
- 1
tlfqll .
tJ/uy nnd po/med/ TratlSformaLion UI Ea.stern PolYt1 -
tslQ ,
A STUDY OF SOUTHERN
NORTHWEST COA.ST FE
Oxford: elarendon Press. A.S T! c;
)ames R. Perodie
I KlIlgslllp alld Sac,,),a.
.~ . R rll al alld
I
Society III Allci",,! Hawaii . Chicago: UOIvers'Iry
of ernc.go Press.
, . " I r M and P V Kirch PI ' Chi Cd
\,e15 e . , " f S nJemenr Space in. 0 ynesl.n e" om: Kawel.
The Srrucrure 0 e ,
1085 • .. 1 lands. New ZealandJo"mal of Archaeology 7:129- 158.
Molok. I . Hawauan s

crgy. and reSOUN on

~ood art 01 lor
Ir 011 I nit lit nr Ih
!t\lllloltlon I'm •.1
Ih K
 anal,"<15 because the,'~ are sufficend), slmliar culruraUy to treat as One
the purpose of anah·zmg
,; feastJJ1g behavlOr
. Due to the mcomple re nature group fOr
Becallie there" a d \ ~ . of
en<ltlO ns m mdivldual ethnographles It IS necessary to examme 'leaStln of ob.
\ '3ties \\,deh' trom ethno ~D . r<
glonal phenomenon . No slOgle ethnography .or etbnograplu c collectl g as a re
'"'-pe of feast h~ been c~ed
relevant mformaoon 00 all culrural aspects peronent to thiS lnves tIga . tI on on has '/ . • t'
d1songwsh carefull} be~·~ n
researchers have assumed . or argued that some. or all of chese g roups can b Other will be used as • .:omprehen'
sidered cuJruraJ1y surular for general analyoca! purposes ( B amen 1968 e con,
term p~tldl.:h wU! be ret~ re
Boas ,897:3r, Codere 199°:37°; Drucker 1951:456; Elmendorf 19n :356 ' F .10, 21 '
phers The dlsonctlon, bet\\een
1984 b :z67, Rosman and Rubel 1971:6) , erguson
coocal to the ne" anollyn 1.1
Feasts and podatches can be differentiated by the naCUre of th e cLstnb
.
tance LS whether th. diHnbu ed nut
that occurred on each .occasIOn Accordtng [0 Drucker (1951:37 0, 372), feasts Utlon and when thl. occurred
OCCasIOns when an mcliVJdual (the sponsor) would distribute fo o d to rlOUr Or were (any anthropoiD . tu
, mvlted guests. whereas at podatches nonfood property was also cLstnb
·) B . ul ' th "r
mOre
Uted to
Wide! . dtfferent Opml
vlte d guests' FIg. 7.1 . Y sop aong at lour or more mvIt e d guests 111· aeoe, For e amp!.,
present, Drucker is probably more concerned Wlth d,srmgui Iun g podatchmUSt be that of [h<' mt~re [-
e~ and
feasts from stmple nuclear family meals or tnformal VISIts than h e IS With defi the pnn pal m In n
ngld acrendance requirements. nlng obtam _ :t 1 pre.

\ cStnlt: nl~ B
Co-lere I~ I ~ I

011 urnl:" '" r£ re

mgp
t1u 11<1:", .u{ re
esl hhshmg r
I)ru r I

tr
ildd: th.t
mulall n
f

J
 In rf/ c.' . ... ,

C
multiple ,uncrlO - n .'-. and thal 111 addJllon to redistnbuting
. food and wealth
larc11 d 'l
IS n .
buo·on s were the poLlal h sponsor s Opporrunlty to secure
. and v' . . POt
- I p".,
hos socla ~' oge by demol1S[ratUlg hIS generOSIty (Plddocke 196 5'" ..... 5. 25 a!od at•' own benefit. Numerous etlmo",,", h
\ d Ro man and Rubel ( 1971:20 5. 206) argue that Potlatches We . 7,258). c' -p ers nor., ~
' 11 . . '. re Indi y ' no free and wanton gIft' (Codere t.
an d group n Ic.'. of passage thal occurred at cntlca l sooal Junctures Wh en Id~al
. the donor's own loterests (Bamen 19~69b J. ~.th ~u
I10Id ers W ould rurl1 over prerogatives to successors. They assume l hat POSition p Kamenski 19'7·48; Mauss 196':3· Sp
'9]8 ,;0
I~ .-_
and Harus were pnme mO[lvators. . reSt'&e roat 19~"- .:)
) On~ of the,
. I •
this chapter IS to Identtfy the speCtfi "-
T h e1<planatory framework used m me present analysis differs b c a" Yatl l.1l<'Ps .c_
from various types of feast gIVIng In ,,- ,,~t .
e . ' .
me ' that time-consurrung and costly behavlor mat perSISts OVer ' ecause ( . recent year" ,..._
assu ' . tlO1e 0
I) It awarded a Nobel Prize for developm . "" 8
g econoll\!c -, -
be assocIated with some prac[lcal benefit, as Hayden argues ill Ch Ught als participating In a system of excha '",,,,.Is 11\
feasts We ap~r2'b'
. nge are a,.
to
.ssu
ul
n1es at sponsors of the most elaborate and expensIve .
re alll b'
. ) It self-interest (Lewm '986:94 1). urn.d to iIq rot Ihetr
~'V]dua1s and that their supporters utilized feasts for advanCing the' ltro~s 2. When mdlviduals systematically Invest StgmfiC'.lnt I
JIlU] . tr oWn a b'
tlons, and (J) it Identifies me specific pracocal benefits ambitious individu fl1 I ergy. and resources m an actlvirv. thev e illno Int, of tit-
", ,~Cl to g-~
seekIng Wlth v.nous .
rypes 0 freastU1g
r· "
acnVltJes. Thi s perspective is sinular
als wert e benefitS. This assumption extends the firs 'Pt -OCtlol
Boa's ill that Boas acknowledges one practical benefit of SOme feasts . 0 terms sucb as status and presroge arc: too \ t a,.umptton Il\'
gu~ to ~COutu fur
.
illg wealth . Codere may have VIewed .
mcreased wealth and Control a as I11creas.
. ual's ambItious program of feast ""'Ulg • rh_ 010
'\.... ~ ~r"l
benefits bemg sought must be Idennfi~J H -'
b"
.
beneficia] outcomes of warfare, and hence podatcrung. However sheS( practlca! ~\"en I~
' . ' 1 9 6 6:118) 3· The maJonty of sUppOrt group memben u..'uaIh linea
mamtamed that the podatch was an agent for mcreasmg social preStige and . I .
groups, or connmurutles) must at least LlOtly app
not detail any specific practical benefits of this prestige in the manner that I :~
activIties (Hayden 1995:2tl. Intragroup conflIct \\
cuss in me follOWing pages.
undoubtedly dtd on OCC310nl. mhlblong the rOi:Jm
I suggest mat ambitious individuals who want re maintain and increase their There IS abundant ethnographIC e\lJen(' t1u1
econorruc and political conrrol. control over labor. and wealth, need to achieve a high degree of group COoperation amongmnn
several speci1ic goals. In order to control labor, labor must somehow be attracted (e_g.. Barnen [90 :123. Boa. 19211341.
and held. Increasing econorruc and political conrrol requires a multitude of al. seems unltkely that Jny InJI\!du~1 (ould
bances WIth other groups in order to mcrease access to resources, secunry, and If faced \\,m ,I conccrted <IPro>lt'''n
other supporr. AmbItious individuals need a conslstendy aV3Jlable mechamsm for ·1 The clabor.mon (If feJ'nn~ on Ihe (nh
mcrea mg meir wealm and political power. All of these goals can be accomphshcd reglon's cm·tronmentJI n,·hne. This n

with feastmg to create aJJiances, to mdebr others. to escalate the producnon of amJSSIng of tilod Jnd pruP<'r1) fi. r
Druekcr I~o;t:p. ~\l)
surpJu~es, and to dispropOrtionately concentrate control of debts. alliances, and
S. An .lggr anJlzer'. maIn ubI ,11 I
surpluses In [he hanm of the organIzers of feasts- In the hands of aggrandtzers.
In dlSclls:tng [h K\\aklutJ, \\.aIto t I
Most of the rcmalnIng paper is dedi cared to detailing why these goals art impor.
t,lIned SU(lC. S onlv b
!<lot to ambitIOUS mdivlduals, and how they are achieved with feasting. Brian Hay
arllblUOus IIldlVldu,11 III ~ d thc1r
den ha devdIJp<:d (he theoretICal feasnng model (hat is used in this chapter in lllg ft'tu rn ollhgallollS
~raJ Wlpubluhed manu (npt (('.g •• H.lyden and Manet'prasert n.d.). .II1J Str.lIht'rn (1<01 I 1

pt'111 rt'sult.t lIll

ASSUMPTIONS
ar fJl,r FEASTING TYPE
undcrlYIll~ (he mod!'1 u J III Northwett
Th Ih 11 )UIIIIII .. WIIlS:1I
11.1\\1"11 \Ch pI r
/,1"1''''''' th I 11 rr 11 I
I, ~ tl I
ggr ndl~1 r I il/t r ( I •k llIlJ a!Jkt •.-> 0/1
tlllUS '''UI h 1/1 IIh t
h I { II' I Ill' .. (jug lIlVlIlr Jor tbtlr

,..
 •
SOUTHERN NOATH
NE~T (O~Sl F
- tA,

-.-
_ _c _ __

. I 1bur .lnJ wt.·.l lth . by ~PfHl\(lfln~ f(' as

. nil (11 /IV" r· • - t.\ 8 work · Parry PrlJ.ll.! Work·parry feaslS " b\.;I1n ""-_
I .,nl,lU ,,' ('0 11 1/(11. CfI I ,),11 po .. e, uh"" ()V(' d ~lrr{'U or Wt' I"", C' 0 1l1 IntenSive projects such as hou'e bUIlding IIIdr,. VVf £Or
1101l11t .lIll J . I 1\'1'«:\' .111 hCH1.Lt 'I I
. ,Ill I-!rll t 1.1 • exchange for participation," feasun . 'duaIs PI~
01 Iht'\' II~ g aCUVltlo,
9. ChIld-GroWl I1 Prasu. A rumh rype of~. .
1'"''
d ,11 ,I :o.1I1,l.:lr C' \ll' l1l

Y
wllhll,.
("uol" I , .1 group
III<In (e.g., hou sehold I
1
posed Ideal feast types. Chtld.grOWlh7 mlg1n bt aMed IQ ~
'"
01
. I /lm l \,. h. ·,·\l.3 1""i11 "'f; .) (' ('onsl J c.' re'J 400
' 1'It 1an ty r,
I CdM~ , S o hdar. ca,1S are feo
I .\" 'I . Il1 r vdl.l gt.. .11 III children m ord er to Ulcrease t h e ' "
,HH'' Il'''' l ll
n"pnr. : WI11 (, ph , In C'e t'C()J,,,mIC pruductlvlty ~ nd secunt y, pro lr wont. so t1",
r I marnagcs will be m3.XJmlZcd, and alhan t ....·alth
:TOUp membe rs 111 confli cts with Other . ces bttWten (
I 11\' WllhIl1 •1 .':,"ULlP W I
.
""It<' ","WJI '''11
'.
, ''!lUll bt.·t wc:<: nW

ll III f;~ . '!"OlIP leadrrs. In soltdanty feasts, h'cr",..

, poses Will be str~ngthened. .unili fo,
I I ·",w
" ,nUp.', dll< ( .
c .
, Uppo I 11,lnyed food I Id bc tlI e main
S 'ou
. product
... , . . , hmllll be L OWl . separating feasts In thiS manner IS arti.fia I L
, hleJI ",/1(,,,0<(." .I nil pllrllUpJntS frequ ently OCCllr, no debts . a uecaUSt the r,
cl . >JllllhUIJ O'1S rum. verlap, and a Single feast Will probably mvol ~ types nhu....~
J,,'lnbu ll' , " 11 ' lit nnd parti cipation and allcndance
O ve il Combtnan --""""'Y
or rl'Ulrn ()bh~~HI()ll.s ~h(JlI ( I e~ L , ryp es. However. Identifying these speafic practlCill"~ on of i""\"-.t
II this analYSIS by c1anfying the components
U<:11'6u of t...._
~"'U r.olJ!a1~
~hnll"J b(' wldespreJd, tIn" and ",allllnl" alltanccs between groups
. I RcnpfOca llcJ'tS 1/11
I 1 ll(npr,'<l1 matnagc. and economIC benefits (c.g., 111· FRAMEWORK
l I ' rUI pO'cs of sccunty,
lor t l l ' , or exchange partners). Two or more groups Or
. .. cd J(CC>' 10 rcsources In order to slmpW'y the analysIS of feasting in the 5tUd)' rn
lICd' be Involved , and each group generally [nes to Nootka, Coast Sallsh, and Twana feasts \\111 be se d the ",""NI!.
hI"li" represenlauves I11U,t .. . p~rall: IIUo three tDOt _
I ) thout being overtly compctltlve so as to maintain categones: (1) feasrs where the sponsor does nOI exptct tht It t
Impress Ihe other(s WI
MI Jl11l,lble JtI1lOspherc. . '. gifts to Invite hun ro a furure feast wll.lch I "ill call
,
CIpIC!I\Is IoocI
nl}-Itturn ta5IS: 1 ~
or
" fensts arc feasts give n ro sohcll favors or SUPPOrt where the sponsor expects the main reoptents of lm food
So/tntdt lOIl .S0 JICllallon , .' . " .. or 10 tm-n ham 10
I
from l110re powel Lt I
,r J ·nd,vidual(s). SohCltanon feasts arc probably unldlrcc·
._ a futllre feast and rerurn eqUIValent amount. 10 bun which I ..,U all
I, . I ' h
lIt,nJ (XC anges w . here the sohcited powerful mdlvldual receIves food
. rerurn feasts ; (3) fcasts where rhe sponsor experu t It lW an 1IICIQscd
Jnu or gift> Without incurring the expense of a spect1ic rerurn feast. at a furure feast. whIch I WIll call greater return (nS's. 11
4 Promollollni Promotional feJsts advertIse group success and prospenry in size that Druckcr (19S 1 2.OD-2.ot. 11. Drucker and HClUf
I
IJrJl'r 10 al/raet deSIrable potcnllJllabor, alhes. exchange partncrs. and dorf (1960:332., 143). Boas (t 'l66S1 l. Bamen (Ill
I IIther supponers. Group success and pro~perity IS promoted by making lOO). Sproar (IQ8780), and Btrkel' 'mlth IQ(> I~ I all
public dmnbullons to IInpon3nt and speCifically mVlted Il1dividllals with ccrram occasion. potia!(h and leas! dlstnbuD the
whom J relationship IS deSired (eg., families with potential marriage pan· rurn the fea.t and gtfts.
Ill''', or potennal sccunty alues) . Dlstnbutions are also made to other I11IS' The r~turn cxpc(ted by ol least spoD r helps l~
cellaneou . guests and supporters m order to promote the host gmllp to as eral purposes flIT hllkhng fat IS m I rtucb Ul t\II1I
Wld(' J nrcic as pOSSible. benefit sought by the ledSI sponsor H) !he
5 Competition CompclItlvc fca~{s create material proi1t [or the least sponsor framework, and how aggrandtzl"rs ustd !hem
bCCJu'>C tnve~ted feast distributions are returned at a future [cast with tn trul, wtll be dlsru sed mlh lonling
tere t Competmvc feast arc large, laVish events where the sponsor en In ()rd~r 10 under, land f, a I1Ilg
deavllrs to maXlfl1lZe hiS contractual obltgatlons and profit by distributing th(· qucstlon 01 who Ih malO
cnorm,.,us .mounts 01 rood dlld propcrty. Ihroughuul Ih • ho r *
I, Pollll4ai Supp~r' P"ltllcal support fi'asts ,Ill' sponsored in order to obtain or whclhl'r th .1ft: nu IU t\
111(1"CUC p"hUCdI Uppl/TI highly nHlI1 ill d h dlt
dll1asS th· 'lUll UI
7 Acqullllwn oJ /'oll/ullll'alil/tms. JlI.JSts that /Ul1tllOn 101 mal rnu'ritJl1 .IS J

r',rpolltlCal advalllrrnrll l ,lit' t:3lt"W>fIzt"d ~s f('a ts fllr J( qtllnn); l'0hm.11 htgh I dllk lUul.! ~ .,1 I h
P'Ii""Jt1 Ihulk r t 1111\1 I I I I'

'90
 ----- •

,
O>
J S o.
,01-63.
J~ -J o5 . .•pO. 443. 1971 ·J61).
Barnett (19
- ----
55"" J\ggr,UldJzers ,"ckbt the member> of
.0
19~"
,.u..
l~7. U H. JJ 4•. JS. • ) re char elite mwvlduals were verbally t
1"" •.03 sea raln~d
'
lhern. ce and 0 th er perks
· sueh ;u g'I'\'lll .1..._
ld EJmt·nJor«loJ60:,nJ. ~ I b 5 Barncn stares that the potlatch "e~ \JbSlsten . _ uu:.rn
JI . . d 'e [0 be am Inou . ". . . " t"resses 5 d n ar feasts . glvmg them the" '" p
Jn101 In cdli) g . d O1b",ons (19 68 126). Boas ( 18 97.343. also In B dui re
. J lIcnnO n :o. an a Iu . ar. and Jendmg them ceremoru.U pnVll
r urely' .r('r~ona J..esU
Ihe s:aI11C pOUl .
. [S Although sponsors p l S sOmetimes
. .
.
arttib.
na rna .
r s' puberty feasts so that th~ ;on: abl
.~

nerr ,~6~:S) m' I J as a househo ld head. the pnnapal sponsor d3 u gh re _ ~ - • ta

.,.Ie rndJvidua sue 1 can be orucker 1951:47. I4~141 24". 2.> .... l.~. 2- 3. '1. " •
ult,·d £0 a Slnb I In rerests. th e 1Il terests of the corpo r ate g
• enung 115 own . roup' ( 1en S 1981:(3) Some retainers might ~ n "'- .
reprJed .1S reprl!S d lesser exte nt the interests of other free Corp S Wa \.~ a
,bers an to a Orat wroch the re tamer mlght nOt be: .bl
upper-class men ~ ett 193 8b :35 0 : Drucker 1939:64). e sef'l1ce. e to ~
oup members (see 3fl1 ( B . 73' Mozm o 197°:32 -33). In Ills <hsCU'Slon of lJ\ J,
gr Id . herir "rJes and pro perry e.g .. am ett 193 8a :131. ' 955' 195\.2 . "'.
Da ughrers eou tn dR b 1 ' ~51 : dle Nordl west Coast and else",he..." Her.; 0"1:> h ~
. Codere I990:367: Rosm an an u e 1971:135). but tlus
Boas 192567-69. 9 • 105.
1 . oc· the suppo r ters of aggrandizers may be: W'-' d
f at all befo re contact (Bam e tt 1995 · 25r; Codere 1990' tha( . '. ~ ." ~'Ut: ltb
I cu.rred less frequen rJ y. I • " .367). yen asslstanCe JJ1 accumulattng thell' martu, ~
I II efer to feasr spo nsors and aggrandizers m the mag" .. ,_
For lhJs reason \",,1 . r "'w.une gt oiling group members m these or other
I conO'
eu ,
, t1urd person bers becoming the retamers of the group or
groUP members as ten3Ilrs or ...,tarner. Stt
NO - RETURN FEASTS Drucker 1951.-13· 271-2-:2, Elrnendorf lQO.)
r
No.rerurn leas es have been defined as those feasts in which the SponSOr does nOt sotidanry feasts w ere o ne wa~"W du. I'> '
ecr a rerum feas t. Nevertheless, as will be seen . even on these
necessa nJ y exp . .. Oc- t
(en. P
roductive .md supporm-e The
castOns rh e spo nsor Can be VIewed as pursumg his own mterests. wul be citscussed under pro m ouonal "
"were told that they mu.'1 'take care
Solidarity Feasts food . gl\'mg them feasts . "' nnm~ the ~>::.
I In order to arrain their ambitions, aggrandizers needed control Over a supply of for 'if your people don't llk~ )OU ' I.>U re n
I labor. Resource sites were definitely privately or corporately owned (Barnet! adVISed "to 'be good to thetr p op ,\Tt t th
1955:59. 241. 250. 251 , r968:78 ; Boas 192J:I345. 1966 :35- 36 ; Drucker 195I:42. 43. 47, feasts to make them h ,lPP' ,- Om tT 1
247.248.256-257.454; Suttles 196 0:300 ; Walens 1981:13. 7 1). Hereditary chiefs Who And accordmg ro Bamen, 3 'hl'f
owned such productive resource sites needed workers to collecr and process the member> of Iu, tan\ll) >:;rt>up t n:
resources ar thelT hunting. fishing, or gathering sires (Drucker 1951:279. 454; Sur. there wer no guests from orh r t
des 1960:Joo). The output from these resource sites fed the chiefs' families and re. conshkrJtton. m.l) ha,,, \ n re
tainers (Drucker 195)'244) and enabled aggrandizers to accumulate surplus food complex chI< f,\oms .\Od J r\
for feasung and exchangmg. .Illnker (Ch,lptcl 10\, and _ ·hn
Control over labor secured several other benefits for aggrandIZers: firsl. it m. Du~ 10 Ihe pm JI" lr
creased secunty for both the group and Its leaders. Second. it secured conrrol over
production of nonfood goods such as canoes (Boas [913:1338; Drucker 1919:/4), glllur III "N"I Itl' t\
whIch could be used for exchanging or diSlribuung. Third. controlhng labor pro· Roa, I 11 1\ I n
vided the opportunity for acquiring pnvateJy owned " hrn(hmcn" (BJrnen pi", .\ft' ,J1 ,\ rh t
1938:1)0; Druclu:r 1951 :251; Walens 198I:3R) who enforced the aggrandizer;' onla, I'nl!,<'r n hr
The two crucial points are : ( I) that aggrandIZers nccdl'd (lll1lrol uwr l,lb"r III 1 1 I 1,

ordertoprospcrlBarnt'1t 1955247, 1968 Ill; Boas 11/21 .1111.1114. Dl'ul"krr 1<1\144.

280 , 323, 454. Elmrnd"rf 11/71371); and (l) thal dggrandin'l's 1l"IUII't'l1 J m,'Jns ,,1
controlling thr mdlvldual~ who fisht·d. hUlltt'l1. ,:,lllll'lt'J, III otlwl'wl,(" ,uppnrt(J \\1 hi 1

lU
 SOUTHERN NORTHWEST COA§ 'LA~
,

(l~:.lrllen 1111sb.J5 0 - J5.1. 1955 193; Druck·

- - bull dlflg , pos< cuving, and POSt ra>stn~ 0
-
bc:ndll!' d1l'Y
.
woulJ
•
1l'C(.'IVC .
: tr 1951 :71 hOllse fr d ~ et!!)b
rlrl1t:nJor( rc.,)7 1 l'i,~ lfiQ; Rosl11Jn nnd Rllbcl 1971 173. Walens 1981:39). Th
·2.79: orkers were o m , illl the >mount> of fOOd
"Ired W are mUl.lm at. I n the lOStance Bo.l.S ('91
mCllI rc"1')1l 1Cr~ rccc..'lvl"'d derermlned whether they remamed wn h the: treal_
and pWn-
-~\,
",b ured , nl) cu the
house group. 01 .ll lgned rhcmse l ves Wit h another (Barneu 1938 3 .. 12 9. 19 urrent
. . by one of the Fort Rup"'t septS (I< 'sub L
bUII [ • tnu'''->nd
lOb :4C:;. BO,lS 192.1 :1.1.13; Oruckc l 195 1:453. 454)· A n d as Drucker (
~. r
55·~6. 1951: 131 O1erTl be
rS of the other three Fort Rupert septS n
. DoUnen I
.

,IJQ~40. 454) an d B.lrn e n ( 1955:24 6 ) tT1 UJcate. ,east participatio n Was a d " 2.80,
borers
were not from the house bwlder SOWn
' gro up Iilrn"n~~
;.t
fac to r In v.rhClher 311 in dlvidu al contmu ed to align . with a panicular groupeCldlng
p that labor, and the distributed food and p ~<t
ca teS rop"ny. '"
porOClp"non mcl uded the benefil s o f celebra ting g ro up membershi 'east bo use build""s group and other households . WorL...p.rty
r . r d d . ' p, access'
abu.n dant or spen3 I leasnng 100 s, an e.nJ oy tng a parry atmosphere tng rnmurUty events, and most of the dtstnbu h ">Sts ... . '"
traCO .' . u.o n,s. "'C~ prtibol
II1formanrs cold hJm th at mdl"iduals did no t mind workmg fo r a C.... · Drucker's
,uef bec house builder s retamers, A1ternanvel ', th w>tnbuted
L
t e e
they kn ew they wo uld receive a feast In re rurn (D rucke r 195 1 : 2 51 ). aUse h
accumulated WIth credit exchange traruacn
been . 0"," l a ""," '"
The m ajo rity of the food distributed at solidarity feasts appears to haYe
nan Clflg many types of . feasts. mcluding work.party r.e.1 Il loa
from roe ourput of g roup members (Boas 19 2I:l334: Drucker 195" ,251, 371) cOl11e B mechanism for amassmg resources and mdebnng others J ...,no>. ... '" ~
CItes several examples o f tribute
, amo unts, Salmon fishers and berry pick ' oas the equal·rerur n section
might gJve 2 0 percent of their ca tches (Bo as 19 2r:t335),
, bear hunte rs gave one ers ~ It seems likeJy that at least some lower·cla mem . f
every three caught. (Boas 192J:1338), and mountam goat hunters g ave fi ve a u Or the feasnog acm"nes ' .1th~, f a.., • ""ult
g","oup partiopated, In .
ten goats obtruned (Bo as 1921:1334 )' However, ethnographic ace Ounts do t of for the constrUcnon project or as a result of he In h
seem co detail specific cLstributions at solidarity types of feasts , 0 nteoth h not Sarn ett 1935b :35» , Therefore, some solidant\· a..>pem
hand, there are more detailed accounts for larger. more conspicuous ,easts, c Maner WIth large work·party feasts it is even po. Ible!hat
'] r.easts WerY
of the commonly known feasts such as naming feasts or puber tv alliances For example, the reheves or the hou; but~;
I probably nor solely solidarity
, feasts, Many feasts would have had s 0 I'd ' fea.e
I anry been among those who provided labor anJ partl pott d ID the
rures because the sponsor s group would have participated, lt seems like! thus sobdtfymg relations between the (\\0 fanllli
feasts that were held for stricdy solidariry purposes occurred regu! I y that
I · C al 'th ank di.fli
sma1J an d mlorm WJ r
b ' d at y, were
" erences emg ownp!ayed (Barnen 1955:246), So/icieation Feasts
I For example. Drucker and HelZer (1967:37) ate an occasion when aCme c. f re- It seems hkely that on oaa ,,'n mdl\1dau
I rurned from a podatch and provided an mformal feast to "Ius people" who did
not accompany him, relating to them the festivities that occurred Barnen
tions 10 order to eliCIt fa\"o,", c)r . upport m
These teastS were probabh on r. m.ill
J \
1955:266 ) notes
, an mstance
' , when
' a feast sponsor thanked his household suPpOrt· expected However, th.· onl\' \,den, I
ers by making a small disrnbul10n to them the day after all invited guests had de· notes th.t J fe.1st dlSlnbutJon ml hI h
parted These are probably typical examples of small household solidanry feasts, 'heart one wants III ~red e prep.1rat
feasts were eVidently not molJ 'r
Work-Party Feasts other fe.1St types le g, re"p
Work-parry feasts are also given by wealthy elites without an expectanoll of a re t.met' f()[ most ethnogr.lph
rum feast The feast sponsor provides the feast in exchange for labor on J speCIfic
project such as bUJJdmg a house : "Buudmg a house [required] control of J EQUAL· RETURN FEA T
ccmsJderable amount of manpower. which m rum depended on economic rr SlllllC pl"t'lInunan ub

(jurCe3 [() support the pcople whIlc they worked. With enough surplus IU gIVe <u»mg '1'<",'I!i, t lf
alsu Ih
and {Jther dlvtrwJIls 10 l'nll'rLJIn them" (Drllckcr 1<)'P7l) ,
I~asl
flarnc!t (Iyjllh JSl). Boa iI925 . ll9). ElnwndlJlf (1<)1>0152, Ill). alld I~Clsmanand
ll I~J'1 du. 11
11'FIll63) oh trVl"d Ihdt /,' asl Wl"11" ,'xch.lI1g"d /illl.lhlll Illll'tlltr "UchJI

1114
 SOUT HERN NORTHWEST COAST FE"
"~T'NG
•

, ' 1Ilsdvc~ hc.' rcllilary "' Iltc~ rather th

werc" I an I.eta 1960:324, 342) noted that commoners recen-d
-I'\',lIt" rc'llI"
I " .' .•"'"
. rP1C:.I'l~ where lht: malO reCIp ients of
le.: • • . .
r" Ulcr~ odo rf ( ... 10kn
Ft
l 't H1 " ,'"
IIIl ' 110
III 11· .
It III . '
I . l'lnl1C1pal reCIpientS of equa l-return C) and
l Oad '11
()If
el"'<.fte r t he ranked disrnbutlons to the matn guests (al.so ec 110. of
~ " rJHJ .", I le . r g r'C!at () ts v.llIe' 8'231. 1951 :299, 438). >192 :.1
wcl'l' rt.'I,lI llt r . I ' rcdllJI Y clues Ironl outside th e spon" er· tCt ker f94 ' ,
I lion'" \!lCfi..' It: SOr s g Url1 orllt many equal-rerum feasts (mduding m
It'.", ./I.,ln '" . ,Q2n53 357. Druckcl ' 95L377: Elmendo f roup (s,
fJ '" However, _ _ aturanon and
.H'/I .~,~
"lCj" 1.00. (" . r '96 t re equally. tf not more , unportam as promou .1
. d 011 che occaSIon. guests m.ght have Included 0:337. J'" , asrs) we ~'b ' on ... °!'P<>muu •
./.11 111 ·
) Dcr en .ng
re prospectlVC defen s,ve allles (Ferguson
POw"'·
CrfUI e
.e alsO involved ",srn uoons to speafic prospect ."e
h CJJs who wC . 1984:31 ) Or all se they IV< 4.U.le miln1 •
( ther important contacts. For example pOleal Ut
pOIa rc I d CS of g roupS w.th prospecllve marriage partn 5 . f''''i1I. ,5, or 0 , • nil StutOr!; fro
-orrO(JfC (" J C . . ers for h ~ ne c II ge .nd from other villages, were invued to h \.. m a ~
Cl' ~ hId . (Elll1cndo rf 1960:441). or potenttal wealth excha.nge t e sPon .,n yw' , . . . er pU""rt) Fe
so' 'c . ren d .. P" 'm o d f her availability for marnage (Elmendorf 1960. ..lSt llnd m.
. d cl by tl,e sponsors co be goo credIt nsks (Barnett 1968. ers Who for",e 0 . b nh . .<\.\3-4.\4. ab" <t'e B.4
wert· JU ge . .. d .81-82) . , ) The pnvileges to e 1 eored by her future childre m n
. . . s.t was impliCIt tl13C an InVIte guest could also b . . W"h 1955.r51 . n. and 10 be
IeJ,t ",VllatlO n
ousehold or viUage CO che feast (Elm endorf 1960:33 )
nng othe
, "'ern.
'me of her marriage, might also be chsplayed at I' ~;wcn 1
Ihe tI a gu s pubert)
ber> 0 f IuS h . 9 . Hence
I , often IOcluded numerous nusceUaneous guests ·111 d ' Inter. (Drucker 1951:141). , . ,
group .east. a daio Aggrandizers also. publiCIzed theu heirs. and stmultaneoUS) ,. au~ ..... m;;.cd ....ro
I 1y Inviced guests. The choice of whkh household memb n 10 the
spcnfi Cl1 ers aCe ss to prospecuve partners and supporters b)' spo - I; up
's ro these feastS was undoubtedly another coveted re o"'pa sllcc e nsonng la~ ·h
n,e d chJe" . ward thal ,e
used ro controllabor and supporters withln their groups, ch &
,leas tS for their children (Drucker. 19SU24- U S 24- Elm
• ,. e.n d 0 rf t~ n.lmtn' ::;.
~;ng , feasts were expensIve (Bamerr 1955;132·. and the ometune; ( ·It'ava I
Furthermore, the dlsrnbuoo n of food and gifts to the principal guests at i N a , - .
tributions (e.g., 300 silver dollars [Elrnendorf 19603 - ,-j; 100 at 0[1< -n'1dua\ <
Jlage feasts was given in ranked order and amounts (Bamett . nter· dis
\~ . ' . 1955.255, 1968' . naming feasc and $r60 at another [Barnerr 195;.t391> V\-ere mIen;! d t rtl:
Codere I966:65. Drucker 1951.379, I94 8 ,23 2, Elmendorf 1960:324, 341- 2 .17,
'd . , cl d 'd 34 ). lntravil OUp success and the benefits of affiljaoon (see Barnerr 19'- ~, Ij." t.n In man tf
Jage feasts, such as SOJI anty ,easts, apparen y I not have ranked d'Istnbutio
· . gr
, not most cases, the sponsors of these maturaoon . or nlh er promon 1\,\1
(e.g., Bamerr 1955:255; Boas 192PI9- (25). However, It seems probable that nk ns . ,
dIstnbuoons occasionaUy occurred (depending on the situation) if ta ed
would themselves be mVlted . to sunilar feasts hosted b' th gu t \~h
. . moreth~on wiclun the group of potenoal future m·laws or alue lu.:h of th di. m
farmly or household group was lflvolved . e
costs of promotional feasts would be recouped al uch . ub qUnt I>
In addJoon, as Hayden (1995:52) acknowledges, the return furnish ed at subse-
1955'134. 255,257)· Barnett does nor speafv.. a nme ·p.lO 'or I1 u""
l:U Ctllln'l
relUi 11
quent rerum feasts might not always meet the original sponsor's expectaQons .
but rerum invitations were probably received \nthen 01 r.
Drucker and Hetzer (196779-80) write that a difficulty (at least in aboriginal tunes)
the above conslderaoons. I have dended to e amme
illassesslflg returns was caused by the exchange mediums: no rwo canoes. slaves• rional feasts in the equal-rerum section .
native blankets, pelts, or olachon containers were ideotical (also see Barnen Promotional feasts were opporrurune for a~'nJl
1968:84). Consequendy, an exact comparison between what was given, and whal prospenty, and the benefits of group OIffiilanon, en onicr t
was rerurned, was impossible. Therefore, an individual expected to provide an skilled labor, allies, marriage and e 'h~ngt' p~Il[l d
equal return must have been obligated to return an "apprOlomately equal" amount. cnncal abilIties (Hayden 1995:52). Thl go I
183) who observed that some fea t.
Promotional Feasts (r93 8b :353-354), too, reported th.1!
Promotlfmal feasts on the southern Northwest Coast can be conSIdered eilher31 nitlon ("prestige" or "status")
no-rerum or equal return feasts . No-rerum promotional disrnbutions included required to achie theIr atm. Barn It
the inCldfnlal food and gIfts given to miscellaneous guests and pdrtiClpantS who how pubhclty helped th ggr ndl
were nI,t pnnnpal ~CSlS, such as rc-lamers accompanying the prinCIpal ~l\Iesl' :~lpCd aggrandlz r to IIr t I bt r
Tb e dlstnhu/lfJn wert' pari of lh(' flVl"rall expense of sponsonng J fMI, aud PPOrters. In the m nn r uti in d
n SkIlled and po ertlll
to ured ch I1 a l wa a "g,/,/d hr/w," dlsstpau·d t'nvy. guaranleed that every"nr
flit I d F rXJ01plr. Kt situ31lOIU Th I k
mw, v ,T!."WarJ,·d 5UpPl Jltt r ,dllJ ~t' /Ill (Ildydt·(\ tlJlJ~4to, nHJ . or 01 po rtul

1f6
 Ill' m"lgt.~ ..lIld "pc-r(c1vcd wCi:lkness II)V!lcd att::lc.k " (P
-
195. 198). Maruranon fea,,, for chtl~n ~,-L
r ,
{Olt:. promotmg lhe group <lS being p l'osperous and 11
erguson '984b)OM)
· l'herc. _
. <I. 187·
.911. '7
. .
8 139; Boas 191 5· 11 l r I 30, Drucker 194 l.OlI
·_0
. we co nnected incr. ' r34. L3 ' . \9")\ l14- 1'2
CUllf)' In fact. F'crgu~on St.Hes that WJrfafC might even b cased Se· .955. 86) ear plerong (Drucker 195tt'-l-u,. EI~ndorf
· _ _ e mOtivated b lh
ro ob r.l1l1 II~SOurces lhat cou ld be redistributed [0 " '" Y C deSire .9 '
60'385-3 • 1 B 66-
(Barnett 1955:15 . oas 19 ·370; Droner 194' 21>. 11
1960
attract tndivldual ~
.",d ""l' g roups" (1984"-49). ollowers puber<Yrf 60 410 4)8) were essentially Investment> m.de ... _
do )9 . . . !UK:
As Drucker PUtS an aggrandIZer's g0:11 was "to attract I
It, tTl eo . of increased compensanon or levels of "Gith
OWer rank peo I ec~oon al~ n.
hIS house . . [whI ch] he dId by good Irearmen! generos ry ( " . pe to ~ . and perhaps funer ex anges •Hayden 19<>5 44.- \\',....VU'
" I glvmg man r.
• ar nage cluld th . . . . . <..Oh
and potlatelles) (1951:280). Promotion.1 feasts demonStrating th b Y easts C

e enefits r _ rn 3 tuf3 tion feast Stven ,or a . _. e le"cl of ....ealth e:\\.-h~ ~ at

tTl
b
group mem erslup attracled the labor that aggrandizers requ ' d h 0 s.ve e UJ1doubtedly increased. proVlding a means of recoupm. ~
· Ire to arvest
sources at s ites rhey owned or controUed. to produce exchan e 0 ds re· nag Barnett (1955:<80) reports thal wealthy [aJllili.:, tnlu .'.L.
< . . . . g go, and to enses. . n t~ UIC ~
support rh elf ,eastlng .ctlvln es. Some aggrandizers also sought to
atrract follow ~. biliry of girls by seeluding them 10 the e"rnl th" th could
ra
ers for .mlitary campaigns (Perguson 1984b:271). and promotional C - deSl I Drucker (1951:143) makes Slm.lar observanOn>
. .easts Would
have helped here as well. AggrandIzers were sometimes even willi Proper y. s of LOveStlDg wealth -m clul dren through m.lruunon t
· " . . _ ng 10 accept In term e~,
slothful retamers because rejecting these mdlVlduals ntighl provoke th .
elf mOre f marriages serves the needs of ~ggund!ze" b 'tun
the cost 0 . ' .
·urr '
mdustriou relatives to also leave (Drucker 1951:280). 'on and creaemg mcreasmgly large debt rebn [l'\u
pro duC tI ut
Pamilies of desirable workers. hunters. or craftsmen "would be COurted [b 'ry (Hayden 1995:44. 45. 54. 55 ~a topIC 10 be Q u\"i:lln
romm wu 5
clue/) to rhe extent of giving them econontic and ceremonial rights to enticeya I unlizlng wealth 10 control others la IQ(>-
I
prosper a
them to assooate" with him (Drucker 1951:280). And prospective tenants took ad- ompetitO rs . Rivals also engage m productlon of 'urplu. '" m,
vantage of their position to promote their own self-interest. Residence "choices ~ea1th aVallable for mampulatioD and escabcmg th ,l -ootnml;l
are made on the basis of a type of strategy involving rank of seat obtainable srnan and Robel sa)' I! suconcu\' - on< n ed, ~'m
• oons. Ro •
rank of group involved. and its size and power" (Rosman and Rubel 1971 :173; see Tha< IS one reason "lazy men are desplSeJ Bamett IQ a.J - 14'
also Hayden 1995:66). Aggrandizers' promotional displays of wealth and prosper_ . 28' Ha)·den 1995:46, 48) . Lazy people th\\ rt th
1951.3 .
'ry miluenced tenants' and lower elites' perceptions of which groups were most nOI producing surpluses. by not exchJ.O"m~" th.
successful. most powerful. and most likely co support tenants' aspirations. surpluses when In need Ctuld·gro\\lh In'~,mlen
and eventually. YIelded a surplus return . h""., r
Child-Growth Feasts returns or compulsory returns tTOm Ih full
Wealthy hereditary elites sponsored the most lavish maturation and life-crisis whom Jl'Ught 3cruaUy enter InIO ml're f,u nul l'CC'lp
feasts (Barnen 1955:134; Drucker 1951 :139. 141. 143; Elmendorf 1960:388. 410. 443). more uncerr3m nature of Ihe return, htld-
Maturanon and life-crisis feasts were probably primarily promotional opportuni- here under equ,ll·rcmrn I~~'l.
ties for aggrandizers to advertise themselves and their groups. The leading guesls Previou Iy It wa: mcn!loned that p
who were mvued from other villages and the amounts of properry dlstnbuted wluch food amI prop"rl\ \\ re [11 I
vaned WIth the famrly's wealth and ambitions (Barnett T955:255. 257. 261; Drucker method IIlvolvcd ,n'dll ex, holn , rI
1951:14 1.148; Elmendorf 1960:385.386,443.460). Poor families either kepI these oc- west CO'ISI culture, l'x,umned h n' D\

casions private and did nor have feasts larger than the nuclear famrly. or held very IOJ8aIJ5. 19W l.l~. 2~8 l ~. I~ I 8c: I

small gatherings where they invited the chiefs of their household and delivered J Dru(ker loMM :l\1. Elm nd<llf I
11110111 gift (Bameet 1955:132. 143; Drucker 1951:124- 125. 14 1 , 149. Ellllcndorl dtslnbut~d to uppnrl~
~qudlllr !:I'\';\It'r, lu h' Ih
1960·-409.410).
gr~ndtz~r wUhm 11 I
However. the puberty and naming feasts mentioned above also CJ(cmpltfy JII

other upect of maturation feast) : "child·growth" mveslments (1lJy,kn 190\44. lhrn repaid "h 1\ Ih
R Imt Rub'" purtrn. ~t hnu
-45. 5-4 SS. 59. MautS 1967:6. Ui. Oberg 1973;n. J5. KI. 121, o~n1.l1l'

,••
 SOUTHEf'N NOA1HWE.\T COASt 'LA. l
- - - 0 _ _ ~_

qUlred dut 1I11L"n.."Sl bt' p,llJ on Jonn~, The northern C" t S I I

------ - Ith (1948 \.)>.0. 11:)70. F<rg\lson I
va~ a IIJ 1 grOllps ask d ·'cll",rJ n_
100 percent Interest on ~1 loon ( B.11 nClt 1918 :135. 1955 :2.58 . ) h. e ror r,fe I" up destroyed a ",.er, lnJ~, "''''mul!
2.59 . l e sCJlIthcrn C s ella gfO
.. JiJ:-h ( B.lnlctt lQ55 ; 1.5~ 2.59) ~lnd the Twana (E Lme:ndorf 960' ) dd 03\t Bell J ~.n g debts Boas (t897:3 60 • '966·54 an
, . _ . . , I ·330 1 not rc:qulr o cl atO~ '
llucreSl. Jnd lht" KwakJull hat.! vJ n ab lc I.OtCrcst rates that depe d d e theIr p 0 her.lD-Ia'" who was rrymg to e de rq>
_ n eon the ler ' ea1 rO 3 lat
2.0 percC'nt ror less th a n SlX months. 40 percent for six months a d lll . thr d ",ned a wooden effigy of h w,k Pu a
, , n 100 percent ft IO
_la'" rO
1:1 Or mOre months (Bo.,s .8977341. ' 966:78-79: Codere 196 6:69-7 1). Purth Or ,on- k nd droppmg It m the sea And Om r t
's nee a
an IndJ\,iduaJ's "credil ["aong" (i.c ., reputation, "sta rus." pasI perform crrnore, In,·ge h be "seiZed If a debt v. as nOt p~"j 19 9 (\
. . . once) alletted me mlg t
I11S borrowmg copablb ues and the mcerest he pa.d where applocabl ( n. dering that an mdiVldual 's name repre_entrU all
_ . , , ., e: Barnett Jry cons.
' 908.8 J, Boas r897·341, ' 966.78. Elmendorf '960:330: Rosman and Rubel '971 : Q pen. ' . J gh ts (Bam en t955:134. Drucker '91<> 61 ~
m onla n
dividu als burde ned with poor credit had to pawn their name fo r a ye 3 ), In· cere I ved wben it W lIS ius nolffiC. not has f'<''' n. t
a r, an d paid nor ens a
exOrbtlan CmtereSl races, even ove r 200 pe rcent, to get reestabhshed (Bo 8 ",as h have vaned accordmg to the amount .nvul
as . 97:341 c. rnlg t
1966:78: Codere ' 966:70). A H ayden (1995:52) states, ic seems likely that loan . "uS maUy lost the valuable ceremorual , n , ._.•
s We re I he rruIU ....\I
n Ol always re turned accordin g to these specified rates. ab y. eCled with ius name. as weJl as own",crur of pt\:
Even witho ur .nteres! on loans, there were obvious advantages m this s leges conn all
YStelll bestOwed Thus. poteno " a peT. On. po tt
he name
fo r borrowers and lenders. Bo r rowers w e re able to amass pro perty and indebt t d oyed by not fulfillmg ius conrracrual fea. "
been eser
others WIth the ir secondary disrribull ons. Lenders mcreased their c1a; ~ s
OVer
04 1,

others, forcing borrowe rs to actively engage in ongoing production and wealth

Reciprocal Feasts
exchanges. Lenders who w ere faced with defauJting bo rrowers might have been . ocal feastS were ongomg reaprocal alth
Reapr .
able to "foredose " on resource sites or o ther prop erty that belonged to the bo . . d and mamfamed alltances hem een gmu for
r inmate
rower either m /jeu of payment or until late paym ents and "late charges" were e and economIC benefit. e g • a u t' I ~
rnarn 'ag ~
patd . In some cases defaulters may even have been enslaved , or served with sOllle The ongomg nature of reaproca/ le ' IS fullill d
other potential penalty su ch as being forced to direct members from their house. self-interest of aggTandizers (Har den 11»; ,u--"" of," It
hold to labor for their creditors. Purthermore, lending property and distributing cenrrano n of wealth and power 10 t he h
wealth at feastS enabled aggrandizers to maintain full production of food and Wealthy and powerful group, lendt'd to p le
goods withour worrying about storage, security, or spoilage (Hayden 1995:45). further rusrancmg rhem'ch from I
Lmponantly, an mdiVldual 's ability to lend or borrow, his credit rating, the inter· was maIntamed, Increasmg Ih wealth
est rates he paid, and the network of borrowing and lending contacts he had, continuous exchange pro''lded a pt'rpctual
were all undoubtedly affected by the promotional feasts he sponsored. his past tracrual obltganons b ~en elltl~ .and
record of transactions, and the degree of support from successful , hererutaty cor· debt less wealth mdmdu,ds -h
~rare~u~. . . . establIsh type of Ih.m. thal
The contracrual claims created over an indiVIdual by mdebnng them vIa loans terest
or feast distributions were exacting. An mdiyjdual who falled to repay hIS debts al· Intergroup mama~ ~ t and the
most certainly lost allies, supporters, the chance fOf a good marriage. and his good e ample' of re..'pn ~
credit rating or "prestige." More seriously, warfare or t he threat of warfJrC was 195n~, 186. 191 llU; lm ndorf I
often the result of defaulting on oblIgations (Hayden 1995:35,4 0 ,60; Mauss 196TJ, southern 0 I 1i.'Ih hild
/I). If ordinary tenants had to pawn t h elf name
"
.e ., r eputJtion ) fora yeartoas
" (j and Como (north m
66' ) I'tl's mUSl have hauslln·
sure repayment (Boas 189T341, 1966:78 ; Codere 19 ·70. Cl . . .. ffasts wtU ~ ~r
I d(.'bts In cxtrrnlC wcs. 107, Bou
ilar liens on each other to give force to t h ese comractua · " ' ..
.. . .. 'h m"t' ,'tint bad (Ft r In
VIOle nce could be uKd . Perguson states that wal IS .111 eXl • ... ... I wJr
~ts Plm,
g"'on 1984a 17 18, 41), and that unfulfillcd "SOCldl" obll~.lIttlI1S n'UlIVJtrl

100
 SOUTHERN ORTHWES C

- states that group exogam~ noe

pnltCl'lmg onc or bOlh groups rrom auack and slave raids (Barnc[( 19 ' 6055 0
) '-
55 18:>. 18 dorf (19 '.1 concern behInd eutl:: m .. rna, , Th .
270; Druckel 195 1 302. Elmt:ndorf 1960:349. 561. Pcrguson 1984b:>85), Se' 1.
m,ITnages wilh slgrlln c.11ll wcalth exchanges establIshed resou rce allia eCnd. t/le prtll dP an ces ",th other Vllla "'. elite manu.
nees th of all I
cnJbled access to ano th er group's resource sites (D rucker 1939:59. 1951 '26 at vaf1 e t)' 0 allies, labor, and oth",r up rttt ,
, 7 268 d access t
Elmcndorf 1960:267-2 68 . Pe rgu son 1984 b:288; Sutdes 1960 :299) D' ; crease al h rnarnage e~ch.lllge th~ groom ~
, rUek.e ast S IS
(1951 '>..l8) Cl les an example of a nch sa lm on Stream obtained by a duef h r ern co h 20 I ndian blankets, ;-0 u ...k
. ' trough f S200 cas '
marnage T hIrd. mamage feasts with wealth exchanges mereased ercdJ gift 0 I ter the bodes l'anuly returtlrd I 000
e e years a
change opportunities because the spouse's relatives beca me additional t-elt_ 'fhr ,2 00) The rerum was eemmgl 1,., __ ,h."
Contacts ett 1955- ' ,
for lendmg. borrowmg. or other support (Barnen 1968:50. 51; Drueker t l ' (sarn I illustrates that In reall£)' .10 return
95 '430' ch ange a so
Elmendorf 1960:361-362), Barnet[ notes that if a groom 'S father did not h ' v: mal gift. or equal to It, or lin\( m
the oog
enough property [or the marriage gift to the bride 's family "he ca lled upon ave chan the subsequent reclprocatin· fe \!amen
changed to
wl[e's brothers , , , for their contributions to swelJ the total of the marn'ag" ,his
" eglft·, 1'296-2 97),
(1955:185), Fourth, marnage feasts wIth wealth exchanges forged aliianees that 195 . b equent reaproca\ feasts c ut.:! on
ex- The SU 5
rOom WIshed to remaIn m.tm r
Panded an mdividual's political connections and helped increase political co ntrol bnde an d g ., •
wlthm and berween groups (Barnen J938 :133. 1955=182; Jewit( 1987:19), And fifth h to remam allled_ It ,eerru 1_ rh t
marnage alliances secured the transfer of titles and privileges from the bride'; groupS \VISrder to affirm ties bem en th,
years 1[1 0
famIly to the groom and his family. Among the Twana. Nootka. and most Coast , EJrnendorf 1960:35-), fter each ~ '"
Sailsh groups. these titles and privileges were intended for the couple's furure 194. fr to 'dIvorce ~ me omer 1th ut furthn'
was ee
children (Barnen 1955=189. 1968:31; Drucker I951 :291; Elmendorf 1960:381,384), If pnvileges that reverted to the bnde r:
no children resulted, the titles and privileges reverted to the bride's family , 95' Drucker 195 1 NI, JO- Th ~ t
1955-I '
(Drucker 195I:2.9J), However, despite the claim that the titles and privileges were neW cyd e of exchJn~c-
.... had to ~ IJUD.lt
solely for the couple 's furure children. it seems likely that the groom or his fam- (Sarnert 1Q55;195, Boa, 19"" ';4---
ily controlled the titles and pdvileges at least until the couple's children reached A groom'5 m,lrnJg.: gift nll hI
mdependent maturity (Drucker 1951:266, 269; Barnett 1955: 251 ), Drucker 195I.l<lI), III onc ... ar B m n
Kwaluutl. Pentlatch, and Comox marriages contrasted with those of the example after the btnh ,'I .. htl ItIl
Twana. Nootka. and other Coast Saltsh groups, because the groom himself Elmendorf 1<)(>0 15S n Imn dl.l
overtly receIved and controlled the titles and privileges given by the bnde's fam - mdlvlduals, .lOd \\ ,uld pubh rh IT
ily (Barnett 1955;189, 290. 294. 1968 :31; Boas 1966;62-63, 71; Codere '990:367; Ros, ing the return. the hnd ,uh r
man and Rubel 1971:(73), As a result, the ereauon of a famJiy was often a retumlll': Ih m.lm.t b
~econdary consideration compared [0 acquIring wealm. a lHes, resource nghts, Jmung hIS ,,\\ n nfew Irk
pnvlleges, and titles (Boas 1966:5 1, 56). Multip le (sequentia l monogamous and Oru(ker 1951.:191
polygamous) marnages were sough t in order to accumu late m ic, and pnvilege! The groum or CmU lid
(Barnett 195s:r94: Code re 1990:368; Drucker 194R:177) Sham marnages between w(al w alth It
two men, a man and a household dog, or one man and part of ,lI1other\ bad),. every th t h
were practlced I>Olely for acquIring tHles and pnviJegcs and presumably ,IS J prt' 1'I55 1'11),lh hrtJ

rnt for exchanging wealth as wtll (ljarnl'll 191Ha IB, 1955 203; Bml~ IH\j7l5~. nJIIV I. P
1966~, <Ackrc 1990 3611, Druchr 1'I4HlIS) . TIll: JOlOUIlLS of plopel ty ,'X(h,tngl'ti SUIIllr ~

at large. cUtt marnage between wrpOl :lit, group, 01 vt\lJ~J" dJ'arty Imltt,llt ,I !-oil lIh [Ih
fM, the w Ucunn (ted w althy cllll'~ who Wt'lI' 11'.11'"11-( till' ht'lIl'iIlS Ibl",1 hnu nlC'm
_L___
-.uuvt
"_,_L_
Lfluuu:r 19.81711.1'151 ;Lt!,;, 111Ilt'lIdod l\lf'(J.I~I, Ihl
.
1,,1,1/,11"1
) I'IlIll'lI n

:l02
 SOUTHERN NOR HWI:ST COAsr '-EA
'oIonl'., R J'rTo,JIt' -
""'3' less fot tnal .lllJ. 1~
rurn lh4ln hl~ r.llht:r-m -Iaw could Or would d like y =
I
.Jj d cl h pro", e Ulllmately the tS I' seem< hoUSes or COl puntc
~c proVl e L father -m law wllh the reSOll ak ' groom hUll \ul rn dJlferdl I
11 rees to m e an enorm
gl return . These Sln1anons do not seem to fit h OUS marnag 01[<> frO
a procaJ wealth exchanges berween rwo groups h
t e typICal pattern of
ongoing re
t _,.o(S·
- . Owcvc r. It IS dea r th tlOIf '-
b e n t: fi cal alliances were c reated _These t.llust _ - at mUtually . I positiOns and supperr
ran Ons are good eXam 1 ~ politiCO
bemg_ bem 10 accommodale pr.cncal benefil co nst'd e ra n o n s. p es of norms FeOsrs or ort feases and feases to acqullllll:eC polmcal
DlSrnbucmg the receipts from the m arriage g ift accomplished I pohocal supp they were sunilar (although no
because J
"
)eco'es. nrSt. th e b n d e .s father paJd off an y eXlSrtn d b D
. C al east Inree ob. lOgether [ was so ngbdy connect" ",th m·n
. . g ets omg so perp . al suppor
hIs reputaoo n as a good crerul nsk. ensuring he could b . . et\laled i/lg pohoC reap rocal \ that It is difficult to di; :m ..
. ' . orrow agam. Second . proroonoD.
bnde s father crealed adrunonal chums over IIldiVlduals b db ' ' the Id•."'!)"
, . y III e ong them VI
hIs discnbunons. And tlurd. prod uction of surplus goods clo r t h e marnage ' purpose . feast that funcoo ned as a fot mal c din
ift lth
rum could proceed Without the burden of storing the mania "'.. g re· ']'he roatna! < I Funeral feastS occurred ",-hen:an c
. . ge gUt Items. Th fune! leas .
o pporruruty for both the bnde s and groom's families !O create e is the .... pOSlriOClS and p roperty 01 the d
. . contract\lal obh. . over u,e
gaoons was pro bably a pnmary reason for the lavish naCUre of ell raking " ' Drucker 1951:1.1": Drucker anJ Hetz .t
. le marnages th ,g6, .10.
The feasl gtven by a groom when h e distributed the marriage gtft b Sfl1l ~. and debt obliganoClS (Dru .,r H
pay ack Was d's crew!
'often the greatest of his career" (Drucker 1948:279). cease H den 1995.65). Thus. the funeral fe ,
#69 ay
Considering the numerous b en efits that resulted from reciprocal f. . I . . e!J es thal he would keep the eb
. ~asrs. It IS lIIg other I
easy ro agre e With Rosm an and Ru bel (197T: I 73- C74) that mar nage mvolved a '65) ImporIandy. the hell did n t nc:c
den 1995· . .
srrategy in w!ucb rhe resources. rrui)[ary stre ngth. credit rating. POSIOOttS. and 1Il. ~~ ncracrual relanons!ups b ..fumb
specu'c co
fluence of a prospective spouse's family were scrutinized in order to maximize mer exchange p3rme~ \Drucker olDd HC'1Zer 1 H
rhe practical benefits that would accrue to the participating fa milies (Drucker girundtely affirm hIs mtenoon to m.UDt I
1951:287-288 : Elrnendorf 1960:335) . The faer rhat marriages were arranged for destroytng property and b ' dJ.smbunng p
elite children. frequemly of a very young age. substantiates the mference that this ent at the funeral least \Dru.:.k.~r nd H
srrategy was bemg followed b y families (Boas 1897:362; Drucker 1951:143. 287; El. nOI speofy whether or not the ( omm n
mendorf 1960:353) , Moreover. polygamous marriages enabled the wealtfuesr, "ere related to the deceased but the h
most ambitious mdividuals to multiply rhe advantages of t!us strategy (Barnen "hether the (ommone~ w re relat ed (' n
1955:193: Drucker 1951:301 : Elmendorf 1960:36 7-3 68 ; Hayden 1995:43). tractUaI obhganon \\'.1 not UllUa tcd IIh
The marriages of commoners conrrasted markedly With elite marriages. al· soli be more or le relmbu d
though of course . there was a concnuum of intetllledlate marriages (Drucktl guesl at fUNre fun ri fe ts r ha
1951:2.86.288-28 9 . 2 9 2 • 293 ; Elrnendorf 1960:370 ). Lower·c1ass indiViduals typically 161: Havden 1995.t>O) Th re l'C' fun
•
did not marry outside of their own commuruty (Elmendorf 1960:353. 404. 5)01 Rosman and Rubel ( IQ"I ~

Some commoners "jUSt woke up m bed togemer" (Elmendorf 1960 :370) mdlc. 1 of .Among som llOftht:m
mg little or no formal marnage ceremony. feasting . or ongomg wealth e..~ch3nge\J 10 the outh ( g. K IUtl the-

10 other cases me parents made an informal agreement. InVlted a few guests 10 . dunng the \ifeum ut th
8 2 1 21gq
meal and distnbuted wken gifts (Barnett 1955.192; Drucker 194 : 79. 195 '29 ,
But the pot nn I
rr aweu Rosman ,nd
Elmendorf 1960·370, 1971.361 ). Th d ' unhll lion for a
f ' 1fca ts I 1" us. I
Mamage feasts were not the ooly type 0 rCClproca , .' lfJ, of
d d U d thno!(rJphl< rw '"'phe that
focuted on the m becau e of the abundant an eta cc . h lhl heir'
I1 Vt'f mhcr IeJ,1 ,Ul ~ In
marnage feasting and wealth ex< h ange~ owe . . I 11" It
Jrhll' VCl \im
Twana Inu:rvtllag billng h ' II val ( I!lllwndlllf l'IilO 1\11 I·P )
 SOUTHERN NOftTHWtST C ~f f£
- ----
c"(lnlltll (lV(;f th e." .lnd pnv ll cgcs unul lh · . d .h
" <.' 0 1.. - .. In addJoon to tn...t c ~ m
CII ca l ( Bal'n e tt 1955 ' 2. . of property. e the scal" of thel< con"" u I
IlJt; l l,Clh , .l. r·H~ ). 11 w,!.' onl y ,Ill e r th e fun e ral ~ 'J.s l'.h I " ' 5 1, Dn.lck eas
l.: ~ :ll l'le apprenu h er ",eJ'j( .J .... efS to 1f\cr I
n.r3"'"" 2
~lI1d lilt' hl' lI 1lt'~.lIl ~ · .\(.· n': l :; lI1 g co ntro l ( Druc ke r 1 ) Ccs ,p" cndc'" es (Haydeo 1995'5 .
195 145 . In order to 4
''''' er eX c.ha.ng Co cs were SPOl15-0~d b ,.
l() hI/ill) (·'I .•hll, h llwlI nelwo rk of credit and d b At · permit hei I,rg ove ,eas
e t , e a e luncral feast rs
Cl ."') twld Ollt' 11' I wo years Olftcr the actual dealh of h· f S were ge" C ompen d "olved enOllll OUS prop.:r u
a c 'e or Iugh-r " ).n Ul
alth""gh ""c"m funeral feasts m'ght also be held to _ anktngeUte 6oj38, J4J I III attendance . E"n, C.Lrue I~ ,
, reassure nvals and .' ,9 . d of peop e
of lhl' hCII"!\ IIllCI1UOns and capabilities ( Bar-nett . creditors th
ousan s pIe attending rwo 5pcofic a,·
'955 .2 ' 9, 220 ' D d , ~oo peo .
1951: '48 ' 49 ). ' rucke, eople an . f the common feasr OCCa51()n,.s. "u~h
P
!T1Jghr be any 0 .
crer society lrutl.lOOn~ Elmen J rf I
At the funeral feast the heir needed to prove he was wo tl f
. . r ly 0 succeed' 55:257)' se
deceased . Sponsonng an 'mpressive feast inrucated that he I d h lng the Barneet t9 '26,), or spnng mteJ utb.1 mcetm~.
. . 'la t e necessa ' (Barnett 1955· -
dustry, ambition , group suppOrt, wea lth, and resources to do ry 'n· feaStS "'9 70 ) Boas ([ QTJ-lJ, 35" • Jnd B.lm n ,
0
I
(1966:6 0-'" '
(192575-89) CIted a si ru ation in which an important Kwakiutl r h' f h so. Boa, Codere eative feasong re turn_ "ere" pct d to
· . ~ 'e ad died [e rhat comp
his nephew was to replace him . n,e men from rlurteen Kwakiutl 'b and aU st. although short-term loans \Vla"n la h u. b
· tn es Were ' ·bu Oon . I
Vlred ro ti,e funera l feasr, fed . and then 2,000 blankets were ruSt .b lJl· to . reres r rates as O\V as 25 p at
n uted amon . h[ carry ID
the 658 sear holders of the thlrreen tribes. Sponsorin g this feast Wo Id b g fIllg . le of a highly artendeJ compcutI\
. U ave bee As a.n examp
an enormous w1dertaking for anyone, and the heir must have had C .d n erry being rransfet td, Boa,
. . ons, erabl e am oUllts 0 f pro P
aSSIstance from his supporters. The stakes were high . The heir's unci ' rh exchanges InItiated b) a mama,
. . esseat.a of we al ~ ,cr F
house , rwo valuable coppers, four feasong rushes, and various Other s .u cl f: nulres from rwo UlUerenr on u 1 I
· . " onp~d KWalo 3
pnvileges could all have been forfeited if the heIr had failed to ruspla h . d ' Rosman and Rubelr,,-I 'IOJ II>J
yteTe. manze 10
quired control over the economic and social resources of the corporate grou ned seems obscure be, u_ e th
erry recur
Depending on rhe deceased's influence, guests might be from Other t:bes oas (1966:;4) ..s. un~s readcr that th lu \
However, B
(Boas 1925:75- 89) or strictly from the deceased's village (Blmendorf t960:459). A . gegtftrerum )is farme~ce . , r"h tth
marna n
claimant to a more powerful or contested position needed to sponsor a more ex. sponsonng a comperiuve fi: J.'I n~qUlred
travagant feast than a claimant to a lesser position. Drucker (1951:48 , 49) reports Boas 1898 .682, lQ25 2}(\-.I'> : Ehnend rf •
iliar for lesser chiefs and wealthy commoners rhe heir invited only the local chie&
to a feast and gave them gifts. Por lesser individuals, funeral feasts probably Or.
years or longer generall,· bemg ale.:!
aggranchzer spent the:e ,CJf. "mOl.
•
curred shortly after death, and they probably exhibited more traits of solidarity and feasts 1 Barnen 10:;:; 2;;S.-'l:;~.
feasts for nuclear or extended families . Ir is doubtful thar slaves had any funeral plus proJucnon iTom ret~tn f. t
feasts at all . (olleered 10 fin~n(t· on l"nr.. ttI U

rew ),e.", until bemg relllnl. J Ith

GREATER-RETURN FEASTS: THE COMPETITIVE FEAST 347, Codere 190(t '~O\.
Competitive feasts were the only feast type in which greater returns were re Surplus relurns nahl, d
quired on mltial feast distnbutlons, thus creating material profits for sponsors ,nd to addmon to m(red mg I h IT It
supporters alike. "Competitive feasting mvolving interest payments 's clearly one I~gcs, ,lnd th S{.lle (lf their
of the most common strategies used for extending personal power and wealth . m motivJle,1 suppon t

(onl the Northwest Coast" (Hayden 1995:58-59) Investments and wealth el (lIuld mampul.t ,anJ attr.l
changes were necessary to b d h I
mcrease wealt h eyon t e Im,re
cl surpluse,
.
prov,ded tldhll" H.IYu
-"' n I
66 ' ) taleS Ihal rhe under· In ~dJlIl11n.
by retamer labor (Hayden 199s:59) Boas ( t897:34 1, 19 77 s
. ... h f h • 'CSI bl'aI1llg ,ni,'" b ",dl1
lymg pnncipJe of the potlatch dlstnbuuon 's I ,I{ 0 t C II1tel • It

206
 SOUTHERN NOPTHweSl COAST F(ASl C.

TABLE 7.1
. the Kwaklud [Ook compeonve t"easnng to el\.Ucm~
f InallY. h sums to be gIven baek and rOM wue n era
"in wtu c • 1nl
feastS ., (Druc.ker '95r:J8t) and slgmficant pro~rt) d <ttu
Properry Dlslnbute:d ",llIes was broken f these feasts. bl a.nkets were d escroved. greas" and ,
Invlled Guests
some 0 were killed (Boas I 89"7:353-l5-1- 19t!t'''j • ., Cl -. ,
Groom's marriage gift. 500 b lankets
12 tribes
GiOom amasses bl
_,I; amount< of. n
all d slavesNo other groUPS d estroye d S15,~,canl m
by calling illl\c.Cts . 69 )' ( s opposed to funer al fe asts and ani" the nome
199 0'3 '
10 oUt.s~ . feaSts a • ...0
loans. nclmg inve oach the intensity o f the K,.,,-ak.Jutl m o.In .• ".
Fa ther-m -Iaw's OX appr ed ' .".m
300 blanke ts: a
unrnedialc reruro Groom sdI S cOPper CO[1l,65' 265- 266 • 1968:8' ; Oro.e ker 194 :2)2. 19';1·3- , " I. ' Rt,
cere m o ni al tid e; the
. years later ~ two 1955 I the ultimate compeuove arena for anracnn~ and
P~~Y ort exchange parrne.rs. and other supporten;
great copper" or 600 tJ.
o f gn:asc C
. fease used
os . lau I
nam ed Sewa
to finance: a least
t:
fo r
li 'ca! supp • -,
o . - 354) reports. the broken n val lo_t Ius mt1ucn an und
several l1ibes.
(1897.353 d many econo!J1lC . ng. h (S . H e \\ OlS . Ul e ',=,-., b.lll nro
Groo m 's second 1.000 blanke ts
Occurs
_ _ fou r ye ars after porters an riz as the " .
typiCal potlatch. .. the " fe~lS" tth
cUstnbuDon [Q
ed
the lOltial och angtl.
cha rac te
facher-m-law were dearly extreme for illS on the .orth\\ e,t C '
Father-m·law·s rerurn 300 blankets; 50 shawls; 10 tribes return feastS were much more common
Occurs four years illI:.lcr In
zo pairs gold eanings; Croom ·s second
zo gold bracelets·• distnbuuo n Bridc's CHANGES WITH CONTACT
25 stJver earrings; father amasses Ar thiS pomt there is no eVIdence to mdKat
25 silver bracelets; propert)' by calUng h. by ethnographers are fundamenrall~' dJ.fferent III pnn D\
50 pair abalone shells •' outstandmg loans.
ing acovities. except perhaps for the more extrem
50 silk kerchiefs •' Groom immediately
suucnve feasong \ Bamett lOt> 104 . I - . Oru.: er I I
10 phonographs. distnbutes the goods
35 sewlflg machmes; [0 the Important codere (1966\". 61 ) who Jrgues that po t nt:t
250 wooden boxes; chid's of the 10 denCles m Kwaklutl culrure Thu . . thl Il.lN
40 dressers; 50 masks ; mVI[ed tnhes. the \IIillgenous dcvelopmc!nt of :,)".11 ID
Z50 danang aprons; European'Induced adaptations m , 'orth t
25 canoes; 15 boats; Many dIlferencc!s between preel'llIoI t n d
a box of crests Before European amyal ( I' Ih d\l
Source' Sou 1925:236-357 Presumably [hIS exchange cycle cononued unttl economIC hmll,S or IncrUst Wt l't' \Bamen 19,51;(>--1~7; CoJere l~ 904 . 1
often and In maller amuunt Jut' t
rcached and It became tmposSlble lO exchange escalating amOllnlS.
live good.~ (Bamett 1\16 .10 . od
(j) fewer !:\le. ts ITom oth
tunlty - the massIve quantIties of rerurned property could be distributed 10 (Barnen IY5;:~5(>-­
wealthy and powerful guests from other villages wirh whom (he aggrandiW ehtes (Uuld ~lfonl hI t .l
wanted 10 mdebt or establish a relationship for purposes of resource access. sccu IQ1Q\ Depopulatlon
nty. or poliucalsupport In Boas's (1925:236--357) account of the mJrnJge between <t"t' asrd thr s.u III

famlhe~,
lhl
tWO high ranking Fori !tupnt (he groom used Ihe pro(ccds frOl11 rs ~n'

ft'a~l
" Worn n . t I
fathe r In law'. return to spon",r a for scvl'Tallnhcs (Boash IQlpHQ).
f' 01 Iht· Jnd
I'll
1!166 115. 11190 JII
M dlJtribul d th father \Illaw'~ )Nond n'lUrn 10 th,' rJllkllll:'
.. I' . IcllIC IQ~P\~' 11>1'·
Hun ~nd

tribe att ndIn" Ih I

CVl' nl (Boas l\llS: ISI 457: ,I '0'" ,atl IT"m r

' 968 'W Elm ndorf 1\IlIO m. WI)

201
 SOUTHERN NORTHWEST COA.ST H"\lING.

CONCLUSION
Pt" ..lSlS were vated by thelT own selt-IDtettst, but , 11th r'{>l.
~pOnsorcd on rh ""ere roOD
IIlteKeSt d e southern No nh wc ·cipants L a: ntiate the soUdanty, pro m o uo n>l, tn~ lment and-'--
. s ~Hl ambition- Th s t O:.'lS I l o sen ·c rh IIr[l d Oll, ere "ux:r
rOr promotmg: selr" nle res ' v ey . COl1<t. HlIlc d Impo rtant slrategles "'od C .' POn sOr~ ' p d n(lCy an
to I C cl U1 man
y fea sts and podatches. E:q>lanaooll> b...,d on .._
lve fi ' nr because they emphaSIZe vague psychol , I vca
I 1.1 the a cquI s Iti o n 0 1 wea lth and powe r A. lCchn'qlJ('~
s ",vo
dl\lIduals striving ( ' peer .. re de oe .
. 0 Increase their Own mblt, O\.l soge a acknowledgmg p",cocal consequence Thu, OX"
I phsh several goals power and prOS pcnt:y needed SIn " p~
, r .pprov,
I ~th out . T
tlge h erechtary chums. or IDVe <menu. offer IDcomnlctt
F. l O accorn _
cf. re pres '
trsr, they needed to a[lract and bmd Iobo r to th I
10

CID
'og wa
.
'
a n sWer s, W
hich by the m selves create truSleadmg unprc " on.
•
r
<=
qual Ity labor su pported the aggrand Izer; and the ' e mse ves Or their group. High.
109 d h I f acnvltles such h U n spec:iJic
cholog.ca
'm
I m o tiva tio ns, su ategles, and pracocal goals a ",,-,.t J ....
an arvcstmg reso u rces 3 [ privately Or cor po ra le ly d as ous~ bUlld. . g rhe psy h t the present slll1'lus·b ased model of self'\I\ltlt,tcd ~
Good s up 1 owne reso u .n I suggest t a
p o rrers a so In creased gro up sccuri l:y a d 'd fee Sites. fe.sting. much gre ater variety of theoreticall) and ethno'nphl(all
o the d h n provl ed Surplus r. . egrates a .'
r pro u crs t ar aggrandjzers co uld m a ni pulate . ood and diZer' Iflr d observauons to a m o re sausf.etoT)· f...luon than P"'"
nt facto rs an .
Second, a mb.tio u s in ruvid uals needed to ro rm aluances 'th h inlpor[3 nI egrenable that even m ore derailed ethnognplu.: ot> <rHn n
. Wt ct er p I It IS 0 Yr
gro ups m o rd e r to In crease po li tical su ppOrt m crease ' owerful mode s. I the critical variables tha t have been chscussed. P<:thar Ihe u\-
, secun ty, and gain a t avatlab e on .
grea te r exchan ge n erwor ks and marriage par tne rs. cccss to .re no till of this approach will only be demonstrable by other <TO. ~C\1ltunl
And third, aggra ndizers n eede d a m ea ns to invest initial su rpl rimate u ty t the same kinds of tOterp ret.nons that I ha\. offered hett
uses so that th "es that suppor
I h d
wea t a n p rospe ri ty co uld cycle and multiply. elr , tu W

Va n o u s fo rms of feas nng acco mplis hed aU of these goals Thr h

. oug OUt chi
p ap er re fe r e n ces and exampl es o r dis tnbu tion s we re provided to d S NOTE can be defined as cooptrati~ group, tlw ""' rndu=~
.L () .L .. 1 c em onstr.,e C ~Maregrou~ .
Ula t 1 ul e prmclpa ,east sponsors we re we althy he reruta r:y eute d I o. d esponsibthties la resources o r propet\' o\\'t\tNhlp
. . s, an (2) the 0 1.111 nghts an r rilm
prmo p a l reop.ents o f equ al· and greater· re rum feast distributio ns w J . I I tionsh.ps WIth other groups or tndmduab Ha, den onJ
. . ere Powerful soo opobtlca re a
mruVlduaJs capable of muruall y assisting the sponsors in pursumg their goals for
19 8. ).
potennal e xchange partners, p olitical supporters, and security aDies. One of the
key founda tions underlying feasting rusrributions was contractual debt A
. ggran· REFERENCES
dize rs' fe asrmg rus tributions indebte d retainers, allies, exchange partners, and
Bornen, H. G
'938a The Coast Sahsh of Canada ~", m(.n 1Il" '~
o the r reciptents with harsb consequences for unfulfilled obligations. , t

Many proposals for the "function " of the podatch exist, but as we have seen, 1938b The Nature of the Podalch .~ mm.'Iln .tl".rct:.
there LS no smgle podatch phenomenon . Rather, there is a wide range of feasts Tire Co/Ut Solu" of Bntulr Ct,lumb"" E\I",,,,~
WIth dJ1ferent purposes. Therefore , .t is illusory to search for a general meaning Tht Natur( tHld Funcu ll lI l.1} lh( f\ltlnt\ h E );: n~ \.:
beyond that of promoting the pracncal self· interest of organizers and supporters Blrkel·SmJ[h, K.
1967 Snuh(.~ If1 Clr(1l»1r,J~'_ti4'" ,41n.rr RrLtru",~ ,
under conrutions of extractable resource abundance. SodaJ Structural explana·
tlons such as Rosman and Rube!'s approach neglect the practical benefits that Baas, P
189' Th(' SOCI.l l OrgJ..OIZ.lttll n l nd. I; 1 t :'1 t\ '
proVIded the Imperus for the Northwest Coast feasts . Suttles's argument that the
NcllumtJl MIB(Lml ..\tmu"' R''J''rt IS r
potlaIch was a redistribution mechanJsm is Inconsistent with Northwest Coast
.898 PtO.1 Report l>n tht' Mth" · ,tt'm 1\1
ethnographic data documenting that mdivldual motivations, competition, group A,h'dJU"orlfull.'l ',1nllT I{q ,,1 ft\r \ !\tI rr
sohdanry, and the control of surpluses were important aspects of potlatchrng. 1911 Ethnology ,;1 th~ "'" ,\\..1\1tl Thlfl
Explanauons that focu s solely on the Investment aspect of feasnng prOVIde an rn· filpt Ethlh1ltl1'\'. 1~1 lll,)q 1 nd II \\
•
v ,mplete analym of feasting because they do not address the numerous other 191; C(lnln"l4thHh hi Ih E l h'hll~ I

practIca l benefits or goals of feastIng. SimIlarly, equatIng feasting w.th warfare .s Prt."'-'
mulcadmg Equaung feastIng WIth warfare may .mply that at least some feamng I~bb K"'",kJlH! f"l hn~ m'rn

110 "
 Jfoll/("·. c: P. cd
PCitCt'
IU8S Tilt" J"dltltl.\ lif Pl/gCt SO l4lld
\V.-lshmgton Prc.s~
1.,,1<.). anu M 131.1kc
100...
The Po\Ve r of Presllge - Co
- . mpetmve Ge nerOSity and h
oClcnes In Lo wland Mesoamerica In r,o r C Emerge nce: of n
I
l't' ol'ml."tlt H. tilt.' N(w World d d b- ,.acllottal Comp et Ihon iltlri Poll "atl~
. ' e n e y e. Brumfiel and J po heal 0"
bndge . Ca mbridge UmverSlry Press. . ox, pp, 17-30, Ca m.
Codere. H.
1966
Fighting with Propt'rty: A St"dy of Kwaklllll Potlalel
S I - In1g alld Waif<
ea tt e: UnIversIty of Washington Press. are 1792- 1930.
1990
Kwaklutl: Trad'tionaJ Culture. In Handbook .r N I
N ortll West Coast, edited by W Surd oJ orrlAmenca 1.1
'1 tI'llan.s, Vol
. . es. pp. 359-377 Washingt . 7.
soman JnstltU[ion . on, D,e., Smith.
Drucker. P
1939
Rank. Wealth. and Kmshlp In Northwest Coast SocIety A
gut 41:55--65. . rnmcan Anllrropolo+ polInes Earns' . 'obcl Pnz
Self.lnterest U1
CI/ltl/I? El",",,"t DutnbutiollS XXVI: Northwest Coast An h i '
. t ropo ogleal Re
Vol. 9. No. 3· Berkeley: University of Califorrua Press. Cords
195' The Northern and C,,"ral Nootkall Tribes. Smithsoni.n Institu ' B
Am . non ureau of
encan Ethnology Bulletin 144· United Stares Government Printin Olli
Washmgron. D.C. g ce.
Drucker. 1'. and R. P. Heizer t " .
11
1967 To Make My Name Good. Berkeley: University of California Press.
Elmendorf. W W

The Cultural Setting of the Twana Secret Society. Amenean Antllropologut

5 0 : 6 25-633.
Oberg, K
1973
Tlu S""al Or'a",~dn,'n 4 rltc
1960 Tile Struen<re of Twalllt Culture. Pullman: Washingron State UruverSlty Press. [On PIT!'''
t971 Coast Salish Status Rankmg and Imergroup Ties. Sout/nvesternjollrnal of An.
Plddocke. Srnm
thropology 27 :353-380.
The p"tlatd, .
Perguson. R. B.
Wt'srcTn}t1ufrwl ~l' .~tUhf~l'" JJ1U
'984a Introduction In Warfare. Cltlnlfe, and Envirolllnent. eruted by R B. Ferguson Rosm.lO ..\ . Jnd P G Ruhd
New York; AcademIC Press .
10';'1 F(d.)tmg \\1,k \11"( Ell""
r9 84b A Reexamillation of the Causes of Northwest Coast Warfare . In Warfi"" Cui. Schulnng. R J
and EnVlron"'''''t. eruted by R B. Perguson. pp.267-328. New York: Acad.
rUTC. 1005 M"'t.a", IJn.. btbr, nJ
erruc Press.
8I1rn.b,. 1\ C ~r ·h. I
Gosden. C. Sproat. G
1989 Deb!. Production. and Prelusrory. Journal of Alltllmpological Arc/lllc.log)' I~K' I h( , ...... tka \ ,,", 11
8:355-,187. SlI "hem. A
Hayden. B. I~ , Th( Ho/'(
1990 Nimrods. P15carors. Pluckers. and Planrers ' The Emergence 01 Pood ProtlUC' SUlll ... \\
uon. Journal of Anth,opologrcal Arcluuology 911·69 I tlil1a11\
199] A,c/latoWgy Th. SCUna of Dna dnd Futu,( Tllulg' N,'w YClIk. "rceOl"n
 /",tln R rrrllllu' •
\\ .tlcm.. ~
-
lUl'!l F{,d.ft1rI,~ WIIII ClltHll/mlJ PnnCC'lon PnnCClOn UniverSity Press.
I \.VohJl. P

I 11178 licolog-y. Agn(uln..II'c Jnd Social Orgal''IIzaoon The Dynamics

Composlllon In the HI~hJands of Papua New CUUlea of Croup
Unpubl.shed Ph 0
THE BIG DRINK
dls~eJt.ltlon. Unlverslry of Mmne.... ola, Mmne.apohs
Youn~. ~1
FEAST AND FORU M IN TH E UPPER A AZQ
Flgllrwg \VIr" Food Cambridge: Cambndge Unlvcrslty Press.
Wa rren R. De80er

- d theKwa ki ut1·potlatch"doesnotseemto~~ dew. or

1849 peno , to Th
he) pfe- h ' a need for a distinctive term r It. ~ Sn
In It that t ere 1
an institutIon. 9 of 9''ft 5 or even of ceremonialized giVIng In huma ~
bout the gl\/l11 t·, 09 s wi th othe r Villagers or outslde{~ are so f.tQIJ
a f e and mee
om1ngS·o ·ag , K klutl practlces seem less particular JUt t
( for gifts that wa
Cod.", 196':445

The feasf-or Ifs SrJntsh '-"gt'lJI<'

encompa ·smg connot~t1'lIl - h h n
Yet feasf have be~n \ le" ~ Itn d'nrr
Jccumul.nng we~lth IOJ r,'" r,
lion, or for rt'Jffirmtllg "" loll t
promonng sohJ,lnt\' Uf Inr III
mg Or lor Jsmg ni,', (If
•
llgt IS OH ntt.l , IIJ rh
JI1.' OXI''' rJ .111,\ Jr III I J
tu br 0 drhghtfulI
rr,rmbIJn, but .ch I

Z14
 FEA ST AND FO RU M IN tHE UPPE,'" AM~lO
•

- .. n wasa ciltOndec<omy perrar lIle.! bv. 'P"culxud r., lit ~

cou ld be likened to the category "game" (Lakof!" ' 987:16). C odere's ob
rv on !)'
,,,rea
-"'e all'
n " tera
rure these speaallSt> are ".no\151
' .
cl
rhercfore, 's appos" " se "' , f
o the SpanlS (" godmothers"), or s.ucrJOI4.I pn t~,
I __
However am biguo us a general category, th e feast may p rovld e a Us r
10[0 the wo rk1Ogs of spennc cultura l system s Irs ver y unbo
. _
d e ul entree
un edness a
tn ",e '.), " ad,1IuU lex and leads to a cOflS.deranon of Corulx>
~o
o
.... operatio .'
o.scomp
ecanOus gender roles and. bv utert>too. u.e
!),e 1pobtlCS. pr
I ty mg nature res.sr interpretive closure and may thereby open a Wt'd e WInd
. nd ram•• • seJ{Ua
og,'l[Ilf (Odi oo Romrs who often
an ' 9 6 9 ' Roe 1982' Gebban-Savcr IQ -
'
what ., revea led and concea led In hum an behavio r , the stru ctures of 0 ", .nto seem resIStant lO or at least "'''U'i
e
1 that sca ffold such behavi o r, and, as will be argued , an:haeo]oglcal
' meaning
res.d (\I chaeologlS
For ar . . ' let m e pOtllt out that much of the foUow\I)'
borh osibuloes,
. H ere I attempr ro m arshal the ava,lable evidence conce r mng' t h e m 'ucs of raphiC se " b themselves. Tha t LS, It is not totaU • ·dc~p-:ru
dwo nal fi esta of rhe Conibo and Shipibo, demz ens of the centra] .ndajar tr. g
ch e eoru'bo-ShiP' art 0
of fore lgn observers. A fundam~nul than
Ucayali basin in the Amazon region of eastern Peru . This fiesta t h e an, shupper " • . on the p . b .. al _.t , C
I ( 0(000 . the oppOSlOo n erween m e cw= an" I' m
. C om'b 0 - Sh'P'
'b Ig dnnJu ng .. m ' 'b 0 ) , was practiced as recently as h reati . o thought IS
( , t e m,d'19 Ship.b " b ings of nature, females are regarded 0 " Th
(d Ans 1994: Heath 199), Roberta Ca~pos and Joan Abelove, personal comm:~~ J\S proer eaO"ve e .
alli S females with the drsrupnve fon:e: of tUNrt In
ca tion, April 18, I975) bur, as far as IS known , has been discontinued . (OOCllpl 'seen ee e
ardians of culrure . m oderanon . and order .
j . ' . . smce tha
ame . The eVIdence LS of three kinds: (I) mterviews with Conibo·ShipI'b0 mformt s are the gu d " _ t ....
",al e ( 82 1988'11 8---120 an m ore spealL~" tar
d by Roe t 9 · . '
an ts who remember . the fiesta (the "memory culture" approach)'' (2) a .a"c , Iy large.
oose . ) thiS theme has bo th concep~1 and .w.\ rt
bur unevenly reliable corpus
z. of references from missionaries ' explo rers, and a n : oven (1996 , .
/V( • s of concenmc circles FIg 1 An um r
few early ethnographers; and (3) material correlates of the ani shreati th at can be . uallZed U1 term .
vtS f culture and conslsrs 01 h ou: e. fl
tracked m the archaeological record. ale domaln 0
to (b women'). The ome.mosl a rde c
In pursuing this project, I will focus on those cemral themes proposed by Hay. larelY dean< Y les and male hunnng. . An tnt<.'rlIl 3tt'
den and Maneeprasert, namely: "(l ) the purpose of the feast; (2) the group in· libidinOUS ,ema
volved; and (3) [he amount of surplus that can be assembled for feasting
purposes" (1996:18). This tripartition, however, cannot fully enfold the complexi·
nes of the ani shri!1lti, and various sorties intO orher aspects of Conibo-Shipibo HMAl [
-
culrure will conmbute comext.

PURPOSE OF THE FIESTA

The manifest purpose of the ani shreatt was to mark and celebrate the penod
when a girl or cohon of girls reached, or approached, maInageable age. Th,s
straightforward statemem, however, needs clarification. The fiesta, although
techrucally a "puberty rite," dtd nOt necessarily correspond to the onset of pu·
berty as Slgnaled by first menstruation. In part, this is due to rhe custom of
arranged infant betrorhals, today rare but formerly more common, III whIch a
gIrl as young as six years can be promised [0 an older, usually adolescent male
t Eakin , Launault, and Boonstra 1980:80- 83). ThIS practice possIbly accounts for
rhl' gcl'a t variabIlity noted for the timing of [he ani sh rea ti, rangll1g from six to ten
(f "Alg ' Hrre 192~'2}4 236) through the more reahstlcaUy pubescent agcs of eleven
'I , ff' ,rteen ye ar. rc-p(,rred by ~{'vcral nln(·ttl·nlb "ccmury observc" (Pallare' ~nd
( alvo '" J... rraburl' I C'lff/'a I'IO~ 1<)0'1, Y no, SJbulc 111 IZJ~Ulrrl' loll I~l~,
JI) l'il\ 19 } ' 111 fu~ IJ, Iltn. f,,,.', {/·kIJlil!t,J Indl /laW'dhllilY /lIOn' th.ln puhrrtY l
hr tn, 1I "vrll
I
I I I
I
Tht w(((d ( rit/'falr I I" Iltap '"IWWIt.tl I/It. IHJIIIII ~IVI'I11 I,ll '

;216
 f
I FEAST A.ND FORUM 1"" THE UPPE.R AM.-'lC:
• =--
"gnrJen huntong" (Looarcs 1976) IS P
.• c U!cl\f,ne d . urSltE!d
tu; ... ht're.' rJ·IOC~
.lIt: r~e bOLh conjuga l and il1lcit, takes pi ap,,"
, d 'l'xual I/lrcrcOU . , aCe:. r .. ",TATION [Iements range from smgle hou holds l
1
tllnl SI eJlly ..1I1 . b ul It has [0 do wtLh co min g to term . ,,- tu ibo set
v I Jrure IS J 0 , S With
ru S
bo ' P ne a domtole. the other a kitchen to (OnUh
\Vh,lIe cr e se ell se tammg both. As with othe r Amazo ' Ilatlltc CO
c cures , 0
d 11 snmc sen . nJan . ,en[ S[rU hun d re ds ' Historical and .m:JuaeologlCol n:<onis
,)Od hlslOf)' In ' I , 0 cf Bamberge r 1974), COlubo-Shiplbo group, )a .
d Murphy 1974,23 " I11Ylf); '" [he _. ment size IS an old one I D~[ l~ 1 Ckad
(~IUrphy .n h women were on control, pOssessed phaU' t h" lfI g .. in se[Ue _
. s n rime w en . . le OUl vari.bW'l' , better posinon to host hugc a", du.all, >l
lory recounl- , S Por the Corubo-ShipJbo correctly eS' "r re III • . ch
11 had pelllse ' sensin ' roen[S we d dirrunurive versIOns of (y.mt In the t .... ·
more hfera y, f!.his hIStory- the clitoris is a vestige of an er g lh, , ho ste fi
' I correlates o · " , a When rTl
UJlloes 81) estimated rhat a est. acrnet.d .... " hundJed l
In:1I0n1ICJ versed Periodic eXCISIOn 15 necessary to n,a1e: 8
(1980 : <>- d
d rc laJe roles were re . . reverse ac.mpo Corubo-Shipibo uUOI UlanlS >at that tllli , a t'i
,In en f female control and the conconutant reversio th,
f I resurfacIng 0 , n to n. dfed guestS, MrhY large Shipibo communi", of an Fun. de YoUUU
venge U nds Tills is not a worldvlew without angSt A "'re g Ate , .
and dIsorder tha[ If porte , , " ' cCordi" I .. theon ·'"ed fr om as far as rhe PisqUl to rhe norrh an..! the l'adut • to
b-
b I sm and castranon aflXlety are nfe among the Co 'b gy,
vaK'"a nelltala sym 0 J , , 1lJ o'Sh. guestS .m f ~ w hundred kilometers b m'er R~! _
I 11 ther Panoan-speaking groups (e,g" Kensmger [995' P tCtun ent 0 a e
I Ibo as we as 0 , " ,237- '-16 • ca , ( t969A~0) furrushes otherv." b-
Th hese are ancient Sourh Amencan, if not pan-huma b ' ' dido Roman
,I 51Slund 1973). a[ t , n, e"e(si! ochaIU cs 0 f ID'""tanon Speaal heralds. called .:baJUtl In _ '
a(res[e d cIearIy rn Chavrn Iconography of rhe Andean Pormative (Burger rTl
e d wnsueam to announce rhe up.."()mm~ t Th
and 0
1992:ligs , TJ8-TJ9, 207), scream , d rh nrualized hostility Thehor-ehne Im <
receive W1
were orher women, to v. hleh rhe dw d
PREPARATION t o go see our
w.n t necks cut' (as "iIlix em, not an I e I
will get your
A1J sources agree chat hosting an ani shreati was a long and arduous process gor" by of IDvltation llTlpbcatc; anorhe. c P' oal
Prepara Dons could begin as much as two ro three years before the event and en, Tbe geogra p _.
rh at although Cib! as con. nm, an
railed rhe clearing of gardens and rhe planting of manioc, camote (SWeet potato),
u1
Ship,bo c cure '
and sugarcane (Samanez Y Ocampo 1980:80-81, Karsten 1955:156-[57, Ra.
1982:97-98), Prom rhese cultigens, prodigious quantities of manioc beer and cane
liquor were brewed' As the fiesta approached, many additional demands had to
be met.
Men hunted in order to proVIde meat. As meat storage m the humid troptcs il
Short-term, captive peccanes, monkeys, Juvenile tapirs, and curassows were
raised and farrened as pets in anridpation of the commg feast (Odtcio Romin
'969:49~o,lllius 1985:586), Even manatees were caught, penned, and fed a speaaJ
diet of water plants (Heath 1991:7), New ponery vessels, especially large beer
sroragejars and beer-serving mugs, had to be manufactured (Samanez y Ocampo
1980:44: Tessmann 1928:206-207; Roe 1982:97--98, [00- 101; Heath t991 :5), Women
wove new dorhing and beaded new ornamentS, as protocol demanded rhat hoSls
and guests alike be dressed appropnately (Sabate 1922- 1929, 10:269 271).
In addJlJon, a large guest house was often constructed (Dial Camrirda
'923:407"408, IIIlus 198n84). ObViously, the core sponsors of an alII 5/11(1111 «lid
to number frflm /Jnc l/J five men, rncludmg fathers uf Ihe girls unJergtltn~ Ihe
'f'n'rntJOYJ had 11) 1)(' ablt· If) malshal and orchcslr,lIc nlll"dl'l'abl .. labur IJh,"
Ihat, Jrl rurn, "I
h.d h,,/.. u dlld M'I vr-d Iwi'r , Iht.lldS;! lunll(,1Il1 "I CIIllIb" Shll',b" h
r'r ,.111/,

211
 -
p..-o:anl!' ~ cl.., c
ca tars . d
\1eWe d In rumS of n Yer msranee The nng of cxtraloeal mvitation encomp asses r
1<ss fo (1l 9SZ22J) ' I~tee>.m
-=
poteno aJ dilln es and allies ThIs prmamate, "neutral " zone can be contrasted Wlth t'f Roe I (Roe 10'2.."I-'i'
a more c:iIsranr penphery mhablted by 'WlilUl , tbe genene Panoan term for "for. I women . ri>Ul
bathlog text of the ants
eJgnecs" or "enenues " Thar locality and the gr,aments of mstanee, both spatial and . the con - d
mOrc, 1Il d been dome,oeared an
soaaJ, tbat surround It should be so parnnoned IS not unfamiliar, Siskind
chat IS, they ha aroma! .. ffin _ t
(197]·4,.~o) sketches a parallel model for the Panoan Sharanahua as does E,,'--
''''50n . It 15 th ese
en ",e1din~ ph Ule
>
of ajfiolt)' H
(199-1 26) for the Mayoruna , much farther afield, comparable examples are legion tbbyWOm
w dea . al' symbofue: rh 'u
(e.g .. Cole 1945:131 for the Jfugao ; Boddy [982:694 for a Sudanese village).
ehe wtld aIlJ.IIl
(199.:8 ).
FI RST ENCOUNTERS
Feasts can be viewed as drama (Goldman 1964, Gregor 1977). The arnval of UL ING AND DURATION
canoe·bome guests ro an ani sltreari certainly resembled an act ID a well.staged
SCHED ;l[ th .... , " .
~·,
...... h
. ,.,u" .
Sources state th
play. The reception of guests was steeped in etiquette, Hosts, bedecked in finety, conve01enl 01, t li
ho\\ SU ch
wenr ro the shoreline with mugs filled with welcoming manioc beer or cane . ee Roe 10 .2 '104-1 -
8211
195 ,-
Irquor. Afrer this initial encounter, visirors, amidst a chorus of drums, flutes, and
respect to duranon , there are I
panpipes, were escorted to the newly constructed guest house where more Ilba. a
tuft (con IJered to be the rn. re
tions were served. Confrontation was now choreographed. Host and guest males
eheu' Imgul50c and rulrural b lhren
formed facing hoes, each male bearing a hardwood club (called macana in local
IS said to hJ\c la.-red Cl hI
Sparush, hu.lno in Conibo-Slupibo); light head taps were exchanged between the
rught (palIare. and al I d
contestants (Sabate '922-1929, 10:269-271; Roe 1982:98-99). Host and guest
lzagwrre -3-4' 1
102 Frth
women. ID a parallel case of ntualized conflict, wrestled (Heath 1991:8), Such an.
\\1th the clltond Cl •
tagonisnc "opening ceremonies" are a widespread feature in South American
1~2 '206 lO~. '" ",ten I I
ethnography e,g ., Clastres 1998:225-226), ln the Conibo-ShJpibo case, It IS mter.
Heath 1991 ,.Im~nez
esnng that such publicly acted hostiliues Involve females agaInSt females, males
ciJlmrd loa 1 t
ag3lIl5f males. Intersexual berating and bantenng are evident but seem to play a
less focal role than among the Sharanahua (Siskind 19n105) or the Cashmahua
DANCING AND FIGHTING
(Kensmger 1995'57-58 ) who have elevated such nbaldry to hIgh art.
The ~"I h't4n
Guest males then engaged ill an archery COntest 10 which the targct5 were a
~ctfi to th rem n
",'hire· lipped peccary. a curassow, or a spider monkey tethered to a large cros~ of
lertd (, nh
balsa wood IOdicio Roman 1969:49~o, Roe 1982:99101, er Eakln 199012 Il l, Call tn I
Some of the older accounts state that the best arcbers had first claim to mJrry the
be t't" vgIlll
guts to be arcumdsed (Diaz Casraiieda 192]:407- '408, de Undrre 19R12.10) In Clrel ,th
contra Heath {J991 6-71, who acrualJy WItnessed onc of rhe IJ'I ani ,hrfdlt, I
places me Iu1Jmg rht:$e animals raised a pets laltr ID the lit"ld In JdJlllon, shr
()f

that 11 LS me ht) t m.les whl' ~p('.an'd Ihe caplUTl'd g.lIn .... Iht lirul kllhng
n don by lh very wI}men Will, WCft I" 'IV' r "" Ih,' (IIlolld,'d(UII) '1 hi IU
by th animal wllh f1ule , "till IWI "IIIJ!. III Irllll1r.lll (, unl'JI'I"
(
., r IS/1l7 154 lW)
of h I m~ In "gun 1l2, Ih. 111111011 ,1111/'11 Iou nlU I
, Mc" y I' I • Id I I" III I' with ,,'ll,
 FEAST AND FORUM' H.( UPPER "MAZ

-
ocarn p o got It nght by plaang beer tmt n a
sll~pt:n d e d .HOUl1cl 'Il~ ~..... I, ...
~c k for read), access. IS called IlIIishall (Samanez y saf11anez y eo (Goldman 1966:83-84\ dnnk. n t <>od. f
Or.lmpo IQ80 :80- I; D,dz CastJiieda 19 2):4 07-4 08; Karsten 1955 ' 157- 158; Roe ~Ike L"
-he cub . I ~-
panoan-speakmg anw.cape uggm h,
k at the
IQlb . IOo- 10 1, C( .L. .' unau/, 1952) . . Accusnuons of adultery were said to be the pn.. we 100 nio beer tends nor to be produced among mtcrl u
m~n mstlgJtlOn of these confronta nons. Watchjng women at first encou raged c
that",a Yarrunahua (Townsley 1994:2 0). or C ,hi
l hese sell mes b u r the n Jttempted to Intervene before mOre serious, but rarel . y h,~ahua , li d - th
IClh')J. outcomes ensued (de Uriafte 1982 :242 ; Karsten 1955 01 57- 158; Odicio
CaSI~'
the Iane r, for UlStance. meat s ce tmm e .:arm h
Afllong f the major feast. In conll ast, among th Coru
ROn1J. I1 1069 .4' 9 --u~o) • As an aside , J sho uld note that in the ea rly 1970s, when COn _ I ward 0 d ,'-._1_ .
era re ,th a <lam OUS ructllm IS goo to UUUA. while beer. olIld th
du nng archaeologIca l work o n the Ucayali . seve ral of my older Shipibo work_ I
play W _ ood to dnnk- For hosts. nOt to be able to 0 rn
m cn bore muluple nuchal sca rs, proud tokens of their virility, remembered Or ' duce, IS g , .
Olhenvise. While men anempted to hold center stage in drunken histrionics at- can cJ.rink
U1 _ use for mornficaoon and emailia.co~ ,'uenl
IS ca , I
rendanr to the 11111 ."reall. things were happening among women as weU_ cand oliticaI scatuS regIStered by host and gue_ [al1k.e cl'. Go Jma.n 1
an P _I named Cubeo "dnnkingpart)'
the apuy
CLITORIDECTOMY
The 3Crual operation, the nominal purpose of the fiesta , deserves a separate THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL SIGNATURE
paper. whIch is another way of saying that details are sparse when it comes to se- -
With typlC
a1 aversion to understatement. the late DolUld Lathnp
crellve aspects of Corubo-Shipibo culrure, although both female and male anthro-
pologISts have considered the "problem ." As indicated earlier, the Operation Was On survevmg
,--
the average sIZe of each of the fun:tl nal cl
performed by women skilled as surgeons. Called shatoti' (lllius 1985:586), it took the vanO us ~'~"VlIlg
,~ ..
Tropical Forest group, one, I J t

place III a speoal sa-ucrure situated weU away from the main plaza filled with danc- seI Wl th a m axunum ruarneter of more than 40 cm ,
. ye SS_I
000 t::i. The presence of such la~ COnt= i'" m llI\
109 and otherwise hysterical men (the "culture" zone). This removed structure
be [aken as evidence cbar beer was present and th~t
was vanously called quiJcltiqllepiti (Pallares and Calvo in Larrabure i. Correa
full swing. (1970:55)
1905-[909, 9:60) or pllsllllva (Karsten 1955:155-156; Girard 1958;240). Note that this
srrncrure (essentially a medical hut) was situated in the "neutral" zone. In this Lathrap was dearly ba -ing this judgm nt
sense, I[ resembles the taupo (a term of possible quechua origin), or poner's shed, connnued by several of Ius rodent;
where raw clay and other materials are converted into cultural form _The young Lathrap 1979, DeBoer III pr~_ .). the
gu-ls were anesthetized with ample draughts of cane liquor, a bit stronger than re four funcoonal cl.l:sc _ .md three
manioc brew. Surgical tmplements were heated and presumably sanitized in a spe-
funcoonal cia es are cooklll • (Xli r m t
aal day pot, of which more later. The excision of the clitoris was done with the
and therefore unp.Jffit d I. hqUIJ st
sharpened nails of the sacerdota (Izaguirre 1928:234-236), with a sharp cane knife
(Eakm, Lauriault, and Boonsrra 1980;79--80), or, as one of my male informanrs
mugs The SIZe mode' .1["( . tt' l.ll'g "I. h
mg") yes 'els th.1t arc typl(',dl . bm n t
averred, WIth the metal lid of a discarded tuna can. The wound was washed in a
dmary"'sized yes d· lsometlm
heated soluoon of pm-pin (various plants of the Cyperaceae family see Tournon
and Qnllama) us('d III quotidian 10
1984, Eakm, Launalt, and Boonsa-a T980;63--64), and then a fired clay object, the
small vesseL t VIlOl, or kid
shirvi'rumli (males call it Irnshl, or penis), was inserted between the vaginal labia [0
ers The l't'suh.1.l1t I
prevent acacnciaJ complicatiOns (d'Ans T994 relays some typically out-oC-focus man:ze reI nt
photographs; also see Kar~ten '955 " 57 '58; Roe 1982 gIVes a differenr slanr), ar(hacoltlgl< al
IRJ\ llIond, [) B nJ
THE MORNING AFTER I
Ir I h h
(.onduid(J rl ma53t() y los VIV"f(''s, ludo t·1 1l111nd" s(' JISP('[ Sil" (SJI11.lnt'Z y
I
()C~IIIPO 19!1rJ 80 8'1, Wh~n Iht bl"" dnd fooJ .trl· gO/1(', l'vI"yhudy It,.lv,',·

222
 FEAST ANO fO~u

- kenli ani

Food 80"\ iku

- kenti an lcha Irctt~.ftJ na..-"

• • • • • • • •
Sf1l 3Ufor (nJlSPor
t
O' II •
ken l l an i lama
I
MedlUfO
ror quo OdlilO
"""""
I . 1'

'. ..
'

~ for 6es'"
ken,. vleu .... .......' - _ . / /
- c homo anI

-' . ... ..:.;., . ern and archaeolog lGU come;b Th

;",_"
"
-

.. -

~ " \-
mo nd , DeBoer. ~nJ Roe N->; fi,
-
' ~~ i··"i I
-- -" '.
H th
[ary "ems that .He a([1v~teJ ~1'<:lfi .ill tn a I

_ehomo anuama Notable ar~ {he h'"'' ,H,' th {' r<

beer from [he bortorn oi l , l' lint
kegs as they ~pprl1Jch empty I .1

eled as dolphUl. \ rll! ~ 4--\).... n I n

or, as ,hown In Tc 111.lI\n lill

{KenslOga I~o)'ill 4
chomo vleu
tone arch.leol" 'I('al . He
kenpo . nl kenpo
Ou, featuf< at \lnlln,
pott,'r\ \c.,,'b \R,
kenpo v.cu
Par ~rh(·rn~h.l IIh'r t
.h,' r~n(' klllk lo( Ih b
rhe n« k 01 ~,(U d dull
sl'Il r J IIHo th gIrl
ke nchl VlCu
Peacu. ktnchl kench. Th .. IJIIl'r h , Ix- n
ton" un ~
.,.~ 8 I hrJuw
Corubo Sluplbo v~.. d forms u npdlntr d cooltlllg pUIS ~n' at IUp. p.IIIII,,1,rl v
log ll.h r.,
Ihe
lIt,llllfll
<1. 0 1\1\11> III III
 ••

. .'..
, cm
,( "',
o
,
,~ "
,,"',,",
"" , - • 1 I
, '"
. . ' ·, " ,
.....
, •
•
\ '., ',..
•,•
• D
, ,
, .. ,.,.
, I~'
, . ·,. ,:'.
_ _h
, ,
•

,
• •

cm
em5
o
Pigure 84. Artifacts associated with the ani shreati. A. Toltcoate, or suspended beer dipper.
111 me form of a river dolplun . Amencan Museum of Natural H.istory, Catalogue Num.

ber 40.0/ 4770. B.}obosko lOneoate, or beer dipper modeled as testicles. This specimen, un.
paUlted and unfired, was recorded in San Francisco de Yarinacocha in 1971. C. Para kO"IsO
(Roe 1982:327), orcane knife used U1 cLtoridectomy. Specinnen formerly on dJsplay anhe
Amencan Museum of Natural History. New York. D. Traditional huulultl, or men's loufe
Wlm toucan beak blade (after Tessmann 1928:fig. 14). E. Clay plug, a probable SllCn't. Fl~'Un: ~ 5 P,l(tn '<
I,
M"n, found at the Cumancaya SIte (after Roe 1973 fig. 63f-g).
u,cJ [or hc.llIng ".,el lor the hI
19-1. B ·h.III"" h"" 1\\ uh IT, d
buwl Frunl the uon 11" 1Ie

wluch a por pJaced over a fire should nor be so decoraced. It can be treated as a
standard case of sacred reversal, as widely artested in world ethnography (Iht Clvrn Ih" 'a n
"contraries" of the Cheyenne-GnnnelJ '923, 2:79 86 and the "opposite Jbu\(' II,t 01 .Iltl .. I
talkers" of the ZUnt TedJock 1979503 come to mind). Another ves~c l form, J blJgn ~lId Ullput I
small, JhaJlow bowl called IUInr all III Shlplbo, held the blaLk plgmenl L1scJ III rJltl~ h"'e.\
nt
painting the facts "f girls undrrglJllIg tht· cJllorideClOtny I~Ol' (197l171 1'4) h,l\ Jt 1".1 I .. ,
1111
Identified wh~t i.ltkd y trJ I,.. ill 1 :H d IJ('olilgl( ,I I I: X.I ntplt' ,,/ t h 1\ lor III .11 til( "I,' "I hll\\ "" r, b
( umanaya (JIg. 11 ~HJ-

226
 .. IN n<E U PPER
AN D rO AU
rE AST

- ~. - ---_.-_. mortuary
d en< , It.
r -
(0 enn' ~
,
, r preted as .C ID supp<,rt tlu~ UlteTp
.' i .111 t.1I It \ ( I ~t-I C'I : ""O H , ) l' ~IIIll.lI t.' d lh.1 1 fO ICl 1° " ' n n fTn o u ~: ' be . .
ClrllllllW be tfl
lo(C.
eluSive e
v,deol.
_ .. 1 m.1ru~ .: c
rI
h~ld I n 1,,-, II h llHlI .l l lUll' d lo t IIH' fil II sh" t,If' F.lI .lhcc ( IQ22.:85 R6) !l Ol r d lh~llt lal ~ 1,1" rrrle ( 0 0 "fhel r ce ram. L ,~
Iher<' ,5 ~ RaC .975:59)' d vessels predomlDat~
IlHllh l" pI Ih e ~ lrllIIHJt.'I~()II1~ tlll' () P C I' ,III O IlIl1 .h.l l' .II,H'ge J.I!' ho khn n 2. . the
, e"I 0 O r 11''1 01' BO,r, aO .h beer-relate d o the r " e, , d- 'ce ~' ,
~.llI p l1~ ( ~O lilt' '''' {1t .. nl. whlll' Rot" ( ll,I S.L:Q7 10 1) ""0 1'111,:'111( $ indi ca led lhll e , ",hI< r mugs an st. •.,
os,I .0 ~'ng of bee tlf thro uC.ho ut Con •
./.ll \lI t h ,.If. . . J t YPll.l
w (' rt' II('c dt~d tnr . I our S II/"If,.
I AI 11lHlg
I I, ,emphaS iZing th' e oS15 10 r -n1aSI u
-rhO 11 ,hr<O[1 tun
3S a rno
e ) The fact that u
hulir 1I1IIh' I lI"Itll1 1hI..' vn /ullll' lnr. C cbh.lI'IS,ly c..' r ( 1 987: ~6 91 ) c as lS S"", yrn. ,5 the a' . 979'135. not ' .
dH: ,\ ih glVl' 11 III 1:1hlc foil . !Ill' 1I1(.'~1I1
bte.r Jars (dl~"~: VC~_
volume 01 '~lrgc such, and Lath rap I
o ,Boe r Is sholl
Id be so consplCuo u.-h rep
. h d
( ' b beer veS , se d onochenea i , turt r to' n
IlhIIH.lf.ll"nU"l' d by Ihe Cnnibu ·Shipibo 1J1 IQ7' WJS about l OO Iners. Thus voltl alii )
mel, led Y nc aya an
I I '" I I'
n l '_' Ulll.lft':' 01 ht."t'1 PI'OdU(l'l of ,111 aUl S 11t.'rJlI n11g 11 r.1ngc -ron1 1.500 to 4 n' has Cuma -\nd ch,re 1.' m~
" <lICS sue bo feastlDg pattern , •
Iuer'. figlU'l'S Ih ,ll wITe,,,ond to Alv.lI·ez·s ( '970:50) comment thnt 3,000 lilel:: OOr 'h COlllbo·ShlpI" lly pJJnted or mL' 'cd dc_t\!tl
specu<ca _
111,,""" bl'l'r could be (nn. ltl1lcd re,ldtly ,H •• Piro festival WIthin a few days (er. ~
I C
Oce0(300n , wor! dVIew,' and It "ould be 'urpn hm
IllI' . o~s~RI ) . In size ,lncl volume, I,\I'S and servmg vessels from Ihe thousa d
"n _ contbO-ShlPlbo d culturallY .:<nrral e'- nt a~ t ~
Il'Jfold C UI11 ,,"l"••)'J ,lOd Sonocheneo S/lt' S con fo l' 111 10 the.r 1110dern desee d h sahent an • h cl
11 ants re ill sue , On th~ om n,
(Dl'Ilol'f 10 pr~'~ l. u dtCtory "Jp n
bCII .n contra , Ily .mprc. 'I\e m ,urh put-> I
Nl' lo,,,hzed a," .,Intl/I/. needl~ss ro soy. has been "dug up"; however, eeremo. h 'IS" VlSU. h
and at er" h d de'l.m appli J t t
"loll depmll;, 10 J.!,hllon to com1110n 111.ddens, have been sampled in excavattons the other .In, ...
(98 1). On duced [0 dot: and cm. , th
l\lntlUltetl •• Iong Ihe U "y"II Ceremon.al depOSits include linear arrays of 'd eromy was re h
cliwn e ' an or PJ!n1 no\\ l. r I lOll I
,mJ,hl't! ceram.c vessels, conJotnJble uHO whole pot, and urn featul'es Conram. . 'or of the IUlll( ,
mIen , ) De,.gt1 "mphfiCJU<lO ,lll' ch t
109 e.ther pnnhlr)' or secondary burials. Table 8.2 presents the OCcurrence of beer Sayer .985·594 · - r
w"el, (kt'l1f'>' cllO/110 alii, clOd Ihetr prehisrol'ic "cognates") and "orher vessels" in 8.5i\) and the crudely !nosed dl(T\NUlIlII P
J range of ethnographic and .lrchacologicJI contexts, For ontemporary Conibo.
lermsO f C0 nlbo ·Shlplbn
•
.<slheul Ihl'" d I

Shlplba JS well JS for prrhllon mldden and bunal contexts, beer vessels con so- 'I' ed lnJ dc"''11lt- "lrlJ , r nph nl
Ih
an unCtVllZ, <-
rUle aboul "nC' 'lxth of all cer,I111IC containers In "smashed vessel fearures, " brands of subhu111Jn e < mphh< ,I b Ih hi
hll\\c\l' r, rhlS rJlIO " essentially one A1lhough Ihese smashed vessel fearures ale or InlCrfJCI,llzllOC I n, ,I~"\ln r
whICh dCS1~llS ~'" Jmpllhl' I Il III
fictllO ,KlultlwleJj:( Ih, I rn) ablhl
TABLE 8.2 Ovcr rhl"IJsI Ihl>u"I11.1 ,. ,.. Ih llol
DI~\rIbution
of Beer and Nonbeer Vessels In EthnographIc klloll1ercr> mIrth III ,>\lth~" fig Ih m
and Archaeological Contexts IIll' clhnu!:r,lphll, "thnohl.h'nl.al nd
01 k.hls TIllS lIllllblllC,1 J~I t \
Otill'r how rt\\I!lllfiv w1lrk J IIh lilt nil 1\
Il llU I I
III qllr>lhlll WIlh"UI ", h n
~y (J., I ~ , 11'1',11 allJ ub) lU'1 I ~ Ih I
7/11 i. I Z7 I I la, "
II 171 I \
. 1Id 7 is I I ,
DISCUSSION AND N LU ,
\\'hrn r ~UI' Ih I t
Ih I I 11
14
111 '1< III Ihlll1h I , nJ Ih \
., I, IUht,
till
I I "" hI I

u.
 FEAST ANa FORUM IN THE UPPER .. M .. ZON::......_ _

\\ "" , /1 R Prt/ tln

-- •

. the t )lo~' i r.ll1y I1H:hn e cl but wo uld It.'ewe

.''1 0l I n)lf
r:" lln.ld ,, ,
.11"'HI Ih.,t w(luld r1c,••\ t I ,,11 ,\ /rH'III' r.lkcs,
,- I I nl I h.!I I l C I
JI'.,......~d tht' ..pt' l'I le n . J ( (OUIl I • I1 IS I11 srfu cnvc t o cite a casual ,.
.. III,fJ{I()I Y fi ,-on, . / '~~
'n pUI.,UIIIJ.! .1 Inore _. "
LlrlllliC? Pro Ol
[hl\ competitiVe lcs ra emerged rUture Icad.
J . Crs
,
1I1('nl ollrrcd h)' e J I _ If rhe hosrs ,!JJnlL' 10 3llran skdlful so • \
. J IlIrurl~ nVil S . ' ,". IlS' 1I1
IUIUll.· "r(lu~('," iIIl ' II
on OblJII111lg WIVC!) ( OrllZ 1982.;240
nllenl
,
, .
• weI"C <qU.1 Y
',lW, du' If).jk ""U(~I:')
h i ' "'Y
I · SI"hl .•1dd ltiOI''1<11 et Ilograp 11( Context
n'ClllC I liS 10. b . IS re.
-.
PROPER
1I.lnslllllon). rh .Ipr· crJ lIy follow ",arnlocal residence . Therer.o FEMALES , EXTRA-
1 ).Shiplhn gc.'n . ., re, the
~
. t
qUlrrd fhe COl1l ( d agraphiC Signal of me avadablll ty of nubl SEXLESS
11 1 oClcd .IS.1 em le fe. -
lUll .,/"m" ntH 01 ) h ' I for arrrJclIng economJcal.ly essential So .
I . rcu .)s J vc le C nS-In.
moles hlU ,liso ,scn . d h led cleared gardens. constructed hOuses
,I fished all un , .. . and
111'\ ·men \\ )0 . the next generation of altI sllreatl. Yet another factor i .
I \\ ould fome w SpOI1'ior n
I
ren",n.J d os [he COl1lbo-Shlplbo were aVld raiders. pilIag
U 1,he 19JoS all even 19~ . 109
nU ch as [he Amahuaca. Isconahua. Campa. and Cashibo fi
backwoods groups >u ch 'din Or
d " cs Al least for me Coru b0, su nu g was already co", .
.. IJ\l~.s boory. an \\ IV ' 8 ) W-
. I '!'nteench cenrury (DeBoer 19 6. Ives captured In the Figure 8.6. Schema for marnage .,"d "-, Dou<d Iin. In
monplacc III Ihe ate ses ' . se
d b ous extepoon to the otherwtse general pracOce of m "'cate twO major flows of marnage p..,-mcr-. I the
rJlds ('onsorule an 0 V I · _ .. at·
nJncaiJ , Thai IS. men not only ",.med-m, but also made up a military corps that customary practice of matnloc.h~ whcreb a h",h d
could a~d did abduct Wives from the outside. Even today: genealogics record the moves III WIth hIS wtfe and her fam'!}', 1) the pturr
,recrUlrmeor .. 0 f such foreign women and can trace therr ped1gree to living de. women from enemy group ,

scendantS
From rhe Corubo·Sruplbo perspective one shared by their mestizo neigh. In Table 8.3, the schemata used re order a welter f t
bors-these foreign women, although orren created as second-class citizens and densed m terms of polanties and intervemng !,;r.. dJt'nts Lt m
drudge labor. were nonetheless exotic, untamed. and decidedly sexy. 10 Whatever adic setS are less than astom htng l whIch ac -(Iunt. r th r I't' I
sc,-ual fancasleswere mvolved. both inside and "recruited"' forms of female labor leasr one patr of seemtng contradlCflons. ho" r t
produced tbe prodigIOUS quantities of beer needed for fiestas and gave birth to male(ness) sImultaneously be unbndled nature nd rh
cluldren-preferably females- who attracted anomer cohort of sons-in· law. Our. Or, how can male(ness) be the custodIan nr rulru .md, t
mg tlus rephcative process, ideally timed to a full moon, females lost their coUec.
o\'e clJtons for the effort. Something has gOt to be missing.
TABLE 8.3
These ethnographIC addenda force reconsideration of earlier schemata in
Synopsis of Schematic Polarities: The Contbo- hip.
wruch male culrure, cenrered on the house plaza, was concrasted with an outer
female zone of narure and WIlderness. [n quotidian terms, the reverse situation
Inner I CIVlhloluonl
holds! Women ruled the home frOnt and were part of endunng resIdential units house
of related females. while men were In·marrying strangers typIcally lacktng sup· nlhurt'
poruve km. were obhged [Q observe mother-in-law avoidance, and otherwise oc· trir",1

ruplU! precanou.s sOCial pOSItiOnS, As Brown (1963) observed some ume ago.
matnlf)cahry (an be 3 f31her formidable nre of passage for men Warfare and the n

fema!!'ht,(ltYt!pmvidedwtrt:, a m 'lOg morr [oing~. mall' palhallvcs In thiS

prtd!C2m~nt as It a rrndl"t<.-d In Ftgur(" H " 1I

HO
,
 WIlrH"fI I(. I >r8(lrr

erp"lrato' or raplIle? Such amb'gUlry, however- anathema lO Iog'e"n '.

-
P . d UlcreasUlgly embMrassmg V".sn ' b of the
Ob'l~COVlli:t
. . nonons of sClcnce- LS [ hc way In W h leI1 hunlans work
d d
an ~. s and to
genog·n .
Ite.chers or poLmcal acm'lStS , mO" .. m>:lv rum ~o
by ",ruch human phcnon,cna are playc out. Trus would seem to b l11annCr a5schoO
, eparti nal econom)', me mternanonal mukct lib
lhe C3>C whell sCX or IlS eu Itura I representallOn, gender- is c r cUlarlc the naO o '"
. " on, ranted 1 , ' art and e"roUations of me nam..: pomt of vtr-., >.L
olic,tcd yet unttred verdKl, G,ddens pur Il rn,s way: 'Oon'r lOok r. ' In Ius n"vave '~~Ule

tlons soaal practlces fultill , look for the contradictions they embod;'~
9
e
rUne_ t P
deal W1
'ch an onslaught of meddhng VtSltors, mclude:
hers If not all-purpose fuio:! for welo:hmr. Ibe cou f
One only has to reread Naven (Bateson 1936), or tltis essay for mat 1 79:[31), nog r ' p ' .. . ~
, , r matter e me all' shrean prm,.de gau-, r
rcmJIlded mal human boeLes an d b e Ilav,or are 1I11ected by trans6 ' ' to b. feastS lik ".,
, gunng and d 111 me special moments that agglegate human
erwtse queer propertIeS, oth, ge.Ie
, char accompany human eXlstence, and Unde -
Anomer macrer that needs ro be raken inw account is me seernln I oOl es ' "-
" f di f g angevity r world always In danger of gmng off COllne_ , I tl't
me a,1I shreD/I, a f ull mill ennJum lour rea ng 0 me archaeola ic 0
' C 'b Slti 'b ' g aJ record ' bodies and brams behlnd mem-Iea"e derecuble tn t' • «'It
correct Over rhis mill ennJum,, 001 0- pI 0 soclery and enviro
" nment have IS
way of me Ucayah, as mey do elsewhere,
dergone major changes mcluciJng tJle wrenching dislocations effected b a un,
pean coloniaHsm in its various sequent forms (San Roman 1975 prOvide Y Uro_
reVIew), In face. whemer one can speak of me Conibo or Sltipibo sa NOTES
, " thni U ' h a thousand , Also known as pUhloJ (Odleo Rom~n I~Q and
)'ears ago IS qUIZZIcaL, As
. e c appe anons t at mark real -world enrmes, ' , rhes evident in o[Ooons. che pc<osent mId. of the I
e
labels are clearly lflVennons forged, developed. and negotiated durin rhe . and ,magm"ave synrhe,,, gJ,cn b Roe ( I !
vtJ ' " ' dh
111 que non ,et le alll s !reall survlVe c ese storms until rhe 1970S Th '
. g penod
. " . . .. . e mterest. ,mportant paper by Carol)'Il He.ch (I'NI \Vb
mg Issue, merefore." IS nor the evolunonary potenoal of rltis panicu Iar IrlStlCU' ' , last an' SI""OI' hdd ,n rhe settlemenl oi _IOU I
oon so much as Its perdurance In me face of worlcls being remade, Th document remalO unpublt<heJ
remarkable srasis of the ani shreati suggesrs an institution rhar is allchored se.e 2 These accounb In! ottw:n ,,:hl1kuh 10 :-...,' t i.

usmg tuher SOUI\:<.· .. . (\fi:~n wlthout Clat) I

curely to me deepest values of Conibo-Sltipibo culture in its becoming and malO·
'
what appe,Jr to b on~II.. 1 JO\."mmt: bul.
tenance Perhaps srasls and replication are as much evolutionary processes as
10 construct a dcr.ukJ ph, I" n , I
change itself l In IQ:";, RobulJ ,mp" ..nJ J n
The ant shrea/I remains somewhat fllzzy wim respect re me driving themes of amon~ Ih Sh'p,h.... 1 tor 1'1 ut. I I
thiS volume T1us fiesta surely played a role In social and bIological reproduclion, pertorm.,1 th"" ('.11 h<f re
prompted productIon of dnnk and other material goods that otherwise would r ,"dc,lIr.,") \\J 'Ill! ail,
not have been produced (although such "surplus" was dIssipated 111 m~ gorman ~ WhJt p"mon "I ,Ign.-ultural pI u. n
dum of the fic,ta). attracted labor essential ro the planned well bClI1g of hosllng lln~nn\\'n rot the: Cuh \l I lJnl n

wmmunme6. but les~ clearly acted as a crucible Icadmg to Increased (uiturJI (rt)p (uuld he;- dr~llllrJ h.\r hrrf nt'"
I) I h..uh uh't't\("J "1.1I1WI\ 101
mmp!<:xlty, hrJWt'vcr measured Other thart promised bodIes. CXch.ll1gr of gllt,or
11 \,-ijl ,) I\d".... III • I'll
other matenal gr,ods wa, nOt cmphaslzed Valued Jnd mcrcas1I1gly e,senll.
d1(l\\I\II1~. Jlhl Ihen .Iub 1
fUc.h a m~fhe!l~. ax"~, chamsaws, or oUlboard motors SImply Wl'ft' nlll ,,"h Ihe nl;UIJlc I r
Wnt n IOW Ih enpl "I Ihl' Ij('Sld, Jhhough till' /Hlll/m'tlll may hav tilrlllcd (or l'Unl('\t 'h
ut
rted/ JOt lalltlattrm by whIch \Ich I rJIlSJl' I lom r"\Ild be purSUt',j in ,"ht" dnlrlllll hr. \I "'
10 h.llhut II
olJlhrr Ill t ~ Ulhllg ,t
hflu/ ~rJ" r I.. haVl h.ld pIIIllJllly lilt t"IUII IJUIl"
Ih h
(I
J h1 alii
• _I , t IIII,III,JIII' dUul1d \)0'
IIfTlUtlV H,I/ I I ( 1/1 I\' .. Shlpll", 'U/(Ult' I ht' ut'lIll" II
l1!1U'$ /Ill ~
h I , anl/'lIt' W ylfll'llIlll "I t illllW'lll "1'1'''1 III
I I I I ~tl,j!l htl
of f r 11 r wh(, Iq'J" d 11111 1.11 Ifll 11.ldlll"ll~ "'
 FEAST AND FORtJM

-
7 In d -Ans·s '970 rt!15SU~ of NaY~rro ·s 190) dJcoonary. the entry fo r cl nOnd o" .,..eI1, P
nt4.JPlJQnA dUl'41 or, when pa~td. m4Jpl (,· female gerurah.il" )'Jana (f<c ect(JlJ\y 11;
set"'"d-~ . asped0 de b dlaI~cnca ".a"
_ " Th f ,_ tongue· c.,l1 · IIJ96 lIn l.wnr~ L4 - 1-IC1J Pon0..6oa U nJtGSid y4
( CUt 'OUt ). e pcrv.ulVC"ne~s 0 vagu,,,, ucntAUJ Im agery IS h ere retn~ n. lclJl thrDl"'~-

hkrnmg che cluoru to ,he tongue I)rced by .......". BruD°

!l'ttC>" symbOlIC Wau ruIJ Glencoe The Fiee Plus
8 The legacy of any gIVen an' lhrca
_ rr 15 weU encapsulated by Lathrap's
19">-'
dtagnOSl> of TropICal Forest fea.5tlng: genera]
soddy, j. womb as 0'9S: The 5) rnbolic Con~en
""C cruaal mechanum by w hi ch o ne Tro pu:;aJ r-orest Village could acni-' .... e Qr matn 19~ Northern sudan. """"""'" E~ " 4
po", IJ,," dut would Impress tU nelghbon: WaJ to gIVe a flest.a wruch lasted Ionger b;Lam a
pc.ndcd mort' ~er, ,and unJcoilhed m ore d runken brawls than any other fi esta III mcm . ' JUcbch K.
The drunk.m brawls dun ng th~ fiesUls affo rded a cuJrura.1Jy 5aJlctloned 0 CJry_ Br<>""'- A cross.Cultural Srudy of fooma\c 1nl
. PPOrtu"' ~ ~ t!l'l3
duc.h.argmg alJ tht tensiOns and tn(upersonal aggre.ss1on wtuch had bUilt Upmt - h re" Or
of cby.to-day bVUlg In 1[.$ fo rm and fuocn ons. the TropJc.aJ Porut fif.Sta p a n~...... m \\'U OUJ'It
no
unlik e eNt o f the modem cockall party. but 11 lastc~. d far lonP'
o "cr and . o n ' he aVeragr \ cwues' PIe""ChnmrdL of th_ Go"y,..ri IltdralU •
aockery and hc.ach gal broun '1970:54 ) • more 199S
coder<, Hden
CocktaIl party may be a bll anaquared as a convmctng alluSIon. but the dta KwaI<lutl In l'n"tf'l"tnYS' Amnu
rnJl rellrng gnoSIS IS
Spreer, pp. 4JI-j16 ChIcago ti
9 In tIus Irglll, the cIa1m made by some Conrbo·Shrpibo rhar che clllond eaomy 15
Cole. Fay·COO""r
custom adopted from che Cashlbo-a people
. whom chcy otherwtse regard to bt• 194; rh_ p<i!f'la 0) Maiayna. o
abject s""'ges assumes some comprehenSlbrlrty, If not hrstonaty (C ebha n.Sayer
d.W. Andre·Marcel
1985'592 ). 1970 M"unaU. ""ra rI rs",.i..,drl~ l
10. In 1968 at the combllled Campa.conrbo mISsion of Shahuaya • Pancho • a rnesuzo M.wr de an ~blco • !>en.
•
patron who had several Campa "WIVes," remarked chat the latter w ere .muy L !ruo"lon et I e,ct>lOO de,
I'»'
ardJente" In contraSt lO che Corubo who were "muy mo." Whalever the case, Ius formaaom Ethnogupluqu
te.snmony IS of nouona! Interest. ""8"'4p/llt QC) ( . 9" 19
11 It is nOl my Intention here to expl:un why che Corubo·Shrplbo practice matnlocahry.
lkBo<r, W.l1T<n R
One mIght ale the scauslIcally framed hypothesis forwarded by Ember and Ember 1971 rch eologtcal Explora
(t971 ) chat such a residence rule d.tsperses fraternally bound males and thertby .."on, D p~ruucnt /In
dlS(;ourages mtemal aggresSIon, while favonng externa! aggression One could JUS!" Ruffu 7. n m the ulcunl
weD argue that male absenteeISm-promoted by mercenary acav,ucs dunng the
IOncal ppm h. IftLI'V
rubber boom era, employment In lumbenng or other extraCtive Industnes, or, more
P,1I.:t~ nd I'rodu U n m
recently, military servICe could encourage "mamfocal" lendencre, From.
m
Darwuuan per>pectlve, however, one can assess consequences WIthout 'pwlyrng In prC' (nml(
ungms. G,ven matnlocaJlty, Murphy (t957) snll provIdes onc of the be't ac<ounLl of A ,dt.U\!Wgy (
the resultant '·prcdIC<lment" In an AmazonIan society. MuultlJ ",uWndu, hIS .rgumenl
BUrgt'r Dum
c(>"ld br "pplred to the ConobuSh,plbo. 0,110<,. """'ten R. nJ \
It.!
REFERENCES
Alvar I. f.!,r .. rdf, "
IWr, /.0, I~ro,

Ham rg...r. jI,.n 1'h

1'174 /lo" Ayt! (,( A,"la •• IJy In Womml, I u".'I", ",,,I ~"<lrlV, I'JIIt"J hy M I RH
ald'/~nd II,uJ I rllph, If , PP L6S .l.Hn Slanf,,,,", ,-..ldl1torJ lJrIlVr ,\II'!'II' n
Ba I"1f_m. (At r. Jry
'9l6 I IIfflt St flff/.d I hllVI filly I'll

~ 4
 •

,qiI>

dt' Un~nc Bucn.J,,·cnrun L

.
10 1 LA Mantaiio dtl f'tn Ann oul.Cd by Fr Droms!!) Oniz. Lima· Crafic. YJ
" 942)
Diu C.ut.ilnedl. ern r . .

'92)
b
Kunl O. n
I CiJ
.
/lrvutIJ ,"mm Tal de ..uulio. anLT"P.l.g.c.J
. .
1 (2r J9~. 4,:J9 t."....
M~o de Arqu<ologia de la Uruversldad ~ayor de San Maw" . (MUch u.,
" e n.1 wnlltn In 191> appeared .. Sabre 105 Indlos ru",~_.
same m _ '.1fJl '" 11...
gwrre 19l1- 1g29. 1 JOI- J20.J
W in. LuaDe
1990 X.LW>TIlL Life St"'Y./ a Shll"bo Bilingual Educator. Oolla•. Inl(Jn;.
/Ja/inO
00031 M"",,um of Culrures. Summer Instlru", of Lmgul>uu.
Will. LuaDe. Erwln loun.uk and Harry Boonstra
&"f1'q' nnogllijico de Ios Sh'l"bo·C",,,bo del Uatyalr Lima Ign.Of) h .dr,
1980
Pamr
Emb<T. Melvm. and Carol R Emb<T
r97I The CondmOJU P.rvonng MornJoca! versus Patnloe,] R<:.,dencc . .\~ td
Anthr"P"logur 73 571"'594
Enci:SI)n. P/uJ'PP<
1994 1..01 MayoTUoa In C"i4 nhJIDgrafim de la alfa A""'zoni4. ed,ted by ftrnando
Santos and Fredena B.felaY. vol 2, pp. 1- /28. QuiI/) FlACSO.Sedc
Farabee. Wilham C. '919

1922 Ind",n Tnba 0/ &u1C>! Pm. . Papers

the Pcabody Mu""um f,f Amtm.n
()f

Arclueology and Ethnology X. Harvard Univer>lty. r'/lS

fTan!:. EdwIO H

Lt" Urn In G..", anogrlifim de la alta Amazoni4. edited by Fernando Saruos

I~
and Fredtnco Sare/ay. vol 1 pp. 129 237 QUltO FUlCSO.Sede
Geblun·Sayer. Angc/Jh K.Md.III nu.
1980 t!19j r
'OILUn rur Madchenbeschnerdung b... den Sh'p!boCf,rubo. Oft Peru In IN
er Kmneth
B,awl. GtI,tbl·'W.iuJ.fi gflllludtt'JI",aubl Z., RJJU, d", Fra. Im K.uurwrg/tido.
Edu"d by G Vf,l~r .nd K. Wm Wel, k Spec,.l" ue f:thnologrca 11 I., SIr' '591
Die Sl"tu del &wit1SIU't1U Unu1Hu:h.ngtn z. Wtltb.1d onA Kw",t d" SIt pi»
Cr>mbo jf',hen>ehafilarn YJau.l<tnnt.
r.idderd, Anrhony

1Y79 Ct'>1l1aJ hOb"n SOC",'Ihtory Mllon, StrlU'f.rc, and ContraJ",

Umvermy rl taLf", TU. Pr
"D. 8crtLky
GIr.,,!, r-.fad

'1lle trucw. III Wtua/ln ,I. fJrthwm Ama."1I t I and In,., ".un
0 • la It
'.h" I "'IJ In 11""", DJ /011". fn.-"rd, ~d" d hy Kabnt It M (It I'J'
'U t~~ ( I AJd'I
 FE'"
<T AND FORUM ,'I t H E UPPO

-
I IcY, Grab"'" abu, In Gu", <I1lo>gT.ifi.:" d< '" 4It4
l'own' LOS Yarrun
Murplw. Ilo b('rl P S I
H osnhry Jnd Qe lJ O h CSIO I1 . American AntllropolOO'l r
0-' S9 (6) 1994 Sa.n(Os an
d Fredcnc. Boo',. vot. - . rr ,..,- <
IQS7 Inu.' rg roup
IOIR - 10 .IS
I , d nd Robe" F. Murphy ~LSch0plk. Harry < r 'ndUl" MUSt< of ,hi Lf'PCT""'" Em
MlIrph)'. )01.1" il . ;) Ne","' York: Columbia Unlversiry Press. Notes 10
\\'o",r" oJ tilt Forrst 195 A 8 New York: Folkv---avs Rc~ord.!- and - ~
I .. ·
0 w(JO
1974
RomJIl Pr.m c.seD
" d . MJl%gin Cllmna . Lm1a, pnV3[e y pu Ished.
I hi
No . FE445 .

196Q y LcYt:1I JU .
MIlOl
" .. rnn ndo . :md Vi CCIUC Calvo
PalJarcs. Fe . 'I SI Otl(!S del COfl VCllfOde SOllta Rosa de Ocopa . Jose Amich
Q75 HUlonn r ( (JJ /Ill
d Lima " Editorial Milla Barres. (AJso appear s La b
rl 870 J yContinua
I
ores .
to
rfa Ure]

Correa 19°5- 19°9. 9 ;1- 105.)

W n R DcBocr and Perer G. Roe
Raymond,j. Scorr. arf"C · ' .. .
• A PmlVUlI1 C~amlc Tradltlon . Occasional Papers No 1 Depan.
1975 CumnrtCdYd 1"1 • ,

menr of Archaeology. UniverSIty of Calgary.

n. . J.
Fred. andJ .. n Thomas Nelson
"'PP)·193 CruSll of rllejutlglc. Chapel H ill : U ruve.rslry
' . 0 f N or th Carolma Press.
6 drrs

Roe. Perer G
' 973 Cumancay. ' ArchaeologIcal Excavanons and Ethnograpluc Analogy III 'he
PeruVIan Montana. Ph D. dissertation . Department o f Anthropology. Urn.
versiry of 11I1nots-Urbana.
1982 Tilt Cosmic Zygote: Cosmology In the Amazon Basin . New Brunswick.: Rutgers
Uruverslty Press
Saba,e. Luis
'922- Via)e de los padres misioneros del Convento del Cuzco alas tribus
'9 2 9 salva)e. de las Campas. Pires. Curubos. y Shipibos por el Padre Fray Lu"
Sabare en el ano 1874. In HlStona de la.s misiones franciscanas y narraciofl dr 105
prograos de!Jl geograjia : Re!Jltos ongHUlles y prodllCClones ell lenguos ,"dig'"os d,
vanos mlSIOrleTOS. ,6J 9-192 1, by Bemardino (zaguirre, rO:I9-304. Lima: Talleres
Gr:ificos de la PerutenC13na.
Samanez y Ocampo.Jose B.
1980 Explorac";,, dt lDS nos prruanos Apurimac, Eni, Tambo , Ucayah y Unlbambn lluha
por Josr B. SamalllZ y Ocampo en J883 y J884 . L,ma Sesator
San Roman, Jesus
'975Perfiles hlSLoncos de!Jl Amazollla pcrua.Ul. Lima Ital-Peru
SlSkmd.Janet
J973 To Hunt in th, MornIng. London : Olt.ford UruverSlty Press.
Tedlock. Denni.
1979 Zun, Rehglon and World View In Hm.dbook oJ Non!t AmeYlwII 'ndlllllJ. vo19.
pp 49'.1-508 Washington Smllhsont.n In''''UIlOI1
Tt moan". C;unrrr
f!;:UI MnUlh"" ohn' GOII Stullgart Strtckcr ul1d Sthrllutr
T'JurntJO, }.uqut-,
ICJIS4 InVt- flgol' U}'WJ (JhJf·I.I~ 1,1..111 .1", 111('du Inlollc-S lit' h)~ Shtplhn lumhl ' JrI t l("~'
»11 A,"~ZU'"lll'"ualftl ') CII flK

:ue
 FEASTS A 0 LAB

th~ tCa t tz3 . 0

. . H"" ",-er.
t<juali[} th nzed tl ode .
;oaalt aI1 ~ of a (uIIy eo he lllobo'm"d
tb '" W")' I.1bor to
b)" ble vo1uD " "bor explOlUoon inhero m
ch>' enabd![}" for ...
FEASTS AND LABOR MOBILIZATION . cbe pasS! feasoog o~r.ltes as
ha" ....s that S1~
aall", che W_, [ "rogumnuoc statt
DISSECTING A FUNDAMENTAL ECONOMIC PRACTICE ctU . Despite frequen. tb n.s f
cbJS reaJ1n.
ce of unde~din '" e m
Michael D,etler and Ingrid Herbich the lJ1Ip"rtaIl a(temptS [0 do such tbm_
199") and ,.an:ofr('\'\.. 19, J; Tngger 1990
roJeet' (eg I ' <" 3 theoreoca1 aplm;;
P to deve opme
betn gJ,-eo h slavery. Ho",e\"tf. it: d a
e5
ocher LaIl •
praCUC
dllI of che corn
pia and momate
sran g"[hat IS because, a though feastS
(]1Jaal n socieQes th .. dO' 5
among agrana "
mWl ... .me fashion or that th
exactlv uoe S3JS

III 'Hence the d~'Ooon of a chapter

tn aD (.leeS. •
w
a1di COO
. n of this fundamental
The followmg discu Ion I' based
castS denved from both th
(he !t!lllllal "Iorks of Eras;mmus I :
ttbnograpluc and hisloncal m
~mp( (0 define a working ~blllan
IIlg !he reJaoomhlp betwttn
"coDeem-e work n<mts that
mlOn functions of f, and thar
from IhU more abstract t
(he pomts .. e devl:lop Final
dutology, and cspcmUv the
~Iopmenl of 5OOaIIIlf'quaJ
The use of feases to mobllIze collective labor has been a widespread and funda·
mental economIC practICe of socielles around the world. In fact, vanams of (he
COLLECTIVE WORK EVENTS •
pracoce are so stnkmgly ommpresent In rhe erhnographlc and historical htera "orlr /wc !he IC:I III
ture that a good case can be made far acknowledging It both as vlrruaUy a UOl ' fUs! IIlOdc or
vcrial fearure among agranan SOOCtlCS (e.g., sec Erasmus 1956; Moore 1975. hosplulilV IIltd t
Uchendu 1970) and as the nearly exclusive means of mablhzmg large voluntary fUs!1S MI hell! In
work proJecu bef(Jfe the 'pread of the monetary economy and Ihe capJlaiJ5I afic",,*u
ClJmmodlolatlon (,f lab,,, and creation of a wage labor market. Ihtfwluch~
Thu faa IS (,f enlJfm"UJ p"lenual Iglllficance [0 archaeologists 10 thrIT al le r In <i.: fin«!
temptS 10 under I<Ind anoem '" IClIcS, particularly In t.. rm of grappling wllh IS
U ruch al the role of lah'I( comrol and exploitation In th •• dl"vdoprnrnl "I
 -
n the other hand, op"nt" m tt '
rk feas lS • 0 . _
d.e< . wo laVISh hospItality IS dlan e
nsacDon
Work Exchange ch ange rrabligaoons -,ust ~
between host .mJ gue _1 In,
further 0 cknowledged by the parno('QOt· . a 'kiI
leas< parnally ~'- ualin: and quannty of the t>c,er .mJ
++.
Lebor ReciprocIty Obligations
> - (11en[S a
bout we q -J
k done and the 51?e of the group tMf paro
Temporal Finality of Exchange TransactIon of wo r .
- < • + + amount
colson 194 .
9 Donham 199-1 Goldschnudt N:"e

I -
La .... lshneSs 01 Hospitality
< • + + 1967a ;
er 1961 ).
However. as Karp bas noted for the he. f E
Hunt essanly consciously envtsage this JS ar
Size of Work Group
• + ts do not nec
- < + ipan r
d the least
may be seen simply as ·the ,ellld~ tbrou m
.
Social Distance 01 Labor Recrullment stea. .. 8 '88). In other words_ labor relanom are c '
- < • + + chieved (19 o.
Parentlal for ElCploitaHon a . e d as relations of commensality
- < + + + euphe1J1lZ • -'-
changes the sIZe of Ule wor . glOup ak I to
In work e x · .
all collectives of usuallv less thiUl We() ,
F'gure 9.1. Schematic representation of Collective Work fatrly srn •
Events (CWEs) showing the correlated inverse-trend reia- to ft garuz ' ed through kinship or fuen.hhir n ,
very 0 en or
llOnsrupS among work-group SIZe, the degree of recipro-
M~relm' ( ) bas nored the rather pre=eh • a e
cal labor obbgaoons. the scale of hospitality required. and nns Cleate certam chedllhn\! (1)n,tnUlt. m;l,( both l
[he sooal dIStance of workers capable of being mobilized. labor 0 bligao _
the oups and generally result m one ot t\\
Several analytical points need ro be established in order to understand the op- . gr
eproca non In what he calls the "indlYldual
eration of eWEs. Most Immecliately, it must be emphaSized that, from a Com- paraopate 1Il several different "ork·e. mm, n
parative analytical perspective. work feasts and work exchanges are nOt binaty ople l11clividual obhgation With _everal oth l' p<'
oppositional categories, but rather terms used to describe polar tendencies along sets of obhgations that onl - parnalh Ult r' :-t In th
a conrinuum (Moo re 1975). This continuum is defined by several factors (work· a conslStenr group of inrunduab ,nil \ ( r
group SIZe, redprocal labor obligations, scale of hospitality, social clistance of the projects of each of ItS mc:mbn. :\.- 1 1 r
workers, etc.) that vary U1 a fairly predictable relationship to each other (see Fig. rutionahzed dtfferenccs 10 Sllc,al rank
9.1). Perhaps the most important defining characteristic is the inverse relationship of work-exchange event· "nurm 11 (
between the degree of recIprocal labor obligation and the scale of hospitality IUS WIth comparahle bndholJmg. r,~
reqUired With work f(a.t'. on rh .. oth rh J
At the exueme work-exchange end of the scale, litde if any food needs to be scale (UP to . ever aJ hundred I'<' pi
provided (ofi:en Simply a little ordinary refreshment), but the moral obligations nOI be po,,;hl .. with \\ork ..,lun
to reaprocate by partiCIpating in the work-exchange events of those who have CrUlOng w(lrk~rs from J \\ IJ r
parnClpated U1 one's own event are very strong and explicit. This recIprocation borhood affihdlltln, tlr 'tl(;l1 t ru. h lh I
may be either in person , or by sencling a member of one's household as a substi- and qUJhty uf th., dl111k dnd h'Od p
tute At the extreme work-ftasr end of the scale, reClprocallabor obligations may Vldtng these thl11g 11\ ahun.l.ln, Ih I
ble very weak (and vaguely ImpliCIt) to completely nonextstent, but the laVIshness do,,· sOCldl rt'IJllunshll Furth rnl
of Ihl: hospitalIty expected IS qUILe SIgnificant Inounted tUI 'P"<lti, I r I) t d Ih
)n ')thtr w(Jrds, crudely stated. the dIfTerence IS baSIcally onc between an ex orgJIIIZJt\UIlJI 'tru,l\! II r I
chwge IIf lab()r f(" I.bor vtrsus and exchange of labor for hnsplldltlY. Thai IS,. (lit th .. Id III poldf 1 11 III cl, 1\ It ,
wrJrk cxrhangu r,p.. r.t<· thmugh a kllld 01 delayed lCClproCIIY., where till' host of It'l'Jl1lt Ip., ulth rI.
h~ n-enl assurnt 5 .I.hr" ddH 1<,.11 t11t' p.rtl( Ipants Ih,lI II1l"t bt· ,ep.llt1.11 J 1.111'1 111111'(' m.rk d
dlh

142
 FEASTS AND A8D~ ~O
•
- •

. 11 d IIngu"h IWO vananes of [he work fea st, onc vol volve some Imphot reoprocal b
Onc: can .1(cua Y " I Untary s oil n i r
, I c voluntary work feast, peop e are drawn to the e and ~L
"m )' and, In rht: oppoSIte IhRcoon • Wf'le
on" obiJg.tOry n t 1 on of [he host for provIding . . . vent
laVIsh feasts Tb b rnply SI LPg"" •
WI , ILU'
oy the pnor rcpUIJl1 . ' . e 0 "gat ~.n lhe work·exchange end of the ConllIl
UUm
r., referred 10 as (Drvee labor, elOst, on ly where lhe ory
form . which I~ O,lel1 _ re IS InStl "uganoos and decrea5Ulg sIZe. For ex,;"""lt:
~."t' ,U,", .L-
I~ of
. I authonry 111 rhe form of reltglous leade rs, chIef k.i tu·
l,onahze cl ccn cr a
e appararus. In lhese cases, people are drawn 10 pa
5, ngs
. ' Or egones of eWE ,he dabo. the "",1:0• ..".1 Ibt: lid..... The
other eypcs 0f sta l . rtlClPate b large (uP to durty people) ad hoc work fea. 0 ,
r publIC IMmuno n has rhe m oral authonty to requIre h e·
! cause a rU Ier 0 .' t Cif pr roVlSlon of much beer LS mandatorv and .L weq~n
r. m of labor cnbUle. However, as will be dIscussed in more d . e,. P 'J
of
cnce as a o r , etatllater length. of the workday, but at wlucb Ibe h .tal a
I
rU er!) W 10
fad to orchestrale CDrvee projects rhrough the same work r,
- - east idiom
,
.
I Vldlng a generous quanuty of food and dnnk for the workers cal work obuga nons The mol?o LS alarb- .... ""'tcll a
II '
by pro mbhng and resista nce. Rulers ca nnot rely on coercive force t ,WI '00n rotating work exchange with a formal Or ~n,_ , -~.anon

meet gru 0 motlvat which some beer IS usually pmvid"d lbut . DOl
.
parllop arion' any stable long·term . system of labor . robute must rely h
On t e COn. e
small work exchange (three to four !",ople f,
unU aJ roduction of consent- whIch means operatmg .through and pi aYlng upOn which beer IS DOt necessary; but some bt:er
P
the same practices that have symboll c resonance , . WIthIn the popul 3tlon as a
ro extend beyond the standard half dav•
whole Hence, there
. IS very good reason to VIew corvee labor SImply a
. ' s a van.ant 195 1: Nadel 1942:248-2 5[; Tosh 19;1>",1 for a ran
of the work fea t tn which the co mposttton of the labor force is pred etermtned
Hence, from an analyocaJ perspeCU't, It I .
by an Ideology of obhgarion
. and authoriry. In fact, approachtng this rei auonstup
culrurally specific fOllllS of C\VE mav be
1T0m the oppoSIte dtreCtlon, Bourdt eu ( 1990 :n8 ) sees the voluntary work feast as
mact conttnuum accordtng to local
Simply "a coven exaction of corvees" a perspective that will be better apprea·.
labor reoproory obligations and sal of
ared after the discussion of exploitation below. glveo sociery, there may be 00 fOllll. tlut
A second important POtnt Lhat needs ro be made about these CWE modes IS
cremes As Wlll be dlscu cd IJtcr, th~ f. ("t Iw
rhat they are not mutually exclusive and it is not possible to characterize particu· srancitng the potcnn.ll of thes<' pr~
lar sooeties by one or the other of rhem . Rather, in most societies both modes moment, let us Stmpl) es!~bh:h -.enuno
WIll be employed 111 dtfferenr conrexts for different purposes. For example, work
as work frll.<t to cmpmcal ethno!;raphl r
exchanges may be the normal pattern for smaU groups performtng routine agn· nilymg those Jrrang< mcm th.. t tend t
cultural tasks (e.g., weeding, harvesting, field clearing, transport of crops from analyueal contmuum 01 C\\ E
field to home), wlule work feasts will be employed for projects requiring a larger It hould addttlonall h., not d th.tt
work group (e.g., house building and repair, fence or rampart construction, road worker, pcrii)rmlO!: IdelltlloU t I IT
bUlldtng and repaIr, waterworks construction and maIntenance, mtntng, agricul. ful m conte>t> where the Impl muln I
rural work on very large plots of land, mounting trade expeditions) or onc coo· to bear on J t... k I eIT.-,1t m
vened for an urgenr task . Moreover, withtn given local COnlcxtS, these dtlTereot CCrtJU1Il'Jt, (su,h J' th
forms of CWE! arc often categorically marked : that IS, many societies dlsltn~\JIsh structures 1 that, uuld nN bt:
dtlferent ktnds of eWE! by name and conceptualize rhem as disrin(l calcgo
ncl Tasks tilr whll"h th. ope,10l1tz J
(ite btk,w) In olher cases, the dIfferences are more cltnalthan CJtcgo ncal (e.g, the mulltph,,,nun , th num r
.... Chlbnlk and dt Jong 1990, Saul 19R3)· ""'Jns 1 ht' Jt
An",I,,·, Imp',nant rdared P'"nt that needs lO be established IS Ihat thl' spC(lh( I1I'rl~ IUuMr·t • t hI J nn tl n
("rnu ,,r CWh ("und In real .·thnlJgraphl tonrc,'xrs do not m'frs'Jrlly ,km'I)' JP l"a't \\It h t ht: ,on,
I"',J( h th,. 1',,1", I "In-Oll VI'rMI)n, 1I .... d h.·,,· 11> ddim' th.· ,lh,1t ,In ,JIl,llylll,11 ,(1" I"ndll<tlnn \.l1t f
ttnuur " N I,IIJ/I'u.1 1I I1 J/ I ""lily tW')t,II'·g"III·~ . ItllIlht'1 WOHh,,1 I(11,1I Vl.",,,11 "I ""lIIn I 1h• 1'11.111
W'
I
Id I,'
I
I
f a II It ( I :1 .. W'" k. f",1 1 UIl utlt •• 11,,11 .lIt "
rlllHlhH ."I\l \ I
•lit- II,,~hl In,lIly 'thntlllr I'ht

l44
 - FEASTS A~O l~BOI MOl :"

-
- --- ok IcaslS IS genera lly less good Ihan al
cr((>rmc..d ~I I
W I _ m e forrunate excepoons l. However _
l111V of W(,lr~ P lS worse as t he Size of the feast ex.pands SO '--m_~~
th.u the qu o u Ihry often ge t:. ' reveaIJng, Goldsc~dt. for e.urnple. "TOte of ~
wurk e\C 11.11""" ~
Jnd Ihe q ',[ to the c 11-'cC IS of the alcohol Lh. LO.len .ccompanie S
fEast Afi,ca that no In.oruoon IS so cent< 1
. t 'quendy due "' Ilow('vcr
Thl~ I~ re:
pill I 0 SI ems fro m [he different sense of recip.
It a s
o .1 to modo
among me Kotyar of Nlgen. the concept of Co.! fi
h ' 'ork ,11 work fcaSl s -
[ C \\
for,t/ obJlg;W
on Lh Jt .11I Jchcs ro 5m3
' 11 work exchanges, as well as the lI1ereasing
.
' I 'ncreasing size .
weal my farmer who dtstributes beer m "'turn fur I.:"
~
• V1510 n wit 1 L d h As nOLed earher, work feasts were, <IllJ an: Used t
dI flicul"es 01 .uper ,
obscrvallon. I [ should be nore L at, contrary to older
tasks for which the sheer mulophcaoon of h ". 0 rafurm a
A '' ,1 lil1nl rrelllnlllnry I' d "dOl11es r'c I ",ode of production" composed of self- dl)", <Itbtr
of done m a short space of ome Or enables. p •
COllccpuo ns ',n Idca Ize . "
d conSUl11pnon unJts,
CWE.. s are f un damental
roJect th..t could 10
I Id roductlon an ,, omefWlSe. Most often these mclude agncuJn. __I . t
conl,,.ned house 10 P
f Lhe 'granan e
. conomy because they mobilIze the essentia l in- .-... u., lnd
o
tenance / rep.,r proJects. but such tlungs as the
!O Lhe opera non 0 I b nows Lhat, in fact, sustain domestic units (see orpnlZ;}
. c Id communal a or , mg. and trade expeditions are also recorded For r
I<rhous",.o
Donhal11 1994 '
) Moreover, wor
k feasts in particular, are extremely ImpOrtant in
, . . ..
f the context they provIde for the acqUIsItion and
extensive tcadmg nerwork of the Kamb. of I\. \ ~ ....-
I ' I conomy because 0 rhe innovative adapratlon of the tcadtoonal m"~
the po wca e b I' a,d economic capital (to employ Bourdieu's
of s)'m 0 IC I ize transport (Cummings 1976:92--93 _
converSion . I gy) In the lirsr place, as with aU Other types of
0 .1 1191 useful rermmo 0 . What IS more. the moovational effeCt!\ ne 'of C\\"E5 In
9
[1 9 . 1]- . tunity to make public statements about ptestige and
feast they prOVide an oppor partiCIpate U1 workmg together IS e",dent m th~
, I (Chaprer 3). It should not be forgoLten that, for the par-
,cqUlre syl11bo~c capita . . important effects on such prdcoces remmmg from ~ .
. h k f, sr IS above aU else, a festive SOCial occaSion (rather than
tJcipJl1rs.3 la VIS wor ea t • • . rhe transfol'lnaoon of labor mto a mark t
Simply a day 0 f wage ib a 0 r). Such an event not only , mobilizes labor: It augments regimes, work feasts and work e.\chan c> run
. 0 f the host for generous hospitality lI1' the same way that, for ex·
the r.putaoon . wage labor m many areas (Colsnn anJ SUJJd~T I ._,
ampIe, hosttng · a Iarge marriage
. ceremony or sponsonng a communal ntual does
Saul 1983) Indted, dunng the COlOnIal pen
(e.g.. see ChJbruk and de Jong 1990 '' Colson and Scudder , 1988:77;
'" Kennedy 1978).
an indigenous economy h.ld been acc,'pted
However, ItS . pecu IJ'ar characteristic among feasts lI1 general IS thar It slmultane·
value, there often pcr'lsreJ J Iinl!cnn> 11
ously provides a means of harnessing the labor of others in order to acquire eco· , -
for money (as _1 Iso was lhe ca. ~ \\1Ih bnd
nomic capital rhat subsequendy can be converted to additional symbolic capital among the Fur of the -ud.In, g",mm ru
I by several orher means. As Will be explained below, work feasts, in effect. act as a cessful tn rc(rutlln~ 1<11-,11 \\('rkef' to
mecharusm of mOOect conversion between spheres of exchange in multi-cemnc wages \\cl-e <akul.llcJ [0 to, twch nm
economJes and thereby provide a potential catalyst for mcreasing mequality in so· by an IIlwvldu.,1 In th. ,,,n[nt If
oal relations, Cook Uand, of Lhe: [>J(ll1< , I '" ,'n
UIIII,-U for a~n(uhur 1I \\,lrk nn pbnt
WORK FEASTS IN ETHNOGRAPHIC CONTEXTS or mr.. "'Ill ( ><1nwthlll' III '11 I,
At (Ius stage, It IS necessary to ground thiS schematic discussio n of collcrllvc work IS dune: ) '\<1111,11''''' Id~ a utli 1
work evenrs, especJa lly work feasts, U1 some brief ethnographic exomplts In Ilul\tl-r ', dc" tlpt'UIl ,,1
order bmh to g,ve a sense of lhe everyday lived expenence behtnd rhese abstracI PUlld" 01 S'IlIlh \h h 111< I III
c(mceprs and ID expand upon the lheol'ctical pOlo IS made , l\.lIl'S nUh:d In till' l H lJ I la \.I
The Importance and ublqutry of work feasts can hardly be doubted by Jnyt)l\~ "n'd rc"pll- 1,,1 • I rth ul r t
farmliar WlLh th,' l'lhn<lgraphlc and hlslomallilcralUrc: In f,lCl, work f.-J,tS haY<' 11"'101 \\ III h. h Id 11\ I" It. I
1><:1'0 u< h a ()mmrm f"atu,,' of ag' "".," ~()ne ll CS Ihat Lhey h.1Vl' often bL'l'n I,lkl'n lhllllt 'h till It 111 I h • I I
(',r gtanltd il pJiI uf till' /'xl"" le d ,"Itural ha, kgrolllld .1 sl'lf "vld"lIt 1".11<111' 11\ Ip.lh , hut I'l "pI
mtl1U<,n. cl In a V,flllUS p.8~.IK"\ hlJt 11111 "fig"'"
!)lIt fUI d,·I.II'I II ,111,1 Iy.'" ' (w llh hI! I Ih h, "' 1'1 I n, t (

146
 I ' Ih .111 ,11' ,/Im(1 with 1"'11 ,', 11 It I ~ k l'lr,w ll <1 d
dw.I~'~ d' ,Iv.'," I1HI ( 11
beg.n [he bl~<>1 done< of . 1I Yilru n fUttusb.d
111 1/.,,111 \\., ,11 hC'f " J -h Ind how m,m y hJrtc.: I"I/ of hi" rI hJve ' b"cn
• . I PIIIII U IIIII Y Ilf.,1I . pn kill ed tWO ,mdll go,,,, They. "U1 d.anccd &r pot pot
.11 \ , II, .. rd If' till I . le- 1\ I n \ ol1lf w,l y~ t(Jmn"l(' !1 1ri UT . Il c: With Iht
he lIuOlh("'" pt /J p da nced lor . Imos, twO hours ."h.loaJ rrw::..0 dw 1U>d
r .11t·J , .1IId \0 I I Ihn dUW Ic.ln,IIU H1 \ ~uc: h ,' \ the S( <lrl lt y or beer
I "' 'IHJ\·, Jl,d . lul 11 . .H
1 968 . 73 ~74 ) II>I!
.111, " 11111 u/ H ( J I . " \ II Vlll l'S 011 , Ih(' o (,; ru p .ltlon 01 pt'()Jllc w it h the
I ' ll ll llhc' , ul n l ", I , Ir
1111' 11111«:' 111 I , the.: nW I'Il' f t }f the ' '' fU II fO I ge nerosit y fJr M ln u
I II
lf «< -IllI l.llIon n - ' , ,.,Ine.s, By hosting rh,s large work feast. Yil.un V<a!
J
11111 " ,.m ) .
II\VI ' I I ' II U"l1 d hlA (I l l/nil" I t.)b l "'"
P
and hJs farmland imo dIsputed t. mlO cnuIIy 10
•• Il r rl d11 nUll! It r • . rv In ~ "' I I. ~.
mcreaslngly scarce In addition Yli.a 011 '>er< bud
un "'''~d ",..
A... I lunl t'r d,,!,,:c nhr.\ 011(,' \ur h event treatment of the relatives of hlS best fn d .. " -~t
m dunn th
k ' m ' nlle.' S nil liw enh. fi ve b Ol rc ls o f beer WC l c prov ided and iln place, hiS name was On the hps of aU ' ~ B 1. _ _ .. e
A I WIt' tfmllJ 10 1.1 ( \: b ' , . Q'<anndn and Boh
• , . Wl' l l' present li me, the I' um er nf men and w o rn !!1
.H OI1 C As pOin ted ou t earLer. (orvu labor also a.a·lIl1"nan I
Ilvr l l l1-;!' 0 1 flm y pc: op t . 1
. I p(:nph.' [J ln t." ,ll1U wc: n l , ;'I~.s I!1t1ng In Ihe work ro r as long J S they lS ~c'"lh" 0
bl' '''~ ,l b o UI C(IU J
icliom of the work feast (eg.. see OWo n 199O"'to . Goody
. ed muml ,11 Inu:rvil ls. su the ,Im m.lnllhcy gO l depended upon
\II,Yf'J 1\r(.' 1 W,lS " .I.\.s Washburne 1961 /.40 ), In malung this gen.~ ~ -
,"e lell):!" ,,/ lim e Ihey ,l.lyed (196 i. Hy) cOUrse. some potential danger In USl/lg CObC fro ~"
· nOled people work hard at sLlch events. bUl lh ey come lO them b ma ny instances "duefs" were created b . d ID mlom.'
A., \ hc furt IIt; 1 • e· eo ec III llClt'tlt$
CJlI>C' lhey enJoy partlClpa ll ng, ')\n ",ma
i~ a party, The crowd of people. rhe miX· previously elUSt (e,g. see Chapter J I, He
. .,
. 1.
n(e:~ U\..ll nt'c>c
109 of Ihe sex es . •LI1d Ihe rcfrc~h mcnrs, give evcn l.~ hard work the atmosphere of continued the labor·mobilizatton pnctlc.s u.-eJ
pl.IY. There I> convCrSJlIon , and songs. and Olfll ng (1961:90) T his means also lhal did not previously have the authonry to comnund la
"UsUJ lly an ",,"a a
gel.l lh rough considerable amOLlnr o f work, bUllhe qu ality of danger IS mItigated by the fact that even ca"., ith
Ihe work, parllcularl y in J weeding parry. IS apllo be poor" (1961:90). see m to fo llow trus panem As noted earuer. Sou
BohannJII and Bnh"nn an (1968) provide another illumina ting dcsCI'Iplion of a voluntary work feast as Simply a camoun.ged
men! obscures Important d,SttncnOtb \\ lthtn rh
WOI k frasl .lITl on~ Ih e T, v of Nige ria : t th.!1
work feasrs (ourhned 10 the Inlrul J",·u. IOn of C~
l1,e bIAA"" Iy.l", I ",oun,ling parly we saw was aJl ed by a ma n of abo ul forty,five. POlOl to th e pote ntIal fo r 50nl( \\orl. feast< 10
rll.lun of Mb.IDuku i Mb,Var I le ca lled hi ' beM fne nd from the nelghbonng lineage exploitatIo n
who ga lher.d abou , Iwcnry of hIS own agnatic kinsmen abo ut hi m and came to
MhaDuku I.re line evenmK They hroughl drUm> and hoes. a hu rnca ne lamp. and SAMIA WORK FEASTS AND THE ISSUE
Ihelt b.,l dO/hos They dJnccJ al ,evcra l compounds along the way. to songs com· OF LABOR EXPLOITATION
po«d for Ihe OCtaSlon .,"d to we ll known work songs Whcn lhey gOllO Vilalln', Lel us now turn tu J bn d mn. IJn JI1011
compound. they J Jnrcd lI l1111 .lbOUI "o0 A .M They began work Ihe next mornlllg Of nl al irOn productIo n (I1nJ uLle,1 ~mo th
d.ybreah ThIS gm up WJ' Jomed by Vi lau,, ·••'gnali klllsOlen all the .1 ~1 a l lC dcsecn mea n, of locuslng p.l rllr ulJrh up"n lh" I
dam> "I hIS fa ther\ f.llha .•1I1d •• f,'w yo uths wll h more all cnuatcd 3~l a u c I",ks, tht' d nsc ly rdJl cd n>m,'r" "ll fun tllln f
1J•• W I1 by d.lI\(lng and Ill(' PI"UOl ISC of ne h food. seve l al yo ung mCI1 01 YIi ,,,,,,'> agr.tnlll sm Icry '''lh .. Ir.l,hlllmJIl
mmhrr'!; iJ l'lt.'agc fJmt, ;'l l,d t wo or
hi S wives' brmhc rs 1111'0 ~lrrI Vl'l1
They spe.lk .1 IJl1gll.l~ .,1 lht IIJotu I
1111> j(II1Up 111.lde ya ", mounds 01 .1 fcve fish p'lch fOI' abolll ftltll hOllrs They
SpCJI..llg I.tll. 11\,1111: ""Jlh .,f lh \\ m m
w," ,h,'n It,v.. n f"od. pl t' parrd ,lI1d brl)lIghtt o lilt' lieltl~ hy ,,11 01 th," wo",. " of Vi
I",un's rlJmpou nJ "n wy J t c: in g roups ut' ••bo ul hJlr .1 do/.~n . '.Ich g-rlJup WJ~ ~1Vl'11 .1
V' C(()ri •I U nil I ll\
I IlIl I u , ,1 I un'r<' 11' "I,
01 Ihl' Iroll t"t'd " "'I I r I Ih u nJ
tIU~:I' I .ldh.l,h of Y.Il11 PlJl riU),;t. wlIh Ihn'(" ,IIHl'n.'rH S.lU Cc" S. Th eft' W~I ' sO nUllh ,,)Od bOlh 'SI"'11'.1 .111,I 1.1l " !,.Ill ,I Ih 11 h
Iht")' /I,uld ""t.'.1 " .lil WOI" w.,. ' lI spl' nded dunng Ih,' h" ., l "I' 1I1l' d.IY,They \ilwk
'" 0 1" "Hlh t 11\ lh, ' J.Ot ... hil
bqyHl tlY.iUII 'UOUI lotH Ifllh,· . d l l· 'llIH Hl ,\Ill! WlJl kt"'d lIntll d.llk, .1nLl wen.' fl'll .I~Jjl1
l

111 PU\kl" ,.1 ,ht 'H C l11et I lhi :n

Ihilllll'~'h' Ihtoy ,lJntt J UII II I wdl .l hll II1 Hhll~hl I ht' IU' I d.IY tht, 1'1 (I(('tllll f w,t\
1\1'111 .1 (Ill .'\\ 11 I
rep ,1,,.41, rld ••1I till f,tl lI l /,1 YI I,Hl IJ 'I I IHlII Hl tIIH.I wc It· fllll~llt'd rh.lllIl~hllhr y

248
 FEASTS "NO lA80A MOIIUZAt Q

l quann oes of Iron slag found at the

-- .

nsu:i crJb C d.ngenng exchange lmks.a.nd gJ'"lOg . d.tuj:h,.. to ~ ~

.• lI In both the co . r he pnna p.l object produced from thIS
o rdkdc.: me tor t considered Jughly destrable beouse of th ........ _
d<r ,'" " cl In Ihe LUO n.l I 1/ o r "Hoe. Daughter of the Hills" was - . '-'Wll. rcU
h hllb I n d Kwrr "l'ag" • dered. Furthermore. the soli tron-nch slag (the smeJlln'
b.lS" of t e . I • bl.,de ca ll. • s based upo n a system fu eled by large
I T ~ Iron lOC ~ cl hoes wa fio enr) was often coUected by those SJ.ou.a who could not
ore,·l :lrg( ducoon 01 lese 'on o f the same m echarusm used to
. 2l Thepro bo ra te d ~n l . work feasts on their own. and small chunks of tron Wtte
(FI!,: ~ . Jueh ",os an do cts A wealthy m an (that IS . one wuh a
k fe.,st". W . f olher prole . enough to make a hoe
worb lt •• labo r fo r .1 V.lnery 0bl of raISIng a copious suppl y o f rrullet. breWing it
While this work-feast method of engagmg III tron PrNum
01 0 I b of WIves CJP' e Iy of food) would call together all the
I :JC nUOl er eneroUs SUPP , , pie. open to all Sarrua men . ill pracncal terms It> effem, !l
to beer. and pre p.nng a g gIven day to rrune ore from the Sarrua hills. There
.lr!;
.Ire d [0 those wealthy enough to provlde sufliaentl I.'h_
III of the area on • were drawn to do so by the pnor tepu. _~... a"t.;, to
\\'1Umg men
n to parr P
io ate. bur men , . work groups. As noted elsewhere (Chapter ; \. the ~'"ncultUn.l. d
w.s nO0 b " bb a:> tio eroUS hospltd.Ury._ 1. After spending the day gathenng ore.
required for such an eyent I.S fal midable, and Ul • ~ >od lu
rJOon 0 f the hosr for gen r
d a g reat least. a fter which rhey would rerum home and
quired many wives. However. acqumng "lve, "'q~ •
Olen were create to I f iron ore . No further compensation was
th.se h large supp Y 0 • wealth (i.e .. cattle and tron hoes) for bndewealth . 101.0\ r. rr
_L has< was left WIt a 'd d to own rhe proceeds of rhe day s labo r A
UlC S conSI ere link between subsistence produCtIon. mamage. and iron rodu
· .. ~d and the host warhen calle d to convert the ore first into blooms and then
req~ - . insure tbat an irutial posinon of advantage Ul a(ce." I tiu., ~
SOl
elrer and a sn"th were
el E ch of these era
fumen was compensated for rus
labor by
have a sptraling effect in augmenting weillth and p""n F
mro hoes. respecnv y. a duced from the ore.
f the h oes pro wealth in cattle was necessary for the bndewffitb I
bemg gIven some 0 which srill survive as heirlooms in Luo and Sarrua homes.
whose labor could produce a large n,a t BUI on, 0 ~
These hoes. some of h d cor utilitarian agriculrural purposes.
ble Althoug use l' through the 1I1snrution of rhe work f,.sl .:culJ be
were exuemely valua ' . h f exchange in a multi-centric economy:
f resuge sp ere 0 (through converSion to stock used ,,: bnd<\\eJlth r
III
tbey formed parr 0 a p . . f li estOck. and they were even used along
... wred the glvtng 0 v transactions); and the increased productl\e '~~CIIY re
thelt acqUlSlUon req sactions So important were they to
. Irh in marnage tran . could be used to more effecnvel)" and tn:quemh
with cattle as bndewea .' I re exempt from atrack for fear of en·
the neighbormg Luo that Samla trave ers we feast and engage agam 111 tron producnon Th
tar- (tn temts of cardc. crops. and \\'lW. to r
exduded from the cyde .nd were ",du, j I r
work feasts of rhe wealth,•
Trus example serve' to lllu,trat h \\
con\'erslon betwee1\ sph."" 01
all

r
•
11\
economy (FIg. Q.4). "'uch c, 100nll '. In tuch
lated III .epJr.te d1Jn~ tt"j!\me
upon the cultur ) anJ '" "h\,h lh "n"
vemng bc{\vc,'1\ th,' 'rh(tt" .• \\ 'n-
nomIC sYSt,'l11s th.lt ,II,ln"t ha\
19~7.1. 80h.l1\n.1I I'; ~. PI< t I I
thl'1l1 a, .1 111\1\<'\,.1 1 alii \ l\ In t
I
tll~d "\·~trtn Kll\\., for" .uupI
f Lhe precol unral Ilr",h'-I ".Ih 11 III 111.\
fIgure 9 2 Ire.," hQt blade (]c nl1l h ~6 cm ) Tom I S 11111.
cra In we If'rn Krnya .lnt~l hot' hi aJ c:"!i wc'n: m,llit 111. t It' .' . 11 '(,11, III \.11" III I \I, ulJ
I rcv. ton I hey UlllI"- .
I hll. and •.le, h.n,,"·d Wldtly Ihroll~h"lIt tit du '\ I {'\l h I\~\' It,
,.. I
Ix.. u J .. bndj~' dhh tnd tu ,':) r h.JIl~(" rOI lVt Situ k (I'hlll" 1)
th ~ {'I\\ I h 'n IUft
I l\ Ih
M IJlt In IlId I I ,,·rill' It)

HO
 - fEASTS ,,~O LA,IO.
n 1001
A rlcu lUJra I P-"ucllon
,.,..
..-r"
attle
WIVES " Brewing.
oklng

Prestige SPhere
Iron Hoes

FEASTS
h arid ••lIh
Bnd . .Il

Labor
Iron Prod tlon
I
FEASTS
LIVESTOCK
IRON HOES Grain
Cl
~CMng ______( ____- -
Common Sphere
Swanaoc . represenrao on of the lmk between .subsistence
. . . production, marnag. ' Pots
Figure 9,3 . S et)' shoWIng how an uuoaJ position of advantage In .c- Ba
and Iron producnon m anua 500 . .

cess to dus process wo u1d ren d to have a spiralmg effecr Ul augmennng wealth and prestige Figure 94 SchemJllc "'prexntallon f!he roIr ~
rea com'trsJOn btf\v~~n ~heres of a.ch.m U'\ I
SlITIphlied rendJOon of on pc ..,bI. ""
both acquiring prestige and mobilizing the labor by which prestige-sphere ex. surveys shO\\ mm po. Ihlt' pt! mut.ltlons of n"~u
change objectS could ultimately be obtained. A nrua! form of commensal hospl-
rah (the work feast) was able ro perform the apparently impossible function of
con~erting lowly grain inro valuables and prestige. of linking separate spheres of
and e: rncI wealm .!Od m
exchange via an indirect rOure involving me mobilization of labor (both cuhnary
Barm (1<)0 a, 1Y<>~h nOI J a mular pot
and producrrve).
mounlalO Fur nll.1 <- of Ih~ udan
The Sarrua example also demonstrates me way In which work feasts serve al a
.ill)' eparJI<'d 101<' I '0 'Cr ta
condwt for reaproca! conversIOns of what Bourrueu (1990) calls economiC and hl1S(, Jndle , 10I1un.1It"
,I
symbolic capita!: People are drawn to participate to such cvcms by the repUlJ guest "u,i.. r, ,It Ihe It;t I
Don of the host for generous hospitality. This reputation IS an aspect of symbnhr mun.· W Jit h} .sum,' llf th
capital acqUired through che expendirure of matenal capnal In prevIOus tedll' mcnr Ih"1f 1 IJII\' JJ, III
But through rhe Insorution of me work feast. th,s symbolic capllil l 's l",'d 10 hJr <."h ([(II' f1UI". t
ness rhe labor of Otntrs for the acqu'~llion of further m~tenJI tap"JI, wh,)~ ,11 lrnltt rl\'. .In lUll
the same time augmenting the symbolic capital of the hoSt by gtnt·, .1I1Oi: IUrlh,', \\('.1 11 h"'1 "Cl
IHell
preSllg~ _nd cmbell15iung nJs n'putauon for gCl1c,omy llvur!.. 1""1 hit I d \\ Ih n
fm"Uy. this t:'xamplt .ls{J diu trat('~ hl)w thc n1.lnlpul.Hioll of Irn' pralllle ,JII ","lnl,JlIlI.,!: I , J IUI
Y,m1:tlmt:J le~d 11, 101 re. 'Ilg 'IJ(I~ I and ("o"orl1l<' ,nrqu.lllly l'Y<" In Iht' (IInl' I 1>«1 I'a I "ut I .t I

r,( ,dt/,)',gtrally .llIar",,, P'(" pn.I"1 Ut II'""S Whl'll .,IIl' " 'W"t'l1l "I ,1111111 '""1111. 1I'''h f Ih
rr Oily b!:<"JrJ .d, P' .lllId"dgl"g till 1' ''1 re 1'''''" IIlIdl tl<'" 11 C ~JlJ "1');"' ", ~ll 1111,,..1Ih 1 r f t
I I
I L
t ,I ya rv. (,I J.'E:' w,,,~ "~I ",f"l, "till 15 II"d tlIIIJI I hI "." unJlJIII tHII~ IIIH\ ut put Ill"
II 1.1"" r 1111'"1 11, I\.In
"C", hrll '"' i till 11I.'IrIlHII~' f,l 'I'JIIt III I

IU
 fE .. srS AND L"80~ M08Il1Z..TIO

- te d hro ugh a ntu al of commen ",I

che,rra t

\ ' " 1U/ 1I \ ' IIIIIII P Il W.I' no n

I ' I InHlI1 J: Ihe M ~l .ll c.· o f Plhl OP1,1 by l)o nhJ'11
. I I r
I h
C ,
nge IS or '
he nature
of the frJnSKtlOn Ihe
' . I I lilt' co nl t':.. 1 ,aho lll t wO l l ll'(~ 0 lh e Il (' l ,lj llr hc",ize [ de palatable "ven 111 . OOcO , ""th •
f't 1 J) J It' l.l It"IIJ .Il t.'L I 'u ll 111 «
1 euP and ma
( ,\1\,11 1 S h 11 m . h e l vlll.lg c.' I.\ l'ni oyt'd (".1Il"lC fro l11 people "' th e enerOSIty
of g . _11 the act
f: that recrwtment o f the b bur pool
llll' 01 \-\'(li k fc: .tM 1.•bu l I • I I Icl ' I
I . l / I hl' \' 1II ,Il't.' I1 ,c,·~,,"chy, Thc~c wen; HJ USC H ) S l 1.11, on a Ve r Ihos, p,n" Y, k nd fnendshlp netwo rks m ean du
I'lHP rl'''' ' t. ,11 ('~t In "'" ' M cl f h n I I e local JI1 a . ..
(j .... 1t .1/1 dudllg th e e ntIre r e 11 0 0 IS l e CWo rk. k d Impliot labor obllgauon. !TU •• t acaue rh
' fH 11I 'O H' d flP \\101 k c.: .I ~ I . .. ~ . Yond very
J~ J ""1I<ldk vill.l~crs
1(.'
cl r (I e. Ihose the mIddle cco orl1 e wea an
,
f\' n n ' lw l' r "h,11 hl' I <': 1111 le .I ~ r 111
k rib where s th host and a large number of mw ~du.U. il
. ' n "e (, 111t)yc:d " Ml1 .11111 t' 1 surplu s 0 WO I' -,e ast n o r, but betWeen e
11 (H1l1 f ~ lr.llllm ) t)Jl .wc: • g 'J . ' ' " . " occurs I relationshIps and wh.o tand oue lde th m n1
, , IdlUI 111 (()OperJII On wllh ri che r VI agers ( D Ol1hanl d by close soCta
" ~IIII ., hoWl'" .1 ne.l:.llIv<: l Itnke . ch obhganons mlghr be recogruzed ( ce ~ I _
·.•U'n whIch su
lu" I I~ B) .
Ilcnee,.1 P U I CI111l1 I I·or Ire tJ or
.
cxpIOIl,1110" cle.lrly II1hcrcs m some lorms or the
r WlUAs the cu1rura Uy consrrued proper form of the rkre
olar type (hence as reoproal labur obli an
wo rk ft' .lM I1UI .1 nlJrk c'LI pattern of exp/Oltallon IS by no means a unIversal. resuit way ITom e p th
a I 'cly and precisely calculated ), such 01< mm m
uf rhe: opernr1ol1 () ( wor k I... ... nor do JII explOItative form s necessarily result in
n"ts ore exp la
cS(.lI.llJl1g II1 r quJ II t Il"'s"' Consequently il IS ImpOrtanl to ask whal_ condilions m
comes more difficult. The aCCfUlJ1g labor obligation re<mi:llh fu
.
IJ\'or f Ile' d~ve Iopm enl or ·urh .an .asymmelncal pattern and what kmds of Con or the "ost• and the size of the work group . that can be d
'trJII1L, nllghl ,"hI bIt ItS spltnlmg expa"sion? . feast. ", ." noted earuer' the preclse locanon on th~ C\\'E
Olll' Il11meWJl e potenaal conSlramt slems ITom certam speCific organizatIonal local version of the work feast IS d~let tUrned b locil
arrJnRcmenrs of Ihe reianonshlp berween workers and food providers. In some can, of course, sluft over ume a pracoce re pon.!, 10
conte"s, certaU1 pubhc projects may be undertaken by groups of people who lOrical contexts. But what IS Important [0 not~ L< lh~1 a
.IhJre nor only Ihe work but also the provisionmg of the feast. Por example, is inherenlll1 the upper range of [he workfe.1st nd of lh
among [he Wamlra of Popua New Guinea, Kahn (1998) nOtes that all men must
work logether to conStrucl and pcnodical'y clear out common irrigation ca nals.
I tential can be powerfully m,lgnlfied through «'n.1rn link
are used to produce gooch or m,lIen.u. Ih.1t can em cl DI
Th,s IO,'olves work feasts of perhaps thirty men for which food is supplied jOil1lly
change arcuits to mcrease economl" .lI1d .- mhoh" al
b . the WIVes or all the men. Hence , a potential for exploitallon depends Upon the
case of produong Iron hoes tor c~lIle ex.-h..1n .: .. or Ih
<Al<lence or work feasts hosted by indivIdual households, or at least by a group
duce cash crops).
smaller than the collecnon of assembled workers / guests. Given this arrange.
menl, Barth (1967a) located another potenllal brake on the system in the fact that
It is also necessary ro bnefly .lIS< u .1I100h 'r mlr.
a more vanable ~. pect of work 1;:3SI that L, .m InlT h u;
Ihe quahry and productiVIty of the workforce [ends lO delenorate as the group
gender In very many cases, It " wum. n who
t.lpands As noted earher, thIS feature has very frequently been remarked upon in
other cases (e g, Donham 1994; Kenncdy 1978). While [h.IS may constrain Ihe sIze the agncultural and culinary labur Ih.11 und rwnt
•

of individual work feasls, Il does not explain limItations on the expansion of Ihe yel have little or no d.um 10 the ben tits III Ih III
y lcm . However, more 11nportanr constraints are Imposed by the culrural dcfint
bers of the hou.chold l For e .1011'1(". In Ih • n
lion (If the IransaCtlon that consututes a work feast. the multIple WIves of d w".1lthv m.ln w h I I' l
labor n"ec"S d
• ,'. Jry to pro ure. I,'~sl , I 11
What becIJmes ImmedIately clear is Ihal those events which, by local cultural
fmm rhe m· I b
cnn~cn[J(m, wnform most closely (D Ihl" eXlreme work fcast pole of the conlln . Intn!: J or orgal1lud Ihrough Ihe- k-
uum (Jf CWI. pO~\lbilitles are the most suscepllble 10 cxplnltanon. This is he· Ilgc generated Jnd Ihe ubs qu III U Ilh iron
lie and m
ca C 1/11" evtnt " Irl'dled by Ihe partIcipants as a finile exchange transaction Clre WIV s1 . H('n< • rh re
°P.'ratton A· I
wh !avl hn III h"'pltaitry f/'plares any delayed obltgatlons for Il'Ctproral ao . . Strlll .Ir PJII,'nl 0' rh
~t,lnan "'nett s ('SI' II
bbvr Hen«'. ,,, h" I I I1IJIIIJI11lcd hy Ihl' Ilm,' ,Ind energy conslraints of lJklng 1111.111, one .1 h
' e, 1.1 UI In,
on rm !Jp!I' lal"/r d, bl'r1/II~dll(m~. M'IIl'{JVI'I,lh,s (cum "j work ft',lM (On1('S c1o, I hIt''' ' t ~lIrJ, 11011 uf I "
. In patt Ihne.1 \,1I1
11" fln(l pi /,j ~ I.IHII 1lI_lb'I, whtl( .11 till' "Wl/' !tIlW Ihl' fal I 1".11 Ih" ,.• n 11
IIlh"f Inrn

154
 ,lllf" , /rt ."ul hl.~._"lf I kt/'II~Jt_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _

- - --,\1 11 J11/1

I
FEASTS AND lA80R
M08111Z"TIO,

to 'lli'IlCS:1 th." Ihls IS a universa l pa tt e rn of

I ' fill ' huw(' ver. ~,-.n 1985' Ca r/an 1988; Ko pyto lf 1982 MetIJ
11 \\·( ,uld ht.., J111!- (; . II.~ ' I ' ~ c m 111 )' , .ISCS 111 w h ich m e n arc responSible • • assoux 199
11<.' firsl pl.Kt'. I 'CH.: .11 ~ though . to date . thIS has been o f far I I. ~h ... Ond •
1
(" plllll .lIU 1l Jr11 " J "l"hJr~ more rarely. culin ary labor fo r lh e lr OWn . e.ss COnct.rn to
I I,"oJm l "",.I" · I e 1I ceptio n [0 this patte rn o f neglect has b arch• .., ..... _
Itu . 1~n ( II IIII ,I I - ''' s 10 W h IC I"I 11,1>dJv"Io n of ag rl cul ru ra abor IS m o re bal• een ar<ha I ....
k.I"'~ I'h ' . . Irt' ] IM) l.I "" - •
d 'b 'l .
f "rftp ow n c rs hJ p a n resp o ns J 1 ltIes ca n , in fact
, idiosyncratic fo rm o f slavery found On rh eo ogJsr. \\'tirt.. __
lit:· • • ,. e plantano f . -'" 0II1be
I f 'cnJl'I't'd r.lf( C II'I~ 0 ( . ' gleton I995). although scholars workin I1S 0 onb ~
J nu·~ . ,1114 g , BlrL h 19673 ,15 1). Mo reover, In son1e in Slances 'b . g Ul a few oth ~
I ' . m'I, llc.lIeJ (eg. ,ee ' important conrn unons (e .g., Arnold 1985- 0 . tr ~gJons ~ . ,•.
be r.II ' " .•" I "blc of ",ounung work fcasts o n rheir own and have pro pri etary , aublgn.., ..... DIIdt
This chapter has attempted to focus - , 19s3. ""'<hd
W(lmt' n .lIl (. f· "d ' r he cve nl. It JS ve ry co mm o n that w o men orga nize an analYtIcal I 1Sl7l
-h IS over , he procc( S O l h ffi ' I Plored , yet extremely important. proces f ens on the t\~ l_
n~ . vh" less C0111111 0 n th ar they are r e o clal hosts of , s 0 volunt . -~ Y<dI Q
v,lurk ~xch .mges. but som e, . . tion. A theoretical understanding of such l b ary coUectn~ labor -AI
11 1 large r ty pes. However. It does ha ppen m Some COn. . a or'mobiliz. ....... IQ.
work rl.'~I S[ ~ , espcCl.l y t le • to archaeologIsts for several reasons. In th fir oon pra~ IS ..........
, e W E f va rio us ryp es can be rurned lO novel uses that actually . e St place. a full -_
tC\IS . l\ 1orcOVl:r, so .. range and operauon of sucb practices en> h er .~ of ....
gIve \,."omen l Ile passl ' b']jry
I for mcreased econo mic mde pendence and power'. . -rOses t e made _
that have gwded archaeological interpretan' qu.o.. of '''110, • _
e LUO 0
Jn1 0 n g [h f K enya fo r
I
example. during the [9 8 0 s women began to expand
• •
On lD the past
relations between the existence of large'Scale ear . . such as
t'''.
""'ph." c..'
·· n3I w ork ·~,"changes fo r ag ricultural tasks intO new kinds of coopera.
the rra d lOo - I thworks and tht
centr aliz e d po li nca organization The ide th ~C' "ICY 01
Live wor k·c-xc h an ge assocIatio ns (am o ng some potters. for example) that enabled
. a at such project>
of tributary carvee labor is Simply not Warrant d must be the .
them lO poo I re sources . b uild collective capital, and ameliorate individual risk e . as It IS dear t1ut '01\ <...._
(see Herblch and Dletler 1989) . Hence, work feasts and other CWEs cannot auto·
I mobilize voluntary work groups on a sirrular aI <
' .
,.
sc e lOr Slmilar krnds of • em.
O<GQCIII
Indeed , It should be eVIdent at tIus pomt that con'... I.bor PIJ)tas.
n1.lncally be VIewed simply as a mechanism of gendered explOltanon of labor.
when it is properly situated in the (omen of th full can ~ be "I»iSiuod
However. one can observe tllat gendered exploitation, where it exists, does tend . " . e ran~ 01 \'Olunrary caIIec
[(ve work events because It operates as a kind of f .
[0 Involve CAl'lOItation of female labor, whereas an inverse pattern (that is. in \'ar1;mt 0 the 1VOn. bst E,.-:11
large state·directed projects. at least those that denPnd th I ItA
",hJeh men provide tile bulk of the agricultural and cnlinary labor that suppOrts r~' upon • aboroffreesub-
jects rather rhan slaves, will usually take the olgamzano al 10' of
women 's work feasts) is rather rarer. It is extremely important to recognize the . . . n rm \\OOik law
A theoreucal dissecnon of work feasts reveals how th _ .... _ '
porenoal permutations of these various mtersecting patterns of exploitation in ~~­
tant role of operating as mecharusms of (om'rrslon be~ eccaonuc md"..
understandmg the labor·mobilization practices of a given society and their po·
bolic capital . Like other feasts, they convert agncuIrunl produ~ IDIO
tential for creanng and transforming structures of inequality.
prestige for the hosr. However. they also ha\~ the advantage 0{
harnessing labor that can be used to generate funher Imn:nak b ru.u.
CONCLUSION evems or to produce goods that can be used to .cq~ other bwof
A!J archaeologists become increasmgly mrerested in pursuing questions concern·
capital or enlarge the household producn~ b= \e g ~~
109 the transformation of sodal relations, the organization and institutional set· tions). As explamed earher, rrus IS an e.'tJem Iv unporwlt of
nng of labor IS a topic thar demands to be explored in much greater depth . In conversion in premonetary multi-cemn,· economr Wl'r
parncuJar, 1I is extremely important to develop a theoretical understanding of the tions against ciJrect conversions berwe.n SP~1'r of It ....
practices that enable the mobilization of voluntary collective labor. precisely because it allows goods of lml. valu 10 lit used 10 Uti""
ArchaeologISts have expended a good deal of energy attempting to identify, valuables and presnge. 1t prm,Je . a \~nu tOr bu~dmg. career
".
dassuy, and understand "craft specialists" and systems of "specialized produc- mvestment."
tion' (e g .. CIuJde 1936; Clark 1995; Clark and Parry I990; Costin 1991; Herbich Such an exploranon "f eWEs .11 0
1987; Peacock t982). However. they have been far less engaged wirh exploring the forms of work f",lS[ to <nabl. the in,1'(' ne
f'Jl1I1S of collective labor (voluntary and Involuntary) that underue in a more fun- text of Sone!I," wllh an gahlanan pohn.-.)
damental way the operaMn of rhe agrarian polincal economy. Within the fields ology of a SO(l< t I'. larg ",cl. It' th-' ~
tJf iustrJry and anthropology there eXMS a considerable literature analyzlng tTansal'tlon wllh n" n""pn"allal>t,r
fnrtns (,f InwJluntary labnr claSSified under the rubric of "slavery" (c.g. Pinky tire . III '''Vllllll\·tn,ull,Il'>Il'n,,".
uhth"

256
 fEASTS AND LA80R: ••
"",oell

- f
h rs Tlus fact has profound Slgntfi_ I Although [he lacter text IS becter Itn
he l,borO ot e .
"'IWC (ro nl (' I e1alions and eCon0 n11 ( strU Ctures. own
co mmuntty, " has bem largely sup..""<iod
III 11><
! ' 1Ith.1n d prc. ~ en l of sona r .
~,' s merap hon~;,u
•

rne \\ C. I -term JC\lclop!11 r. archaeologists attemptmg to under_ Bourweu -_. USe of caP1t~ " by the <er
. . tor tht' ong I c wons Jor .
to tnnsl,Jite
fMllC f conditions of sOCIa l lOequality. Fi.
1(0 h.15 cruClJ l101P I . constructed power poses cerum ~.",.., _ '-"
Ob\10usly. 11 .1 . d CX.1cc rbanon 0 . . . I -~<.... not le"'t "'" t..._
J eJopmcl1 1 an lore reason why It IS essential fOr misconstrUed as advocanng an nte L4q that ft
'OlJnd the e" d corcs yet one n 'a1 "f< DSlOD of the
. II dramJl1caiJy UI1 erS "nce of fcastS in soo u c. neoclass ical eco norruc perspective to the. aJu1
I1J y, Il gnlZC the Impo r , }'ru of """I ...d
.lr(h 'H~ologIS(S 10 reeD as naturalizmg the cultural lOgIC of caPlcaImn.
.
misglvmgs, th e t erm symb.01le
- capttallS used h~ ~Hen,... al'\'-
II.iOU\:

A CKN OWLEDGMENTS
I vc been presence
d previously a[ various sy mposia an d se rni- I crope we have found for illuminatIng the 0
, .
issue the eau non that It 15 used lD tht speafic
Iy bea"",,, tIto
pennon 0{ tit<
~
. f Llll~ diSCUSSion lA ) We beneficed particularl y from discussion at
poruon$ 0 6 H crblCh 1991 . . ' . theoretical program for the analysis of symbob do5en>e
( " Dlet.1er 1989. 199 .
eo S -ales m Marseille and the UmverSlte de Paris I . - C mmlUon. and
n.lr5 r -- Eden SCiences OCI econOffiJCS sense or ranonal actor theory ~ Dol: I
rhe ~cole de!> Haurcs tu cs due to Aruck Coudan. Jean-Pau1 Demoule, and I
theon). spec,.] thanks are 5. For example, Donham (1994·46-1)1 prn\1des on
(Somo nne ' Pan
. th ' . ~
Andre Tchcrma t. search In western Kenya. thanks are due ro the patcerns U1 e same souery In Etluop~ Tht Bob bct.o..
bl our ethnograplllCre . labor exploitation by the wealthy is desul~d .J._ H •
For malung POSSI e W -G ren Foundation, the BOlSe Fund of Oxford C'.,,~t. CAliuu
FourtdaClon, the enner group, there was a very dUferetlt flow of work r.a>t bbor
NJOonJI soence d f Kenya the Nanonal Museums of Kenya, and es-
rh Office of lhe Presl cnr 0 . pohncal scroggle by elders actempnng to prt~ thtlr
UmverSI()'. e h d our research assisranrs. Rhoda Onyango, MOniea
pt'oaUy our Luo and SamlJ os[s an WIth a few excepnons, the most pohocally mllUdltu! bote
O)"U, and the I". EtiJah Oguru flows U1 work feasts and thert was a net cran.<fn f bbor
n'llddle-aged men's households (the eld.,. senl un," IIKntbe
NOTES households to the work feasts of )uruor men rollh .. dun
I
, . . b
TIle dJSOnCDon etween "work feasts " and "work exchanges"
. . corresponds case, "elders appeared to be transfemn I.bor 10 n
Uu
. s with slighcly different. names
approXlmare Iy to carcgone . developed U1 several earlier support and deference (Donham 1""-1 1<1 )
corn oraDve analyses of collective labor praences. Por example, Erasmus (1956)
den:rtd these pracnces with the terms "fesave labor" and "exchange labor," REFERENCES
respecnvdy; whereas Moore (1975) called them "non-reciprocal co-operative labour" Arnold, B
and "reciprocal co-operative labour. " WhIle owing an obvious major debt to these 1988 Slavery m Late Prrhbron, EW'OI'"
senunal works, we employ an alternative terminology in order to signify a particular
rurr Iron \ge ,'0".1\ In
In nw«u
analytical focus on the role of the feast <v,nt in orchestrating labor proJects and to D. B Glbson ,mu \1 . G.· 10 ,,%
mark cenalfl subrJe dtfferences from these earlier works. Barth, F
1 Work fcaslS were / are found from Afuca to Latin Amenca, from the Caribbean ro Asia,
19 67. E,onomlc , ph."" In I Arfur In
from European peasants to North Amcncan colonists and their barn-raismgs, In
R. hn h, pp 1.1
,ddmon to the works cited elsewhere in this t.. t, see, for example, Canclan 1972, 1967b
Eguclu 1975; GuiI1et '980; HerskoVlts 1937;70-76; Kahn '99S ; Kenyarra 1938:59-60; Boh.nn,ln, P
Lornrutz 1976:183; March 1998; Moerman '96S; Provinse [937: Salisbury 1962, ThIS IS, of
IQI:i«; ("lOll" Pn'''.lplt.· .. 1"\'
count, merely a mtnuscule sample CIted in ordcr to suggest the geographical eXI',,1 tl",l,'~)I\):\lH :-"7
of the pracuce
Boh.um.ln. P, Mld I f\"h mn.Ul
l All unteferenccd descnpuons of practices among thc Luo and Samia peoples tn this
IQtI I'n ,.', ' th'm I\ U'h
paper an: dmvcd frorn restarch conducted by us In western Kenya from IYSO III 198) SourJlru. P
e g, OteOcr and Herblrh 1993; Ilerblch 1987, '991 ; Herblch and Dletler 1991 , 190J).
(ltt hJ$~ In
4 B<,urdltu'. (19901 Th, l.ogu DJ I'rawu IS d tl1('ol'o[\c.1 rcCormlll,I11011 of COllet pI" Mh
M~.Jhl'" .lit ~I
.. symb',]lc r'p",I, pn'''n1.d 1"I'ltel 10 hIS ( lq7HJ 011,11", or a (,I"MY "/ /,,,,,, If'
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 _____---~~f~h~f,,~j(~II~)'~"~lr:'~"H~,I~I~'~~n~"~f~I~
~~I'(_rl_'_______________________ FEAST~ A 0 lA

--" ---------------- ~~---

. of Dnl1k In
- COIn Soclcty An e th noarch.lcnlog ,c.d p('rspCr
.m AI11
The How 61h Ann udl MC.Ilns
h or the SOGely for A"'enc.an Alcohol and Culru~ The
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ph JUt rv Pn-rpCeII"", edited by
h I JnJ M Doc ller d
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, 1 - 40 NairobI; Oxford Uni ve rsity Press.
W,nd. bb•. pp 7 fK I ~ · .r. '
Aspects 0 r t h e Cera mIC Sysrem o f th e Lu o 0 enya n 0PJ~C1 Imd KN'a rnr k Ho'pl~J.t yWomen. and ~ of
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ji'NcJlllng. 2, edILe db y 11 LUdrke and R Vosse n, pp. ' 05- ' 35. Bonn Ilabele PtTWn. edl«d by C t Counihan IIld
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3r{haeo Ioglca I Study of "Selllemcnl BIOgraphy m Afnca . In MIC.! du Xllr
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364
 10
E EVOLUTION OF RITUAL FEASTING SYSTEMS
rH IN PREHISPANIC PHILIPPINE CHIEFDOMS
Laura Lee Junker

Allhe tinll' 01 Spanish, ,'h III I 11, n Ih

Inltl,ll

'CJllanJ'CJpt' lOIllP" ,'J 01 num'·flI'IS, a t.ll

s(ale and mmplexlI)' Ih.1l 1111<'1 U, h J
dener for SI.IIIIS rd.lt d ,hI! I '1\, ' " \ hUI d
tndle.lle thallh",,· "'\ll\plt'~ ", I 1I I
ropt'.1Il ronlJl"t \1 lUll I"t'I I" ,J<' dn I
'lIAAcst IIt.llh"" "" 1"11 , I Itll It> h
11111' popUI.III"".t 1\ Ill" I"t'I I
Illl"lllly hl..:h v.lhu I'I~" d II
\llIhlll" 11
..... '.Ill, Ir\l,IUI Ih
.,Ily drhllrd ""I 11111 Ih \ I
 FEASTING SYSTEMS I" PREMIS' ..
1.111111 I IT 'ullkr. RITU At
- - -
t and lOJcpenJem 0'- colon.al control m cM
thtO lldd U\ln ~l' l - Iq~ N, Kldl' l IQ7"'2., ,1lso St' l' Ilcid I(NFl 0; Wl11zclcl' IQ7t> W I e Iy ,nt.le tt
Wtl.J Tnbes af ,h~ DJ1""~ Di.s'n..'t. ",!hn
\\
_ • 0 le I.til
IQ~h I ''' ), Fthnohllrrilllnr .1I1.11)'~IS sho""'s Ih.lt .Iht.'se pnllll c.ll co.' h ll(')n~ were rs hiS 19tJ a
111 a 111 In lI('ulady VIVid descnptlon ot hum~n. cnfi "and
1.1IIlt'U thn1uJ!h tht: ~rl".lll'~I\' n..·UISlllhllllun 01 n ,'sou rces obl~lIn cd lhro ug l, '
tnbU1C dedJp·r ,'-
.' f n Jnnual harvest feast .. mon!: the &
1110I:Hh, .lrlon , m.lrIlIIlH.' lrudll1g, '·,III.lIng, ,ll1d sponso red ernft pl'oduCllOn b oft 0 ;I -
, to oth ,1S P F' ,lIy archaeologISts have recentlv be~ t I
.,IJIC:'S ..lIld SlIonrdlll.llCS m Ihc C0 I11('xt .\ oj I"Hlhtl!zcd cxch.)nge and COn'petltlVc. , jan oo . In, . ~ I
ft.' .lMlI1g. BCC,lLISC of th e lel1\'I(')U ~ Il,llure e r POhllCill lie!';, cOlnpctltion rOr Wc 11
" the long-term evolunon of ntual r. 'Iln~ UI Ih "
a relevanr to 0-

,lnJ lollowcrs w.s papctu,11 ,1nll fil' I'CC. wtlh chiers continually StTlving to b t, Id eer,lmlC assemblage and sub. nenc", renu at
_ ' . 0 l ~'Hn hoUse h0 n
ne, .oUI'ces 01 polltlc.tlly m.lnlrul.,blc wcnlLh. clllc knowledgc, and POwer, nrers U"oker, Mud.!r. and ch ... a.1Jer 1"'14 luihr I""'
n
, hie y' e . rJ'~ , I I
St1me Illlle ,lIlhe cnd 0 1 Ihc nrst nllllcnniuJl1 A. D . • and tntensilyingJ'tlst .
. .. . pnorto
cJrlYJ\tcenfh-cenrury raJlJsh com,lct. Phlitppll1e chiefs became Involved In
"ISTO", *1 L \\E L
long-distance marinme trade for pl'cstigc goods with Lhe Chinese empire and ~~ pOl.llIn
othcr outheasf Asmn politics (Hun erer '977; Junker 1994), Chtnese poree Iam ' •J I
I
\llk;. metal goods. and other exooc luxury items iTom olJ[side the archipelago be:
c~mc key s)~nbols of socin.' status and policical power for. Lhe Philippme chiefly
N ...
•- ,
1

cltre Arch,\cologlcal anJ hlsronc eVidence sugg Sl that this foreign luxury-good .-..-.:
Lrade reached ItS heIght In ferms of v Iume and inrerpoliry trade competttton in
the tilieenth nnd sixfeenth cenruries. with increasing use of foreign imports as
"wealth " objects tn eltre households and as grave accompaniments to high-status
bumls (Fo, 1064. J967: Junker t993 a . 1993 b ; Nishimul'a 1988). HisrOric sources in,
cUea1e that foreign porcelains were in high demand as status-enhancing serving
• T
,lssemblJges In nrual feasting and they were circu lated as valuables in elite ex- o Im
change aSSOCiated wlrh rirual feasts , Not surprisingly, the emergence of larger
and more complex chiefdoms in 3 number of regions of the Philippines in the
[WO centuries prior [0 porush conraCt tS associated with an mereased involve-
ment In the foreign porcelam trade and an expanded cale of rirual feasttng (Hut·
q'
terer 197J. 1977,Junker t999).
Here, I focus on the role of nrual feasttng m lhe evolving political economy of
Phlhppme c1uefdoms between the tenth and ninercenth centuries. Because mar,
tUme trade for porcelruns, silks. metal weaponry, and other mall1land A. i.11l pros,
ugc goods became an Important component of chl~ny poitucal econom ies In
m~ny Phlltpptnt 1~land polities by the late firsl mtllennium All. , their litClJle hi
nr.se trade partners hJve provldcu us With nearly a millennium of hbtotlc "'I'll
on PluhpPlflt culture These Chlllesc soul'ces lflcluuc J few rciercl1lcs 10
mwl f IUlg lInk"r 1998), Ilowcver. lhe ne hest documentary CVluemc lor 111
uaJ lea ling and I1 rolt In c11ltfly pnhllcal c onomlc (Olnl'S from COIIIJ el l','I1I,,1
ntury) panl h l< XI>. fll"ny of which proVide comidcrabk d,'t,1I1 UII
rttu 1· pall 1,1 ( 1111 11,111 ,·v.lfIgdl/lng <flClII, Anolher Icnl,lIk,lhit'
IJf mform w,n "n rttllJI •• hJngt· .1Il", •. it-llt.HIIIY 1",ISts ,If" t'thllllj:l.lph" It:tm I I
o 111"ltl III
of i' ppln. dlfl Id"lIl III till 1.IJIllI 11111'11"" (,," it .1' Ih .. 1\,II:"h .
M an d IiU,.J
L d
IH,,. 1,1 Mll1d,IIIJ"', c tllllplt
I I wrl!' ,tl1I
:'IU' It IIc" l lot
 .
"Feasts of men,' In preluspanic Plubppm e chiefdoms, like rit\J I r f elice f~asnng pu-ap a
· . relations. Both coa ICaSts 10 ll1. ooenco d p
compIex soaelJes, served to reprodu ce SOCIal ,an' camP t the same ome. e.xp=
. mmunlty ny pOr .an cootact A uJao on of elite nre
Slon and sOCIal rank clifferentl3lJon were reaffirmed and continuall cOhe. toroP che em
t heough exchange of valuables, chiefs ' oral narratives, animal Y renegOt . "ted be ned to ess to elaborate forop po
saCnnce ~ m'Y have acc
prestaaons, and ancestOr-invokmg ritual What is parricularly sign 'c 'ood ho did not chaeological d.ir3 docum n -
the Philippme case IS that nrual feastmg was highly compelJtiv '''cant abOUt W h the ar ' .
"thOUg _~ rhnohisronc e~iden ~
" . . eand~ IV to u.e e
transformaave. WIth each feast reabgnmg soaal and political pow Cl.lly ru rn once agau' develop more speafic Id il ut
.
within alliance and patronage networks, Chiefs, nobles, and those w' h
Cr relah
Oils easC Asia to
'" south mIght relatc [0 bro der {la
. . It ehte tirive feasang
tensIOns created the soaal debt fundamental to expanding power asy pre- of compe grating archaeolog'lcal and ('rho
. mmetrj
no mles. [nte
dtstributing increasingly more elaborate starus foods and valuables to an es by cal eco 'on of how nrual fea", tIn
I u~ t
' cl e 0 f paraclpanrs.
' . I n many c.ueluom-
~'C.J I eve I Societies ritu I C ever. er VII th a dlsCUSS
widening or pap . al.nng compeonon over- e ,t
• • t a leasrin strategJes. ese
tends to focus less on overt starus compermon and negotiation of politic.1 g oon ti warfare and 13\'e-raJdm ~ 1 ~
' al reinfiorcement 0 f exJStlng
tlonships than on id eoI oglC " pOwer hiera hi rela asang IDterpo ry .
. '. re es be- erethe fifreenUJ _~ and sixreenth eenrune \Vb t
rween hereclitary chiefs and their constlruenCles. ill the Philip
. p tnes, and ID . d th nrual fea ring are central to
elsewhere in island Southeast AsIa, the development of strongly centralized 0 ' aSSoa3[e W1

ties with powerfully integrated political hierarchies and relatively perm P li- on Of ciuefly pouocal econom,,~ Tb re
expanSJ . .. .
aneOl lo!:,caJ analySIS of nrual feasnng 1 to
territonally defined power bases ~ay have been constrained by certain eeolog :
l processes ID the prehispamc Philippme_
cal, geographic. and demographic faaors . In these weakly integrated polities
,
political power was transient and relied, not on control over fixed territorial bases
RITUAL FEAST IN G IN PHILIPPINE COMPlE SOCIETIE :
or well-defined unilineal descent groups. but on cultivating ties of personalloy_
THE ETHNOGRAP HI C EVIDENCE
alry and expanding one's power base through frequent and elaborate gift-givang
What the smeemh-centun p.ll1lards
and ceremonialism. The first section of this chapter examines the complex role
vaOlty" or "feaSt' of ment Cubn IQ",
of rirual feasting in Philippine chiefly polincs through an analysis of histOric and
economy of Virtually all Phliappm
ethnographic sources.
by Sparush JnJ <ad thn
In the second half of the chapter, I consider evolutionary aspects of the feast.
cial. political. economIC, and I'dl U
ing system and how it relates, in a dynanuc way, to other components of an ex
generally a sooal~d \11th hI'
panding chiefly polincal economy Archaeological evidence for ritual feasttng al
and elenrs cntlcal to th, PlllJoc I
prelusparuc Phibppine settlements documents changes in the intenslry, scale, and
dmons. W'JrfJI'l' and m.lntlnl,
social dynarrucs of these ceremonial events as more complex c1uefdoms emerged
pacts," 'hal"\<\t fnuIJh.ln Ih r
m the millennia prior ro European contacr The distribution of fauna! and floral
rycle, Boxer m,lnU' npl IQ I
remains that might be associated WIth ntual feasting, the presence of specialized 0
19 1141}- 151, 1\ r,'z IQ I I l J It
~. ' set tl em ents., and Ihe ar·
food· preparatIOn and serving assemblages at prelUspanJC Santa Inc> IQ9o.7 7 -,J,
.spanal
chaeological study of speCific , contexts assocIate
' d WI lh feastUlg
. suggest
Ethnuhl$llInl VI.iclll iU
5(,me ways which these feasting sysrems may h ave tram f,or med over ume Ind
In
t th t
I,ransac!c.] \'"Iun III I lllpolu
crt:<lsed pr(,ductlon of high valur foods such as pig,, water bu/lalo , Jnd mr, ~n anon and !:clIl'r~ILz d h
thc:tr differ ntial d, InbulieJll across chIC and non e IlIt resl'd en nalzone'
' at ,om' nJIUrall\ rr" I I
1't \ "l' cl l 111I1In I
fifteenth and lh century rhu-lIy CI'IIlCIS suggt• IS WI d<'nlllg SOCIal p"IIl'd f'<J
uur, ' I I h
• 1\ <on UIII
. ' JI mput rump'"~I'" I
""UCIn In lea t (,f rn n!' and ilfl IIlfJ,lwlII.,ry \('Ik () f II1JUII 1\"110 Il'"hlit
r- I I (hl..fl~ (Clltcr ojnd lllfUflhUI r Ut I It
LJ r J\rl'h cl.II"'f(~I/Vltlllll flllfll.IIIUlIIJ(' I O .I"nl
" 11 rr~\an~ 111,111 Itd t h
gn pllll' 1Ilfl "I'VIIO' I 1'1111,1.1""
" 1a/'IIIIIIt' ~Il "

no
 /,nlJ/ (/ l.cr ./rutlur • FEASTING SYSTEMS I
RIT UAL

li on . Lav ish gdIlIlg of va luables such as porcelain bowls Or met I

. a gongs manenr repre,eDtdoon 0 polm
parnclpanrs served lO both ma lnlalO polirica lly sign ificant reclpr I to elite as a pcr
oca exeh. scapc petltlve ce rcm omal r!\i 'nu \\;f!rt:
IJuonsh, ps (th e maten al glue of all ia nce building) and lo sy mbol "ge re 1999). re
. . , . OVertly a (j~nkcr wcr asymmetnes
ular chief s rank 10 a SOCIal hi erarchy Vis-a-ViS olh er eutes (as m e parllc. /JZ 11g po
a'Ured lh rough "on a I een IUry Sparush source. anJ early
hiS control of wea lth). . eenrh·
SIXr cl s perSiSting u1(O rhe moJem en
Altho ugh contact-pen od Phi.lipplO e chiefd oms diverged widel e hler. om .
,
sca.le and complexlIy. ceremo nJal ' .
feastlOg wa s ubiquito us and WasY hIn ter", S of
plfl c
held frequ endy through our rhe vcar m a '-ut I'<
c araCte . ",ere ch alend n cal and ufe-crl5ls nru..1 Ufe-= , "'nt
by cerram pan-archipelago fea tures. Th ese fearures include (I) nZed d d bo c
d~ e f ntual feast by rhe km group In luded th
(though nor always exclusively) by elite individuals (most lTequ entl spoh"sorship hip 0 a
y, C lefs)· (2)
sors enr of puberty. m arnage , ilIne, . or death a h u
rhe performance of sacrificial rites using animals (usually pigs, chick ' hievem
ens, and l o aC n 1990a . 164, Anon . 1990b:uo; Boxer m~nu clf" 1\1:'; I
w ater buffalo). other foodsruffs, people, and l or manufacrured goods . r
COntnbuted Ano . 2 . Loarea 1903.149-151; Pla eno, 190Jb 1<10- I • .m
by indJviduals in a tributary or subservient role to rhe sponsor; (3) elite h 04'26. - 71.
" . exc anges )9 ' 8' S'aaanchez 1617:387). Tbe parush un:e.
of valuables (e.g., porcelam , silks, gold Jewelry) as part of ongOing re 316,336-33. . h Id rh W'
' . clprocal e•. kin groupS would 0 ese e·m. I nnul
change parrnerships; (4) reallocanon of meat and Other feaSting foods r, non·e ~re
necessary [ esources, but for duefs and oth r elll
sumptlon ' an d soa'al ra nk re Iations with the spo Or COn·
. accordin g to kin shi p nes
. ' . nsonng cant po lItIC . al meanmg (see below). Other ooncalm
elite; and (5) the confemng of soaal prestige on the feast's sponsor in accordance
cerne d W1 more ad hoc cute ende..vor., ch
th t
with the feast 's lavishness and the sodal debt created through the sponsor's
•
prestatlons. resl'dence or war canoe. and rhe UllClatlon of mantunr
.
Clons. ('U
• • discussed Ul m ore deraIl below, calm n
109 and harvesong agncuJrural crops at 0 tm II d
FEASTING AND THE RITUALIZED NEGOTIAT ION
intimately tied to ducfly mbute-moblhzan n
OF SOCIAL-POLITICAL RELAT IONS
SpeCIalist pnests. known a, bahaylaltS ID \ n
In an ethnohistoric analysis of the use of food in rirual contexts amongst the na. often elite femJ.ie , performed rht" reil u nt
tive American Oglala, Powers and Powers distinguish "feasts" 1T0m mundane ous necs of pas age, a well a. the
consumption as "a food event which is somehow commemorative or celebratory ably pigs or water bullalo) ro b< later ed
of perhaps a historical or religious occasion . .. [rhe feasts) haVlng some intnnSlc An cxrended dJscu-,>slon o f lh, "m 1
sodal value which rranscends the nutritive function of eating" (19 84:83). Feasts nees are beyond the SlOpe o t th peT.rnt
are thus generaUy aSSOciated With ceremorual or ntual events held either penod!. 233· 2.j1 · and De RaeJt 1<) <) or m
cally (or on an ad hoc basis), they generally involve commensal umts larger than However, we not .. here that tu I n ill
the usual domestic units, and they are often highly strucrured Ul terms of wharlS gesl that Jl11m.tl Jlnli« .lO,\, n, m
served and how It IS served. Often, the most sigruficant aspect of a feast IS ItS nt· 31 warJmg utt ,ml(tlll pi nt h
ual COnteXI, within which are generaUy embedded spedfic social goals, although sage of mdlvl.!lI,tl, thwu h rnn
Hayden (1994) pOints out that feasts do not invanably Involve religiou. compO were Ju'm~ ,Hnl'" In ~lIl In nd r h
ncOls or social competition (e .g. , work feasts) . Rirual feasts arc occasions wh~n romplellnn of ,,'mlllunU, n
$()oal relauons arc negotiated and reaffirmed (Rosman and Rubel 197R). BeCdUse Ill!;'PCdlllun .. Igl\. ult u :lu
ritual feasts m the Phlllppll1es were mosr ofren sponsored by chiefs and tied Idenec 1 h, r I
cJ(J~" Iy to aspt'cts of ( h Icny political economy, they were a Iso Im Portant 10 relO . ' ~nuJIh- In" tnl 'h J
"Jrnn~
t the Idt(Jlogy t)f chlt:ftall1~hlp. To be eflcclIve Iy promll Ig alcJ , 3 ruhn~d pr"pl'l Ill. " I r Ii I, n h,
cl.. ld"(,I',~y mu,t b,' matc'l\dlizt:dll1 wlddy wllness,' d (nemo",• al "vclllS all IIVIII!;, .lIhl I' tI 11 rl
'lh h .,
pu /'hrly d) playrd sy'nb"Il< (,bJ'"Is (lkMarillS, CaMI II u, .11llI I' ,I rlt- IVyt>, I'JrkI III
I\nt"III.II I ,I\"
19'17 141 '',IL ) S,," ~ "h,IIrl'll'" (1"1'1.1,,,,,, dILl n',1 ,umlllH I J 1111>11 , l t1 •

l7l
 RITUAL FEASTING SYSTEMS I~ 'REM IS
'A~IC ,

---.-- -'---- •

h ' kill group [0 regam the benevolence metal gongs, gold Jewe1ry and or other PI"Ut!.
,mod ror I < h
" hId '" hc rcr Cl' I "plnl. w,LI nOI cross t c threshold ng at any sIOgle feast represented Imk.s 10 ~ ~oods ~
I he ,.h:n Il (' • h H 111;)lcvo t.,1'I n , tnlem..1ntd c
re
' fill' or ICJ ,,'n,lI I • h b lllll~ '" their vanOUS endc3lr1ors , An
III Ih ... \c .1Iue' for the In J I. .
rocal exchange partnerslups between lun-r-.lat d
d Jne~ bcrwcen the human and f ctfi' e and ,DIed
pf 01 hull"!;'
(lu\t' rnl,je)(lllI'lc."
I" • J J' \Olerrne J •
Sptn t untque state 0 spe c soaa! relaoonslups at an
IlllJb ,Ut' J
I r'l-"" \\e'" VlewC
"f h\/(lS 10 bnng "I
' ,ahry" to the Ind,v,duals sponsonng
•
can be made with the alliance-based systems of • ~ i'OlIII
hn c"h.n~c the con<ummg the nrual animals nesh IS for other areas of island Southeast As,a (. PB"'Stl~!:<lOd
",pr u~ . w h 11HtlClpare5 In .
g" ~tty 199 \
" '"hcc An),"". WO, degree shares the supernatural protec- Oceama (e,g .. Gregory 1982; Rosman and Rubd
,he.: ~.It I Jnu 10 some , ' , 19;~, <lncb
,bu"J wIlh v,t.,IIY r. ' I ntCS Thus. the sacnficla l ntes were a WelSsner. Chapter 4), AJth ough a pomon of th di ern 1
J I,0 III ~ OU I the sacnll('Ia ' . e In V1dlUl
JO"rdcu b)' (" rylnl1 ' heLhcr these SOCIal relations mvolved a ally rerumed and new debt created through th e bOSt •s
lInn . ) conneclcti ncsS, W , "
n:"nlnl1J""" 01 'OClJ u31 ' or asymmetnca l patron-chent ties, ing of all the attending celebrants the host also
nee bel ween ,0Clal eq ,_ ' acqllU'< cb.
k,nhke ,I I,' II ceremo mal contnbuttons at future feasts sporu;or-.d try Iu; ,
A NGE RELATIONS IN FEASTING suting the continwty of the exchange SYStem. The ,t.tdt0ll1 ~
CITY AND EXCH
these prestations include political CObestOD throu~h cb
O SOCW
RECI PR I d ng cfucfs and nobles as well as commoners al
!\II0' 'th " I pJrl1Clp,nl'. Inc u I
C eJ'
hed to the sponsor.
,
were obliged to make contnbuttons to the
,
, .... e CUCulilllOQ of
and marnage partners, as well as the social presage and polioca) tnll
.,nd ,IJ'cS allJC ' buffalo pIgs fowl. rice. wme) andl or offer-
reJ>l cc g. carJ
bao or domestiC water .'
sacnficial ntual and m payment to religious feasts (Searry 1991:230),
.u.
nating from a WIde network of exchange pa-e rs 0111 d spun' UCtKt tu...

be u,ed 111 the Jccompanymg ,

Ing,lo These contnbuttons tneluded gold. cotton. metal Despite obligatory conmbunons from subordinate ' •
spcClal"I' perforl1l1ng It d th 'tu hall " b encrru as a faun of uiI>
\\e.' ons. other prestige goods. rice. pIgs. chIckens. a,n 0 er g -gu ?
su - ute) and from allied polttical leaders (framed In tertru of alh.utc~
P b d II 990 '334 ChIDno T904·262-271. Cole T9 l 3,l1I- 120. rocal gift exchanges). the Sparush chrorucler.; su e>1 du, th <-.
\1~ICmcc Items l Ao a I a J • I • • 1«<\
, t 1975'201 San AntontO T990:314), lt IS clear from the expensive burden of finanang the feast (80\(r manu....,,,, 1
19;69~ If"'. Bo,er manu.cnp '. ,
bOlh the conlact 'peno P d 5 antsh sources and early ethnographic accounts that 1904:262-271; also see Clover 1985'2-; De R3cdt IQ~~:11Q; Pn1I-B.~tt 1
,
conmbutlons om 5U 0 fr b rdmates were exacted as a form of robute or enforced financing presumably depended heanJ) on stored", UK' =
IJbor. whereas the prestanon. from members of the nobility took place in the the long term by socially and poltncall) promment In
context of aUlance-butldmg reciprocal "gtft" exchanges, tenslve marriage nes and exchange nerwork.,
Those feasts marlung mucal POlnt5 on the agricultural calendar. m particular.
were suffiCiently regular to have been the key context in which tribute collection. SOCIAL PRESTIGE OR "MERIT" AS A TRA A HO VALUE
communal agncultural labor. and amassing of duefly surplus rook place (see The presnge-enhancmg aspects ot" the '.' at. In the
Cole 191J:11t-120), It IS probably not a comcidence that the largest and most pro' by Blernarzkl's (t985) and Cll\er"> \ 1,) , "thn mplu ndh t nul
tracted of the Bagabo fea tS (the Gm Em feast) occurs Just after the annual fall Bukldnon. a trarunonal chlen, S0.:1 t\ r north m tinJm1
nce harvest, when the grananes of subordinate duefs and village commoners are 19S6:94-1t 7), At ceremorual feast, nlar lIt'tb u n fI
full of avallable nce for large tribure exactions, There are parallels wIth the politically slgrufieam evem" th.' '1'<"" )no", lu tv}'1 m tc-d
Makahlkl fesnvaJ and other clueny agricultural rites of contace-penod Hawa" from neIgh bOring d"tnct, and n'~I' n, ,~ , Ibl ro I"'rth: I"'tr In tilt k.uh
IEarle !9n'll5-226; Peebles and Kus T9n:425; also see Kirch. Chapter 6), (Blernarzkl IQS5 ,11>-'~l. 'rh.. 1'<1Il>t'nn I
Ethnograpluc descnption. of these ntual events among the TausLlg (the core strateglCs, Since ' Ih~ 'as<' '" nh '" hI h ~um~~
CUltural group of the Sulu sultanare). Buktdnon. and Bagabo of Mlndanao Inw' and the ability tll I",ISI ~u<"t, 11.11 ,pI
catt chat a ~ignrficanr component of these events IS the remforcement of ehle lenee of a 'fi"t,da ' .Iilt" [.h, ,
alliances 'Clavtr 198574-75: Cole 1913: JJ r-t 12, Kiefer 1972:26. 97) Alternately spon' In hIS 'Iud), "~I th, t"
""red 10 tht'1f own <itslriets by local chiefs and penodlcally by regIonal chleftJlOs. ""fOUp, , ( " mft"rHH Ih\rth fn I

th= feasts appear to have been the pnmary opporruOlty for reciprocal grit c<' itJIIll'd h'
"Ill I'lI""",11I1' , It,h tU
.11111>1", I h
chango bttwI(-n elite! (lnvolvmg exchange of Imponed porcelalns. valuJblt .. ' I " 1'''''1,1 ~t{ rh I In

274
 • -
al srarus quo or soaal mobility de nd d
' , many of whom did nOl have the rc- <he SOCI .
Clll It·e... • II,c I C ;l ~ I ,
b f Iifewne U1 nrual feasang events "" .. ell .• 11
I
, III 11' Irc:du 1ot I le ,111
1 '" , . I Sl expanded the num er 0 people Irl an
Wl.1 1 1 kll1J J 1('.1101 S 10 .. •• _. ove' a cqwsiuon. Bearry 1991, '-'--ch
"'", 111;)-1.<>-2-, l.
. .. to rC(lp, O(.:,IU: 11 . II . . ~ reinforced the debt of eXlstmg tics "ea Ith a
10 h1n1 . ~ .. vJC .,
.. uur- ( , ' ,
, draft arum al WIth a slow teproductI\~ rate ~J
• ,"ll"IJ'j(. d 1I..·I;IIIOl1shIP of 311 indi vidua l a nd of hi S lIl1med lale as a r
.," n c', ,h.1I the prestige , , t valued arumals Ior both sacnfice ~J (x :b~n
III 1''hlll'nflJgr Vo ..... nOl , ' f I ~ ~ ]ccunlula[ing debts or oblIganons that re. <he mo S ._ 11\
b LI
(BarrOn J949 .·7~-75; Bternarzki 19 5:-13, Clavu 19 ,-
I .J 111 I('rms () I 'le . C <
kill ,:rollP '\ ~.lUgC I 'de 19nculrural la o r o r 0 lcr serv ices, as . ___, _
"ubsrq ucnl YproVl' , .
q""" "u' d,N"r<. \110.11l0n~ s
. when ca c
lid on by thc fca sr s sponsor. Spanish SOurces
. '.
Dozier 1966:84, 149. 194; Hart 1969: o. , . lend Lol 1
tt 1
"cll ." relUrll P'C
, 1lh.cc nlury
d
(lfl/of
oncn II1vestcd their surplus wealth
•
to
•
aiding ReI'd 19 88 '32-33'
' . Scon 1984-196; Voss 19 - t2.S -
sugAC'st Ih.1I \IXlcet . lcd with marriage rites or death ntes, thus Food delicacies were served ro high-rankin' guesb n
')t')n~or fcns ls 11SSOCIi'l "
Cllhel m<''' 10 "'I ' . d',VI'dllals •as core supporters In the riaL11 s alliance
lhcse III
collection of valuable imported matnland _-\'hm pon:dalQ n
II~hll~ llIng dU.' lr gllP on
I IQ6ob:76 -77. 180- 198). '. . eoware (Pigafena 1975'59: also see Btematzki 1<)" C It' ,,,r
network (A Cl no .
I dd the sponsonng c I
h'ef or kin group increase thelf prestige to the rc- ooe of a number of OCCasiOns when duell~ bou,~h J ui
NOI on Y I . s supplies of food and srarus goods disbursed at displayed, and the lavishness of meal pre.senunon fin
. 11 b providmg thc enol mou
/:'0 Y b I occasion provIded an opportuniry for all the arrending delicare bowls (preferably lffiporred porce1;un, .Ir 'u<; to
Iouch I nruAI C:VCIlI. ut t'le ' ..
.' I' k - roup leaders to arrempt to Improve thelf POSition
.111/11-' « hlCfs) and ni,' c m g . . . facror in derermining the a!Dount of OCJ,u P~_t!~
k d I· - 1 h crarchy of chlcny aurhonry. Slernarzki (19 85.36--37) de- (e.g .• Alana 1960b:133-136. P1gafen.I t9:-;-,.)
wltlun a ran c po Illca 1 . '. . .
.'Icnbc~ Ihts overt ncgon~1l
. 011 of power relarions ID the traditional boastmg . COn- The imporrance of gauung presnge or ment thro ~ I
'c." accompanymg Ceremo",al fcasrs among the ethnographicaHy .known slup is echoed U1 ethnograpluc and hi.mn.: 3(, un!. f
I . r~
lJubj non C1!eluoms of northern Mindanao. In these feasrs, each dalll m turn in the southern Philippmes. uch a.! the \IanU\'U. T
climbed J ladder 10 a lugh ceremonial platform laid our wirh a lavish meal. at each (see Claver 198574; Co le 1913·11I-120; \I.muel rm I ,.;r
rung of the lodder rwnng Ihe genealogical history that supported his inherited Warren 1977:255-257). PTestige or "mem tun_tu un
d,"m 10 chieftain 'hip and elire starus. However, he would also present an even cal alliance nerworks that were .u the 'o~ 0
more prOIl.crcd rccital of his personal exploirs in trading. raiding, and other cielies. as exarruned to more detail bdt'" Tb
"wealth " prouucmg acuviacs • • llcmpung to out-boast other arrending chiefs and legitimating [he pohticJ.l order ha_ be"., ,,,=
wm J pl.ICe at lhe lughesl-ranJung ceremonial table . These public recitations and ical econom' U1 other
symbollC movemenr of chief, up Ihe srarus ladder allowed the communiry 10 com- Besserar. Chaprer '-I).
pal'C chleny and to r,lI1k the multiple disrrict chiefs in rerms of appropriate
Itwl\ of dcferen e AI least onc comact-penod Spanish teKt refers ro similar public FOOD APPORTIONMENT
"'CII,llIon, of st,1tusvahdallng genealoglCS and herOIC aCCountS of trading and rald- I L
"'g e~1'lolI' as pan of feasllng 11rual 111 the sixteenth cenrury (e.g .. Sobadilla
IWO:ljl). Oral presentalions of stalus-enhanang genealoglCs and personal achieve-
ment,. aJJowmg pubhc Jssessmel1l of [he relauve starus, wealrh, and power of ,11 -
Icndlllg rhlt&. was assouJted wllh ceremonr.ll feasting il, olher areas of Southeast
A"J Jnd m Pol)'l\t"'1 (Goldmilll 1970:522----536; Schnltger 1964; Volkman I(89).
AIllOl.11 (mcl\! commol1ly (arab.lO. pigs. chIckens. nnd dogs). nee ,Ind orher
pl'nl loud,. Jnd Jlwh()1 beverages were oncred for sacnfice 111 the ntllul compo-
ntnt fir PhlhpPllle I cremonlts. I\orh the quality Jnd quantities of ,,)(rll1(1,11 oncr-
m' rtOcch J Ihl' OCl,II r,mk, Wl'.lllh. Jnd poirllral rowel base of rhe Sp!ll1\llrlng 11\1

du,1 11111 rrtallk, NHS lli 17; Chlflno 1<)04 loC) 270; i.wcr 19 H57.(. S.II' AI1\(lI\\Il
1990 Br JI~J A In 1111,,·,. om)'l ... '"CltIIC' uf SlIlllhc.ISt A",I. Ih,' n1.\lI1\('I1,II1"" "I

276
 -------,
"'J'he •• tOR 'IC"'r'1k;r rml ilitn ~.J C{Jn.
.tJ('OI

M< ..
d on .",<1 P"""_I_.ft. ocher cl<lClly ro."" .. and da.
hcM!,nd m:rr .... -..--- r of rank and ;mo!" pi I q ';;e P'2} ~ ,
4ulf tbt ldttut H'1< of po ual.aumc"nuc ~ the lxDy and nde 64 qom rly r~hed through
n mJ (J tu.....
rbc'
. .,.",•• tountll or "".up L._ .L.
d cbe JU.,lU' UN.
nm ,.,ar,!', <1-", mvldlc <I""m rcl. •
CG-
bJ&hIancls of Sum.. eg, public :Tin
f,,-
•
uJCJ ~ ghct1 pJfU () 1 .. UY Onc dosc reuuve ( J f a: m.1n ill) W iIII l ,
tt..J • to d,d.lnt rr.... could memon7~ Ult: complv.iUtd
rh< ,,"k .nd ~,
l k ! U. dut ,I U~ beLie. 1O ;:'Cl a mall!"c« hr, ( the
,. e 'pprop, "'"
L a\s-llWlg O1le= of age, geoea!ogy, ..
,.m ...m. nfU' In .L. till< - (.me ((Juld uy I a[ I r", ry mb<,11C r~
1.00 (r"'" ",mc.-mere COn)uncocrn ...mh the md"iduaJ s Pi$[ _. ~
"Ut ,.,..., chm'
the ___ I mdn .. em bo,kd
. in Ih~!"I: .nd In t1><'K n1D~ 1987 '29
f'D("fttIwm G ( 109 and pamupanng In fe ..;, to,ieq, .. ,,:..,
UI>Ulcd It) prn fi r I nd,v,duah and kJn groups were carefully scru cuts olkman 1985:96 103 . i>cllm~ igbts
qwooy escalate mto a .mt;at 6gb." Vi
d J pc-rcClvcd ImpmpncLI I :) m m"a[ dJJLnbullon were rJpellly cnll.
i'l>c pe/rtl,,n.
unl""d an . ny led by Vu'" paroes made inflammatory Y.Xec~
cud by Ihr fe.Jf .Hcndres A. rccoun .. - a!
fhngmg meat and c.a.rabao eXf I tUlenr ;n u~
d Ikcel " " ","<olIy ahoul ' Iho>t u!"tahru( old men who cion of food delic.aue. ar POI)ne>'M kaq,
r Inlt"TYIt"a't' l a ...I- f r d
J u un I~r ~s:.t :m d prestJgt ' by ShOWing up.' .11 km"" 0 .. an [0 tmand
(me ITlJn
sou.aJ rankGoldman 19;"G:, ,"--j02, 501 . • r
rr man ,hrrf . Jure (} ( m~t .. In such lO.RancC'J, blltC'f argumenu can result bc:.
upn..
nm."zed food dmnbuoons woe oc 9Opt "ben
~I ,(1" gelling [htll proper .hare- a.nd tho.e who
Q
mo thnr (,Id men .wh0 (cc I ch""
(wren feren oals wele CJ\'ertly played om by
(ulln<"), 01< hUl'J!mg Ir", much of rhe p'g. " 987 110) played the feam ng game weD.
public confrontaoons about therr post
SJnn" h wurce.\ .uggC!l Ihal [he chief's Immediate relauves and other eliteS
. with In
rewarded M th upward m olnh£\. ,
whom 11, wa~ mooNY' ..I lhrd were commonly served Ihe chOicest meat dish,eess-
Ih,,\/: cons nog " f ca,abao or domestiC pig ralher than smaller game arumals
r 11y. Ihe meali e I ammal paru (eg. the forebmbs and , secondarily, COMPETITIVE FEASTS OR ' CH LLE GE-E
~ n d ptc,'I"Ol'" .
rne
l. vt"n t br ;,t;: 41' nd nb, • Plgafena: 19756y--66; San AmonJo 1990:313; Santa lnts
A SlgruJicanr ISSUe is "'heth.r !:he PhJ1,pp_ •
Sparush records and early.thn "
1/>4878; .b', sec: B,ernatzx. 198536-17; Barton 194974 - 75; Pnll·Breu (989). Pig and
c.,.b~ " kuU. were ahr, preferred body parts in some soaeues (Plasencia
1991:232- 233 refers to as - challet) -
m
-challenge' feasr c~n be defin.d as m
1901b 191 ), pmbably fnr reasons olher Ihan meat qualIty. Glbson's (J986:158/
polmcal dommaoon thrau h an e\ r.....
analy... I,f th~ symbolic aspects of anrmal partluonJng among Ihe Buid, a con. •
and publIc displa . of >enennty hostih
Icmpr".ry upland tnbal group of Mmdom, suggests why the pig head might
pie of o\'ertly competJn r ea tin IS ~
haye betn preferred ovu even meatier arumal parts. The head of the pIg IS
Amencans >uch ., rhe Kw uti ~
vIewed by Ihr SUld as Ihe locus of Ihe anrmal SQul or Vital SPlnt Thus, by pos.
In Sponsonng a fea. I , . 10 an mpl to ,u
ng rhl porurm of Ine 3mmal. the ",nsumer. are able to Iransfer Ihe "vlIaI·
hueal nvals [0 am.l. dr pla\ ,mbure
Iry" or plnlual power of Ihe animal tc, thl"mseJves l<J ward off the weakening
sponsor', penOlll1,nCe re'ldr d tn
all"~.s r,f prt'datc,ry pints (Gibs'm 1986:157).
lion or humrllJtion, JnJ pohtJ al
I'l<,.) apprJlt"mmcnl as the pflmary public meawre of social slatus dlflcrenu
1950; Druckl'r 19<' )
.""n ha btt'n J,. rnb~d In SIgnIficant detarl Ii}r complex SOCltllC~ engaglOg In nl
Howc\'cr, 1<<<'111 anth 'pol I aI
ual (, .• ling 'm Iht Ind'ml'~lan Islands of Nlas (Scatty 1991) and Sul.wc"
the ,oCla"~ (llmhJ!J\ nalu I
Iyr,lkm.1h 11I1is)· (m N,.,. slaul:htl"rcd pIgs wert rradltlcmaliy divided 1010 carc·
ndlng una~ nf' \\ , th
fUlly WtlFired mC:;,1 pOflllms. whrrh w!"re: dlstnbuled aCCCJrd,ng to remgrllzcJ 19NI ) Iml J.l. Idlll
"n~ In 11-" Iot,( 1.1 h,er." hy, ,hc' h,>l'JfY (If rnCH ,'uhangc relalUlm between the <rV"1 lh" Inll • 1 '1\1 rru
hi I nd gum, and bn IlIp ~nd er, "'~IlI"IIII,rI IU" ht'lw!"'n till" "",I and I:ue>l ,,"11'< drh.tl' hI I.rnl
'r~ arty ''J'JI 1.:.t4 ~1.5) J ;lIllJr~ tt, rl"rt'lvf' 11u- t Xpt.( It tJ nlt.~t po. WJIl, III n"o';IlIlIon i", 'hldh I.lhl'l1 ,.h 11\

17.
 .
FUT U,\ l F( ASrIHCi SYSTE M!.

• -.- - -. ---
• fill , hll' r '" .1Ilt.! o:..t Cl1t .lt IO U"I g ill s nr gold o r w nlrcJilcJ b~ (hldl leaders and
. W""V'· I" ~ ,.
Ulh t11\ ( Il l' I I'le:: I ' .'
~ Iy eo mpc UW/t Cl
I'l)~ ()
( N I~l S fc a ~t . . furm s ale JnJ regular p<l' 1 a
m c: rOU\ 'I . • ut the ",(ru ng
l,)n J'i c;vltlrn [c . IQ64 ) Ilowcvc r, m h C..' r e thn ographe rs moner rnoJc, 0 1 P rll p Uon and 1 I
n ,H" t"Tl IJl • , I q . SC hllltgC I . " ,
(~I",ch'lI 1970. $u7llk ~S " hallengc "" (N '" were hlSLOncJil y rJre 111 N,J; so fClnl orcement of un pol; ",I pow r ru
. . I
_I " , 11131 " vCII )'. 111 C" IJ lfOI1l Sll C L
I I Ch en Il a n ce'd S IJtu ~ was
pl-oeJI ethos III Wll and a ,cn ,c of r<)mmuno{ ohd.artty and
l .11 ,d J h,gh YrCCl
( IClv, Ih.lI m()!il rCJ~rs h. . . . . . Jnd polillC;'" Icgtllln3 CY we re ga lT'l ed onl y 1Idyden concl ud .... .
" I sOCH)1 O1c.:fll • .
,,,"Slwry. and' 1-lt . of an 111 dIVIdual ',• lifellme o( cc r<mom. 1 exchanoes
, . ' I f')
Some fo rms 0 1 (Onlpcuu~ tJ
I 11 over the (our c
,OW) SI lfl_vc!sink '995-'30 ). •• f ' leve l t lues In chlclJmru crucn.a for
(Beany 'Q91. In h ' "cornpclIlIve nature 0 rea'lIng cvent ~ In
'. 1(>I1U0 I1 abour l C cre~se the \, .. luC' of t:11f~ h11diCn.. but t.hrv do
Some 0 f IhlS con d" S from" lack of clanry in distlngUlshmg (ca5t·
.- d elsewhere CrlVC WIth nbl1!t"rury IOI.rot "'flUen ~ ID
Southeas, ASI' an I "merlt" transacted IS of a tranSItory and re-
a In whIch rhe SO(la turuclo!:1 ht.lnoln communlUn 199.6.1
ll1g pheno men heno mena rhal .tternpt ro accumulate permanent
a proca n · I arurc and fc.,ung P I
orary srarus ddrerenu.l s mto ong-term and even IllJ",evcr. {here I ethn
I h nd to transform lemp .. ..
wto { a p sts that confer values of sOCl.1 ment but whICh mJny Ph,bpptnc SOO~\I
nh lable political power ea .
I en .. .. are charactenzed by cycles of balanced rcclproclry. the ante o( d"pl J nlth nd
art not overtly competitive, - -
I Ion and slatUS enhancement for any smglc md,v,duJI round of ~n: m om ~1
on whIch surplus aceumu a I .
. ry and eventually negated rhrough the necessity of rc- '9752'5. Chlnno , ~I\~ Z71 Colm I
or kIn group are eransltO . . ..
. the" partners m a feasung cycle In compeullve feaMS. 19~11~1. tQ6\ rh, com p<"tlU ~I m
lurnlng prestaoons 10 .
_ I . f labor mobilization and surplus needed to finance future counL, of «'d tll1g tn rh Bukldn n
there IS an esca aLlon 0
t ranslating feaslIng' success mro long-term pobncal power uon' t: tolltn!: rhe; h t"(·.\ltllfY
(casu an d {e h aIm of
and economic profit (e_g. Priedman 1979)· chIefly 110<, wcre u. omp;uu d b
Hayden (1994:25. 64) has suggested that competttlve fea~ls aImed a(creatlng prodl!!lOU_ ~m(lun' 0
economIC tnequalltles and negotiaung political power dJrrcrentl.ls are pnmanly a 'PO' <Blrrrurzl" ' 9 .:1 r
srructural feature of what he refers to as ··lran5eg.blanan·· or"" B'g Man" societies nun <h« I "n.', nun
,uch as Ihose m New Gumea and Olher areas of Melanesia characterized by In ,«mrd .nd poInt lIU urn
S(;Ible (I eo. whoUy achltvernent-based) cotena of social ranktng and pobllcal ,uc "nJ rM th Ion r tun
cesSion Hayden and others (cg .• Clark and Blake '994 . Pneuman ,1nd Rowl,,"," .1,hlC\, I th 110
1\178; Ro,man and Rubtl '978) argue lhat compctlltve f~a~lIng ,~ onc of a nllmbt" JnJ I nd. ""
of evolv,ng strateglcs among "b'g men"" or .. aggrandi:lc r,' fiJr t rall,fo, mm!: It 'n h, ,hlcll
!'tory. achJevement·ba~ed political authomy and diflercnltJI w,·.lth 111111 ,h .. '" wuld \ .1, qUI ,
htntablc poliocal pnwer and wealth. whICh Me kcy tt) tl1<' cn1t"'~""'l III hv ., nUl lib 0
ch,,·fd',m·I'"Vtl $onCLJCS_I fayden ~UAAe'ts that cl,," net·d ftll ltJIltPl'l 11 'v,' it-.,,'" hUll ut n 11 I I t
largely (.Imaled 111 chltfdctm Icvrl 6()ci'-lles. Sill'. Ihe (ClIl1pQ""'" fill polllll.oI ItllI' .I h.lIl, n In t
IUr:U\M(.I11 and trrJnClfnlC" ~urplU5 hJ!I tWl'Tl ff'soJw'd 111 Iht., '"OH . gt'lH.t 01 IlIhrllt \, I'r t th III
an! (h, ft.on,h,p and (·nf",,,- .. bl,- II,bul( 'Y>ll-ms rna,nl.llIll1lg lW' ,(\.11'<1" 1.11,," IIll1dt 1HI I'll

po<ll$and l',,,-d we.lih (1\191 h1) In "Ih ... worth. p,,],tl( .,I.lllthIJIIIY .11,,11111" 11/(111 1"11 pol ,
Wf £1Ttt,m ufpIUSllrtlJltm~;nuII1.jll(llI)b( IIl'W)\I,,1nl III (CIIIIt IJiol 1111 •• 1
Itn", Ih h
traalr,n u,ha ftJII1PttllJVf f';J tllIg , bill ,,111111 J ).1I~'f Iy 1I1.lIulhlhlt, hltlll(l~ I. tin till
yr If)ftJfUd f~(f ' c, (11111".41 (hit 1104111 1111' AI I fll,lIl1~ 1'1 1111 ~II W, t.OI)1 I' t d I I
111,11
In fdmnlev I (, lw, 1,(,,,1.1 1'II1111111y 11,11' , (.1 "'" 1(',," , ,1111\,,1

JIIIJ
 •
RITUAL FEASTING SYS TEMS IN PRE
-- •
HISPANIC PHllIPPltoIE CH
'Hao ..,
clnrorCIl1~. but also (TC3ling and re.
)f l }Ill 110t ollly 111 I
nd the lughly personalized nature of p I
'J 'llIlI' I' Imp' . Phdl n pll1C chlt·fdo01S. a 0 ltlc-al pOw
II
\\ 11\ 11a1 ~1 t sourheast As.an polioes. A number of hist ' er rdaUons eh.r;,
M
J ,0(1,1 I I""r •1nhlC" .n r-
onans and a " ctensuc of
IIIIIIII"~ ,...phOt:.II. 'f' ro the fragmented geography and dJverse e re aeologuts h...
FEASTING IN SEGMENTARY nVIrOntnent.! f l'Oulled
moting diffuse centers of political pOwer d <-.. 0 South • ..,.'Ill"
TH~ POLITICS OF URED " CHIEFDOMS olitical
.
,nregratlon (Andaya 1992:4°5' C
an "u.srf>Qn
g attempt.! at lar
is PI<>-

OR ALLlANCE -STRUCT . I • been va riously dcscnbed as "segmentary P. . ' eertz 197):J31-~. ge tale
I - ~ socu~tle:" lJVC Ki Cl Winzeler 1981 :462). In addition, most ofpre l ' ',"" R.e.d 19<11.60-
Smllh(".I",1 ,,"10111 (o n1P e '" " lh cJ ter s rJl t'5" (Cccnz 1980; e er 1972: Tambiah co orual Southe 06),
sible exception of Bali, Java. and parts of Vietnam ha ast AsJ' lWlth ~ pos-
- 11.,., .....1.. ,,,( pnhlles. III e l'ypic,Jly decentralized, had weakly 'n-
I'll I ., t" O( IC..' ncs \Vcr • tion densities relative to land and resources CR) d CJ<ceedmgly 10... popul.,
.u"'t>. \\ ·IT.1" I"f Iq RI)· lhe,e•s d wcrr particularly vuI nera bl e to SOrt-term h cy_ 'd . eldl~8lN8
. I hierarc hlCs . an I I th · d . Anthony Rei estimates an overall average of ' . 199q60-4~J
le.'rollcd 1''' ,11'·'
I d dISII 'tcgratlon. Po ltl ca au omy tra .tlonaUy 5·5 persons /km' ~ th
r . 1-I\C ' I1(e an A.D. 1600, less than a fi [rh of that of IodJa and Chin Or e rtll'on III
,b ,,/ .llcrn••llo g co." ' _ d ,I bases or well-defined unilineal descent , a and roughly half . L _
. 11"01O\'l"r hxc rernron. ., rope (Reld 1988:n - I8, 1992'460-463). The Phili u.. lol Eu
I"<'heJ. nOI on lon f rsonal Joyalry and eA-panding one s power base ppmes and Borneo .
InvJ(U'g ocs 0 pe . densely pOPlllated parts of Southeast Asia ar th W<re the 1"'1
~("(lUr'· bUI on cu f .glvmg and ceremorualism (Wolters 1982:6-15). e ome of European
, I JIld elJborate gl1 Junker r999 for a more detailed discussion of popul COnt.(l "'.
Ihrou~h ''''quell olmcal Slrucrures by Blanton (Blanton et al. anon dyn'InJcs l
,'ork on compardllve p Relatively low population levels, combined with .
Rccenl , h . gges,ed that these ubiqUitous fearures of Soulh- . . an econoOUr emph.s
,J Fell1l11an (1995) as,U .. . swidden cropping rather than mtenslve permanent a cul " On
)
l<Wb JI ordll1ary 111 stale-level and chiefly sOClenes, bm 10_ . d c tiJ I d d gn lUre, an abundance of
~ polJlles are nOI extr.1 unoccuple ler e an • an a seemingly inexhausnbl 1 f
e. ,I · SlJ haslS on "'network" strategies of political power . .. e supp y 0 wllo(hnd b.m.
Slt.cl reprc,enr an eAlfeme emp '" boo for easily rebuildmg settlements, meant that many ' 1 d S
. I my a strategy for mall1tammg rulershlp that IS prac· . ' . IS an outheast .\s"n
I"<'IJI1ons and polincd econo . . . populanons were inherently mobile and not particularl)' co _ , .
degree In many com plex soaenes. Blanton and Pem- .. ncerneu ",th contrOl
uCl'd to .1 lesser or grearer .." . of land as a polineal and economic commodJry HaU 1992'.1...,. ~- Retd IQ n,...
d "' orporatc-based"' and "network-based or excluslOnary" Winzeler 1981:462). An obvious conclusion IS that shortage of ]abor retu!'... to
man havr conrrasre c . " .
power .stra le:gtes J
s d1/fenng ,
bUI not murually eXc!llslve, ways of achievmg
.
polit- land engendered a political system In which a ruler's power base Us meOlSureJ III
Ical dOll1mance m complex SOCieties. They suggest chat these strategies are part terms of tbe size of the labor force bound to bun through mm "-' alli.mcr 1If1.
of the polincal dynamJl:s 111 all complex societies, but political actors in a partICu- works, rather than fixed geographic territones. Thus. compenoon br~ea1 poh!-
lar sOCiety and histOrical context may emphasize one mode of control more than ical leaders (and between rulers and would·be rule~) tOcw don comm.mding
Ihe other labor rather than commandeering land, ThIs m.y e.\"pl;un th~ <norm"", Don
In the CAcluSlonary or network power strategy, political actors try to create emphasis ill island Somheasr Asian complex oa<ne> on .lholIl...·bui!dmg mVl
per onal nelworks of political donunance through che strategic distribution of ties such as gifnng of prestige goods, the creaoon 01 r>tens" 0 ntU
portable wealth Items and symbolic capital (such as rirual potency and religiOUS alized [easung. and religious pageantry ',"led at S(lClal (Oh 'all.
knowledge). Al"ances are typICally created and maintained outside local groups The srrongly compennve narure of these concal alh.IKr t-wIJing ...-o ~IJ<S
through "preSlatlOnal events" (Blanton et al. 1996:4), Involving exchanges of mar- undoubtecUy related to rhe fratlry of heredltan n!!ht' tl' f'l'iltI,a1ltaJt..tup. In
nage parroers, presnge goods, food, esotenc knowledge, and labor. Often these most ethnograph,cally and hisronc"lIy ko""!1 ,,'mrb. ~ n .,c: uthtast
preslallonal events occur m the context of rirual feasting. lndividuals who can Asia, kinship is gener,tLly rcckon~d bd,lt<'f .1111, (<'!I",ut< d " nI gl\)"l" OR'
mOSt successfully translate the exchanges of foodsruffs, prestige goods, labor, and mg. postmantal re Idence IS olk'(al (11" Ilt(lh'.I1. alld anJ \\ .l1th.1t *"
other resuurces mto parronage over a large network of aWes and followers, gaIn ited along both the n1.ltel"l1.11 and patl·rn.1 "11<' \ H~lI.oN Il ~
poilucal preemtnence m the communlry. However, as noted by Blanton and Peln- Winzeler 1976:62N) In the Phlltl'rllll"S, .1. '" nu'" __ 'UI~ I
mitn. m $OCICUCS where a network strategy is the predominant mode m the polir· eues (e.g., AndaY.1 I~Ql .40~. ~I~. Ikld I -. I 1'. \",h nl
ICaJ economy Icader>hlp IS generally highly confliclIve, unstable, and prone [0 amongst I ul"l"s ,lIId lllh" ""hlllll \_ .• 1 0 hI I . ,,'t! I

rdauvtfy hr,M cycles of expansion and collapse. heirS Jnd tlllllwl 0' .1(<,. h,lIl1l~ «",lit.. ,\\ -I ",h ntoIl, "I tht
('VfTal (011("5 may have been sll.,'TlIficam In creating the highly fragmented po' Addlll g IOlhl' rh,,,,, ('I ,hl.-I1I SIl« 1<1I11H' I' lIlt'U"'
huc.alland.capt , Iht rt I'allVI" Iy weak I!1l1"gl alllm bl,tWl'cn vertICal
. Iy a11'
InI leaders, pr"SlIgo' Ih,\I .llIll\\o'" ""," "h,. I 1I11 ""l ~ nd

282
all
 - RITUAL FEASTING SYSTEMS IN PA:
btlSP4NIC ,
- l' ( JUnkl' \ 1(..,"IOQ) , III m,IIlY \ ~ I .IIH.I SOlllh
"lllP,

I lud l ,II!l~ I" . , cups, and plales, a"crnblagcs [hat vary Sign fi
. ",I Il' n,11 I'hIM' ell ( , '1'(' f ll..' qlll'lll ly .1b l(' 10 g~ll' n cr ~ilgnjfi{<II)l
!l UII.IIt' I IIt I I' l IU" W,l111t11~ wt: food prepara[1on and servlOg as'emblages le I cantl1 front
1(.' I H,~ ,llfIl 'u ll ' '.' b ISl'S ""'(lugh 1h c II clo~c: ;'lSSOCI3l io n g
",1 .. 1 \ " ,Hl "I0l I 't.' nJ l' lll p"\o\(. 1 ." . Scarry 1995) Reprcsentauons of wh.t , Ct.r\r. all<! 8~
11 nl.lllh ..;h IIl l Cl J 11I111.Hc.'iy Ih n ,,' ,l lCI1 the Inll er s hege m o ny 'ppearto ~
w (.',1 I( 1I .11 l I ~('Io) .In
Potrery, molded on metal aretfacts, pam le d In mural«n:",ont;U
II
.. ( J hd ,,)Q~ .
\\" llh (' li lL' p ,ll fO •
I S~ It'''') '
Il

I " e lll r uk ~ ,lIld lh e wld csp rc ;'ld practi ce o f

have also bee n IOrerpreted by arch.eol
ogt~<s ol$ de
,0,
C>"'cd I."
( Iklt. HJ~ , .f I )l11~ C()~l1 ll1 jr l C1"t " , • . ritua l fe. stlOg (e.g., Cero 1992, Hlgha." I plCUOn f po I
I ptllhpptlH' due: l ( . • " !l l ed )11 el11pha sls o n coa llll on.bLIIld1l1g · d ~ ,- . , 990 1.l3, 15H; ,, _
t1
ll
trll,hic 1n l tOrs ( Il. ~ , elhnograp hIC an I""lonc relerences 10 ntu.1 r. ""'Plt(:tht
11\' 0,,11 ,1I1d dt l ";; , I' II,ower, L.lsliI'A pO" lIcn l co nt rol wa s prob-
pl ,...' . _ dl I b il SC..! p c> IlI C~1 _. . ,'. • iral an d socla. I d ynamlcs 10 premodern S th ~tll1g "' P~n 0 t
.1Ihl'r ,h,111 It' ll 1( ('1 111 ) " I cl , CI1SIOll o f pohll ca l (l Lll h o llly cont mued t o OU eil51 As, •• d
I I hll' Vl'I11 CII I b tUa;l In , I I . li mi ted archaeologica l research on thl h n Chul.a thtr. ..... _
1f' IW111 t" ,Iod t w ,IC

hl' 1Il1llOnJI\I A, ' .

, , ' ,J sphere of polluca allL 1o l1ry were not
'hj~f'~ socl.11 SI .l l L1 S .H
.. Instcad (ontil1ually renegotiated lhrough
, High. m 1996;J unker, Mudar, and Schw.lle
S P [ nomen

r 1994 Kim I
on r.
Do \ '<yn
~

lh c ri13 I1 CC • hut WCI C , _ In terms of m.renal evidence for ntual r. 99.!. 'ludo, I
11 ,, ,.1 Ihrc>ugh 11 I ' ilh1l1 the nl'cna of mu"1 fca stmg. The cre- , easllng III the pc.,.
.1 C' Ih.n look P JC< w . feasti ng foods and leasting paraphernalia tu 'Wlpp
malcn.! exc hl11g , J > "n oe of parl lclp_n ts In a parllcularly laVish \Vas ghl)«
I J 'hI Jmong 3 WI ,r, " hold's social rank, wnh the mo" [Iaboral r, ,.,..btrd ch I
,111 0 11 "f s "CI ,1 e ' 11 ' > network. whi ch could be caJl ed upon fOr c casts spon.'Orrd b •• '
'J the sponsor J 13nce In by rugh-rankmg cruefs Furthermo~ the ~C ~~ ... Ub.......ted
kN enI,Irg< . I h.gcnerallng nctivi ries, Allhough mOSt of the , se . '".nCla1nlUal ......
j ~ Jl1cl oth'l wea t co have taken place WltIun or dtrecdy .d'acent 0 th an:
r,,.dlllg, IrJI 1I1" . .d' nons of rirual fcasts do nOt provIde enough de. . ' ( "pon on till (
.. J " hnographlC cscnp
h," tl11< ,In e . I I . h semllent of sOClery was most Involved m the
, (Bobadilla 1990:334, Morga 190]:303- 394 , P'g..f"cu I~ ~ ~
I dcrcrll1111e precIse y w \tC b· , Santa Ines 1990;78 , also see Barton 19407)- ;; C I I
I,ll 10 I'r. 'S 11 IS likely 'h '" compentlve one-upmanshlp was . . ,; " 0 e IQIj. ... 1[1-110 1... _ .. _
. mp~utlve ~~pect$ 0 H:~ .IS[ll • , [973:246-2 55), Th,s IS true of even morrua n ' nl" b ..."'"
,0 I -rnnkJ11g' chI efs nnd 3mbioous wa rn ors ra ther than the ,, - ' . 111>< una!
1110st fierce ,lInonS ower placed under contemporaneously occupIed 1'<5 d -
, , . . 1 en t . tIl m::an
d,.elll' paramo untS, Philipptne complex sOClenes (Junker 19q)b In othu I'f: o . r
Asia, ea rly hIston c acCOunts suggest that ceremoOloil fCl ~
ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVIDENCE FOR COMPETITIVE FEASTING loca les WIth "mega lithIC" monument> (mdurung III nmr,. dolm ,
IN THE PREHISPANIC PHILIPPINES arrange mem s of stones, lamet-\ dsmk N~IIJ \lthoug\l
".".
The preccwng wScu 'slon on the poli ticS of feasn ng in tradi rional PhilipPine record of megaltths o n Borneo. [he MJI., Pt11tn.,ula, d
,hlddom has largely focuscd on srr ucrural dy namI Cs and no t the long-rCI'm evo· berween IS eXtenS ive, [heIr J"OCl,ltton "llh mu.1 fr n III
luuon of these fcasung systems, whIch often reqUI res rhe use of archaeological SOCletl. hJS nOt bcell c. ,muneJ lnJ in fa.l , their
<VIdencc The presence of some rype of ceremo nIal feastmg system has been m- chronology arc poo rly " nO\\11
fw'Cd for a number of complex SOClC lICS o n the baSIS of archaeologIcal eVIdence Ac nru,ll ICdsrs In [he Phlllrrlnt'. , ,>:llt"t. ,'<
alone, In Ihe absence of any ethnographI c or hisranc sources, EVIdence for thAer· household collc(tlo n "I line '" nuJ,- "~lfhrn"
ennal access 10 certalJ1 ntua l foods o r IlJgh-q uaury subslstencc commothucs, and and bowls (I\klll.l II)Mb 'lN 110, Pt!:J ~!t~ IQ
parncularly lhelr concentra tion 111 clll c habitation cont exts o r 111 assOCIation wllh C,lnt CC I' Jml( ,lsst' l11bl,lgl' [hJt " ,I JI'nn,1 li'<tm
«r<momal strUCtUres, i. onc approach in idenll fy it,g d tLtal fcasting acnvllics In clhnographl ,lI1d "I hili" 1'1 h,II',)I"~I,~1 .luJi
Ih •• r,hacolnglCal record (e g., Crabrrce 1990; J Pox 1996; Kim 1994: MMClIS Jnd dISPOS,ll p.lltnns tl1 tr,ld' ll"I1,11 I" " I.mJ PhulrrUl
Flannery '996115 116, Poh] 1994, Welch and SC,lrry 1995) , In add'llo n, arehal'olo' Mud.lr
. I Q~ ~, IIMC I '''
w, N, Itr!: loX> I
h,,'c mlen,'d ntual (ea~llI1g fro m th e norurc o f cc raml ,1ssc mblJgcs lound ~IM (' I": c.' n: nl.llllS .•Ul" "'l u kt'U s r ulg dCli
at ctt! mcnlS Somr Jrchacologlsls have nOlcd I, rgc rth,m nOll11al r ookmg and Ihe hOtlst, y,lrd I II tl lld"1 llit' I1I 11, u
rvlng l.s 31 prCJltllllCnt reRUlIl,11 , 'I1t,'rs, SLl AAl'SlIng IMgc S~ Jlc ItlOd or "1111', .".-h",'oh 'g l,"II" I', nllil.kn
dnnk p p:IrOlU(m I, g BI II I '9'11, IJ,U"" IIIH<) , " )1/0) I\ rr h;w o log "" hJve ,I"n ,1t,',1S W\' I" 111111\('.1 I hdt n' p.ltt 11) n
" Inallllr 11111', rh I ", I' II II h, 'tI h"l.1 lh [
ul [(I" rn"n131 " J I109 (.111 Ill' I( r llg nlzl'd by Ihl' p, c,,' nrc U l
mbl• ' \lnwh, 1\"1I"ld hre , p \ t \ I 10 \ llH Ul
r t 1""111,,1 d"I,,""" ,111.1 , 11 " lwllI " lI y " '1'1'11'11 ,,' I VlIlg

l84
 I rr Junk!"1

- -
/lIIjf./
- -
- .11 JS 1"l'!1lI1,lnrS of fc as[1ng foods. in CO n_
d -hc' ~l" \\I t: •
. " .Ire . ,,(' I VII''': I!" . . . . ,d fl."a sts Of spo nsored rhcse events On a ho sId ubslstencc assemblages (see Junker ludar _ •.
....... ch..,
-
,1""•' ill) o llh( 11 11 I h,H r J "" IY .'11(U1S0IC 1997 (or quanntanve data ). A slmilar range of "1'<'0., du
I hml.' l,ho ~ ..
11 1\1 (( I . 1 I . la! assemblages (Mudar 1 99~ ) . Quanntanve comp"""

.
•
'lIhll1n so c
J
,,'I we ~ ht.lU L
I1 n O IC' th.ll very
, f!
Itrcle afchaeo oglca rcseJrc "t In the
Iss ue of I1tuai reastl1lg . and to reCOn _
~Iages from the twO reSIdential zone at Tan).) ,"<hatt
,'I !lw c)U ~ • -d ro I he speclIlc . . the large . stockaded house-compounds WIth relan ry hi
h ll1e , h .J!~ ht'(' J1 dt:'\lfl rC c ncral. 1Welfth- to siXteenth-century
rhl pr . I
o n Ol1llCS In g ds" denved a slgndicandy greater propOrtlon of ch -
. , ch,eily r obut .' cC SIXlcenl,-cen
I ' rury Ccbu are the unly prehispanlc gOO eo: <
:;1 nit rl11g . mestIC speoes (see FIg 10.2) The inhabItants of the m.n. un,
.foWIJ)' ~mJ (oun ecnth 'ch10leolog1c3 IrcsC~
' o I'ch has been carried out at the house_
mpounds Included only two speoes of '111>11. to _,
'ill' centerS where ' IdcncC
CIll( .
' re Icva 11 t to evolution o( ritual feasting has been co . . mQllUrrt. \ rd
animals Ul thetr illet (pig and chicken ) but YIelded. ""d<rroln olf
I10 IJ ",,,cl .1IlJ where C"I h
luch of w :lr w ~
e have to say here about the material cv i-
. . such as monkey, civ~t cat, and turtle . The etae hOUSeholds In both cultun)
recorded. Therefore . n d (corroboration by archaeologIcal Investiga_
I I best and In nee 0 had a signlficandy higher percentage of water buffalo In thm die
denct:' IS sketc
,
'Y •
' r .
prchlspanlC sites.
by the Minimum Number of lndiVlduals (~1~1 ray, bone \\
,I

nons Jl a \.Vlder range 0 !.. 4nd '<ICe

age by weight of the total faunal assemblage urulMh.l.l!'~< m'mmal. r
EAT DISTRIBUTION
ANIMAL SACRIFICE AND M warer buffalo and pig. were found Ul S1gruJicamh h.L . er

IN PHI LI
PPINE FEASTING
h oastal chieny center of Tanjay have yielded ar-
Nishimura (1992) has Identified (on the basis of forergn tr.<k
,. . -
f ile houses at r e c . . status reSIdential locale Ul I..ueenth-cenrur)' Cebu. Hi. n ' I'(t d
Exc.v.oons 0 P r d . t elite and non-eUte reSIdential zones. marked by
I I eVIdence lor 1SOll( . suggest that water buffalo. pIg. and other large mamma!'" IT pno~m;j
chaeo ogiCa . d densities of "prestige goods" (foreIgn porcelains.
d f!i. In house size an foods that were not consumed On a regular .hlh b L' m tact
I erencc d I ods) Although these household wealth differen-
f. earthenware. an meta go . PhilippUles.
Jncy . . hases dated back to the twelfth to fourteenth Cen-
tials are found Ul occupatiOn p . There IS also some evidence to ugge t mat mh blPnb r th < t no
turies A.D.• rhey became even more pronounced. and complexly
' graded at the Site . zones at Tanjay and Cebu had greater ace. - t{' mcaOrt
· e th centuries as foreIgn porcelams and other exotlcs m:J
In the fifteen th an d sLXte n . . arumal parts. Th! pattern m.w rellen nrual'a" ~.
flowed IOtO th e se rtl em cnt m · increasingly
. higher volumes and local prodUction
that accorded the best meat CUtS to chiCI' md th u: n t
of presage goo ds expan ded (see Junker . 1993a and Junker. Mudac,. and Schwaller Erhnohlstonc source dctJtlcd earlier. u ~<,t thJr
1994). Excavanons . at l'aniay
, have YIelded a large sample of antmal bone from were Jughly pnzed In me.lt dJsmbutll'n, to rh
middens and rrash pits wIthin the rwo distinct residential sectors, which have water buffalo and pIg for then ymbohc \~u" d
been analyzed for status-related dIfferences In daily meat consumption and differ-
ennal access to ntual foods Uunker, Mudar, and ScbwaJJer 1994; Mudar 1997). Ar- 10(1 r - - - - - - "- - -__
chaeological faunal assemblages have also been analyzed from several excavation
locales at Cebu. spanning the fourteenth and sixteenth centuries (M udar t997; w
.0
---------
"z~
Nislumura 1992). although the complexlties of the site make It much more diffi-
cult to separate out factors of socioeconomic status, ecological change, and
w
o
50
---------
SpanISh Impact on faunal use than at Tanjay (M udar 1997:96).
.ffi 40
-
At Tan)ay. the faunal assemblages recovered from both the early second mil·
lenOJum A.D. Sannago phase and the firteenth - and sixteenth-century Osmena
20
-
o
phase contained a number of demonstrably domesticated species. II1ciuJtng
Bubalul bubalks (carabao, or Waltr buffalo), Ca/hI! gill/liS (chicken), SIIS m~fo (pig).
I:'bllrl· l ,h I
Ca~u Ja~lIhllnl (dog). Wild lroplcal rorcSI faunJ Included Phllrpp"W spotlcd
101. HIl1I'.lIl,,11l It
and
\V.ltt'!' hull.dll IIhll'" \ III U"
d,tT (Crrvus alfrtdl), m(Jnki-y (Macara jiISCII/tlrlIlS). C1V"l C.II (Vivrrra ,plo flUIl n.lI . " 1Ih hlll\' , hhllU l L h'llll an
and varu,us "pull' MmrH' fJun.1 (fi~h, lunlps ••Ind rays) (,<lInpl,'(' rill' hllll"" lllltnl h\ lit, hh\, 11th n.l t lth

286 H
 --- -'- -
• ---.-- -
-- -
- -;p .

- . --
~-

r.-!- as ;: - .
-

....
- -
*'-_.

--

I G ~S5E p EST'

•• zea'lf

tndt:
dlc f I
have
tied I
'n nd
and
I

In

I ..
 RITUAL FEASTING S S (MS

- ---
12th to 14th Century Si s
--
--
H'>

.. -------------- ---- --
~
g .. - ----------- --- --- --
C. 7 •- . --1
In . . . . . .
"..,
-
~

~
0-
---------- --- ---- -
flU'"
own
20 =-- ------- -
..
L !

o
SERVING PIECES 'c , B eAts
, Large Btovm
Sung
W~. J.ar
m. E2rty Ming
Ploas

16th and 16th Century SiIBs

Ja&

OTHER
FORMS

.. ------------- -------
L..o ..... .J2t
Q

------------- -----.
"
Sow2tIkha/oIt (Th>I)
MI6-fouJ)z.n" to I..,-
urty SiXl i an" C4ntury Q - ,- - -
----------- -
,*
'--
w,.,droFFlr
o < /,
.~
""
20 --------- ----
-
S':O • .,.....CoI' (Th", S...... -*"" (Th.a/) BOI
MI6 It ••• ,,1'\ ID
.-t, w..n" ~a.>()'
yu~ Period

,,,I.,"DO -"""'"Ulg- ."",mblages found at Phillppm" mes

o --
Frl;un:IO.J- Tyl'.al Oun~ parc_ Pia... BO del
.u",J ID tht <1c\n1d1 through suuoeo rh c""rune<_
Figure 10-4. ~n:wcagt of POICtWn
and ~rc(nld of pt:lrc~b.tn lIliS
..hu:h funCtIoned ID dtsplaymg food and dnnk at ntual feasts . ConslStenr With cwdith to founel"nth centunc:, and
~ra's srud)' of the eebu porcdam fotUlS. flfteenrb- and sixteenth-century
pc.rcdoms r",mered from che smaller chiefly center of TanFY sbow a strong
bw 10V0-mis "'bowl' and pI.1[e" fauns (Fig lOA). suggesung tbac household common ch n the p r,-dml pUt
parrebm! lIId}' have been used pnmarily m servmg nroal foods ac ceremomal may repee _ ut. h~t di
('CIIU. Banal ..",mblages With Late Mmg porcelam also tend co concentrate a embla~e.
l>r ma ItIlp
On a1ughly IImdardtzed range of places and bowls. which may have contained .re u cd m cOIl>umpn
nru.l foods and an: less Wcdy co YIeld the more diverse porcelain )3r5. ewers, of [he "ha III I 011
r:;:unnrs, and boxes of the Tang. Sung. Yuan. and Early Mtng penod cemccene .',emhlJ·
eg R. Foz 1959, 1964. 1967. Hunerer 197J; Legaspl 1974; N15h,mura 1988, Per· Ac 1 an) 1\ "h"
alta and Sal'z.ar 1974) Quanouove compansons of the frequency of pOr(t/JID (h.l~ .10 I, I IJ n
(,mm from the Jugal of these cemeccnes. the Calaugan bunal mes (R rox "3 e p nhn'
195> • confirm the quaLt4w.e l)bservatlOns of archaeologlsl workmg at other dn t
bu mo that cups . Jars. c1were d b/JXCS, and figunne~ In' ~ay r~n: J' Im
parted g...e accr,mp3mm f " h, \\ F
en Ig 104). 1I<,wt:Vcr, porr<:lam howl uU' mm t\
 .
/ .111, / " / ,1'(" fUllk" ,
,
nP the
rnt'.slil C:llnle't~.1I T.lI"1l,lY .1I'\..' l e~s rt.'~lrictcd 111 lhelr range of r ' SOCIal ran
k b,' a~qum '"
- fi,.>;;nnlo! c et t
The
h ' • . . unctlOnal ove the,r onsonng _
I IS c.lrhl'l· ph" .. 01 10reJgn tr.ldc. Wllh .1 comparalively high p ' IYPe, "I
, 10 ,
..... pr hJ.nges a od for sP st Idenac al proro~ll n.
;I
st'C\'lng pieces ,uch JS JJrs. ewers. figu";ncs . •Ind boxes. Un fanI oponlOn of no". ,,~.p Ce a e
es have alrno b rh Ta.nj3S an
Ih onl} habltauon Sill' where we have quanti lauve mfo rm "1unale ly. 1'0 nJay ' I,. I al,,"fl , ..... blng
ca "ci,ln ,sse ng vessels
Howe\'er, at 0
as measured by 0
rh r CT\I
por,dun asscmblnges prior lO the fiITccI1lh ce ntury. Howe IOn on Illlp orled pO nonservl househOlds ( d d to ha' a hlPt
ele,"cmh· to fourrcen d,.ccnrury ce melery of anta Ana (near rnVCdr. the I.rgo ,,(Sus er r3nklflg oods) ren e
'rh 10W · her presnge g I' made awankhL \
Yielded even larger vo lumes of po rce lalns lh al wo uld nOl fit tho ern Man,-I a) ,VI ceSs to ot poor) 1\ . d
d .c laJIl s (e.g·, and or 10':.1 , m
serving p,eces (lI1 c1 ud ing Jars o f vanous sizes and forms, fi gunn es e Category
d ' of ,Ill poree ese forms _I.
foreign f Chlll Thw;, non·"",te.
boxl's; Locsln and LOCSlll 19(>7) . Th e dive rsity o f fo reign porcelain a,an b!,dd ed It)' ese Oples 0 (Fig 105)· I
. sires
, n' rn e ChIne se sryles .
hOKes 0 e .. f lirt'< "hen IX ,.1
rall •
or bo lh serrl em enr and bun,,1 suppOrts th e obse rvati on lhat laSSem I lage S
inljcklng ulnted the c h did nor f:enc
, wares had nor stro ngly affec ted th e impa rl market C
ence fo r feastll1g ya prefer. rn . event el11 e Becau e I ey
pcnod fe,stlflg I In assernblag f poreelains as.ill ble to
Cl In lhls orce a d uah ry 0 I
gious P uantiry an q ,\nname' e poree JIO'
At Ta llJ ay. sra listl caJ analyses show thal rh ough porceJain was heavily co utre the q $1ai11eSe or •
or
rrated 111 the ehte habitation zon e with large houses in lhe twelfth. to fourteneen· h 'CqrherieallY
s Utfen th Lr rirual food dl.."Plo} .
century an o ngo phase, It was m o re diffusely scattered in borh elire and non.eU ent r.. ,e d eJrthenware 111 e Iwano n for rhe begmrun _. f
r,te aceepted e:q) rt
habiranon zones by tb e fiftee nlh and sL~reemb centuries (Fig. 10.5). By the later rhe long· e/ams fo r PhilIppine e
p hase. fo re ign po rcelains may have bee n availabl e to a significantly larger pardon f poorer.quahry pore . e..-nOrt por.:e1 In roaml
o theas r ASian .. ~
of the TanJay po pulanon. indudmg those Outside lhe chiefly class who could at. rnainland Sou . Chtne, . produm n m
on changmg J
tury focuses . Phlitppine ITJJo: m
~ rmano ns In I
than trailS 0 f direct Chtn~ bu .
th the advenr 0
A. Fo",lgn porcelaIn densItIes
C. Decorated earthenware densities gested at
, Malay {t.1 c" .
d~) the In .. ,I rc\ nu
On kg/m3)
Jnd the remlul\~ t' .tabl! hmmt
On kg/m3)
termediJry .
400
Ann.mes. klln . hi, m
3SO
100 kiln sites Ul sourhern Chlnol . \cJ to t l
300 eo and the prollferatlon 0 I· corn p.1,'(, m ol . U
250
200
60
thieny centers, r.1rtl(uIJrI~ ptlt< and b n
ISO 40
l OO shift In foreign lra.k volume .1nJ I. m t
SO 20 ¥
ptOIl\,< t~J nn" s ,rt'm III Ph1ltrplO
o 0 ..lL-
11 th- 14th centuries 15th· , 6rt't cenlunn presoge·rnh.uKtn" 1"n' lb'11 . er III
n fble zone o Elne lone ~ Non-elite Ion.
Late Mmg mJ-"pnIJu"',1 b'l\\ I .Ihl I
of \'Jlytng SOUJI r.lnk at ( (bu I'd
B Soutt.east AsIan/ChInese porcelalns brond~t\lng 1'.11 tKlp.UUlII 11\ Iht
''''00)
I'lgure 10-5, omparison 01 cer.lml'- .' ma. Wc drlll.lllt! tOI t;,~ t m

012
,embbges ID 011 dd en .lI'e.1S. I11 dlt,- v'. non ,\ "lll1,fi, ant ,,,Ut III tht' lun
ehte h.lbllollon Zlllles at drvemh 10 " whrthn th da!>"r I I
0'
ODl fUlIrlcellth «nrury an "llel'l1Ih I 10 '") fuunJ at Phlhpl'U1 11 Ir
I
otA "Tllth et nlury ranl.1 YIII terlll' ,,1 (' Noo; h~. 10 ~ l Illl ' ht h
. b ' 1 -ht ) 111 [,,,el/oom
001 flVI IJII ""n,ltl'-s ( y w, I: '\ n(,ln P< 11 1r/Jtn tr .1 I h
I s ullw 1\1 . "IJ
001 pOll (' 1.1IH , rh ) I JIIO 0 n I' III ( lunC~f nl.~r 11 t!1;nt 1111 h
i'111,"
o I . t') pl"~ r .111\
,IoII1H c· ,Ull .'\1 11Ir:~ h ' ",r,~hl l l'f the f kllhl III
lid ( l I drll\llU" ( )
1'''' f
I1111
. •
Il1l1t\ III It t I
1I
~ hlfll l .. d,<l11l1llt"""!"
 •
-
-_._._.. Uto" Ut "'.""~_ _ _ _ __ -
• RlT lIAl ~E"'S ING S"I' S e'ts

H""'·.,.-rr· • recenr restudy of supPo5rd Mttal A.":"p'

pedes ta led Gra"es (.996 b2s <kmonso-ated ~ stY!unc an <
p'atea ro .<SIgn cODSlStently early dares to decOUted ~. and
the KaJaoay wares may ha>.., been mr:hodor."
Jay. eebu. and other loaJes Junk.er t99]c; ish",n:..
that mdigenous producoon of slIpped and deco. 'red
forms assOClared ",th food ser viog. P"'su",d and 'Ob!
pe nod of foreign porcelam ITade. I ,ke the n...S!D"'b"
r b<'lt>
-- .. popu._o
unporrs. the steady and even tru:reased local pr~ of

l... . -.
-,.
~

•
.

bowfs ware vessels m the fifteenth and sixteenth Cenrtmes ~

O cipaoo n in. and sponsorship of. status r-~ by 10 ~
~ '-> "ex
had lmuted access to the mOre valued furelgn polCd
I .ca] l!ns as sei \.
cause of the chrono ogt unceC(;!IOQes and probje, i os
the Philippme decorated earthen"'a"" illS DOl
the ba515 of pottery assemblages. thar nn,.IrzN k
•
Jar
c1uefly pohtical econonues pnor 10 the bre fim
rrade.

THE EVOLUTION OF THE FEASTING SYSTEM

The archaeologIcal e"dence from the Plul:ppme, su •
CL"rac["nsur
<
, IJonu rt '0 11.
ILt ~ pedeSlaled
, and decorared earmenware "servmg assemblages ' lrive feastmg may have become mcreilSill \ ., to
(mm Ph,lippIn' Sites of Iron Age and I•• erdate (fi-om Solheim 1964 ). Ical alhance buildmg m the fifteenth . and . Uleenm .
assemblage. at clueD)" center such~, C.bu
distnbutton of water buffalo and p'~. knowll
foods . to whJt are Idennfied a prob~bl tht~
with no clear hab,tallOn (ea tu res (Solhelm 1964. Tenazas 1974; OlZon 1996) In
millennIUm A. O. (n addition . meat'. Ix>.:!, pan. p
whIch Jars. lidded pm;. funerary boxes. and amhropornorpluc forms domtnale.
mammals are found m hlghc.-r frequenac In cM
Ahh(Ju~h there .s a general ImprcsSlCm amongst archaeologIsts who have exca-
where (er~mol1lal me.lt d" "I n hk"
vated prc umed Metal Age ;enlements lhat decorated plates and bowls may be
and Slxrecl1!h cemUrIe,"" bOlh an tOar
m'JfC c"mm'm than
mortuary contexts (Olzon 1987. Junker 1993a. Mascunana
to
109 food< \\ Ithm rhl" (h,dl rem r ,~
'Slk6. Solllt"lm 1964). nonc o( Ihese SItes yIelded adequatc samples o( pouery
rhese prl"s"gl"·(·nh.ln(1I1~ "" d I) IOha IW I r
bl"lds 10 qUdnlltarlvely assess dlfTercnces 10 household versus bunal assemblage, Serl"mg as,cmblages .. I" ,ho" an
S,·r<mdly. thw" are s,"nlJus problcms wilh site chronologies pnor to the histone
WIder ""{rIb"""n or le., ling p.irolph mall III dle-
p"rlf,d MJny archa"{JI')giS(s haYI' assumed that earthenware bowls. plalcs. Jnd t h l~Ont,l(\

J"" wlln cl.h,,, arrly Itlmcd. Imptt·sscd. ~tampcd. dnd apphque decordlllJn Jre al The,,· In'",1- 111.1 b 1111 rr
I cl ID I
IT"'" tldu, 1V< Iy "Pit" p"m·lam" or "Mt'wl Agt·" 111 dale (Pox 191>4. IQ67; Solhe.m e'p.1I1JlIlg '.-al,' "I l '0 .. 1p.lRlllp 1100 tn
I~). a <I",,,,,,J"I(,,.I " ~MgnlTu' 1l1 tha. has bt·t·n Illllc rested through S('cure dJ' .10"\\ wh".-, fi· .. tll\ \ I III h.a
gm d",d rh. as UlIlpll<i11 I tllJI 111.11 111"11' • r"dt· lor I hI' dl'slh(·tll".llIy ,upenol d"l11\ h.ld " 1',,1111' "I t Id"
f"rtl?Jl P"""ldlll \llrtuJlly r,·"la, , ..1 tlu' IlJf.,lli",' ('.lIlh"nw.II" ",du,try as prts 1I1.'"II.lln. d thlll" ·h. '""nu I m
C/1/ J!.' ,f1 ds I'IIIltppII1l" l hI 1,1",\1,
 ..
RITUA L FEASTING S ~ STEMS IN PREHISPA
I"WI,I f "./ 1("-'_----------___
1

-
. 1111 _
-
- gn( u lruralll1lCIHjfic J llon and ".- buaoos of now-devalued 10QJIy
helr=m
" HI ' .. //llenl III a
, . fill.IIKl' ( II1 . . E.,rlc (997). In a ch iefly Society naIf rrelative ranlung m the feasnng $} tern In ad,;h
l I 111\1,ljl (: .1 1'1rlC IQ8'5. .. I n
, I ) rJlh r I h
,Iotp(lU"
"""Alllv)' .lflU "11 dc(cl1trauLz c:d , where C1JC y, coaltuons
(111, 1.1 [hetr th dJverslry of socal group pamcpann In
I Hr' I1lOtll/l1.HI Pands e . ads
In)\ ,)OWl" W.I\
Ir.,Jlllon.' JYft." groups. and
<
where ch iefs vied ror con.
eJI of exooc presage go aace.,.t." a l'A1>tl~led .
hen" rt)hllt' .l l I f It'rnlO flJ1 JIIlC. g , oods at '1rual feasts were key to
\\ .blr (lUe' 0 of preslIge g ablltry
calluxUry goods are more WIdely a"allabl" fur 1
1.1lkt·J Iht:' ,\1. . l e nrclIlaflon ks / argue that, even as paramOunt I
) nc.~ rwor
11"'/ r,f
.
",,",
(' IIl/ml , I 1
hllc"I pJII""age
. ,
moni,I feasLs became increaSingly ,o eute· em u1aong ceremotual feasts,
nlOn oJ po I ' • ncrgcd. cere . I In In the philippmes. forelgn porcelam trade reach." its ~
dll' C.\IM
. ,1.'t
c' "f Sign' fir '"" sCJ c er
d Clal comp clition ' parllcular y 3,no
, ngst lOcal
1r
rhw ;1I11l . fur poliricaJ an so . 10ners who were filLmg the lOwe r before Spa rush cooract. at a time ",'hen many PhUippm •
Imparllll1' Jrt'nll~ d u w.lrdly m o bile com~ d manifested more complexly aered s)' (ern> 0
111 InCil~a 1I1'
J SSt.'r dHCS• .m P 1 31hierarcJl' CS.
,hi."., an porcdams corrung LOto the Philippmes
eign ,
01 e,
II1t.T('.l~1
I,gly (omplex po, Incsysre m s appears co be Itnked to the develop.
tlcrThr cxp,ln.\ Ion of nIUJ' feasl1ng riod have a narrower range of highly 'r.>n.urd&z~
le rca rer pOSS! b'IJtl 1 es it offered for aIliance.buildlng
.
. ds . emphaSIZing the plate. bowls, and oth r n;
menl 0 J' r.0rei""
peno
o· rrade and g
I rIn Pnedman has developed an evolutionary
. scenario
ritual food presentaaons, We may sugge t that
\,'ea II I1 Cl ",U1300n jonan3 ( ,
competJtlve re asting system ro foreIgn trade wealth ,
I1
for control of foreign trade through strate,
Ih.1! 0'" Ullrial growLh 0 voluno a n 0 f SOCl 'eties With more permanent hereditary
d c,,,,nrually led ro the e , f B a as an ethnographic example, Friedman sore d "trade rruSSlOns" to the Chmese (oun. d
,n , the Kachln 0 urm ,
rranficJoon, USUlg , h an ad;acent more complex soaery (the craco've port facwaes gamed an advanra In tb~ n
' (, contacts Wit , , ,,
( 1979) nOled lh., ore'gn , Kachirt Hneages advantage over tnltlally CJIculaang the presage good> necessar.
Id rovlde cenam
. han kmgdoms) wou P " tual feasts , This is due to the tnnow of WIth resrncted access ro foreIgn fea 'nn
d i es in sponsonng n
equal,rankeSh mea~ wives an d IowIan d prestige goods ro Kachm lineages strategl.
who hoped to parlay rrullla!] prow!'., and bans
hlghSlarus, d for an !Oteracoon , art d tra de , Through their greater control of foreign augmented thelr small porcela1l1 a~,em th
canyI hlocate rare" decorated earthenware that allow d them
K chin duefs couId h0 Id more elaborately financed feasts, ,
as, well as at.
wea tfurther , a lucraave marnage , ties, thus creating asymmetncal feasts of the trade·conrrolltng p.Ham unl.\ Th
Iracr ' .alliances with
other hneages through, thelr greater control of wealth , [n Fnedman, s model, eco. eign porcelams. decorared eanhenwaft' and p
nomic, advantage an d soca ' 1prestige could then "be translated Into supernaturally
, the wealthlesr reslJennal zon at M . . nth and
remforced supenonry" 0 f the wealthy lineage, smce success m sponsonng , , ntual flecr hlgh 'lntenSlry statu om~U(j n
feasts ISCO nfcerre d th rough Successfully placaang powerful "ancestral SPlntS, Even. own patronage an I ~Ihan<'t· n No rk,
ruall the enhanced ntual potency of [h15 elite lineage rrught engender a qu3S1 The development or umlpcotl
Iust;'caJ Wage to these ancestral deIties, creating an ideological Justification changes III other a'pt·, t, 01 .tu 1I
for a heredttary eltre class. became mol'l: compl .... x III rh
An mJlux of eXQtlc forms of feasrlng foods and / or feasting paraphernalia can scale, wldcnlllg SOCial p.lftIClp.lU n
also resulr In spiralmg inputs 10 [he feasting system by already compering eliles should bt· eVident In (h~ngUl
and, In some cases, emulatIOn of elire starus behavior by non -elites using now , phasls on roliSlng I.ugc illS h
devalued local goods. 10 an analysis of ceremonial feastLOg among lhe Ch,", a tion (eg. agnrultur I
TibetoBurman people of lhe lndlan·Burmese border, Lehman (1989) suggest' asst·mbIJ!(. . s lrom hllU huld nil
thal the availabdlry of external sources of wealrh can set olf an II1n~!I!lnary cycle Such as ranJ~Y .IIlJ bu
III an already SlJClaJly comptllllve feaslIng system Onc(' forl'IWl servlI1!( vessels rJIS'"g larg.. PIg h nl5 ilnJ
and exChangeable gW1d, ('mer the f"a,nog sY,\lem as presugr ~ymb()ls of rx .. ep ntu,}1 tU 5 tUIl!
"'maJJy h'J:/t valut, ')th('r (I'a\l glv"rs mu~tl)btaUl "mild\" "XOtil' gooJs dnJ/ur 111 lhr "'aM I \ nr r
Ildllll' ( I
 EASTlNG SYSTEMS IN PR[H ISP
RITUAL F

-
__ - - - - d Pread use of both home fortI'e ..
. the "" es .
d c/car.:lOce, tor agnculrure Lfl rhe fifteenth PhaSlZe lexesl and mrenor refuge loc:Uc.
' "f,onded 1,1/1 .1hed nce produCtIon may be partic_ d di h comp
dent"£' t(lr t . d hJr U1ren.s '. _ an - (Cd adoptIOO of foreIgn milirary re- c.
' '11 IUnl',1t. ''Pt noce
o

nJII"l"CI t' \
lu ,n e IIre ho use ho lds. SIn ce n ce IS an irn .
r
•lrt' I
anJ ..;p,I((·olh Cl: I cxpJndJJ1g surp eunve feasting eve nts . H Oweve r the rapl n ons 5"'lVel guns, and bronze n("
. . ..d \ , , [ 1 ' d 111 comp chi < '
I Iron can .
ul.uh .1'~llCJJ d dtstnbl1 rc that PhJDppme e JS n eve r made sry e rOleSSl
conal warnor class ( m"harh a m
. ,I (00 d nce suggesr . i1i
ptlrlJrH nru· h roncJI C\'l C o ther forms of mtens canon typ. of a P ve emblems ome ame aner th
I lie," and IS " systems or . .. . with dJsrU1cn
J!'ChJeo o~ nl'lO IrngaTlon d S utheaS[ AsIan politIes emphaslZlng
l1C ~
J' , rcsO c1uerdOrTl~
J.l(!-!t' ~(.1 t: In .
d
3n I11 ~U
nlan 0 5 ott 1994)·
(PollneSl"n ker 1999)· , . cArchaeo I0 gical mvesngations of CO" ral =drn
I(J/O . ' ,, ( ruJershlP (Jun 8) has suggesred that a splraling syStem
chn ohiscoric analySIS ill suggesnn expandin un
le /in,wc< (1 ( 9°'87-10 upport e y

Sl,lP M rqurs.s, Thomas 19 d' 'th increased inrerpoliry raiding and war. s th and sixteenth cenruries .-\n:.haeolo£1ca1 roun
In Ihe J oare WI . . tifteen
O 'r (easting IS .sso d especially foreIgn captIves to use in terS and refuge locales are almOst m,
of (ompeO \ . tic resources an . . ' . . al
coast cen .
. cJuefs v,ed for eJ(0 th phjjippines, feastlJ1g IS strni.larly linked . o 1994', Junker 199~).. AnalysIS of , elew re
fJre ..1> 'fiaJ rires. In e . Sanaag '.
_LJ.l1ang saen 0
elU human sacrifice was a common compo. tnkm U1erease in the illadence of VIol nt d ath
starus· ' ead-ralung, SIDce . .
th sl.re-raicling and hd WIth cIuenY mortuary rites, chiefly succesSIOn, armual s g burial accomparumen:s ill th e ,u,ee'" "- nth
\\1 .
oare heads as
neor of feJsrs asso . s (such as th e Gin Em feasr amongsr the Bagabo). and per. 1993 b' r997) . Male burials in fili:eemh· and· e
mcuJruraJ ceremoruemal occaSIOns . (Clurin o r904 :]0]-305: Cole r913: Keesing
Jt; Calatagan, and other sites (Fm, 195>l,Junker. G m.
haps other ceremo 1. 1 ) Warren (1985) has suggested that the
unker r993b' Scart 199 .5 . . . biblt standardized "emblem " of "amor ,'atu
11162 I 9: J '
alanon of manome . slave-r31ding by the llanun (specIalized sea.
teeth. animal·cooth Jewelr'): trophy hea . and b
rrernendous esc d by the still ·ID dependent Sulu sultanate) in the seventeenth
evidence for expanded merab produL-oon at
ralders supporte s relared to an expanding demand for "foreign"
gh runereenth ceorunes wa and TanJ3Y Uunker [9991, and the appearan f
throu. to trade [or nru . al sa cri1ices in the Philippines and Borneo. Although es.
Sulu (ScOrt (994) suggest that coO[rol of m t.tl
capOl es compeonon
aJanog . f<
or starus in feasting may have predpita ted increased . raiding
importanr ar thrs nme The relan,m;lup N en
10obtaJO sa cn6 0 ·al VlcnmS
.' and other expendable. resources, chiefly feasts also
power is alwdYS complex In ch,cfd'm le I
served ro me di are sooa. 1 conflicr between competlJ1g groups
. .and
" create ar leasr
" pmes. compelltlve a ·peel. of 'c.'retnoruaJ
remporary soaa . I sou"dan·ty. This is most overdy
. manifested ill . peace pact . Or as a straleg} lor OblJlmn~ ,[,UU
'blood oath ceremonies carried out at some ntual feasts, marking the cessation
ave aspects of cercnlOOI.ll f .1_ It I
of hostihoes and newly fOl1l1ed alliances between formerly warring social units
disputes between tj.-tion.
or polIces (e.g, Keeswg 1962:274: Kiefer 1972: Loarca r90p6o-r63: Plgaferra
Figure 10., is .1 s.-henull, pre man n
197>56,77. 79. Scon 1982:190).
ture, sOCI.11 .Ir.1tlti, ,H Itlll , gn, ultur I r
In archaeologIcaUy known cases, such as Iron Age Europe, the MISSIssippian
of speci.1lisl prodU(Il11n, the rnl I 1
cluefdoms, and Formative penod Mesoamenca, there often appears to be 3
strong correspondence between archaeologIcal indicators for intensive ehte
ntual fNSl1n~ In Phihl'pmc' ,hi .1 m
Com,lCI UnfllflUnJI,I. (lur und
fwtwg actIVlfles and material eVIdence for escalating imerpoliry conflict (eg.,
IJOn in Ihe Phlhl'l'lIl<' I hJ d n
Blirz 1993, Dleder 1989, 1990; Marcus and Flannery 1996:12.0). Both historiC
lal SI\ld)' 01 \t'n t \\ lit th
lOurce, and archaeologIcal eVIdence pomt to an upsurge in lhe scale and Inlen·
/l'a,rlng 'Y'lllll, Jnd I rll ulol
,lIy of InttrpfJllIY ((millet among PhJlJpplOC chlcfdoms In lhe twO cenlUrIeS th
lld' UIUl.1 IIph ,11I1.all
JUS! pnfJr If, SpallJ.\O (f,ntaC[ (Junkt·, 1997, 19'19). Air houl4 h Chint'SC an'ounlS 01
'l2td all'dll,
t1C'Venlh rh",ugIJ (',unecnth (('IHUII/'S dl'\cnht Phihppint c()J'I~1 porlS IlIn~ Irflll I'll I111,
a .r nr)O(f'rtiIled ~nd n:-adlly Jr rt"~lblr' by Ir Jdt'I§, 11u- t.•lIly Spdl1ldrJ> ,'01 IU'lh ull Ih
I
 ST IN G SYSTEMS ", PAHIISPANIC PH l pp
RITUAL FE A

_ J ';..
':'::"
J
"r~
"!::,,~,,.~
'' :,.:.
"';..
n,- ____-----_ _ _- -
-- --- .- -- -- -' EFERENCES
- s peci alized
ProdU chon
Warfare'
Slave raid s It
"on a, P.
I
H.Jswna de las Islas
· e Indios de I... B".,• , B }.
socl.1 f'J
60
Ph .. , POIIIIClI 19 ' Text oJ Ale,,'" 's HlSurry oJ the 8 ua)"," lslartds, roiled
SIIa"
Slrucl uto
rortfl'' '",••,uon [,6 88] verSJ ry of Crucago, PhilippUle Studies P om
1 - -' ' M w ~. Unl
. 'a de las Islas e Indios de lots Bwy,,", Book}. Pan
AD I'd}
.....
htt••,..cI

......... '9
60 b HJsron .
8J Text oJ,r AICl""'s HlSlOrv- DJ rhe 8u.ry,,. lsLJ>t4s editrd P: uI
un hO'lI,.,"'"
'OIl; C: ILAI~ (.68 Uruvers,ry of Chicago. Philippune Studies Pro" .un
",_lOO
h_
.""
alPll.u
.....G Andaya, B.
Political Development between the SIXteenth mJ E
"p IMl
(AttLY The cambridge HIStory DJ Soulh<a.st Asw, ~~'ltmlt I F rnt £4rIv Ii
f' OltctLAllr
,(11100 I ,ted by N. Tarlmg. pp- 402-459· Cambrid..., C4mbnJ
I
, I AnonymOUS ' .
,... ,
'99 0a Relation of the Voyage to Mwa In o.."""",,1arV ~""Ml
.
"i,*,"'~ " .2, edited by G Zatde. pp 5!r 5 Mwa atlO~
[1570] "01
- ,,dJ'Il~ ' "
1990b Relation of the Conquest of MaruLi ond Oth r I "". I
_dWlI. , [15721 Sources oJ Pha'pplIl< HIStory, Va!. o. edited to, G. Zludt PI' ~ It-
AO O "'",
"'~j""
, tional Bookstore.
I
1l0"AO'
I , Barton, R. F.
, , '949 Tht Ka/lnga.s. Chicago: Uruvem~' of Chi.. Pre ~
, ,
I and IRln

..
prodJaIon
Bea"Y, A
spedafists
"",BC 199t Ovas. · Feasts of Merit m • 'ias 8lJdral:tft 't, dt t
L==-J._--.L--~d
~'''' ... 10 7 Schemooe mo e
I of the relationship berween changing sociopolitical orgam.
. . liz d d .
147'2.6-235·
~ . . .,
unon, 41gncuJrur.u mtenSI
fieanon ,
increasing fOreign trade.
.. . .
speaa e pro uctlon. In· Blematzki. W E.
J
creol.'ieJ \\.anare, an d expan ded ntual feasting In Philippme chiefdoms over the rwo 1985 Bukldnon Daruslup m the Upper Pul ...n
millenOl.1 pnor to Europe.m con{3(t RehgJon, edited b\·:\. Guzm.ln ,md E P. h
pine Culrure, Papers, '0 11 Quczon Cl
ACKN OWLE DGMENTS Slanton, R., G Femman. S Kowalewsl..•. oUld P I\-n-
The .rchaeologlcal 6ddwork In [he Philippines that provIded much of the empuical sup·
'996 A Dual-ProceSSUJI Theon'
, for the E Iuu
port for ml analysIS of rttual feasnng was sponsored over a number of field seasons by the
Fulbnghl roundanon. the Soc..1SCience Research Counal. the Wenner-Gren Foundaoon. Buu,)
\'anderb~[ Uruve~tJ Research Council. the Mellon Poundation. and the National Geo·
'993 Big PO!' for 81~ Shot. Fc,L'tl ' nd. (T In
graphIC SOCiety I am grateful to Karl Hutterer, Mary Gunn, Karen Mudar, Marla
.'\mrnc,," .·hlthlu1rv ~s
Schw.oJJer, Masoo IShtmura, EuseblO DlZon, Angel Bautista, Wilfredo Ronquillo, and Bobadrlla, D de
countless others for asslSnng in or faClI"anng my investigations of the animal and plant re·
rQ90Relation of the Phlhpptn IsI..nJ., In
molins and ceramiCS at Tan)ay. My Interpretations of the SoutheaSt Asian histortc and ar-
[t6.joj \a/. 4, rdttrd 1-\ C Z..ud p
chaeologICal eVidence, as well as the more general analYSIS of tbe role of nrual feasung In Boxer manUS""pl .
cluen), pouocal eCOnOmies, benefited enormously from diSCUSSIOns With Brian Hayden,
MlChael D,etl." PoUy WelSsner, Patrtck Kirch, and other contributors to {hiS volume. I
1975 n.
t-bnnCf>, US(llm nd Ikbc-
['590j :\j;n In rht '''-11
.uo _pp,tO", .he comments of histonan colleagues a{ Bngham Young UniverSity (In' "Jnn, pp I
rn
I
"'rut ""
I ml
dudmg usan Rugh, Lee Butler Tom Alexander, Jenny Pulslpher, Mlchael Murphy, D.",d
Wnght, Ign.oo Ca", •. O.vld MrJOtgomery, and many others) when I presented a version ''''4
of .hisl"ll'tt., th. f.(uhy "mm,r II~", I

)00
,
 • RlfUAL FEA
STING SYSTEM S I PAE HISPA

-- - d D Lathrap
J I'd l~IJJ..c er, W. an and Brealung of lupl Coru
,111
C ,."!cnnve G e nerosity and lhe Emergen ce of n
' p ' .. n!!c. on,.. " '<Ink 0<80 Ihe M.aJung
TI l e" powcr o l r'C- 111l criCJ In Factlotwl COmpCtJIlo11111 rile N~ 1979 0/ Eln .. ~.,.aplty for .~n:Io.uI.'
h,al1~""
•. ColumbIa uru'~'Y Press
I d I\lcso. W World
'\OC'JeI 1t 5 U'J LO\\I ;1n J) Fo}!: . pp 17--30. Cambndge: Cambndge Un " Imp
~t'dllt'd h) ' E , Brumfid .In . 1VerSIly Ne"\-' YOCL
E L. J C.,oJIo. and T K. EMle
p~5~ oeM.nUs6 , ·, • Matenilizanon. and Power _ tr.It
Ideology.
("1.1\-':1', P
I' HIgh Daru 0
r
In Bukidn01I Politics Qnd ReI' "
NaJ11nam
. 'glO", od.
199
IU~; D.n3"01 Ogl d El Pad,.co, pp. 5'- I", Insntute for Philip ' De Rae dr, J. Kalinga sa cnfic. . Urn,',,,,,'),
A Guz man an " pme CuI.
Jled by Quezo n e ll)" Aceneo de MaruJa Press. 19 89 .
BagUlo. L.'.
puwppme5
nJ re. Papers No. 11
CoJere. H Pro trhl American Ethnological Society. Monograph N De Veyra , E.. d RItuals on Bohol IsIJnd. Philipf'
F,gl"IfIg will, P ",r 0, 18, 86 Pigs an In
1950
Washmgron. DC . 19 1986 , edJred by I. Glover. Oxford: BAR Pub . Ul

Co/e. F C.
,r 1 • 00"00 DlStn". Pubhcation No. 162, Amhropology Sen
IQIJ Wilt! Tn/Jcs oJ l I( " es [3. Greeks. Erruscaru, .mJ Tlur;ry Barb.t.nm, Earn
No J ChICago,. p'leId Museum of NaturaJ HIStory. Rhone Basin of France In Cnmr and f\ii
1950 Till.Bukldnon oJ,rM' OO... ao. ChIcago. Clucago Natural Htstory Museum Press ology, edJ,ed by T. Ch.unplOn. pp.. U--141 L
Cobn. F Onven by Dnnk. The Role of Dnnhn!, m thr
1906 LJbor Evangeu"ca MtrUsterios Apostolicos de los Obreros de la Comp'Ill' a de
I _ "
of Early Iron Age France j,.."noal
[1660J Jesus, Fundadon y Progressos de su Provmaa en las Islas Filipl11as. In Th,
"9'~/898
.. ..,. Vol. 40. eruted by E. BI .. r and J. Robertson • pp" 37- 48" Dizon. E
PI11 I'PPtnON, 'J I
:\ge m the Philirpm "
1987 An Iron Cnnul
Cleveland Arthur H Clark:
UnIverSIty 01 Penn.• I\'~",d
1975 Nanve Races and Thelf Customs: Of the Origin of the Nations and Peoples
1996 The AnthropomorphK rolt~n from
(1660) Who Inhabit These Islands. Ln The Philippines at tlIe Spallish Contact, edited
bato. \hnd.mao. Phlhrrlflc; S"rltti
.nd translated by F. Landa Jocano, pp. t47- r 87. Manila : MCS Press.
LP 6-t90
Coma. G
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I JJ..C- i1ennr}
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I.
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I
POl h,hlloryand I,"IIID 11. N,J!,"" (),'rll/Ill, 1'1,,11/1/,11"', n I11« I hy 1\ lIul In I III I
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IWIIJ I
I at" h
'\I'~ 1'1 I n

!lOl
 •
•

, ...n . , G ower' BolllcQurts and Polmea] Rlrual LO Southe

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. Model . of the Evolution
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1985 MDnllml 'J"radt and Sta'e {)tvrlopmnll 111 Harly SOu,ltrDl' AlW. Honululu Un!
~<rSl!y ,,f Haw." Prt·s
I:< ftnf,ml( 111 I',ry (,/I' .rly S(,utlw~~l AMJ InThrCambn<igdl,.""y,·r S,,",h I~

ctUI MID. Volume I I ram J.",ly J Imf '0 ( 1800, ,·dlllll by N ·1.llll"g. !'1' '~I ~15
lunkrr I L
I1 "' Iulu
( mbrldg ( InI>ndg( 1) 11IVI I lIy I'll t unn I I
fJ V III
I
 1..11/111 trr.lu"k rf

J /VI Schw"iJer VlJay"" Com""nnna: .~ Srl<oly of """'" """

I "MudM.;lO ~ h Id Wea lth. a.nd Com petl.tlve Peasttng In 15th
/uflkt'r I. . nonon I louse 0 - 16th and) Per=. pp. I-lOO Dumagu~", C,
iO
SOOil1 Srr. ' • fd s Research ". £Co ll omlc A nthropology 15:307- 8
. PhJII?plOe C lue om - 35 Mendoza. ) G
C(,11 n U)
19 0 .3
HlSIOry of rhe Gr<:at KIngdom of .......
r"._ - In 'M..
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T ling il Potlacch; A New Pe rspec[]ve, Amen ca., E,• .
The Nine leenth Cenrury [1586 ) edl ced and transl.ced by E. BLur and J Robe""",
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KeeslOg. F No r-then! Luzo tt. palo Alto; Scanfo rd University Press Miller.)
I qfll.
TIJt~ ElhlfOlllJlory ~ r . 1984 Peasong Mrh the Southern TStIDshian In Tht t
Virws for th, Pra .." . ewted by I Segum. pr
Klefc: r. T. d Law ItI a Philippine Moslem SOdety. New York' H I Bntish ColumbIa
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Kun , S , d PohocaJ Pres(ige in NeoiJrhic China. Cllrre~tl Anthropolo •""'I'F'''' Is
1994 BunalS. P'gs, an gy 35 [160 9] ewted by E. Shur and) Robenson Clrvdan" "'. UJ H.
(2): Jl!rJ4!. Mudar. K
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KJrsch. AT . d S cial Oscillaoon ' A Working Paper on ReligIOn and Society pan50n of Fauna! Samples £to m Four Anl"tt>
1973 Feasang an 0 " . 11l
Upland Southeast ASIa. Comell Uruverslty. Dept. of AsIan Srudies. SOUtheast 36 ( 1): 67- 105.
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1965 Pol,tlcal Systems of H'gl,land Bur",a . Boston: Beacon Press. tory of thr Ceneral PlulIPPU1C "Tb< C
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1989 InrernallnllaDonary Pressures m the Presage Economy of the Feast of Merit Nurge. E
Complex' Tbe Chin and Kaclun Cases from Upper Burma In R'tu11l, Power, 1965 Lift' In ~ L",'U \ ,I~I" :<.1l1
and Ecoltomy: Upl1lnd·wwl1l11d ConrrtlSts In Matnul>ld Sourheast Ana, edued by S. Pecbles. C .. Jnd . "'us
Russell. pp. 8!rJOI DeKalb, Ill.: Norrhern IllinOIS Umversity Cent.. fOI 19:- ~omc\r<h.l(ol"!:1' I
Southeast Asian Srud,es OccaSIonal Paper No. [4. 424il 44'
Loarca, M de Per.It •. J. 30.11 \ ~aIJt.r
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PhlhpplOe, Press
M~rrul J .,"d K V ~1.nnl'ry 111 t \

199f> lJJPOlf( C'VlllZJlllon New York Thaml's and Hudson I' 11 ..I" I nJ I 1\ I I
Mmch;.Il W lit n
1'1.1 ('Ih 1 • J ..I••
l).:r Hrr?, drs /",," drr l:rdr MUIlI1 h I ku",h"1 'I'd.. hrllhU(h Vrrld";
It I I \

rht B~ 'JIlI( Art/f~(, III till' ,II''''d'' A,"II1"I'"I",.;'"

I MUJrLltn
( 011<,110" "
h
M"rph"jr'gjCdl /luny I 1,( j " "I.y' d Mdt noli (ult,m· III MI'/IIt" fro'" I t nl"" 11

10.
 - ----.--
RITUAL FEASTING SYSTEMS ,'" PRE HIS .... " C •

•
=~--

. I _ CosClImbres que Antigu3n1entc Tenian los Nal schJU,ge r. F M

I""rru,coOI1 Jc .' US piclros . In TIle PlllirpplPlf IslllP1d.s, 149J- 1803 "VIrales 1964 Forgo"~ K,ngdoms '" SI"''''tra. •'-'"""n.
- L BnU
d e IJ'. P.,J1lp.,l1g.
SI en' nd .J RoberLson. pp. 185- 19 6 . Cleveland: Arth ' I. 0' schwab. A M
.d by 6
e d lie
.11 a
.
Ur H 19 3 The Geomorpbolo-",
8
,_C I ::ol
"" and ·~U>~co
ICal Project. NeglOs Onental. Pluh In
CIJrk.
d Po hocs of Maya Mea l Earing. In T he Eco nomic Anrh
og). Uruv<rsity of /vllcJugan. pr.
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1904
.r I S/ [. ewred by El. Brumfiei, pp. 11 9 - '4 . Monographs in Econo Seo rt• W H.
n&),o; / Il a . , No J1 Lanhany Unive rsity Press of Ameri ca. rnlC 1982 T lte Duc",,"}' of 'he Igo,ots·. - .r""
- PlUh' l-»ttaft,)
,A.nthropo Iogy. . Quezon Clry. Pbilipp1J1es". ew D~'Public ~
. aJ AspectS of an OgIaJa P00 d System . In F00cl ,n [he SOCIal 0
powers. W. K.. and hM powers 19 PrehiJpanlC Sourc, Ml1un al fior I... L . · n.dv at>oas.
84
19 4 Merap yslC . rder, philippines: New Day Publicat> ons. - •
8 edited by M Douglas. pp. 40-96. New York. Russell Sage Poundation.
199 1 SUl\'''}' I" the SpanISh Pluor'"r.Il£<•.\ 1aruJ.. Dd..
PnU.Bre rr. J. . th e C o ncext 0 f Md
k Chuno Feast tn "
0 ermzanon .
. Uruversity f 1994 Barangay: SIX""'''I Cmru,)· PhI" ('
19 9 T h e BontO . 0 the neo de Marula Press. f'I'IM tdn.
8 philippmes. Cordillera Srudies Center Wo rking Paper No. 12. Baguio. Phihp.
SIame1.Ve!smk. I
plOes. '995 Emergtng Hlcrarcltl<S: I'roce.sus ~f . tr
"Closed" and "Open" Slave systems in Pre·Colonial Southeast Asia In Slov· 'ndon<sian Arrlllp<1a"'"
"'- . Prt" ISCDrV and tAt
ery. Balldag , alld Dependency in Southeast Aria, edited by A. Reid, pp. 151>-181 kluk Inst>ruut Voor T.aJ· • l_an d . en \ .
e
New York: Sr. Martin' s Press. Solheun, W G
Soulheas Asia ill the Age of Commerce 1450-1680, Vol c The Lands Below t" 1964 Tlte Arclllltol<>gy of cltr Cl'?ICTI1/ P1u"rrian
t
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199 2 e..,t Asia. Volume /. From Early Times to c. 1800, edited by N. Tarling. Cam· t973 lamboang" an.! Sui" ..~n .~ rrlta , J ~

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Inrroduction: A Time and a Place . In Southeast Asia in the Early Modern Era , Stratbern. M.
1993 1971
eruted by A. Reid. pp. 1- 22 lthaca: ComeU Uruversiry Press.
Suzuki. P
Rosman. A., and P. Rube!
1978 Exchange as StrUcture, or Why Doesn', Everyone Eat H IS Own Pigs' Rt· 1059
0 Tamblah . S
search III E","omu Anthropology 1·Y05- 13 .
1976 \\ ~rt.l C<'"quffl'r a lid \\ .rlJ R t'II;l M
Saleeby. N M.
190; SrudlfS In Moro HLStory, Law, and Religion. Bureau of Pnntlng. US Dep.rt '~.I:.. 'n.\1 un Ht-INulll &2 ..J
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1974 A I>"w,,"
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ument1lry SourctS DJ Phlitpp1t1f HIs tOry, Vo l 5, edIted and lransl~ted by G Z"d,. II)~O

pp 299- J4I ManIla Nallonal Bookstore

~incMl. M
1617 8o(abulano dr '" Lrn8ua IJlIlIYll Malllla National Arl'hlVC:s
f(II"" ,t) "",h. ,
11 or lUIt\\\
mu In ,F d~
t99"l ( f <,mCli d. I. 1'",VlIlI Id d, Sdtl (,,,·,,,,111) M.~)" lie chin', I.p"n, etl In
IJ"",men,a,>, ~/I"" rl "I 1'1t1/II'I,I"r /l1I''''Y, Vul I. rdtltd .1ll1 tr.nll.ttJ by t,
Ih I
nu III
/~Idc PP "7 JL M.IIII. N ~It,,",tl tl"I/ \,,11

01
 ''''' r-dIIC J by.l CI.mlm er. pp. 12.1 - 1-41 . New York: SI M
fftlrIl1,tll(-'''' //"'1" '/06-" • ar-
un!'> Pn!·o.; ..
Ulls · All Essay Itl K",nk1l411 Cos mology. Pnnceto n: Pnncelon
," ,Iit'll", Fr,utlllg "'It /I Cmull .
FEASTING AND TH E
lolfl ' OF PLATFORM MOUND EMERGENCE
Unl\lers1ry prc ~ ,
CEREMO
p:lla . n I"
SI/Ill' Soutllt!asf ASlfI: Ethnograpl1ic SccriOtl 4: Till! P/lllipp'
tit'S, ed-
IN EASTERN NORTH NIAllSM
wan I AMERICA
ircd by P Lebar. pp. 229-290. New H aven: HRAF Publications.
Vemon lames Knight
.q85J F T/lt Su'" ZOIl(, ' 768-.808: TII' Dy""m.cs oJ.r Ex ,ern" I T
\\"rr<n. ' Slavery, "lid Etll".city
ra"e,
anJronllanon or tJ So"lllt~nst ASian Mantttnf State. 2nd edition Q
HI (It r ')' ') uezon
I T ns
CIty. pn~.ppU1es: New Day pubbeaoo .

'9 p; . andSrarus.Rdared
wden. M Searry Van.
oon In roodways 1I1 the Moundville Chiefdom . AlIImcall
0
A"nqUlty 60 (J): 397-4J 9·
\\"nzder,
'97 R Ecology. Culrure, Social Orgaruz aoon , and State Pormation In Southeast
6
As.a Curren' AII'"ropology 17:623-<140
J981 The Srudy of the Southeast Asian State. In Tile Study of the State, edited by H
Claess and P Skalruk. pp. 455- 4 6 7. The Hague: Moumn.
eo
\Volters. O. W.
Jg82 HtSlory, Cuftl,yf, llnd Regton in Southeast Asiat1 Perspectives. Singapore: Institure
of Southeast Asian Studies.

Freestanding pl,nfurm m,)lln,b !l nr

Slles In Ih.: SOlllhc,lst"f!1 l'"1 ,I tdl
1001l.C .111.1 ~oo
h .. !'h'<
\" \\ , •• Ilnd
r e plJdurm 1,'Pc ")1lf\,\1Il Ih, ,ut r
In lhe "'I,'rt'sl of ~\I'I\ th hI
run",·" upnn " '11I 1 .. 1 Ih rl
top" 01 th" \,,111111
/1 hJ, h 1
. ,,1\ "'" .\\ 11 f r 11\ 11\
\\,,",,\1.111.1 I " ..,Ill
"1\, 'tll'l11 th I1 11,11 r
'-Un, 1 ""U
11 rh. I I

Jl0
,
 ~r_~~I~,,,~,,~.~~,,,~or~"~'~
I ~~.j,~,__------------------______ FE A-STING AND PLATFORM MO UN D ( ER[M O ,",
AlIS M Ik l
- ·s t
- ---- r-vn tf'lcd by (he occu rrence of SUn1I1'l l l bulldlll . ea rl y center of such activIty OlheN. \Se. th «
-I ' n. 10 0 0- ISSO. ,Ire ' J I gs o f
pn \ Jn1.!t l ~ " ut. The sertlngs d 1fIier as well , ~~ l1U1n~r .-<
,t'. _ '" •
h ' con(ext of Chl C IO O I1l rype sOCie ties As [0 h ' --~r~ln - "!ha
t, These oCC Ll r 10 ( c . o
I)'pc 11 appea rs. IS fo und In the sbghlly e~ rhc I
l > l Clr
\ .lnO :" kitH. such as Ma rksvtIJ e. Flo rence . and PlnSon po
g Ol1lc:th",
la f•
ll _ I l11!l1cJlar{' pro lO . . . .. r p at·
,IIKC,II) , n c 'CI . I C cek cultu re of the Lowe r M,ss,ss,pp' Va lley (ca vacant cerem o rua l centers. sometun es enclo",d
. e,s b rt\ounds ,.
. cl' 0 1 Ihe Co cS r A,O.
10 1 ",cu n _ I s of Coles Cree k pla tfo rm m o unds at the C where, m contrast , pl atfo rm m ounds l.eatth. Ye~ e
111 ) e '''3 ,cJ examp e " . reen_
70o-- IlOO . XCJ LOUisiana possess large , circula r builrUngs On their ~guu of pc:
settleme nts. It IS m t ri gum g tha t a m ong the lan«
I ' j Morgon lies m 1 8 SUm _
' ous< an, bly chte residences (Fo rd 195 ; Puller and Puller 19 7) B defined nuclea ted VIllages, as COntrast e d to ~ea.s are I1lc: 0 f ... \.Ot:
",11 ..
' which ,Ire . " argu·
, dJand platform mOun d s th at pre d a te A .D . 700 seldom cxhib'
' Y It is the examples tan gent to pe rmanent onal b.nt "''''PS. In ~
vill
CO
ntr
,IS1, those woo ' earUer peno
TI e ma)'oriry belongUlg to t h JS ' d of transegalit ' It ters tbat have spedal importance to the goals age rather th ..n ,~---
of th W""", It
., urnnul buJ d U1gs. I 1 d on and seem to be assoCJated " wIth altogether diflian an As Richard Jelferies noted m hlS recent SUInm • pre. nt:>.l• P<L
soC/eDes were nOI ,ve ' , . erent
' ctivirv at least partly of a rlrual narure (Kntght '990' Main' of <ht, ph
characteristics of. the Woodland plad<0(11) moundat)' n
k.ind.~ 0_ 11f su.mmH' Jefferies
a ~J' 1994; Lindauer and Bhtz.
'997; Kohler I997).
' Ion In
activities chlfered from those proposed for It,-", .'u "C c u DOt
and Wautng 1992 , ronological shift U1 sumlntt use, the mounds themselves sh that a great deal of vanabiliry enS[ d - ,.lrpQl1 platfonn
Desp'te th.IS ch · . . ow " e among th ['"
mo in their formal characteristics through time Th selves (1994:83), Thts vanobility 15 ID d ee d worthe ..foodlat\d
Important co m nalitles . ese
I. 'es Uldude rounded quadrilateral contours, muJtisrage constrUCt' '99°:172 ). Por e."ample, e."cavated sumnu _ 0 cl
comn1o nau o tOn . affi t . urt.ce, at ~
and tnlentional use of contrasting fiJls . Specifically for the Mississippian case; sites (R erry 1990; Mamfort and n~. . ,aII__ mg 19 9 '-',
have argued that, in a[tempting to understand mounds-as-artifacts, summit use those reported elsewhere . Data are still -c
. b arc. , h = In
-_.
tr=
ought to be decoupled from mound building per se, and that mound-building ac- overgener ali ze IS etter reSIsted . ' OIJQ

DVlry IS best considered Ul itself as a repetitive ritual process. Some years ago I de- Nonetheless, despite dllS vanability. t h ere I~ a t I "
veloped an Ulterpretive model using ethnographic analogy, drawing from the moun d -sumrntt configuration that . at Iea.'t
. to m '
languages, mytholOgy, religious beliefs, and ritual practices of historic southeast· .therefote
commands artentlon .,\ g 00 d \1"" to Ult
ern Indians, wherein Mississippian mounds were conceived by their builders as mg from Wilham Sear 's first encounter "', th It m
earth icons, the "navels of the earth" as the Chickasaw called them, periodically the Kolomoki sire to southwest Georgt ID I - th
reburied Ul a purificatory process of world renewal (Knight 1981, 1986, 199 1). If ologtSt wnte . as follow
dus model bas merit, the continuiry of formal characteristics [ have men-
tioned suggests that the analogy might be extended with equal plausibility to pre· ThlS wa, the mOst unlt'lt ,,1 mounJ 11 h., <
counter :h 3 rc!\uh ul trcnl·h (ut Ult II ID lbc
MisSlSSlpptan platform mounds. Fundamentally, from that point of view. the
Sized th.1t IhlS ,mall 'trU\lUI , tlfn 1 till
entire lustory of plarfOl III mound building in the Southeast may be seen as a conserva·
repre"nteo th~ "'m~II1' 01 J, Il~f' ffi arth
eve, long-reI III complex of world-renewal ritual. I will return to this point further on
have bt"cn mo~ tn rrr"r It ·.r
The known rUsrrlbution of pre-Mississippian and pre-Coles Creek freestalld·
colleelton "r pust h,)\c, \"f) I. t
109 platfolIll mounds is shown ID Pigure ILL This map is accompanied by a table were I,;'(\'C (t"l I 'U((t' , 'il\t'"h III lhl' m.illare
(Table Il 1) givlOg the site names and basic references, Although there is uncer· m.lIns of C'.ullrr l'IW, '0 lh 'Ul 01
tamty abour the datlOg of some of these examples, parricularly those excavated du("t'd (~l'.u, t~ C" 10 'I \

early m the twentieth century, other potential claimants are excluded for shon
a~ of evIdence Desp'te this uncertamty there IS no longer any question rh at the SCJrs gUt's 'ltl h' .I, ,"l
platform mc)und bUild109 tra d I!lon m t h e Southeast extends back ID lime to thc from IIIh' \1.1" 1\.1 h. I'
Mlddk Wr)l)dland ptn(1d·an d t h at sue h (onstlucltons were very mudl J part 0 I 'nt"t h.I"- hl C'I\ 11 .I It I
wthta rn 1I1)J.>.-w~llJan and P')st IllIpt·Wl·IIIJII IJntlsr~pl·s. Pl'rt,lltllll\ .1"'1' t I1 (, ll1\

TI.t:I' '10 -g " h lit pl'l " 1111 I11'

Jt trr"ill' tll~lt liJUlI!JIl NClnhwl"1 I'IOIILIJ ,Ill'I I"
I' ,Ilt" I"'" ,I, I Ir II II
tu ll\hH1h Lt it) h
adp t: (;h:ma\'(IC" hi' 'l,ve I Vallt:y ,,11 I h., ""lllwI n (;ull COol,t,tlPI.II" wJ' JII I

au
,
 TABLE ".1
uncated Mound s In the Eastern United States. 100 LC..-
Tr
- '0 Trunated
,Iounds
'--'- -~

Stte Name

-I
Marks vtUe 1
, Troyvul. I
Z
116
I ) LW 1 I' Pbilltpol
3
Ingo m~ r 1 R.l!i ny 1
4
)ohnston l
5 .. 5
6
PtnSo n
Florence.
;
I
4 • 7
Fo rkland I
8
Graveime 1
9
fyhtcheU I
10
Duranl Bend 1
11
\Valhng I
12
.,
lJ
Pierce -
14
Wodd.11s Mill Pond I

15 Kolomolu
33{) 16 M.ndevtll. I

17 Shorter I
18 Annawake:e Crttk I

tf> 19 Ginlher I
20 Ma.ru~ttJ \Vorks I
Truncated mounds in the eas<ern United States, 100 8.C.-700 A.D. 21 Gmen C ... ek I
Figure It 1
Cold 'pnng-- I
22
2.1 Swdi Credo I
bu~dings. Here there were none. just a surface resembling Swiss cheese from the 2' Blo(k · :t~m ... I

repeno ve emplacement of large posts.

The McKeithen site iO northern Florida 15 closely related to Kolomoki in its
25
20
11,11
\ent ,'"
27 ·\u(lIL. River I
matenal culrure It was excavated by Jerald Milanich and his colleagues and that· IS C . IJ.I R" r :
oughly reported III 1984. Like Mound B at Kolomoki. Mound A at McKelthen \ t \.' KC'I t h'-°n
also possesses a plarform mound surface prominently marked by randomly SItu- ID I lrt'\ln ,
11 ~lufJ'h'f
ated. large postholes having overlappiOg post-iOsertion ramps (Figure 11 .2). AssO-
ciated wIth this surface were other pits showing a complex intrusion sequence
Jl
hl .. lhl
1"1, ~ j,1 nJ '"•
H lOll (t"IUC'r I "
mrucaove of frequent reuse, numeroUS small fire pits, a central hearth. tWO de·
pOSits of red ochre. and twO refuse deposits contall1i11g hundreds of potsherd!> '0lit' UI "loR" ulounJ.t l ..d

and pieces of dter bone (MilaOlch et al. 1984:94 105). McKclthcn Mound A IS SItu
~Ied 31 (JOe Mde of a permanent village that. like the Village area al KoloOlOkl.
rn
In Ih,' part I, uld It
l.~n
K"nhrn 11 I
lhe form Cif a rmlphapcd mldd('n .nd addlOonal mounds. At Md(fllh n">sr,' \ 1\\1 ~
the (Ither mounds fCJIl",!(·d (/f a ClInICal buri.!1 mound and a S('f
ond
plJtlorm
~lIl' "r nOlth" n
\\.1
~mJIl hUlldlfl~,
,a ~I ,I h lh
mound supporting. th,' laltl·! pnhJPs tl1l' "MII"'1 dorly ,\(1(11
menv:d d(JlnlcillAry u to (If a plaIt,,! III 1I1111111d 1111h(' (',lSU'1 1Il)11\ll'" Sldtr'
a ~"""I \ ... Ind
,
11.
 f(~ST I NG ~ND PLATFORM MOUND ((R~MO"I"LlS"1
-~--
-
_HHr l hln~

r 1 H".t lhon ~
_ CllIIrutO POl l

(J
r' J "eo OChe'
o n" PH "ONorr"" 'WOOd
O n,. Q!I
....
d c::>
t.J Removed c hfU f OO PO.,
PU In mound

o ,,.-"
.'

, ...... A - Mlddens
I I
'-- -- -- --- --' B - Surface Heanhs
C - Large POSI Fealures o m
5

Plgure 11 3. WaUlng Plarrorm Mound, p);," or C•• ru"".,

,IJn ,,( re nlUrc~ [' ram Mllaojch el ,11. 19B4, rcponled Knight 1990
,. II I 'IrK"lIhcn Mount
I A, 1
1~IJrr"
j
f ll · d
I h,' University l'rcsS' 0 r Oil a.
wllh thl" rwrm Is~tO n D
cared at Mound A of [he Cold Spnn!" Slt~ In nortMm
rllt ro liOn the OpPOSIIC side of lhe Village Slle from Ihe Suzanne Fish and reported by RtchardJetTenc 1994 found a pl.dOcn.
IJlUUnlI MJn dl ng 11Ilg •
r cl Iyrng Jt a dlSlancc are tWO bunal mounds. one of which has mound at the northern end 01 J vllla!!c of _\\ t'(e aiIili non FIsh an.i.Jd
rIJIIOrrll moun • t " , • •
. cl . l ' c'llbll~hl'S a connC(ll(Jn berwecl' the habitation arca and the fenes esnmated that th.s Village po e J
Ilern t,:X( av;)"." Jt u ..}. - .
Copr".} mOrluary ((1l1lpil'x (Webb and DeJarnetle 1942.). dwellings (Fish andJcffenes 19 0) _01.111 r
Olllh<" '<"c,,"d stagc 01 thc Wailing platform mound (Pig, 1 [.3). labeled Pill No. west of Mound A had, at least In part, a mortu;ln fun<n n
l W('Il f"ul1u Ihrel' ma~slVC post holes With diameters of approlUmatcly onc matlon COntJlnlll!! J fr agmentJrv (o~r rar In
,
mtlCr, all proVided wllh post mscrllon ramps Onc of thcse monumental POStS pladorm mound at Cold Spnngs, ~ pomon of the
had, III ilddlllOn. a '''parale pOSt exlraCtlon ramp, On the same mound SlImmll (Pig, 11.4), revcahn~ over 100 pusthuk man qUI an.i
W(" dOll'I1' 01 additional, randomly scanercd poslholcs of vanous sizes and lill meter deep. Thl' arr Jng ment of
.hJraCl<mllcs ['OM, frcquelllly Intruded 111[0 other postS and pit I(:'llurcs, show· Among thc lar~e post hole , leffi n cl
Ill!: 1Il}('f01ll1tl1! rcuse of the .\urfacc Somc of the larger postholcs had peculiar lion ramps, ,md uther larg p.u_ "'ppnr
fun",'1 ,"apt cl pmfiks. With wld,' pits al the top IransllIonlllg into a vnllcal·sided Walling (I'IK II.~\ Oth r fto.lturc of thl mound
p'JsthfJI< at lh. bUtt<ITO Su,h Icalurcs arc plausibly IIllcrprctcd as postCXlra(liOn lare arc;as mllltl .. d With .. h~ 0011
I'" dug .ruund thl' t>JW 'If prt'Vlou~ly Impl.lntl'd large post~ I() faClhtJtc thetr re sur/art' "rern.llned pus d fur I 109 IIn\e .uld dw
mllv.1 'Iugethrr with ,ht,S,' POSIS wert' .Ish laden surface htJrths. small pits, and he also condud cl fmlll th I U~!
dnl \lrdm~ry doml' tt, • tI It 1"9.
conn'lllr.lltJII .. I urfd'l I1l1dd"1l Ylddltlg pOlSlwrds, slOllC tools, and abund
Yet dnoth r. 111111 r lIu n \Il
IIIm~11>< me
·d~durll I'nl NOllh I'\llIn. b
La rgf',lunntl h.pr'd I'" Ihol.· alld p"~IS with p'''IIIlM'HUlIl I dillI"

116
 FEASTING AND PLATFORM MOUND CERE MO
IAll \",

tE) ~~~Cl,~
-, 1
•
1 • ,

(!)
• o Ph Fqll.ll'tl

p • POItlflOld\

• N"",

.. .
....
@
•• • .---. o
A
.~ ,------=-~
8aclthoc Trench
•
--:::--....
,I~

A' •• (;)

•
•
,
• N •

•
. I
f features associated with Floor 3. FromJefferies 1994 (. '.
C Id Spnngs. P an o . '. m
Figure 11.4· 0 6--1986 edited by DavldJ. HalIy [Athens: UruverSity of Gear ·
On"ulgu Arrhaeology: 193 , gla • 10-
- ,
Press]). ~ 'OR -'0
' _ . ..,. 0U11.Jl«

d siruated on the margin of a Woodland village site (desig.

another low moun
nated Hw B). At least the first twO mound stages at Garden Creek No. 2 are at· A'.ATtJa.E 121
rribured to the Middle Woodland Connestee pbase. Of most interest in rhis FfA1\aI tI t

thoroughly excavated case is the well-preserved summit of the primary mound Figure It .5 Cold pnngs. ero ·. t<U,'o, f I
.~Il 6) . This surface is riddled with hundreds of postholes of various sizes. gee An:hnrology: 193O-JQSo. ,.iu cl bl D."J J H
(p
many LIltruding into others and indicaong a protracted period of use . Despite mound at waUlI1g. <,Id , pnn!!. found d
Keel's assertion that these postholes must mdicate the presence of a strucrure. he suffiClcnr to Illusrr.ltc [hl' "':",[co. f
was unable to demonstrate any definite structure ourline. Indeed, to Judge from narure of rh,s phenomen'>n ,: th pr<' 0.
Ius map. postholes appear to be haphazardly distributed across the surface. Keel holes of VJnOlls SIZe .. ,'m \'1 \tu h
classifies three fearures as 'large POSt holes." The largest of these, with a dlame· POSt'lI1sernon ramp', l'\[rd",,'n r 1nl
ter of 88 centimeters and a depth of 149 CentlmeLerS, has a characteristic funnel these posthol~.,. piu, (he Cl Id '" In

shaped ontice, in common with ceream large pOStS at Walling .1OcI Cold Spnngs, reuse of rh~~e surf.I,·," ,)\ r , lib; ( nn
that In my view 15 probably a post-extraction pit. Other features of the pnmar} are po '[hole .Ih~nn ..'nl. ,lr \ n I
mound surface were a large, central burned area covered with ash. surfate rour .I .1[(h""'(1I1< In' 11, I. ttu I I

hearths, ceremoOlal deposits of scones. small rcfuscfitJed pltS, and J d~p(lsll of fi1i,iltlg hrJhJ\",\I" lt'P It ,I "\' I
dark mlddrn 5f)il pJared on onC' sldl' of the mound whICh yldded OWl' fivr hun Il'kb. r ... b . .111,1 I "I [
drl d p')t.~ht-td~. Ammal hrll1l' w~s IItJl well rn'M'rved Jnd IlO SPl" 1.11 Jlllly IS ,,/,
.11,:(1\ It, \("'111 h\ In tu

tt '''I, h.lI1d \\ h I
made ',f thl pnrnary 1rl',lJlld fJUnd . •,Jlh"ugh gl'lwr.,1 fllld uhsnvJtltlll' ,"dlll
d· t a th fl1~m JWI" II1(O(lIlII ' rl'" III 11",,,· dt')IIIS1lS (K .... I,..,71l1K H~. 1.j~1.
.1111,11 \ ,h.1I11 t [ , "lit 11 (h
1A I ~ plJti(11111 /1 .. 1.111 r" I , 1111
10•· I
, IIV~ r'''''lfld Kul""'I'~ I M'flllld I1 • M, KI'IIIII'II MIIIIIlL ,11 •

,
"
 FEA5TING AND PLATFORM MOUND CEAEMONI"l 5...

surate to their girth. requmng ~oal p~'-'-'

'~'UU~ ~d
•
men
,I rake down Upnghts of tlus SOrt were meant [0 Impre
Assooated fearures on the mound sununll.. Illdude nn..Q
I,
d mIddens. Hearths and dense midde.n depo h

an !th.~. m p.lrtll..
dic ative of food preparation and consumPOon E
~Otl( r 01\\ m..t
/
. -", long-distance excbange. and speoal-use pou"" ore ,,' Co
• \, . - '" . uod 11\ a
(
, o . Ilw 2 these contexts. pOinting to some SOrt of .:eremomo! U,e In th"
\ I
\
•
v •
...- •
• Walling platform mound and Garden Creek. MounJ 0. 1 both
,
o
Cr- , o Hopewellian-related artifacts m thetr respecuve mounJ
summarizes the associations so far disCllssed (see ~o Kni S=b ,
o o The fact that these mounds all stand "1t1un the boun~n'~ 1-,
nenr setdemenrs is sIgnificant Access does not ~em [ L
o uc restncted
portant way. and whatever acuvlties OCC1lrted on them p h
· full view of villagers reSlcting only a rew mete" .,.
ID
. e
presenred by eVidence for a curvmg. pme pmt screeIIUI' ",.u found
west side of McKelthenlound A Iilaruch et al IQ
seems ill-placed to lffipede elmer vi.w or ae.; . Utnmit
have been perfectly VISible from me VJO!~ e poUlt of th
Owen Lindauer and John Blit2. (19Q7J believe thlt publi-
o
o variables that rustingwsh uch \Vood!and plltfullll mo
sissippian counterparts To use melr temunolo'
mounds were pnnopall . commun.1l. '"rl'S'al'J\~ fa:ilin
emphasized sooal tl!/TI'T(nnmjon ,
In summary. nunor \'Jnaoons lSlde. me m un :.al.
naoon of behaVlors As I Interprel them. me. em
tivity involVing m.lI11pullnon ot C\O!1(' drub t

• food preparation Jnd con. umpllon. &tqu t

o and monumem.ll dJ pby of pok. Ul' tJu,
riodically renewed .md connect d" mtx.u,
o
o o Up 10 now I hJW .'ld,·\ll'pp,·,1 "
o use of Ihese mOllnd., kr.. Id hl.lnl:h !1dhis
,
• 0 0 ° '( o o Mound AWls .1 rh.lfIwl SlflItlUre. on hh:h w
o
" , .
. ,/
,
,I o oo o
were I'edu(cd III t-.l1ncs, IJler I) \l('
tcrmcn! III Ih,' IW.1rhy hUl1.lll11l IInd t un.-! In
o o Ihe SlIllInm l>. /\InunJ \ r
'" ,l
.,\t.
o
• jarl'lll I.ll'~ p,hts h Id .. I fl r<
"gu,II·J'.lns· \ 111.1111, hili I I
WIIlP, 111111: I I ht .. JJu.

r I (; 1111111/\I. ""nh 11 \Ill

dl,· bUII,II, III 111111
 fEASTING AND PLATFORM MOUND (ER

-
, harn e I structure, whIch IS supplied b '\'"'_""
~- ...
og ram RIchard Jdfene III
ary pr
cd to slmuantl"" between che
pOInt
nd A and McKelchen ,toWld
Mou '
Mound B contamed a, least one hunun OC;UI. on. br
la11lch's McKellhen m odel as an anal Jea; es I
cras t , II1terpreted the pnmary and, condary IJIOUnd
No, 2 as each suppo rung some type ot buiIJ III
sippian platfo rm m o unds. This Ulterpretanon as
regular burned area w hIch he fdt \\. a, 0\1 lUrt
ublqwty of poscholes. w hICh . as noted
nHe structure pa tte rn ( Ke dI9~6.,' 6, 1-
Turrung agam to the Wallmg platforlil m I
nonmortuary and also nonresl,knual
aC WaJlmg were nume rou .• a at Garden Cre-e
part of any buudIng As to any potenti.ll funcoou
bunals nor human bone scraps "'eR und
m
Walling plarform mound I except fOT ob
"
-g e 0-13-
,
~
0
which IS also the ca . • for Garden Creel 0 1
~

s " " tlon , This observanon IS In fact UUe fall 6

aJ
case are buna!s or scraps of hum.lll bo dm
Woodland plarforms . e\'en for I uhrn
0"0 0" ~
0-
asserted re be a charnel platfo iln C

"0
VI

c
u" u

-- .ll
2
,
.
E
0
~

t: et:
-<
" ~
'" mound SIte' lhat "<l"~ 1 Id. d hum ~
v,
0
whICh. pcrhJp' , IS Kulomok l t und D
:l
0 0-
menc But In gencl1Il , m TtU.lf) u. .a
~
E standmg cxampl .
~
~
u
.g
III jl ~
,.
'" ... " For WJIltn~, I "AA (cl t!u( the'
-
C- o wllh uthn ""',,, 01 'klt,1t n i'tJ"1 h
0-
"0
C
Jnd sUrl~I<' l' h<anh, ulnmuch
-"0
III
-
u
r: lion Jnd "lIl'llmpllUn I

~
0
0
u
v,
u
0
"
c -5 t:
0
~
e
. ~ . .- 01 the "'(ond mound I
Vl .£ lIag,' on lh~ m(lUIl d unmut
.-IIIc Jrlll.« , L_
1.... 1 n
t
u
Q)

....0 c:Q
0
..,
<.
..,..: ."- 3 '"
~
lilr ntlla! dil'l nd
btoJJ I 1'" IIl~
""§ § .., .- :.-:
-
L- 0

.... -
"! c0
VI

- ...
-... ""e .-... ~5
0
0
§
0
nldry .. t !

.., .->J
III
0
It I't"nlJ11\l I 1

~
~~8 ~J ~
~ III • III Ih 11" I I
III
~
~ < .iI.
t t I , I'lIblilihro
 ,
- -
C 1I d(: 11 Crc:c k No 1 d. I pnwlLlc w. w ith l h.' l. lIl c d d 11' 0 J 1h
11 0 1
~ - ''' 1' ' f I ll I
(or M c- K c llh c n Mou n d 1\, we .11 (' 1 0I 1 UI1~It(: 10 have.' In In I . IrlWl"",.,
• , d Y'i l \ of lh •
n1.111 l.... I..orn lll g pnfl1 .1nly f ro m Ihc.' ( WO n ' II d d CIl d {'PO~I1 S (j 1 h C fdu l)al '
• ' l C cu , . rt
form ( "m ed OllL by Arknt, PraJ klll alltJ lepOrL eu III MII h /te ,,[ Ihe pi
Jnl C l' t - I at
Bon<: WJ, only mnu<' r,Hcly we ll pre'c rv,'d MlIt h of lhe ho ' h a l~a4 I rt"'~' aI d
...
, n e, ()\.vev.. (I ~.J.
tlfiablc and thIS sa mple w", reSin Lctll argcly 10 thaLof a 'I I
> ng '~ p ec l
tr, "''' I''YCn
l"lied dee r, lhe only excep" o", bClIlg Lmy amo unlS of duck c"sh Cs, the 'Nh ILt
10 peedie skelelal clemcn" oJ the deer bone , "lh e elemenl '. , and rabbit , .
, al COve h 'fl,!
fro m the haun ches o f deer . Whoever wa s ealing deer 0 h rw clll)lngl
I) L C Mo Y
form mound was recelvmg alnlosl solely the haunches p und Api"
. rcsumabl h
were butchered elsewhere " (Milanlch Cl 01 1984 102). Y t t de e,
For the WallJllg platform mound, an ethnobotanl cal anal
YSIS of nOt
pIes waS made by Margaret Scarry and two separale analy ' allo n lalll.
ses of the r:
mams were made by John WorLh and Gweneth Dunca Of aUnal re
n the b
rematns Scarry (1990) says that the assemblage IS an unusuall d 014nIOI
y IVerse 0
spIte the small sIze of rhe samples Some cultivated plants J ne, de
. re pre'cnl
amounts mcludtng maIze (stalk and cupule fragments ) cu b In illlall
, Cur Its sunn
chenopod, maygrass, and little barley. Besides these, Scarry re ' OWtr,
POrts a surp
dJverslty of seeds from gathered wtld greens and frUits IIlcludl I nll/lg
. . ' n g p ants that
generally uncommon In archaeologIcal deposits 111 lhts region N h I are
. Uts e I rtlllaln,
ordmanly the most abundanr component of botanical assembla ' r '
. . FSlorthij~
nod, are relatively scarce , Scarry proposed Lhat this unusual specc
I 5 compOSItion
IS the result of seasonahty of use .

Feasts (or offenngs) prepared In the summer mIght contam a high proporuon of
early garden products and frUIt, whLIe a fall or Wlnler feast nllghl IOdude nu" .nd
(aV ·npenmg graU1S. The Walling assemblage 3S a whole (onl,un, few nUL renUIIU,'
vaned assortment of seeds from 1ummcr·npemng fruit>, ,Ino mmp""llvcly ,bun \\ ndm
dam gr.ms of maygrass - an e.}fly >ummcr <rop 11 '"hon uf ucr"''' ".lllLot. r
LI R
Ihen most remams dre denved from summer .1Cl1VllI'" (SrM'y I~~O 117, mUlIn.!!" ff
nu U
'nI.l11 vdb OffimUfUt
Thus, alrhough ,he pl.lnl foud dsscmhl.lgt I~ relJtlvdy 1I1l1l\u.li, llIu(h ullhoPl' 'u~"(]"g Ih t th m
cuhamy IS plau IDly 3("[OlHlICU f"f hy thr SCJSOI1 of U'(' MornMf. Ihr .iltm mUIUIL • b
h
hlaF;" d",'! ntJl p .. nlCularly h"spl'Jk ()/ fi',J\tLn~, .lIllong tilt' IOlllhluli, lIulhlngu \'Irw ilLlI rv1J n fo Ih
IJovtrr 'pn' r:nlt d ~~ III 1I~(' I I.lIg(· SI ,I I(. !'IJlI\llltlllllflll. 1111 I Imkt''' Ju lIul On" I'Oml of
I(,III[~ Ir
and 11,1 "m" p"naliy w(·1I slII,,·d lot bulk ,ICI Utl1I1IJIIIilL n
h
Iwl Jilfr I
Th f~uruil /1'lIlam fr""1 till W,"IrIL!; pl,Hlurf1llllllUIl J II' ~ ortl'" II . and
I I Ihr l.ulIJI UI!D IJ~r P"pul t
m Jf} 11 P' 11 I I "IIL.IIK 1\Jly Idl kIll); Ill' IVL" I Y· I
I I IJ III~ 1111 ",ul~ 11' In ~1~.II11 h
I Cl rrwl III/I,J hy h'Jllc ,,' !I/I IN I1111 iI" I(, It 1 ' 1 " I"'
' I till cO r
rl .,,/11111 I.\
t~ III I(JI 11,1, W"llh dl I IIVI I \ I IIL~I ItI ntI
I d III Ih ,,",1 nL U
I uf I I 1111 I rll I WI I 1111 III (,,"l I "JIt
 -
contexts. IS not parocularly swt~d to Stor.~ Or b
d
~ oun f a major feast. even \\I·h en dn e. d As • hunted PlOduct.
p'
dn ~o .. M . .
umited at any gIven nme o",over. It th~re L_ a
have been d me
. f social gathenngs an the size of aSSOO.ted ~C __ g
~eSlzeo . . --.
. n that average vessel S12e ID these mound deposits d~
tO
'rnpress :'> Ihlt
I ~'-ary domestic contexts. Standard coolung ,-.:=h, at th ". t
frofll onu,-, ... e"
all
are srn ' .
shon jars WIth orifice diameters of about ,,-20
an I
mu.:.
.
h t the kinds of srudies necessary to con6, Ul uch unp--
ever t a ~"~lon~
been, d 0 ne at any of the sites. All these factors cOllSldered It l>, po-.;;sll~ . 1.
to ,
.
510n SU
pracommunity festivals hosting no mOre than 10<>-100 ru.-..
r-- ........p.lnb

most of
these sites; perhaps they were smailer Gathenn - ~t '01 m . a
center, co nceivably could have been at a somewhat ".. "'-mder ·~l' .1.1. _
'. _. ~UIQU,p
. "es
site u within a sparsely populated teglOn and Its scolfuldIDo ,:. f.I-~.
U1I .. _
b Mound B, were quite small.
YA principal funcoon of feasong in these soaeoes ma ha'-e ~ n thr
ment and preservation of intervillage alliances A Sl'cuory .:1\ lIllll.
t L! '"
be conferred to the community that could rounneh host fbt" " \I ,
dent that the period in question ID the outheast IS one m -ruch
strife or warfare is depressed. However, tf the nexus 01 ft~'tllk
rween neigh boring commUOlties. It "'as not ennreh reapn: J ,\ mm In,
• ••
Most contemporary sertlements "'Icbm <I given regIon b,~\ d P
Plgure T1. 7. Timucuan method of smoking meat on a scaffold , sixteenth-cenrury Flond•. suggesting that host groups who could muster the Llb r ro rr-..,
EngravU1g by Theodore De Bry, after a painting by Jacques le Moyne de Morgues. From gained a measure of presoge that could be translated a ,
Loran. 1946
fluenee for indiVIdual village headmen
As r have preVIOusly emphaSIzed for th~ \\ ~Uini:: '. It
midden as reporred by Sears (1956). a resident population in the low hundreds
provided a COntext for the manufacture and Win
would be a reasonable guess. On the question of whether such villages hosted
finely crafted Iugh·pre rige Items that \\ould ulnrn.u
supracommunity festivals as well as gatherings at the level of the local commu· bunal mounds as mortuary offenngs learh ' I m •
OIty. current consensus weighs in favor of region·wide involvement (Walthall viduals, profited from uch tnllle 1110'" th.ln Jj,1 I
r985, KnIght 1990; Milanich et aL I984; Smith 1986), particularly in view of the In their level of sociopnhtlLl1 ,'rgall J ,n th
strong evidence for external exchange at many of these sites. If so, the size of the ian. wluch IS to say those hct\\c'll ,hI J m IN
largest gathenngs might conSiderably exceed che population of the host village represented by gcncrahz('d huntl'r l<Jthe t
There are other lirnitmg factors on the potential scale of feasting at these mes. cessful community It.lder, ,'l tin \\",,JI..nd r
One IS rhe small absolute sIZe of the facilities I have been describing, possesslllg to Big Men ,IS de,cnbed t't hill gt Irhl, U, III
we·surfaces between 17- 34 m 10 djameter. Notably, Kolomokl 's Mound B. al· Smith 1986) . Th.1! SlIl h \11<11\ 1.lu.ll, 11" t !

thfJUgh illS at the largest SIte, has the smallest use ·su rf:ace 10 rh e samp le . A second exouc craft g'}lld, ~Il" ," 1\ I. !.l.1tl • bl1n

lumtlng factor is that sYStems of food produCtIon were on Iywca kly developed h10 Mound [! bUn.,I,.1t ~.'I"I11 •• 1.;1 al'l

rh fJOtIWJ. D" splte the ust' cA some rulllgens 111 agard enm g complex. t dr to spell,,1 t""d,. \' 1\ h.,,, "" Ih Ul •
h I "onlC,tlC.lI< Mliwuh·11 t it
llUI\\' \ ht\h'l'h • ,h I I
mam SiJure I,f (drhfJhydrd(t·s was stili wli" gathered plants. w le - Ih,' Co

• ~k" It II'll 111.1" "h,.1I, I I I III

( ("" IU(ld III
"Iht'r than dllg5 W('fI' ah ('nr VI·,II"III,t·vldrnt Iy Ih,. pn' "I ,

~J6
 -
n ,, 5 flN G MI/ O P
-
LAHO AM M OUNO CEREM O NI ALIS M IN EASTUN NORTH .... E.
A c_
, "l('
·d Il t lP H 111 t Uit t"::"II , 1.\ 1" ,11 ( " 11 .sUllll •
' t.: .l ~ I '1I1
1,11'10 h I\h.. ~l
/\ ' ,11 ' " .llllll j " l l l l l t
I . II h ",II t'd III \ 111.111 ql1 .11"I111 I t:'.\ III J"l' V Ir Ill.•

~n InterpretJtlon of the tlopew~I".n Tr.ul5 tn n ond.. ln IlOjNh(U"

I I I , 1I 1l ' 1.1\ C 'C ' ( 11 I rnlt )' ( If
IIIII(' /nf .11\ ' _ ' ' ' '('( \ ( .11'1 \ ' ' ''-'IJl l. ('(' I
, '"tn" Ip l ' pc'cI I I . • - / 0""" p ,.,d
0
C' O!lIIlI . , I1 I till''' I'.IP'" t' ,llIhll . 1I t', L\ ( :0;0111(" of lh(, lid _ ,07 . TI,( CI,iI/IColl" Confuencc. ed,ted by D'Vld S. Br_ 0 0 .1 '- 'L
Ilf\ ,II \("I'''t'( Ifl ' ''It-'olo
•
ogy· oa u Gitu u .
I" .",,, • '''''d hI" 11 .•) .kn (Ch'll', r l 2). 'I'he,.,. 1.\ ""Clw,,, glc,'1 pp. IJIf I...."9 K~nt . OhiO : Kent Stare UnlYe.rSlty Pte.\..\
., III k.I:o-II
I1
J,! t HI! I ~ ",,,,ut.'
"J!""'"''
I 1 (111 11 11 11)."
11 ' I'" " o r /.. " d
l l'lI-'1I 11
IV."
.on ""I'"I'.1I1t S()Cl n / P"O t , .
• / ~. . CSS
lit .
\Jlll0 R'pky P I '"_
. f i/1<' ., ,, ,,i/,,,,,,I<'II' Un" t ' S,,"tS. Onc 0/ lhe tl B"Jlc" . The Pamous Crystal RJver Slle T" ""'n<la Anlh,opologu, 6.9-1:7
I 1,"
'lJl1~~ tl "g
~ Ih 11 WC ' lil1J If CO IlIlt'Cll' d 111 tht.· pl'e~el1( inSl;'l
\ IIl11d \P, u- lIe " tI ' 95J
\ ( 1lll •
't (~ 1I1\ IfIlPP' LIIII H"l.' I
I
•
. 1,),
.. • nee \\o'lIh _
.en • ~& . .
Dlck . , A Processu.1 Approach to MISSlSs'pp'an Ongms tn the Georg,. l'Jedmont
'l\t'l,lI, . kUHI (I (1'1111,11 .lfunIY. onc: h ~lYlllg 1(' do with pknrOI' 1l1 moulld blllld/ . ,I
, I II'IIr1d ,1.' ''''11',11 «('I('mony Rcccnrly Robel[ J I~II (
197' SOla IIt'a.sUn! A rdltlcologtcal CO'tfiTrnu Bulkun 18:)1- 42
. ng
.'IlL/, .1\ / 1" '" Oil" , ' . .• • . • ' 1997) h,l\ Gwen.th A.
·1
"""/,. Ih,' , 1111" I" " I 11 "I""" ,,/ IlISllln( world ''''<W,ll symbol"m tn I
, . . I,e PI",O\ Dunc,n,0 A Supplemental Vertebrate Paunal AnalYSIS of the Walltng Sue ( t.~ In
. \I',."
_",,/1 ",,' 11' '( ( •md, ,,"l he I",ked 10 th,' 111." . n.,1 'el11all1S
. of Mlddl C I"'VOo(j
'99 Exc.vat,oll of tI" Truncated Mound at tire WaU'ng SUt: MrJdJc II0000LtllJ C'II//lnr
1,111.1 (lI . / 1111'<•.\ ••, 11 , j "It,"nd blllldlll/ol ". p.II tit ul.II Hall '" 1.1CluggcSts I"at L the
""d Copena ill 11" T.,,,,,ssce VaUf')'. by VJ. KrughtJr. pp 1I4-IS2 Re""n of I".
/ I
\\ U' (' ~ '(>IlI/'/"\. Woodl,wu bun,II mOUlld lradlllo . n and Intene8 011/ vesogaoons 56. AJabama Museum of NatUral HIStory. DIVIslon of Arm.eo!
11111" '\\ rllI,II' (',ch.lI1gc pi gt10ds IS bc,t thought of In terms of J Combination 10 of
ogy, Unrversity of AJabama, Tuscaloosa
I I 1'1' 11,'dd n·ne",.,I.lnd 1'('/I1c.lm.ttlon cerelllony as practiced L"to . Ford Jomes A
,. ell"'II .' • n .. ncall)'.
1h" " tW/'llnI\ .1 prOVOl'Jl1l'C mod'" th,'f h;ls the p()tcnn.ll to exphcate nUlcn of "95 1 Greet,I,ousc: A Troyvtlle-Coles Cruk Pmod Mound S'I< '" ,~""rllt; P.",,,-
WIl.HlIl' kill'" •• b"ut rhe ~"dt1le \.Voodl,1I1d cultural curnax . LOUisiana. AnthropologIcal Papers 4-1, Pan t New York. -\men"n MQ",um
of Natural History
The thru" or the pn'''' nt ",ll'er I to >uggCSt. howevcl', that In parts of Ih.
\\-"o"/,lIld. outh~J". bun." mound cercmOIllJilsrn was segregated n'om a set.
Fowke, Gerard

,md 1,.",,, 0/ ren' mol1lOlbm ThiS second kmd Centered on World renewal .'od '9 2 8 Archaeological Invesogations U. Forty-Fourth .{n""al Rcpcrt 01 d1( !tv.....
Amencan ethnology, pp. 39!r4J6 Washmgron. DC.
t,·,.,t",);, ClI1ph,lSIZlIlg ()Il1IllUlUt)' integration, vcry slI1,d.lt· in type to the Gr~eo
FuUer, RIchard S.• and Dmnne S~via Fu/Jer
' om (,'rernOllIJh,m p'''lmced throughout the E.1StCrn Woodlands 10 the hiStOric
1987 /i"(cavatiOllS at MorgOl" A Cales Cr<fk Mound Comp/tx '" C""'",Il.cuuwll4. Bul-
,·r.1 Gr~en om t't'~molll;1lt. m WJS. and III several cases suU IS, a major Native
leon 11 Cambndge: Lower MISSlSSlPPI Surve)'. Pt,,,bQJ,, . I"",un>. H~"Ud
Amenc,lll IndJa/' nrual as -ochtted WIth the npenmg of corn. It was (and IS) per. Unrverslty
lornlld \lllh", d wn,eerared ceremonial area Chat IS a world symbol, renewed by GreenwelJ. Dale
the S\\(·t'p'n~ or the addmon of eanh (\I,'ltthon TQ4Q). It IS Lronic, therefore. to 191Lt The MJSs,ss'PPI Gulf COJSI In Pmp«rl\',> "n Gulf .....<t Plrlu.! rdilt'd try
"'n.\ld~r hO\I oltt'n hIstone Green Corn ceremonialism has been Invoked-awk. Dave D Dalos. pp. U5-'55· GounesvuJe- Untverslt) of FI nd.> Pn-
Hall. Robert L.
\I arJJ.I- ." .1 model for MI I. SlppI,ln nmaJ pracnces, wherea to fact the hIstOric
GJ'(~n Corn prdCOces. With theIr emphatically communal ecruc, may be much 1997 An ArdlOeolagy of Ihe Soul: NIlrrh "mm,a" T.JUI" &btt """ RIIM.t L
I1wn' do'eh Jkm 10 deCldedJ) P,(-f,lISSISSIPPlflll forms of rimal expression Unrl'erslty of /UmolS Press.
Jelfenes. RIchard W

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Anommuu
- pp. 71-8J. Athens UIlIVerSlI)' uf Ge<Irgt. Pn-
Nu..d
U.ril SWlh C",d.. Indian Mound A.c/",,<", .111.1 Hura,..,' New, 4" TJU.h.tS>Cc' Jones. B. CalYtn. OJn,.1 T ~nton. and LOUIS D Tt- r
•
nond, D"'I Ion 0/ Ar,·hlVes. History. and Records Managemenl IQ98 1973 and t9Q.j EX(JI"oons Jl lh .. RI, k 3t rt : I
, Httmond A •• nd Hunter B. lohn,on IV.,././ Engra"rJ rrltal\.I''g,V'1 th , ..iJi l
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mitt d 10 th" Alaham. Il,slOncal Comm""on Jnd the City of F/oren«. AI
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menl ul mhlUl",lug, \\

u.
 PLATFORM MOUNO CERE EASTt
S Tl~ G AND
• - FEA

} I rv ' A Stllt/)' of tIle AI'pnlndllQtI SUUlnll t. Knoxvtll HoP,wtllw" snW,~. cd".J b, jO'ep
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,,_1" Spnnghcl.:l: IllinOIs "'~ I
or Tennessee Press pp I~ ~

~ R "ell)- .nd E. V McMIChael

KdlJr.J H . ,
1062
' Lt lie: SlIe In outhwes[ Georgia America~ AnnqlHly .
The /vflll CVI ch 18 .338-355 . MJarllcb/ T~face In Mchuolog. of """'''' n !'l.md4.
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). The S\vl.ft Cret"k S'le. 9B 13. Macon . Georg ia. Ms. O n fiJ e, National Par B J s,gler.LaveUe. Gamesvllk L'ru tI, " p..,
1'1;'5 S ch astern ArchaeoJog,caJ Ce nrer, Tallahassee Plorid k Ser.
V"Ice , ou e I a. . T . A. S Corddl. V) Krught)r.• T ,.. 'ohJ<T, and B,
M,lan1cb .) !>ArK"t"'" Wetdm Is........
,- I r, h C--'--
..... ,,,... oJ., • • mlIn10 Po
Knlghl. \'ernonJames,~r .
1981 MISSISSIppian Ritu al Unpubu~hed Ph.D ..ctisSerta tion, Department of A_. 1984
Plonda Academic P."ss
[hropology, Universicy o f FIOrlda . Galnesville. 'UI

nso ruoonal Organization of Mississippian Religion. Am . Mao re • Clarence B.

rq86 Th e l meat! At!ti 1894 Certam Sand Mounds on rhe ~ John, Rt.'tt
5r:675-6 87. 9"")1
NtJl1ltal Somas of PluwJdl,/rin tQ:t)t>- ~
1989 SymboiJsm of Mississ'pp,an Mounds. In Powhacan 's Mantle: i1Ul
Colon,al Southeast, edited by P. H . Wood. G . A. WaseUcov. and M 1iI>lJ '" Ih,
Certam RIver Mounds of Coun~ Du,...n
. f N b k P T Harley. Naror.1 So,n"S of Ph,la.ldplua 10.44" ;t
pp. 279-2 9 1 LU1coln: UruvetSlty 0 eras a ress.
Certam Aboogmal Rcmatru of th
199
0
Exra"aoo n of tire T"H1caud Mound at tlte WaUing Site: Middle Wo dla
V. II R f '.
Qnd COpt1tlt It! tht Termtssft a ey. eport 0 lnvesngaoons 56. Alaba
o"d C"it"" of rh< Acd.t"ny of S.,t1<,,,1 .-:t~rl t1
seum of NaturaJ Hlsmry.. D IVISlon
'" 0 fArch aeoI ogy, University f maMu. Nanee. C. Roger
o Alab' ma
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Kohler, Timothy A.
1997 Public Architecture and Power in Pre· Columbian North Amen'ca. paper p P!ullips. PluIJp
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rhe PeJbod\' ~fu,eum nf ,\ml'Tl,an
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KurJack. Ildward B. Uruve"""•
1975 Archaeological Investigations in the Walter E George Basin In A '-- 1 Ralferry.)ane[
. . . ~~~
Salvage In the Walt.,,- F George BasIn of the Chattahoochee Riv.,,- '" Alaba mal edi led 1987 The (ngumJr \founJ., _lie ht! nul

by D. L. DeJarnette, pp. 87-I 98 . Tuscaloosa. UniverSity of Alabama Press r"/)"um.,, '1 .~n-h.J(", 0.14....
1990 Tts{ E \L" 1\ J.tlt)n. t In'" nl r 1
Kwas. Mary L.. and Robert C. Mamforr
Q01 - to~ .
1986 The Johnson S'te: Precursor to Pmson Mounds? T"""eJsee A"thropologUl
SeaITY. C. M.rg.rer
f1 ' 29-4 1
1900 Plant R, nUll" frum th
LUldauer, Owen, and John H Blitz
\\ ·"<I,Ii .. nd Ilorot uhur:tl
I997 HIgher Ground. The Archaeology of North Amencan PI.tform Moundl
\\"Il,".~ s,/( \f"IJlt' \\
Jou"",,1 of ArchaeoLogIcal Research 5'J69-207 ·
Km/:hr h • pp tI I
Lorant.Stefan.ed
1946 The New World. The Ftrst PIctures of Atltenca. New York Duel!, Slnan. and Pt."" ur.,ll h,[,tn, PI\ I I n r
,o'n VIII.to,h" l i l t ,
Mam/on. R"berr C. Jr
'ng In Ih E ItnI 1\
J9~8 MIddle Woodland Ceremonta/tsm .t PlI1son Mounds. T~nnesstt Am,",",
llnl\( t It", P1
Antlqult)' 53 158- l73 S<.I'I. \\ tllt .. nl I1
Malnf',n I!""'/I <-..)1. _nd i(JrhJrd W;t!llOg nJ
t )
198J 1.1c;"'./((,n.t I'll! (,11 M(Illlld, OW'r Mound MIlIr"'!llIIrllwlJo"rnalo/ M
"" t uh mltt I
dtDt'JlloJIJI 17 11 ~ I jlI tlU I 11
M M Iud.ld".td V hJ I,.
I,
1";4 Vrra nu. the 1"),1 I 1<IVt, (II,"/,It •• ,1111 till 1IIlI"'wrlh.n (hm'" In

o
 Smith. Bruce D.
,QSb .\rcha<olog) 01 the Southeastern UnITed States From
Daltan 10 d. S
10500--500 S ,P. ,A,h'Uncts ut HorM ArcllJleologv 5:1-91. oro,
qUl«, E. C, .md E H DJVls
AnL1(lI' MOhumnlts "f 111( MLSsLS.nppl H1llry. m.lthsoruan
Contribuo.ons to
Knowledge t \\'J hmgeon, DC. : nuthsoruan Insoruool).
Tom, ,\lID
.4n:-I,iJroloiCI' 0,"1 Cr,.",,,:., al 1/" MiI rksvll/< S,,<, Anthropolo'"c.J Pap
. . •. e~56~
Arbor· UniverSIty 01 Mlc/ugan Museum of Anthropology
\'esce!lus, GJn _.
IQ<;; Mound 1 Jt Mark>\'l1le Ammc,1I1 Alltlqutty 22.416--420.
"'~ker, \\"m la\\" ~t
I~JO TIt, Trt»"Uc MOUllds, Cara/,o,"a Pa rnlt , LOlusUI"a. Bulleon 133 W.slungton,
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\\'a.Ithall. John A
N'l Earl~· Hopewelll.ln Ceremorual Encampments In the South Appal,du.lll
HlghJands In Slnu-rure olld PrOC(5S 11\ Saurl'(Q.Sum Arcltacolt1gV, edited by R ~
Dlcken.s Jr. and H T Ward, pp. 143-262 Tuscaloosa Uruverslt)" of AI.b.m,
Press
Webb, William S and Dmd L. DeJarncne
'942 An ArdllU"logual SUI'\'<')' of /'l,k\"ck Ba"n III lit( Ad)ocntl Pornon.l o} Ih,SWlne{
A/aM"",. Mum."rr', an,1 Ten"r.'''''. Bulletm tlQ Wastllngeon. DC BurtJu 01
Am<ncan Ethnolo!:)
Mark
LIJTUl
19!n ArduJtologiad IIIV(JIIgar",", "1
Imtltu[~ Publi UOn J W~lktl1
MuL nd P Jtarru
P~I1('rmng In MI JJI < .. 'oodbnJ MoUnd
ShrincJ 0 (he Pr 11l.IlOnl I>ulh W'

IU
 A CASE OF RITUAL FEASTING
AT THE CAHOKIA SITE
Lucrerio S. Ke/ly

THE
AMERICAN
BOTTOM
ca, 1800
• Mound Group

,L_~··:.!''''---'
•
, . " .... to" ,

-.

Th, 11 Or' ahuklJ I>.n edrh ~lIss"slpP,an (..In. 1050 1]50) center located In th~ •

."rn, moan ROl!om rrglon of the centr .11 l\1\ssISIPP' R,vcr floodplJtn. JUS( ,'ast of
I 10uI on (h, northern cdlt' of I>hs"s. IpP,.\O development. The Mlss,ssipp,an
cultural tradition ( D. 1000 ISOO ) extends 'PJlt,llIy over ponton, or the Midwest
and Soulh, a ( Unll,·J St,m's (Fig Ill) IIlclud'l1g SOCll'rtl'S thut dISplay JlSnnfllve
c ra/Jll, t hn ,lllgy.pl~(lonn mUllnd" Illtcn. lfic,1tI0n of ,lgl1culturJI (nIpS, ,mu
ranW sodopolitlLal sy "m, C.hokl.I" ,h,' IJrg"SI M'SS''''I'PI311 sne, wnh ,IVer
'00 mouncb, and rrpr nI tht mo't r"lllpl, x 01 all M'''''''I'I',.lI\ wnHllunllll"
[' M'$()II'm Fo\o'lcr ''174. '975. (978, ''1~'1 . Ml'Ilrl'l 'IjKII, ''IllS, M,lm'r lINO, ,'Iq R,
PUlal/'f
11~1111' I rhr \nl '1\
1.1 R", tt I'" \\
D rI ,he Pit, 0) dr. dr, ,nUl h hJS hI'( 11 "lilt"" ,hllln lilt' '1.11\1«' ,111.1 \h \' 'i'l'IJn, uhutj] tt ,hth n

1S4
 I 1'1 " /Ill ."'i
---_.
I\ (' II ~'
RITUAL FEAHING .1 THE CAHO 'A SIT[

-
. lI . I t' ("011011l)
.'~~O(I,,!(.'d Wllh
Mr!-:"ISSrpPltln ~(Jril'll .
t'\ (~CC ~~
--. -
hOt(ll11()LIS .. (hool~ of th ought ~lbolI ' IL\ " 1V11I1Il',
, .
I 1., 101 p{llrl I., ) .I'wo (: I, - ern bcrwccn AD. 800 and 1100. DunnR the EmugUlt
de'"~ent populaoon aggTcgated II1to I~rge
0111 \' I
I .. 011 '
- tol .1 (, I~ClI .... I been ,1I'ueu I.1 1(.' l I ancI, er. m e d the "to d . tu qltr~ pal< ) reg'O
. nal n
11.)'1 h.l\'l· fe(L' 11! ) . p. oWn " 0 • .
I1d '1111t"IHJII ( p 'llIkel.lt 1997b, -- ::.llllJ 1994). In lhls c ha ple r, I JP and (~ . 800--,052) •Beg tn rungs of sOCIal rankIng app...r at th.. tun.
D mmn
,m
U J{eJly '99 . • fuwre comple;",,}' tJ KrUy 1990. 1992. P~ukeLlI I
.1 . Cl"'Ipt· (IIVl·... < . .

'hcHllun up r . frol11 .111 empirica l perspcClI ve, cmphasiz i PrO

.
( .lhukl,1.. £:';Ir)
I ' c """my d r
.1 ',"cs or ll1.ltcnal reCOverc rrOm a large p
ng the ach
anill
f Cahok,a s th run h
d (llh(' l l .I.s~ Il at C h y
rOots 0 rial MISSIS " pp..n epISode ( e Lo ann p asc . D. 1051>1100
~I." of (Jlmn .111 J T he (.1Ulhll assemblage. In particular p . a okia 'The ,nl major an d rathe r rapId changes 1Il the regional landsape E
. ·d sub· ~I()lIIl 5' , ,' , . rOVrdCll cd b
dt'~lgt'<II<': .rn .11 (ea.sung activity. I suggest th a t InVest VCry nat . y wn populatlons that were aggregated ID large nucl •• tw \1IJ.. . thn
. Jllon on nl,U 'gatlon f
speCIfic tnlo , lC ra li on ,ntO lhe large r body of existing I'lerat
... Jnd noS II1 g . llre ab
0 "' M,ssisSlPPe ro sm3 II fa rmsteads and Clv,cl cer.moma! nodes Or coal re wo mound
ual fCJSlln!; ca n provide finer reso luu on to quesUo ou t -'0. clisp.rs (EmorSon [995'. J , KeJly 1992. MehroT [995: Pauketat 1991) t Caho It
' I t'chJOIsms nsconce . ters
(JnpoJrOC:1, ', 111 . econ omy early 111 its Oorescc nce as a mound center.
pollflc..J rnrng cen' there .'s a fi ve· to tenfold populanon Illcrease (Pauketat ""cl Lop at
C.l0h k" ~ ' I
.", ntlation 's evtdeO[ (Powler 1989; Pauket.t '994 The "taliOn
se cl'. statuS dlUere
CAHOKIA 's SETTLEMENT SYSTEM an
h site .span I (Powler r973. '989: J. KeUy 1996. 199;) lS centered upon
NO POLITICAL ECONOMY ' . t e . theGr and plaza (Holley.
Mound . Dalan. and SmIthI[993; P.. uketat and Rei
A S d 19 8 0s a large number of s'tes m the American Bott d sever al fl a nking plazas (P'g. 12.3)· The Grand
' . P aza was dC!ll.1rCated
Dunng the '970 an • . Om we"
J!);cavaled 3S part 0 f the PAJ-27o highway project (Barers
. and POrter '9.') 0
"" . "Csulb
anarrant area 0 f the site by major , .earthmOVUlg public-'.'ork> pro) R call
. ns include a highly refined' regIonal chronology (Ba re,s. P
chaeologtCa I investigations 1Il tIus area have revealed th.u a mett'!"
of these excavano . and
· J 2 . 2) • and a better understanding of changes 10 the reglo na I st,
Porter J984 . P,g. depos'" overlylllg a ridge .and swale topography '. "'ere smpped and for
raw, pass l'bly for the mlttal consrrucnon 01 .lonk.! . lound t. 'I
Period
A. D. ,-------'--"'-'==-_ _____________~p~h~a~s~e_______________,
mound) to the north This area was then reclaImed b} liUm, m th and
. t he plaza to about ItS premocWied level to forlll .. cl nand' I mf~
raJSIng
Sand Prairie (Dalan 1997: Dalan et aI 1994). This proVIded a larg~ cemT.lltz d 'p e to m
modate rirual actJvines attended by the Cabo1ua popullnon D n
1300 Z There 's now fundamental agrcement that the \h.. I.. IPP n nt potl
-<>.
<{
<>.
------------------------------ tern in the northern Amencan Bottom was hicrarch,.:-aI J Ih.lt
-
I II Moorehead ils center. Other smaHer mound cemers (WIth either lIIu1nple
1200
-
III
III and numerous nonmound commumn~s that ma, h3\ n d
-
III
~
------------------------------ complere a proposed three· tiered settlemem h,crarch,
Stiritng 1993. Mehrer 1995. Mllner '''90). EmcL"lm \19<>" b<1l
mound communmes can be d,flcrent'arcd from ea h
have funcrioned 111 the overdU IT)o:,on.1 , [tkm, nl H
nodal centers rhat served 'pcct.lhud polmc I. rehi!! u.
Members of [he rwo schools of [h,'ught on [h d ,
amy at Cahok'J dlsagre(' ,.bOllt h"", th, small farm d
,h,rdscttlcment ner wer,' tll'd \,1 at .1111," rt
relS (e.g., about how mu(h "')0:1<111.11 «'Illll" t .lh, I.. ,t
the tOp·Jowll pcrsp,"<"rl\"·ll'ml". <\lll<N~ I U l.al I
economy Iront thr' thell"·lh.1 '1.111,,- 01 n Tht-
'<ulemon, hll'r Jh hI W." a 1lI .. ",1 talIon .. nd
rultng class 1l'tl'Crs\l1l hI".) I hI S In lit , 11111
11~!Url I.J.:.I. , J atl I A,1I\·rie3n illJ,wnl
prdwH()Jlr dlronolngy I·cn I,t dU",on .'nd 'noh,IIl"""n '" 10",1..11111 t 1

])6
 -- ---
RITUAL f£ASTIHG AT Th
- -! ~ ... Ol. " \ l

-..:;.:.:-----, -
, //

//,
1
(
, • "
,
,I
, (
or " I
I
. .. ...
" ..,

,,
~ ."
.... . 10 .4

/
I
/
• ,~. It" I... I
, \' j/. 1I tl .u • ~ • /[
SOCIAL AND POLITICAL DIMENSIONS OF FOOO
'rrt bule or tnbUlary 'yslems arc u~ually comldcl1!d mh tft.r.. <.
'I I •
£/
,,
I
1 • h ,c of lht Mls~""pplan Southt." (And.",," ,on_ r_
•I
) r- •• • / I
•
. ...... - - "
l O. . . ""'""t ........ rnc'lrO t
199' , Service 196~; SlcpOnall15 197 8 1, but. tnbUlC c.n <ncorn a
I

•
). .v. •
•
,
- • .".' . 0

0 In C ludmg rood, prcslige or exotIC goods, and lobor In L._

.
.nd It> pohlical and ,0cl.,1 dImension wIlhm. tnbuI.rv lern Tht
'n., p.ptr I
rta\' of

•
w.,. ,... .•
•0
, .MU 11
0
-
, .11 I'!.,.
'r however, mcan. dllTerenl lhlnS' 10 <hlle«nl p.:ople furlO,,"_
')

l:•'
, '. '·'et. 11•• ,..,
,
•
•
•, (
, )
/.J At une t"nd 01 (he scale wc holVC: the complc:tc and C'qwtilh1c
DC! I.. ~e·~ hJrve~t b,lck to Its proJU(C"r'l b, ) ducl \\ho \S mndy:lt

J\;. '\ i.\ n'h'" cu"odloln 01 11 (a bOllom up f'<"!,<cu""l ,\1 th< otheand I
&, • I rer!;p~(tlVC I1 here I~ cnfon:cu .lppropnauon Of I put of J, ..... ottl"
•• ,I ( ~y'? powedul ruler rIll hI> own benefil .nd ,h., of a nWl NIing e
19HI.\9 M)
\, ~)

1 .
,
\1 7 j Q
Bee. use of the rang' 01 O1C,1I1Ing', Muller (lO'l~'~
.. \., • • nOl be u. cd. CSpCCl.,lly '" rclcn:ncr III pit \3Ie co , an I
nn

-. use of pr(lltHhm But. tnbull c (nmm('lnh U cd ID litt.i

II,",••.,d. Cl lam for Ihl' general moh,h.'Jllllll 01 good, al1,\ IJ. rb
Cl NI HAI
AIIOKIA
""""",.,
- • ,an en(()mp.l\~ .,) Ilumbt:r of I'n1\ I. ,umn~ trot l!1'-'
fc,'HlIlg, or J wlltll'-u 1.1. rhe ICI Ill" u.du\ I
Vanuu\ l1lulh,.+\ nt tnout f\\lIn Hun an~t ty""ti'ln
• • llillllllnlllSllfllnU Pllulu
M'''''I~"ipl'l.\l\ ~O(l\'ttl'\ (SCo'T \tt.:(,\,)flJ1tl 1~ ' . \\ l"h 1
ConnOllmllon
olkr nHl(h IIII11II11Jl".n ,huuI "hJI Ill" han,'n
lnhutlun {I f .mv) 1~H 111'I.11"lt.:\ \\ 'lnl'ut ,ill
r, If' l ~I'f 1"1411 t.11 I I 1111 ,11 t .1/,1110.1,1 ·dlqW III~ MIIIlI\1! ~llIlIlId. 111(" (;, .llId Phll .l , .Ind
Iyp" ul IISIII \ 1,1\ \('_'l" Ill, llS< "I IJII;\ lit hlmun
tl.I ' pLw
Ihe (',du,,\ I lI't' nl t ht.: dtt~ ,1,,1, \ H " d"
t'l

~lJ.l"IIIISI 11.11\1 tmw, ~'I.,l-., l\\,lI1J ' 111 or\' 1 h \

tIT I Ihr f "hllk, j IllI ", h I\UI I, IVIII~' till · pitH IlIe ' tIU' lll 01 11H'1I I'tllh'i1~II·IHt· III ,lily "q'<HII,'lIl "1'''11 In, .1,,< I h'l1Illl< I I I
Imf 1111 I I hIW~'\( I, h~ U 1I1~ fmpuh. ,I \ \1 Ih
rh "fhth tolltllllllPl'tl lit II\c (~ II hI! I pjt,l", , Mtlllr! ItJ')I1, IHlJM ; Mulll'1 \\1 1\\,1\ h,· .lhl t • to hit IHII\ OUH' I th
{ I L,.IA I no,,~ 1(11111 11 C·IIVlltlllllH 1\I.d .Hld Itltll Ihlll.III'1 ,1.101I \11 hllld IlllltH" Ith"I. IIhlll1u\

Ih r holl Id"11I111 Y 11111 III 11.1\1 hi I' ll '1ll1tH'wh.11 dC' '1\, 1.\1 td.I(I""o;. \\ Ithlll t i t t

III
 ,
RITUAL FEASTING AT THE CAHOKIA SITE

- - -
- '/ •. rhM I~. (,HlI1.11 ;IIlU nora l malenals, /t KEY
11 IhcIIIM \t~. IS
/1/ t' thr ItloJ '1.' 111.11 " I HId .lrch;H:obolal1 lc.;l 1 d;] 13 have been III HIgh
\H'II' , 11IIl·pl0!-tIC,1 , Lls~d
rndr 111I1t 1,1<,1,11"'( , I h
c BIIIZ It.)Ql;jackso n a nd Seoll 1995 • Hwee DM,d
/ I't'l
tlU~ / . ,.,11
• ( ... .

IClJJn,'(l'I J( IJ
n· ..... \tI( 1 SO
'''.'iU((, , C:
o Low
d' 'il.un IVI,J't1 1()~-'I(:lJ
I CXCJvanOI1S, u nde rr aken as part of lh
,11
' !.(ulUn.lId\,lie.'
. ljIl S(-~"
In: 10l'O
et •
0 lcd earli er, have generarcd a n cnOrm
t

• ,)I'O)CCL(. men!! I _ , DUS

md -,rH' hlgh \\ J) I . I cl ;1fChJ eobo ramca l daw (or th e Ame ri ca n B
hneo l o~llJ .m . Ol.
,1n'"U '" 1,1 znoMC 88 9QJ L. Kclly ond Cross 1984: L. Kelly 1997b'
I .... en 1084. 19 . I - , _ .
10111 (./(llll n nc. - n. dos mdJohanncssen 199 1; StOlon and Parker ' 995)
11)..,2 I Q94 . 1'\.111 " d .
! "1'11101 '001, '. . I d t. b.se con be used lO ad ress the role played b
n/lnary blolog'c. 0 . • y
Th,. <\".10 of C. hokl.s populooo n JJ1 food Prov,sloning a d
nked segm cnl n
Ih" Il1gher r.1 VI, s the chleny class JUS[ a temporary caretaker of
I b Id ry systems a a
p""Ib < rn U I~'_
U . h. n es. ho Uti ,g ,
t for Ihe benefi. of all soaery. Or was It coercively ap'
\1 al!" S ' I 'd uSlve benefit of the elrte? In other wo rds, by exanun,
nBung food for t le ex .
prop f dIe population relates to another to the provisionlng
Ing [he WJ ) onc segment 0 • .. •
. re Por Dons of deer belongmg [0 the Iugh, mid, ""d low Food Unh,,· InJu
1.2 4 .
.
of "lod can we gam a e
b Iter understanding of the articulation
.
of sooal relahons Plgu . Reprinted from Cahobn DOmllUll1o. orulIJeol"&Y I. W Murun__
. nes
PUll , atego . . ,,--
am ong •th e ,'n n.OUS 5003 . 1 segments? To examme alternative hypotheses about (M~ edlted by T R. Pauketat. and T E. Emerson, by p =on _ 0 / the !;Mernty of
mbure •• CoW _L ".
OIU. , on
e muSt take uno account several factors , regardmg the na, Nebraska Pres, S copynght Uruversrry of Nebraska Press ' 199.).

rurc of t he J rcJlaeo I0g ICal evidence, and how food Items rrught fit lOtO a tnbutary
system I (C ollins 1990 1997; Fntz and Johannessen 1996, Lopmot t99.l) It b.t:. al
co n t r o ' . .
been d0 curo emed ethnorustoncally, however. that chIefs gnn""e> , re, m _
FOOD AS TRIBUTE times located in areas nearer me producers (Srruth and Hall) 1\I9! th.n
For mstance, conSIder fresh meat from game animals (e .g .• deer), Unlike domes- chiefs tesidences, Therefore. mterpreting control solei} On 10..010 n nu, No
OC aroma Is in other areas of the world. deer may not have made good. regular problematical (Muller [997)·
sources of [ribute (Zeder 1996), AcqlllSition of hUllled wild game is unpre-
chetable. especially dunng cerraUl times of the year Fresh meat would also be dif- ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVIDENCE
ficul. 10 transporr long rustances and to stockpile for future use because of For the Amencan Boaom and Caholua, dJ.l.Terential .«e. 10 lllUltul IT
spo~age problems Uaclcson and SCOrt 1995) On the other hand. dned meat and based on starus has been II1vesagated hy the emplovmelll of '"
Iuns probably dId emer Ulto a mbutary system (Zeder 1996), We know these of faunal srurues: taxonomIC dtve"'I£)' and bod"p.rt r 11\(0
\\ ere common rnbu[e items ethnohistoncaJiy 1I1 the Southeast (Clayton. Krughl, largest vertebrate speaes reco\'ered 111 an) .bunJ.f1c
and Moore 1993), but arumaJ products 1I1 these forms would be almost imposs.ble 1997b), Deer body-part Studies, paracularh th,,,,- m.J on
to detect archaeologJcally.
hokJa, mdJCate a flow of mealY portion. of Jeer Into rh t 1
It has becn argued (BUrz [993) that maize and other native grain crops may
1997b). However, the studtes of fJul1.l1 ... ,cmhl.!: ,n,lm uu,
ha"e been chfficul[ to control or redistnbute by the ehte unless or until they were
do not yet pl'Ovide the dot'l necess.H'· 11' Jl'll'tnllnr \\h th rth
centrally stockpried or stored in large quantities. E!lhnohJStoricaJ information iJl-
deer meat to Cahokia. Falln.11 .ISsrmbl,I!:"S from thes t,
WC4tcs [hal large grananes were cOlllrolled by the cruefs in the Southeast (Clay,
ficult to dlslmguish t:ILJnal rdue 11.·'\lllIn~ fnlm J 11 UN t ",
ron, Knight, and Moore [993; Barker J992. SmJth and Hally /992) . Above-ground
suiting fi'om hUtchenn!: .lmm.II, 11' 11,- us.t , t"hut
grmanrs are rufficu1t to ,denllfy archaeologIcally, but those that have been recog·
Plant products slIch .IS ,11<'11",1 m.\I " r~Jt h h ,
QIl,cd at r.ahrJkla are located rn domestic or residential areas. They arc Inter-
component of rnhut" "th'hlh"tlln, III b,,[)n n I Id
preted as havmg been Cf)mmunal resources rather than havrng been under chIefly
and Hally IQ~l) ,Ill.! thl"I"'u< ,111\ h(\\lI.1 h I IhI

)40
4'
 RITUAL FEASTING AT THE
CAHOlla~ ~IT[
lu, ,,/1.1.\ A, /Iv
- - -
I ,' \ldl'IK(' h)l U Ihtlu' '10111•. du' I\l11l"'(,,111 BmlCln1 f Monk> Mound . the SIte's largest mound
I hl\\('\ 't" ,1I ,-h,u 't l I'tl!,Hllt.1 caSI 0 , and LS 0" th
'1'"1(11 I')'," 1\llIkl'f, 1I IQI.,)7 il )- I hl.' d .H') du lUll n hlblt . _Grand plaza (P.g. '~ ·3) . The run removed from tlu.sbo e north..., t<I or
u' mh It\ lw l ' '-IIIt\lll ,l 1 ( 1 t ~w r nearb Y mounds po bl rt 0,," ""'l W.,
prr"'m>biy
• '11' 1\'I1l'.' ,md hl~"l lll'lll :-', bUI 1,111"1<:1 th ey mdl ra ll' thJt cl
use In
,he construction 0
, SSI Y evt:n m th
•.
:-.lltllI":: dlt1t' I"II~ t' :-. .It llPt1~ ( ,
. 1 . ' 1'\ '\t' le ,,,own .lnd (',1Il' l1 "' ~11l p,lI'L~ of the ICt110n •__ Mound . and for the levclmg of the Cra d PI e <>rty U 0(
the ' ~ltlll' , .lIlt' tll" (\ ,It , t'" ~ rvtonr-..;J n aza After Lh
, as a borrow pit. it was left open for s-- _, e ptt cQJtJ. ~ __
( 101'"1\\1 1\0111"\ ' , _ [lon.ng . '"<r", months b..for" .-.
Ttw",' 1\ n It Il'lIt t \l
I " ' I( · lIl1ur,tllIlll' n~dl ..... IlIt}l1 for.1 SllltC o t nJrtvc cultlgens.
., I
"..;
filled (possibly W1thm one to three years) by a sequence of .. I bang raptdlv
Ll .111,l'rl\S) ,lJlJ tlhll ZC (Fru z .lOlI ./Oh:tllllt'ssc.:n IQQ"- ' "nonal ep.sodes or zones (F1g. '2.5. Chmum . oast !nen duuoa
l"-Ilnr\\ l't l I lIl('IHlpCll . '("'. , v, depo . y '973. Paukc.tat
I PI'Inl11 Iu.,),j ) IU I I1t:• I' n,"'rl'clll ~1t~:-I S't PPI,l1l 10 "fI~SIS:-'lprl,1n And, there IS Some s subsequently bwlt In two stages on ,Ius recl· d ' ... :b lound
... r- 5' wo . :urne SUrfae« ChIn
. ·..... IS~ 1Il1l1.11ze kl~ rncllO - ruh I aliOs from
IIldn'Jl1Illl (,1 1 .1 J c:t..... , the Emcrgen l Mlssis. ~ SaIvage excavatiOns of the sub-mound pit Were COn dUct~d bt-[\\'e Urny t9il
'I
'11'111.1., Il) ,. 1!o'I~-"
·" 1'1"'" (LOlllllOl 1\)9.' )· Thl\ ha~ bctl1 1I11l'rprcred as. movement
• 0 ( Bareis 1975)· Because only a portion of che pit en '966 and
197 ,. Was excavated 1£5
. L 11 I 1 ,.,1 oUII)110\)
co' IlfodUCJI1tl'
co commU llllt CS [0 g lTib .
Ca hokt3 ( e '" rizontal dimenSIons are unknown but .'c . tlaC\ ,h.pt
(If ~11(' c"~ rmu ze 11. an d ho ' . f· . ~, avanons <hd ,"A.
•• wate._._
UI(" ; lnlrr':';("IlI IQI)C; , L~~Jrcy Jlld P.llIk(,(JI 191)2. P.luket.n 19Q..l ). Fritz and Johan. norch-sou thd ImenSton 0 53 m. a WIdth of mar rh ·~u-
rn om e an,om and.d th
rll· .... (·11 \ 1\01...,. • h"""
. , i ..... )
.. , do nOI lhlT1k Ihere- IS convltlcmg eVIdence that shelled
.. '-r
J m.
Five 3-bY-3 m umts were excavated between '966 and .
1968 The lim WUt cl
0\ er
O1Jllt' \\ .IS bems tt:msu1l1l"d In grc~Her qu:mttnes by hlgher·ranked social groups, '966. was not excavated by cultural Zone but by arblt! \__ ,_ . ug
In I~I<'I . s(Jbl< C.1rbun >solOpe rudre, run on hlgh-stJtus. Lohmann-phase bUrials
U1 • ary "c£>. Tb. four .dJ,
oonaJ units. excavated lJl '967 and 1968. were dug by cultural _
111 MounJ -1.11 CJhoiuJ UldrCJtC Illghranktng personages may not have eaten as
. stnta. On. 0\ th.
four units was only paroal\y excavated (Pauketat 1997b).
much (om J, uLher h>s>ss,ppJans \ BUlkstra. Rose. and Mdner '994).
Bec.1Use the JambJ>, lor the Amencan Bonom area is so large. Fntz (personal E388
cOO1muruCJtlOn. I9OS) drmllsses rhe a'bTUmenr that preservanonal problems asso. Zones I
Elevation 121 00

a.lCd ",th arch.1eobot.lJ1lcJI mJtenals may obscure the fact that maIZe and / or •
B
culn- ated naove crops " 'ere part of a tnbutary system of foodsruffs being ur:ilized
JJRrreno.U, along cI.,ss lllles. Fntz andJohannessen (1996) do not see evideoce for C I
•
cluen, manlpulaoon or centralized poutieal conrrol of agncuJrural surplus. espe-
01 I "
ciall,• mme There IS eVldence. however. that other kinds of plants-such as to- • o,.vlah blown. (/
mottW '11ty aanct
baceo and red cedar-mal' ha"e had more restncted use by rirual specialists (Fritz
I
'"
...ndJohannes.en .096; LOpU10t '994 . Lopinot and \lJoods (993). 02
The above ruscu_ .on demonstrates that the zooarchaeological and the ar·
•
I ,
,...
ch.coboraI1lcal <"dence from the Amencan SoCtom are somewhat eqUIvocal
E
"htn u. cd to exarrune broad quesoons concerrung food mbu!e. If the focus IS
narrowed. howe\'er. It may be poss.ble to Identify mbute or food-provisiOning F1
mecharusm. chat = more ''!Slble in the archaeological record. This. in rum. may F2
help duo.!"e bro.der quesoons regardmg the .roculanon of sooal relanons. Re·
ceor analysIs of matenal from the sub-Mound 51 pIt is providing strong eVldence
for large pubuc events held during Cahok.ia·s development that may be ltnked to G
one such mecharusm; nrual feasnng.
• •
H
THE CAHOKIA EXAMPLE: SUB-MOUND 51 'L r
or ."rJJnary a., ~mblagc of cultural material was recovered lJl the late 1960s
from a urg preh.5\onc bollO" plC. revealed und:r Mound 51 when that mow1d
Figure 11,5 :\ protilt· 01 unt' l\t thl" uh tounJ l t~,J
wu n:m0Vtd by rhe owner for fill (C hmurny (973). It IS located 175 m [0 the souch 109 the \ ,InOU' l~)J1l"

342
 ' IHIlt/,I .\ /1. 1'11\' _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ RITUAL FEA1)TING AT THE

- -- - ( 4H OI( AS Yl.

-
- .
I t·,·OI1l th iS plL 15 lInpJr::allcled for lhls a rea
11' 11(.' 1'" ~ ,00
•
tr~~II'"
of t11l~ pb n t remains bc 'lI1 g preserved In an
•
1h (r
t(."l'rv<illllllll (I r:-' "
, . ~l1d\\t'"
.
u.."",""
11 h 1 porUOIl
' H1on.11 conditions resu lred from an anaer.
.. - -- - - -- :7i
lIt ( l(
- rb(lflllC'd ,(JIC
Ur'll.J
0 UOlUIIl rrc.\cn,
P h
':lIed b, I C rJ
.
pld burial of t he depOS its, whi ch were subs .
I I e
.. t- -
./
<"!

h ~1I\· II(lnJt1cnl at:· _I \VtlhJn1 hmurny an a yzed 3 arge sa m ple of

«Jlll ,thlhcmou
1
nu . /0

'Ill
I
(nth ,eJI(·d bene.
.
h' ~lI-gJIlIC m.lI cn
More rece nt
_I r.
.a I rrcOH'reu .rol11
I
y. very
the 1966 a nd 1967 excavation seasons for his
fi ne-gr ained a nalyses of addi tiona l sa m ples
kj I ••
.. I
- - - \
t;
uon f TImothy Pauker"s Early Caho a Project. -
- \.
10-1 JI<<crrJ
,,
, SO
d
wert' un erlJ
ken .< pari 0

Though" " Imp

·
OfLil nt 10
, . _ rcl th e d aca ITo m
IInc ! p
c _'-.
uuS
_.
pit
h· paper I focus on the faunal remains. A full ac-
In Its entirety (t.e
" .. .
--
....
r mJlenal), U1 t IS •• - --
/TOm ,tU classes 0 J erformed by all the partlopants of thts prOject -
f he vanou, ana yses p 2 2It i
ro unung 0 l I-Iml nary results have been presented_ zo - -
e bUI pre -'
hil5 not yC L bee n ma d ,

"
-
..J - .., e

FAUN
AL ANALYSES : CAHOKIA AND THE AMERICAN BOTTOM
_'- (; al assemblage from sub-Mound 51, one must Com- ....
o _. , ,"."- '..
- ••

In 0
rder ro JOte rpr~[ Ule a un ,
f neral subSIstence for the Ameocan Bottom dunng
" to fa unal patterns 0 ge ..
(Jr., c i1 ",. I.
'-
,
In
L"
It
T

,,
.

2•
e' • , . • ,
pal'<' _. d early MISsissippIan peoocls. Fauna1 data from Amer- -
Emergenr MISSISSIppIan an . _. I _ FIgure u6. Change m percentage of NlSP of <ker at c.u,olti.
. di te mat Emergent MISSISS'PP,an popu atlons were self-
Ican 8orrom sites tr1 C3 . ' ,
. on ' J resources in proJUIlllty to th= settlements to meet
suffiCIent, rd ymg
.
,auna
qwrements (KeUy and Cross 19 84)_ They were apparently
Deer body-part representation does not change ~.tly hov.'n~ o.,tt =
Ihetr anlDlaJ-pro rem re _ parently still being procured at a distance from the Ite. but deer m~'
dJrecDng weIr _'- . laun
, aJ exploitanon away from the procurement of large arumals,
ingJy making up a larger portion of the faunal chet :\ po. ble Wuoon.- k=
such as deer, ro srn aJler animals such as marsh birds, . .medium-sized _ mammals, mcrease in venison IS dIscussed below
and fish CL. KeUy 1990, 1997b). This localized exploitation panern IS also present Unfortunately, the bulk of the faunal data from both the Ulk
al Caholua However, there IS a major difference in deer body-part distribution'
pian and Lohmann phases at Cahok.ia dfe from non-elite dam
for the Emergent WSSlSslpplan occupations at Cahnkia _ Elements representing
Lohmann phase assemblages from pureh ebte Conte. t> at"(' Tbtt"(' .,.
me hIgher-utility' porcons of the deer are represented in much higher propor- assemblages from the subsequent orlm~ ph.,e o\.D 11 t
DOns man they are at other Emergent MISsissippian sites (L. Kelly 1997b)_The Ca-
may represent elue sub ,stence refuse l Kelh l~ ~ tr !hI1
holua percentages IOd,cate that complete deer carcasses were not brought to me may have been ch tribured .uong cia -, hnes \\ Ilh the lugher ~ nt
me. ThIS may be a renecaon of Cahok.ia's dmance (4-5 km) from the uplands ad-
population rece,vmg more hmdquarters. but 11 caon" bt
Jacent to me Amencan Bottom where deer would be most abundant_' Because of rrus was also the ca. e m the carher Lohm.mn ph.l!
t.lus dIStance, I proposed that only the fugher-utility poroons of the deer were
transported to Cohokia (L. Kelly 1979). SUB-MOUND 51 FAUNAL ASSEMBLAGE
A rather dramatic shift '" faunal composition is observed at Cahok.ia dunng Before analysI' of the marroJI rcw,,"n-J from the
the toltlal MISSISSIppIan, Lohmann phase and IS interpreted as resulting from po- taken,1I was postulJted thJt 11 "'p""ent .1 hI
litical and social changes. The relative quantity of mammals jumps from about lO refuse (Puukelat Cl al. I~"I) • h,\\ , r rn, IITIm
percent NISP (number of Idenafied specimens) in the Emergem MiSSISSIppIan, Mound 51 faunal ,ls"'ll1bIJ~( \\ J rh III , ,
Edelh.,dt phase to about 67 percent NISP '" the MiSSISSippian, Lohmann phase semblages elscwhcl 111 th,' ,\I11<"n, n o.,.. )m
The m;un reason for thiS lOcrease IS the concomltam mcrease m deer remams (6 100pre'Slon wu, ("unli, ",,,,1 b, uh qu nl
pttcent. J$P to 63 percent NISP; Fig 12.6). Fish remalllS decrease from 77 per· I haw ('\In'",,,d ,I IJllnal ampl n)l tu
um I" 10 ptTC(-m NISP and b,rd rcmams gradually mcrease (L. Keliy '997 b). from rht· hJf\ ,lnll I\)('I ("\\ ...1\ all 1\ I

344
 - '- • RITUAL FEA STING AT THE CAHO_
", lA SITE
' . I \ ' nO lc,'J ~l bu\c , .. P,lI I of I he..' t lu n,,1 J c bns reCOve red from lh c.
r"k ''''n' ,d,',",II<, . IV l' lo n !ool' dsnll:' \ V,I ,:, J n,l l'7<'"
J by W,II',lm C hmurny for hIS '973 I faunal Item zone 02). a bone harpOon ab
In
l4Jtltt ,lnd Juf'- t''\l. , I ' ned • no overlap e Xi s t s In the marcrials In • unusua . one e'rspool and
lIn ·h I.11 .l~ C•In be (. C' t C IIllI I b ads and spoons. Bone harpoons and manne sheU b ds . n,.nn.
d,,,,,cn.l H . _ d d rh o ... e o f hmumy she I e ea "on: abo
h
., '(.' 'C Il!"tu Y ,In . I . d · lay of exotIc goods recovered from an elue Lob pan of
d ud J In t C , 'J .' IOn . Chmurnv rep o rl ed th e fauna I matena as a Single Unit , the ISp72 .
Mound maon pha.,; bun.I III
In h" ill»
b • •J'Jl . . He d.d th.s because different sample
h sizes were Th deer bone stood Out <mmediately from all other as
~slng
' POS IUOll.U z ones. . bl
r.1fher thJn J bC Juse he was J dd re" ecological questions rat er than social di ed It made up 99·7 percent (NISP= '253 1 U57) of the Iden
sem 'ge, d rhat I h'"
reeo\" rt'd, .111
k g . I sepa rated by zo ne was not. thought
ee.che I11~Hena . to be nCCes. sW e . 'd hc
u.Ltt.
'n s in the assemblage I • entJfied (Fig. [2.7). Elements th I mam~IQn
.ssues. so 'ecpmS lnd tables not pre sented In hJS dissertatIon Included mforma. rema'' 'es-vertebrae, lfinommares,
' . "" 0" structunl
and scapulae_that are fr
S.1l") Some nOte. but, he does nOl p rovide proven.ence data other than ZOne denslD .
. nt in many assemblages, were found relatively Wholeagmenr.,), L
Or nau,
non by , zone. . year g ive n . I do not know what
nor is (he excavatlon . criteria he may eXlsre
b t ~ percent of such elements recovered from zone In are In su..,. . found _,
....Ie ormo~than
h- '
deSlgnaoons d ermJne
. A ou , -
zo ne d eSlgna
' tIons for the 1966 mate.n a l. Hence.
. I repon
half complete. Many elements with unfused epIphyses were ",cO\"",d 10 such
have used tob etone bur canno r ve rify the accuracy of that mformanon.
j close association Wlth thell" epiphyses th.t they can be readily "'fined. The",.",
hiS tindmgs y z c!JscusSlOn,
' . I presen t data from o nly one zo ne- 02-{Fig.
. 12.5)
a number of deer bones from my zone 02 sample that apPear to 3J'tJcubte. par
For the presenl . nee urnt In t h e upp er half of the pit. Faunal remams were re.
ticularly sections of thoraac and lumbar vertebrae. Chrnurny 1 9:1 ' notrd mu-
a "ery nch
fr proverue
all ones 0 f th e su b . m ound pit ( Fig. 12.7) in varying amounts, but 1
lar articulations in his assemblage . A number of bones from the fo"'hmb ....
whole or nearly so, including two radll. two humen, and three ulnae The ~mo..
covered om f Z b Mound 51 f:aun al remains CD2 NISP=8666) was tecovered
the m'Jont), 0 s. u . ) This' . zo ne a Iso J-nelded an array of Lohmann phase ex.
•
and tibiae do have broken shafts. but they have nor been shane",d. Long bone
from zone 02 (F.g. 12·7 . .. . s that can best be termed "sumptuary,"
ds in addinon to Item fragments are not abumdant. ChInumy (1973) suggests the b",aka~ of Ib.
oncs and craftI goo
exooc: arrowbea d s, axe. head debitage., and sherds from
. engraved hindlimb long bones in his sample IS a product ofbutchenngrathtt ~ of IIIM
such as crysta s, I (Pauketat 1997b) . U n usual or unique fauna I remams that can row extraction, and I believe this to be true for my sample a wdJ
and pamted vesse s
be placed in t1us sumptuary category
include a drilled alligator tooth (the most
It should be noted that PUIs (Food Utility Index) for the sub.Mound d~r .... ,I
figured on percentage of minimum numbers of skeletal elements M. E !e-
ta] element here is a complete element, and. where applic.ble. nghts ~d lefts ~
D2 G H F
summed. I calculated deer FUls for Chmumy' data, even though I am IlOI c0m-
K C K K C
pletely confident abou t his zone deslgnaoons The M 'f c.ucul.oons IQ. DOl be
entirely accurate either, because I used the d.ta table Chmumv rorutiIKlcd
,-- -
I --- ----- ~-- 3 rather than visual observatIons of the bones them eI\ Bur
--- -------
99.7 tentia] problems. the resulr .re remarkable The deer Ftl a1cuJal'ed
Chmurny's data were almost .denncal to those for the rh.tll
----- ------ ---~----- Each zone is stmilar regardles. of the SIze of the mpl. This oidl.. thu
5 1
cuts of mear Or portions of deer unlrzed were nlnsISl nl throughoilt
NISP 873
c·-- -- 1549 The articulation and completcne: of molllY bone probably
------ij---
which the meat was brought to the art'J, olIld the \\'3 it
tion. PrUllary butchenng debns. 'uch as 'kull &.gnltn and Iht

11
- I
------- __ _________ ---- ===_ _~
---:------,--- =----=-==== ====== merapocUals. phalanges. and carpals, .IJl' o1Inl< ~ none_ml U'I
Iyzed, excepI for several carp.IIs The .ppt".lr Itl.tmo.W~ th
,
274 •
17 =--_-_ _~4::!..4_ _-_ may have been ndcrs on J lilt""mb Chmum
leerh, ph,langl's .•Ind IlIttal'oJ,.ls, but th I
(. _ ,,~.
JoJI? 'id"Gt
C • 0Y'rur7/1 As 'lilt ~ MNEs II Sl'~ms 1\'.ISUllo1bl" III ,·un.Iud tNI tilt- meat
1",," ub Mound 511'" 1""Re Or bulk "", Jftt'l hJ\ IIIg ht, '1\ Intl1alh hut

146
,
 I III " I III .\ k r ll\'
- RITUAL FEA STING AT THE CAI-iO
- 11:,,, SI TE
On the h~bl:; ul l ,lrg~ numh(.' /' ~ 0 1 hlow ny pup,,1 1C"11Jins and n('S h . r~l ti l1 g bee.
elt·., n.'CO\' ' n oJ [ru l11 (h c.' .!i ub l110und pit (P II .ls :l11d PaUkcl~lt 1997), It ap pears at . .d a large numbe r of swan e lements. representtnU'
ta ill e cl ... l.t Pf1Cet1 or
d N ISP But he oes not repon Wing elements I'
IC.I'! 'Oillt' II I Ih e bl.)I1l..'!\ w e re J Cp OS ll CU III th e p H w ll h raw. soft lissu e st ill adhe r. .bleb~ . or~.,~_
ro th t'm Th e~ l' ' n ~ C'( ( s Iced .tlmos t c..:xclu ~ l vc ly o n decay i.ng Oesh and are un. S lhat rhe swans were belOg processed at le <La 11t~
IIl!-! ltaPpea r '. . ast In pan, fOr that
like /\' to coloni ze..' cuo kcu m e .H. This suggests th~H the m ea l ·w as CUt frOlll the The o ther avian taxa I Identified fro m zone D, include Can.d;,
e rga nser. m allard . and pram e clucken. Prame hi.," '
bones pnof 10 co o ktng . Ultlllg m e Jt from the bone prior to cooking wou.ld 1101 man m c ....en ~
SCl~ m f O be In e fhclcnr V,'.1)1 ( 0 n13ximiz e dH~ J nl QUnt of m ea t prepared and may ke up a re lan vely large proPOrtIon of the to'" Ch at'
cenr m3 . ~. mum
sugges t thar meat was plentiful. Another lll dIC3tion tha t m ea r w as in good SUPply nra ined 1.2.5 pe rcent pram e clucken (FIg. 1>.8). Proline _c . t. -
co . '-JUC, rn rt m.ltQS ~:o.
IS [h ~ll m ost of the bo nes were no r processed fo r the recovery of m a rrow Or bone d fro m MissiSSippian occupations at Cahob . have be "CO>
ere h I. en P~ou.;l, id_hC_>
greJse T he easiest m e thod of cooking m oa r re m oved fro m the bo ne wo uld be I from lare r StirUng p ase. eute COntexts. They were ah --_ .....
on y '. ' 0 nott<! IllIlQn-eU
bo ilmg. possIbly in s tew s. Ir is also possIble th a t th e mear bein g stripped from the 'dential contextS at Cahoba dunng the Emergent ~,, ___ . b t.
re sl ~l5.S1.pp'an. 0\\ r It
bo nes W.1S dn ed fo r furure use . In e Ithe r case . th e bo nes wo uld be left relatively 'ble these birds increased in value for some reason Or .
pOSSI . a<qlUred Ine w"'.
tntact whe n d eposi ted . bolic m eaning. making the m areamable only by the ehte "'gInem of the w.-
T he bIrd and fi sh compo ne nts of the present 0 2 asse mblage are also uruque in
. during the Mississipp,an.
non pop
comparison to o the r C aho kl a and Ame ri can Bo tto m assemblages. In Conrrast to Goose and mallard are represented by low percentages m m \.'-
. y ·~m.,..~
.
percent combtned). However, for Chmurny s 02 .:!Sembl. t. du( lIIld (~
"
the mamma ls. they diffe r in severa l w ays fro m the assemblage Chmurny ana.
lyzed. H is as e mblages w e re much large r and the birds were mOre varied (Fig. make up almost 50 percent of tbe Idennfied NlSP Fig. u . Hi. mpk
U-7 ). Only five taxa o f birds were identifie d from my zone 02 assemblage (FIg. rained nine other raxa of duck besIdes mallard. and mdud PlOt.u, m.
12.8 ). Th,s IS qwte low when compare d to o ther assemblages at Cahokia or m the g reen· and blue· winged teals. shovel er. woodduck. redhead. nn~.nr( t<! or
r
Amencan Boreom- usually twice as m a ny are identified- whether from elite Or scaup. and ruddy duck. Other r3Xa idennfied lDdude COOt. sandbill <nor
and perching birds.
non·elite contex[S. The other unusual aspect is that Over half my zone 02 bird re.
mains represenr swan, a bird not frequently recovered, but there are no wings It is difficult to evaluate the differences m sample 'tU, and num r t t>u

represented among the swan elements present. Chmurny"s assemblage also Con. ptesent between the bird assemblages ill the p~sem 3Il~k" and f
Chmurny's. They could be due to sigruficanr d<ro,ltIon~1 v;uuaon dun Iht
zones, or could be a resulr of postexcavanon factors . u.:h a, mom
from various zones that may be reflected m ChnlUm) . "mpl
swan and prairie chIcken make up the m.Jonf) 01 .\un I'l"m~m-' &om
semblages.

.. Fish assemblages from Amencan Bottom . 11

ied. with as many a twCnt} five or more tau 1\"1'1\"•
.ca

Mound 51 Zone 02 asscmbl.Jg~ I e ammeJ \FI/: U

relatively few taJ a (I1lne), and IS n:pre . •'n, J t> IJrg Uldl
be because I analyzed only n1.llen.ll n:"'\eI'l"J In'm h Dd
.... thar small fish bone was mi sed . .-n·.1I111g.l t>IJ> ,,,,,.1\1
amined bulk samples th.lt w,·,,· re("l1lh .In hI
•• +- botany lab at \Vash,n!:t()11 lln"lfSlI . h,'" \ r .an.!
bones were observed. thn W,·!t, 11"1 .hullJ,lIIt aoJ n
the tomach cnmen" "f "'111, ,'111\. l.irg rhlh,
• ,- Got, ·
~

M_gamer
~

Duck Sandh~1I lurk.)! The .1s<cmbl.I!:<· I '1IId,,·.! "'11 "I 1111 II-; il.
""
f""".. (hg I~ ,,' I h, I ' Ill 11111 ' 1.1
Tou Cr~ne
lowed hy gM
nJell1bcl< III Ih,· ,.1ItI,h IllIlIh t h I r .111 n.

141
 ----.,. -
I, I". ~\ ~ __ HI' IJA I ' f A\ r l Nr) AT , tU f.AtiOfC,IA. SUI
I 'It f\, It\-
- --
I ,d Id" ", frOI1l suh MOII"d ~ I h ,IO m ,rn y CI f Ih Igrl tu
' I hr ,lUll ,
I h... ISllI' K I ht're ,\ tl rd .tuvc: ly low tlJ:O
'l l't'S(' lItiIl A
u:
,I "
,herS ~I q 11.:1 .
( fllll.1111 \ 11g
_
, I ' ' h y",ldlllA rnl''!1 ' pI'm 's from ,Ill <1 ,1 I S rep"
nofTU(
I '-."-
C uw.,
.I , I", rckllllll r d, as well .l \ hUlk rOIl~ rn li;, pruhahly b L."i11
11\(.' 111 l .1I1 . Y uu
, ,,, drhds IS pl,'sent (j,l t k" lI1 "nd Swt{ 'W5). R,,", a",
11II.ci1l'III " not compl
•.."' / , .. dlS.lllkul,llCd, ,111(,1 bom's dre prc'el1l'n 10:" 01 4U,lnllt, In
111'1 ,kt 11 0 " _
Il lydcll 1'1<)6) Ihm W ,I' I.ud down rn .• sh<J1l pen!>d ur Itn,
losll ( , .,
I 1'Iw conll'nl. 01 Ih,s 1'.1 arc perceived to bc, In largt pan Ih~ re ult of u
." PICP'" •
' 11 'ln" ",lIher Ihan lIs artcrm,llh Themall.nalthsc.lrdtd In Ih
, ~ pit nu
," , I from d Slaglng '.II,'a whcl'r lhe
tlt' I'IVc:.'( .
din ' rcnt Ingred.enl,
-
for. ntu'! '
.. le ~

, ,
0 ..
h ..
10" ( ' I'I"HI1I ,11:" "I '"l kl''' Ih .III II0lllld , hIll II",y slllln'pll'SI' nt Ihe II10SI ,Ibun
d,IIIII,IIII.IJ I it' nllll'd hl~hl'l p," n 'nl,II-\'" "I hllllhl'.lds, g,II, ,\lid In'sl1\¥.ll(", urlllll,
,\lid ,a1,o tt'I',III,d sll"il," lI1 f\I<I.c 1.I\J Ill' lish 1111111 11", slIbMound~. dqloslIs
"l'lnl'lt1I,lIilt' 1'1"',.
lish Ih,lIl h,Ilkw,II"1 slullgh V,lnl'II,'S The 1.1I1cr 01,' gener,llIy
IIlIII" <t11\III1"" 111 Ii<h ,IS"·lIlhl.lgcs li Il1n 111(' Amcn,,1I1 [JUIlU"" lIlc\udmg
C Ihnkld ,
Ihc. '\I'IC no " ' llIll,' "' ,lIllphll".11l rt' l11.IIIIS III ,lilY If lh,' suh mound pH ,IS
","hl ,I~<' I .IIl,II\ , "I Thl' dnlll'J ,11l'g,lwr Illolh WIIS till' only repule rCl1lJ1ll
l hlllllll1\ " '1""" In. /.UIl' DJ
INTERPRETATION OF THE SUB MOUND SI ASSEMBLAGE
11" ~III1,111t 111,1111' r('(llS·t'tl'd lrom tilt' suh 1\1oul1d ~. I'", espcclJlly Ihost' Irom
z. '111' 1)1, J,II'I III Igll.hl,lnt \\ .1)" from llllwr .,lh"kl.1 .lSscntblages th,ll .lf1'1I1
t q I Icd a hllll"'h"IJ,, IU'I', due 01' Ilon rill,' I-lost (If us IIwolvcd 11I1h" allJly
o f the uh n,,'un.! nl,lI"I1,11 now ,Ig'l'l' Ih,ll IIw 1'0ntt'nfS w,'!,,, the pl'udu(\ uf
I ( hllklJIl ,"'I Ills (l'IlIZ Ill'):, l !-;,l'lly tl)ll7,I, P,luk,'l,tl 1'I'I7b), The
1I,'m 01 In '1,lls, ,'Mllll' ,lIn)\\ IW,lLb, ,lwhl'Jd ,k'bltJgl', ,1I1d sht'nI,
m en'ra rd dud p.unln! 't', ,d" "Slt'tI,',1I hI'!. te,nkl.n~ tht' ItlwrpretOllion Ihdl
pt'1 III T "re ',Iled wllh Ih,' !,p'c,"nll'll ,l<'tWltil'S, nut non ·eluc
md" 11< d
.. "ell h 1111 pn''''11l1' <If Jnnll'slIl' ('l)(lktng v ssrls
and th, oonl< Ill"' \rII" "I suh,,,,,'n,,' P1Jilt''(I''ntz II,),p)Whal
" 'p ,un ,lit, mJV h,I\(' dmullIsh d I nlll h~blt I "
d to b I d hrr .n l'"h1l1 11111,.1,1",11, ,\Sling ,\lIlVI t 1<.'S altcn.teJ
o th Olllmu'lll y
being g,'Ilhered ' pl'epM 'd, 01' mMlul,lctured Por xampk , Ihe f.un • I r m m
tiil';IIl' Ih,ll deel' meal was beong S(IIppeci from the bone , The "'1n r ~.ru
were being dis.u'ticulawd, removed, and pcrhap curdled fnr future ~
fish w,'re bClJ'lg Iilleted , Thc m,lnuracrurc of qu.uv. crysl,ll JrrO\,h a ha
hc,lds, Jnd eXOtiC chen LOols also Jppcars to be takrng pldce .n Ih ar~~ t"\ ~
dl'nccd from lhe recovered qU.1rLZ (ryst,ll, bas.llt, Jnd chen dcbl!a~ In ddiu n.
Ihere is evidence thal p,"ms Jnd plgmcnt~ were bcmg mIXed .IOJ p.unled onlo
lamic vessels aftcI lhey h,ld been lired (PaUkCtdt 199"b ,I, A IJr~c num~~ 0 un-
I cClrbollizcd squash seeds may be the result 01 the prepJr Juon or ut I
Ihe squash fruits, Fnlz reports lh,n squ,,,h seeds III some 01 Ihe bulk mpl.
examined were "stuck togclher .md covereJ with matenal J' I th \ repr.. nt d
Ihe tol1lCnrs of frUits that had been scooped OUt JnJ J".:ard~J , th ,,~ m I r
us trcatjnck·o·l,1n1crn seeds" ("Nl'S),
Chic fly IIlvolvement ,'ppcar' to be ev.dcnt in th ... d(qul<lIJon of m th
,100m,lls represented, The consIstent bod) p,lrt rcpres... ntJtlllO for d er In pu
indrc,IICS Ihal the POtU on of the deer brought tll [ht' nre~ mbf-J
may suggest that hUlllc.s JIt,lChcd to tht' hoStIng group, or nl mhc
II1g group th,'msl'lvcs, procured Ihe mNt (.,'" OuPralZ In" nI 0
suggestion n1.1y be runlll'r strengthened b} thc fJl,t IhJI b
of mammal.s prcs,'m III t h... dcpos.t .'\,' ,tn('1\ of mJnunoll oJ m re ranokllll
sample of deer part w"uld h ... l'XP"(I"d ,I' <l'mmoners b .... ~t In
Ihell' hum
Seeman (' 979), III h.s sludy olllhto Hllpe\ ell ntu ItN t\IIi-
n1<',II, P.lrtlcul,lrly V"\)tM"" was ,I \,11.11, sl'un(' 10 n\olla famu", mw
Ea Icrn Woodl,mds As slIlh, 11 m,l\ hJ' bCl'n ntu III guIa
man's ,HgunlCIl! wlh,' Am,'n',1Il R,'lIUIll. on ought
(rup 101"nSlIic.lIillll ,md IIll' ',I,,'d 1'<'pIII~u( 11, th \km.mJ tor
abl,' 1100 1 I I I
w.l<llrl l ' Il. I
' ,I( ,',1'1 push"" th"ll IJrth r !rum h
1'1'(''''1'<1 th' , I
, \ ,I Ul' "I .1, ('I IIW,II m Ildlll"l! r I\J IIh ,

ISO 1
 RITUAL FEASTING AT rHE CAHO 'A S £

f unrUII S kt'lIy

- -
west Coast soceties). Ree, (19'>7) found ~
nfU.d CO il I c.\'H. IIt'lm5 beheve:,; hUll tlllg can be equ ated WilL11
,• value d un Nor th
. en as mbute ethnolusroncalh un the ~entnl
nlll.\Ul1lpII On 111 to be g.v -
. - CI ~I d C, 1J1d skdled erJ It JCOVltles. Hunong IS a "strongly
Ion!!"I1.<0;1 ,111(1. .
nruahzed
' enou gh. n o f the unrenor Southeast. I ~.ger fish S..-ott an
JCt!vll, 11)\1<') IVln!! J cqu lsltlonll • Jnd tr~ll1sformalJve dealJngs With Outside powers ley reg 'o 1 0 caprore may have had Lnuea! ed '-alu In th
e diflicu t t
(e g .. s -upernJ rurll
• masters of Jmmals) and slI1ce success 111.. hun
. . riJlg frcquenlly IS ,
I
thos . f larger-sized nver fish that are more Jifficult t
tJken .I~ evidence of supernarural approva l and suppon, It IS often aSsociated rernaJflS 0
the . ch higher quanooes than the smaller. more ea' ,
"om tJ1C ehre (Helms '992:189). CllIeny ntual.zation of deer hunring cou ld pOssi- ered In mu . .
bly account. IJ1 pUrl. for the large uncrease in deer remains at Cah okia at the be- r slough vanetles.
re an ( 979) claims m eat was rhe pnnapal food con,um al
gmnU1g of me MissiSSippian I Seem [
Hlsrorica lly. ntual was also involved with the se rving of deer. Par instance. the . H peweU times. Unforrunately. ethnorustonc a -count-
feastS un 0
Menomllu (Douglas (976) used red ceda r to render parrs of rhe dee r safe to eat. eneraUy do nor srate what foods were sen d It
Southeast g _
WIthout me rirual precaution. the deer would remain supernaruraUy charged. , .a: nt foods might be served ar dtlferent tea! ~ depen·~'~- on
that (llIJere _ -
Hlgh tTequenoes of red cedar branchlets along widl moderate amounts of to- the year the feast was held (see DuPratz 10"'2 lor de'CDpd '11
bacco seeds were recovered from zone 02 of rhe sub-Mound 51 pit (Fritz 1997). held among rhe Natchez). Deer would have been rhe pnm urre
at
There are also numerous ethnographic references to tobacco being used fOt pu- the feast(s) represented by rhe sub-Mound SI faunal a , m Tb<-
nlicaoon in nrual conrexts. the year represented by rhe faunal remalOs ill thus PI' ,an
It IS probable that the birds represenred in thjs pit were eaten. bUI it is mOre
, rime. Tooth eruption cannot be used. because no _ ul.!,0I'
likely mat they were primarily used for their feathers. Birds were imbued with j ered. and epiphyseal fusion cannor give rhe fine- '1' un d
symbolIsm . being representations of the Upper World in Southeastern Indian (Purdue 1983). The availability of deer w •• at It> pc. I t
cosmology (Hudson I976: JaOOon and ScOtt I995: Swanton 1946). Skins and feath- (September-December: Rue 1997: B muh 10,", ".'" and r
I
ers of bl1'ds. such as maUards. cranes, herons. owls. hawks. were used for orna- would be at rheir peak abundance dunng rhe sprin~ 011 'r aD
mental clothing and headdresses. as well as used in ceremony (Swanton 1946). migrations Ln October-November (Bent 1~~) Th f.U
Swan feathers seem to have been particularly important in the rimal aspect of prime deer-hunting season would have comoJed The
feasang. as elhnohistoricaUy documented . As an example. during the Winnebago ing warm weather because large numbeD of ID.-
Thunderbird feast. the host scatters swan feathers in the lodge and wears them on this mformaoon. It IS most IIkeh Ih.ll Ihe I
•
on Ius head (Radio I990 ). Swan feathers have also been mentioned as importam faunal remauns from zone 02 of sub- \ound ~I
m Southeast Inchan culmre. and in many instances they were associated with per-
the weather rurned cold. Latl' summt'r and f~
sons of rank (DuPrarz 1972; Swan ton 1946). For instance. in an accounl by Adalt I SWanton (1946:256) 10dIcares the grrJI(, I .1. L
I

of a Cluckasaw green corn ceremony (DePraner 1991:62). he describes the rekin-

dlmg of the sacred fire . The pnest selected special wood chips and used a fire dnIl I Southeast. These would lOc1ude fe,1>1 " rh fi. I
when the milXlmum .Imounr 01 1,.,.,1 ,,,.ulJ b<-
to start the fire The flame was fanned by a swan's wing. DePraner believes when
chIefdams were soJ] m existence. il would have been the chiefs who would have
The exrraordllury pr ,,'1'\
O1II<'n u' m.1I ru
allowed a r;Irl' OpporruOlIY lU rt "0' r m
relundled the lire because of their descent from the sun.
public gathel'lng .11 c'lhoklJ I ht" «>nl I\t od
Unlike the mammals. a variety of bird species is represented in Ihe sub-Mound Ihe 010St une I
,I pn, espeaally m Chmurny's assemblage . This may indicale Ihat the types of
.
sIre. The I~
'lllIV,.,,l d.lI.l 't'b h'r nlll I
I
un.1 Tt OlJlIls lIl"I,' I Ih.at I
birds furnuhed for Ihe feasl were not preSCribed. different segments of [he popu- event(s) rcprt'scOl_ 1 cl h
• , ••\11 I I nl n l I Ih
lauon may have pmcured them, or a vanety of symbolIc meanmgs were artdched ,
sY01b l ll . .
If) • WIde range of bIrd speCIes. clas, • . , In .llltn.: Ih \ ,.lrnt'l 1nI n,
,, " rcw\('rt·" 1'1
Fish are 001 generally C<Jnsldcred 10 h,· al11mals of dS hIgh value as hunled aOl of I It' I'll ,011\ lit 11 t
c t'VoItl'J M1\ 1.. 1
l.lllI 10, '11\
mal '!<to! 111891, bUI llus would vary rt:g")Ildlly (f/)I' 1OSlancc. fish were hIghly 1I1~ ~< Utll",onC.'1

152
 CAH

- - --- •

b
( 0 1 rn.llntJIIl )
HA-" INu A Ml IfANI!>M or TRIBUTE I 11) ~.lIll '-.1. It
1 ,11 ~rt1"1' . rhll, , !.Ir 'e, pUPU" nnlll
AND \0 IAL INTlGRATION till . I 1t' f\Of It Y J
. )lltl1l 1ll sl I d fum:11c,lfl' he. ~IJ . t
Cl' 1 I 'f.'rve ..
1
~II 1
Mo"n' S . .
nl1'" wit 11
h I I h,' dc, dorlng ( ·ho ,J.n
I
1 IrIl Cl"·Il ' .... 1.·.·11\1<· whcr In'md''1duJ.
1I,I"up{ ...
ll,1I
",,)I' ,.
I ~C.ISI.'" • (l UIJ(U.ln .H t.lr~e r
b .t.l bL .
,,,hln (p< r r , . I .....
~ltinl1!l 't .. rncJm.Hl IV • Ull I.-It
. . (f)lcti .. r ,,,,,.. ,
, Illr"~"'" I Il","al 1(,.,101 bl'~ ~on~ n<\l' , a
illC()(l't"

I ,he nl",,1 ,lI"k (BIIIZ 1<l"1). rhe top dnJ b tt m all

C,ho I,'
lH ( \ dh ,J...l.I"o,,; hl/'lllll' ,,,ch ,", ht' nlllu",1 rcnt< ro dnJ ~t outlnn'
. 'sh.llng .11 t
PIIH.,I k.l"III,J' t,m bl.' ,""nstdl'! ·d .I IIll,'c h.l1l1SlIl h ' \ hkh li)t1d w.ts rn()bilL~(~d 10 Iho,e " ,
h lieS a pOll
11 oflen f,lr".Ht,'n wh ... n p 'lm .u
rhr. IIl.UI1 H "lIh,'1 t /')el'r.llIl" tVl)l ), II"d It .,dd~ .11ll'\ lh11 WnsiUl110 diSl'lISMOHS ollnb killS 'I' -, hI (I~QO : tQ), COl1lm0nC', anJ n bl. ere taC"d t
• Icd by KllIg . h
It Inu." I"" Ul\d "r:"h)od. h\.lWl'\'l'r. Ih.lt 1(~II~t~ till' only f _ .hl' .111" ophg,luon' Nn.-hlr n~ I
UI Wl'I\' I\I)(

".11 '.I lI\ Itl"d InbuI," ,lIld 11", ftllllllllllS ,11 I","IS !<" I,ll h"Y"l1d frlud "'tlbiitz,Hil1l1
n1l'th.1t\l::.:nl In
I 1111
"I
webs u II~
' , . won.lhr.cti Ihruugh n[ual k :bt"
',lw"lIy. opc I , .
h h.t> h,'11I ,h\1\\ 11 rh .11 till' k,I,. 1~'I"'l"" I1I<'d h ' Ill<' SIll> 1\I01llld ~I 1ll,11,'n.11 w,'s I The .pJtI.1 IllyouI 01 ~h, "'''prIJn h' 1.1 ~ (
•
public l"Vl"tlt \\ tlh hnlh rllll1I1HHH.' rs ,Ind hlghl'l r ,Ulkt'd tndtVIl.lll~lls III -ltten
ery \\'ilS. org~, Imud SIll'IJllv. pollllc.,II). ~nJ IJ 01
.1,111« Th" \\"'lIl.! 1l1,hl'.1l1' lit,l[ till' cll,,·" ,IS hosls \\','n' ( I' )<'hSlllhlllll1~ 101ld l(l
helhs hl11elll of pnnnpl," [h.1I e. t~nJ !;I~. k to th
Ih, 1"'I'I1IJ« 1'~lh." Ih.'l1lwl1l~ till' s\1I" hl'n<.'lin,II)' or 11 11 'S ,llso cvidenllh,H ,It
Ihe bC!~lI1ning' 01 ,on.ll. anking <'J.n t-, ('n 'eU
k 1S1 ,,1111(" "I' the Inod, (,' K, tI",' r) \\ Cl • (1I111.shl'tI m presenbed by thc chiefly
hokio u"hzcd Ihe ",,,JIIlJI J,rCl-tll,"'- nd m
.1.1.' \\ h"lh"1 th .. dmnbutllllllll "Sh.lIl11g" of till' foud WJS Cqllll'lhlc JllllOI bl'
Iry, qu.tdnl,llc,ah,m, .lnJ du,llI,m that lm
J,I,rtlUlled. B,'r,llIsl' <"Ill Is WN,' hl\sl.n~ Ihe 1""lIlls), b.1S"U ml Ihe 10(.lliol1 of I
worldl'.ew U "ell" (ljlj,,\ Th, <''''''lnI,tlOn 01 \I
Ih,' pit. It\J m,1\' h,I\,· hc,' n d"II'"nil1'l1~ wh.1I W;IS hClIlg served, il could 1101 be
UJI spJ,es (pl.uJs) n.1I1k".J !;Iv '01,111< r nll'w1-!
l<'fllled a pun'l, ['<,tlu 'k' .llbll (1\IlllIl" IQ'n). Therelore, lhls ltlr11' of tribule
of Ihe JomlOJ,nt . on.11 group_It " If '\1 J Ih I I
l(111"(II"1I \\ uuld ,c,'m IU 1.111 S,l11\,'\\ hl'l'l' bCI wI','n the two end of the lnbul~ry
elevated SI,ual .lI1d "I, "Iogh ~I 1'" ltI"II,.
" al, '<julta!;l!c 1'< ."'lgllm'·11l, ,md ,',,"'rccd .lpprop';.1lIll" of food .lnu, thus.
the moulld. by pl~(IIlg th"lf .tfllllUI( nip
h<-t\\c,n rh .. P' "I" ,tI\' 's C\l'rt"ed by pruptlnCI1I~ or lhe lOp -down ,lI\d bottom
NSbl, ~) . Th,' pubh" plu.1. 11<' t hI Ih" m lun
up "hp"l, 01 hS,""ppI,ln pull\Jl,tI ec(molll' Obvlllllsly. both s hoob of
tor puhLc g.nlwnngs I1ll'lUJIII' hh f I In
th ugh[ ,oulJ 10(' '1"",1!C r J'I' I1lttllhclf kllIllUIJ\Jlll1~ . Th,'rc w~re 111(1'1 hkell'
1~91:,n1l[hJ.l1d W.III.!.ln, l<l-ll l'lt, .1, 'P
a mulmuJ, of JllfCl'l'111 IC,lStlll,l! C\,'nts, bIg ,111<1 '111,111. tJklng placc Ihrnu~hOlH
obsl'r\'cJ 11\ th,· 111.1111(, n,IIl(, ,,1 Ih ,
r m rh, (,alwkIJ ll'gl1l11 1'0. IhlS d"'-U"lllll, 1I111 Ihl' l-ugc pubh,IYP" f~,l'l
The I.Jhllr m"'d,'" I. •• 11111UII.1 "lIIl:l1
~p nl db Ihl' (mpu".lll'\,ldcIK~ ",)01 suh , ~l11Ulld ~I "l'tltlsidcfl'J
Ihr(lll~h k,hl' Th" lII"un.1 h
of Ihl 1\1" '''lutd h.l\C ",h','d '<VCI,111l1 Ih,' prnhlcms plcvlnu,ly m~n
'c<'ml11~" pen"d,,' t-", \I\:I1I.:h\ t s
u n ~rtI ' w IOlld bung P,lI't 01 .llnbLlI,IIY '}'rcrn They \lutlld hJI'I' ,11
""luII,'d ,I Idrg", \('1111,1111 "". IlIIu
d on W 11.11 ship I.lIge 4\1.11I1l1l"S I) I· f'CUlI 10 Ih'C {'C nlt'r 111 ,I ,hill . I
Bllll IQ"'. ~llIlI,'r N<l) '''"11.-\ 111
' I01' n.
nod 0 time Till, ..... uul.l soh,' Ihe 'plltl,lg" pro11I 'llI 1t'1t 11 .. "1',1111 IV,!> IItII Ileflllln \1 rh
I nI,' III nil, \\ 1I n I 1nl
Cor 1011 penlld <11 1II1l1', 1:1,111,111(', rn,\ . IlIH IlJ\<.. b"' 'n hUll!, ,11 1(,1\1. IQOI ,. h
' "llIg I I\I,~,,\ I dh
ll hr
uld be I d IIhJI ulug" 11· ril llIuhl""- I I1< I J I1(11 '/111', ""lh. Gt,l"ll PIJl J 1 I
II1'r plIh h• • 1,1 d '" h~\ I ,
f I I I I
loud l1t"ft·'s.lI, 10 en .l • ~ Ul'lll'llI Or " I
n pr p r lion u r 11 ,111111111 It 11 ' 11 b' n,'r,I",1 • ' ' , I< • I'J, hn 11
ur n an I ~"iluy .Ill I lIt'" h 11 JJIt""' WIIII" I llllhl'h. Uf\lI 4hh
I ,,"ould [h. Idllr' , 111,',11" 1111 I
I" I"IS III'Hld,,"
I !: ([l"'II". h, " I
III 1\[
I
rhl \

U4
 I ,/ ... 1f, 1 ,
--
, In .
111
f 11«·!Oft" 11
,
• (.d hy Iht .. lI h MIJlllld SII""It:I1~I. WC'n: m
'1UY t J t rq4 , /J I"I I vu lt fit'" I"KgI!.1 th y W
&lU
r
1. ('o/ll mll re tnQ 1h2n
10'"1<
(' ,hI" A,'n< r,,1 p"r ul ,,, I (1t1,,~ Mlln,., IlId M U
ht·rfn l4 (' r t.r
~J I IIkt."ly provlC.l n J .H (J cu I.UI ' Jrl anJ (lJqllhrut
,cvrlll 'i Ion
In~ , rIIOlUlliIU'" ,md b, t W t"'11 lhl V'Ul t,u ran L ..r
oIy l~~ ({' ""'" gm","
iJ U f1c.lf,'i C .lhukl .1 ,lfh-' 11 ~ h lm t' l J.1I1 d \Ii re ntJt tOLlU
lion " JPr . I Y UIOIIOm no,
l e /1n lf crI•'/lld dlfl'f"" Y UIHTIII1.U " U ' YI..,h" h,. "I .t" fl me
[1 Iw (ullhcl pOSIUI .1I 1·U th.1l h.!;hl y r, "hd II1J VlU 1_
tl (';In . _ I \.lot... m~y
trnlp"ng III ,~"IIddy 0/"." If HI" r••vlJI .lhl,· ,'ntl'"f1uc" tlal fo I~ "'uhln
tn

!I'()till I orcl"r .hrough Ihl" ho, "ng "f ""1;" , erlll Pi' UIJ U nt Uil 1'- &C

; (lilU'i '
lCgo ",,""1l .IIf J nc' w Cdh"k,.," p"IIII". 1 n rd," __ •__ , UN

"IJCt is ddr" ull '0 ,ktCfll1lJ1t 1/',wL'V 'r U\ r no

w.'"R. I
(,Jh"ki"" "nc;lgCs thill had bt'cn .Ihle to .("lfU a large
CONClUSION and (.,p,tal (mt.'" i).cJicr '9\1 6 ) Irom Pd ' t ntual. fe un
n
rhc I ' I"ut11
\ 1/ ' ' " , 1 11/1,II('n," prov",,", I Il l' Ill'" ,'v,d"l1<o," C.hltl' I" I t III.-' 0[( ,ble tu Jdvantagt'ou,ly Ill"b.lm: th .. grl/wlIlg Luhm
. I I I"I!I 11 l. ,lhokl.1 (,)11.111111 It· , of d(' (" bCHlt' r c pu. lHI('l1q.
uf J.H~'- I HU .I t ", ~ ~l' ''tlng 1 . mound buddong, plil~J levchn,g ,I nu I h" provl .0nll1
' 11 111 <"III1)UI1((IOI1 wllh '"mpl"," y III' n" 01 nySl I
1 "'/101111 q
hulk (' 1It.\ n lilt ~ . ' ,I ~. Cl1nfi' 'I 'd Ihu5 efl"'cung chJl1gl" ,I nu dtV.fllng the ..Itwkbn
p.Wlh
'u pOlIf"l y ,IWfU', 11I1l'ly lllaul.' (llI'lt ProWl Idl'S, Jlld ,lx,' lw I cl I and
" , .I( l'bn,\ ",ort (1JI11P"'~ ,,"vel A c 'JIlllnUt'u "'1<Or! III .dcnllfy ..nd lud
U IlIf 11" UI,h,." r 'COWlt'" (Will 11,1' pll 11)( .fl ed W'th"'lh rc"n
p tJ.\(' pJI (0 ~a{'Jl'u p , (1,,,"11'11 events ,houlu .1/lOW th.s 'flIt', prctJlII>I1 nf pullll
1 I · I" Th,'S!' Ill,lIenal., IlIlhr,lI' "lilt' mvnIVl'l11cnl, II 1101 III ' 11 rt ClIlrt
(} f It 'I.' ,, - , U.I )ONIIr) t f
I r~1311"", at Cah"k, •• to bt (I' hl1ed ,
n1ioJ1
.m I , ,,"11"
t. - ,.
CW' /II Hut, illt' ,h(,t' l vol"",, 01 dcbl IS alono wil h cl
,.,
~,II ,
ortlC::;II(' Dlseu,sw", of nll/.II ,It IIVlly fur till' lImen"" 11011011]
10 vt" 'd., ,lilt! ("OIl1n",,, plnnl~ imlir,lIl' Ihe .JtI\' l1d"nn' of Ihe gen " I (1I1Ik
"" Ila Popul , comt" 1110re (r~qUt'nI (prnt"l~rlll UN1; """Y '99(> , ho...
'I h' J1ttJoIl,.CIIVIIY 11,011 Jc(Ompan't,tllhl' It" l.~ l II,t"llId"d Iht use of sw ' Ct r.
ans, Inb'lC!) lor/lc rotudl fed'ls h.IS nu, bl'cn prcv."u Iy ,ucnllll'd ~I
rcd " 'UJ' , und s'llJJ,h ' "JI"i()H'llg'uus .ICIIVIlY 11.1, 11111 b, n ,. malor umponcnt
'11", I" nIl( 1'Vl"IlI ("'lJlI101 bc.' del n 111 IIlt'd. blll 11 ,lPPt':lI, to hive ne ' " ch prop""'d for Iht, "It· rht' ub Mound 51 m tetul n
, • (urr~Ylnlh,
IJI C lJmml"l or t'Jdy (.Ill I ",conrally, wllhlll Ih,· SClUlht'aSlt'rn Un "1 S mcch.lI1"m, llluJI f'·J'!lJl~. Ihal hdp pi In m
I (!, ,IJlt'~
r. a I and « ft' lIlOlIll'~ mnncclt·d wnh fond h.lrvt'sling Jnd world rl'lll'W' 1 h ' a !iur at WIth Iht· '''(lOP''''II(.1 s[('m "I e"rI ( hok. It <k
[lie wld"'llI l :;ld (,rt'("n Corn . t'I",' rnony (Swal1lon 1946. WlIlh"" (949) w!'r("htld Ihe tX((cm(', prl.'v.uu,ly "'dr.1I
Icnzed th I p dU\\
11 tlUS llIne of !Ill Y"ar The sub MI)und 51 malt',I." r~pn'S("llb only onllyprul J mUff' 1t'lIlr ,.1 pu Itlun ,Ind (Jlll" mllft· 11\ hn ... llh tM

cummunal I fCHlO'II.rJ t'V("1l1 "IS 1'"'~lInH'd [h.1I 1lI.lIly lypt·S "IIJllle ((II11l1lllflflY III whlrh mJny NJtlv, AlI1cm .. 1I llU(.tl~

b d and 5 1J1~Jln It'JlI~dlold rtll/als .lI1d (('aSIS would havI' lakt"11 pl,ln' ,11 CJhllkl~ fcall' h.Vt' been dnu '1.11 .re all IIII ..gr~1 p rt of
and me urr'",ndlng j(·.I,:J')J) /(.S IJnp0rl.11ll Ihill olh,·, (·xamplt·, .lIe idl'l1(lfil'd"
Chal 01 IgJGlJly /JIff, It'nl lyP('~ ,hlfllld h.IVI' .11111''''111 :rrchJ('olollll"al "!-'flatu,rl ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
( c a nd S, (Ill I'J'JS) , ""lIld /ok. '0 Ihank
1.111 PJulo.tlJI
If
Th (If lir 1/' r1IlJ~1 (, ,I I 1/1 1·.lIly ,Ih"kiall ,om'ly nldY ,"11 br dblr IUOr lundrd I'."y Cdhok. P"" .. , I rh "!'POrt
la ned I I,ll 11111/'111 d •• ,~ .llItlIIU·IIo"d" hUI ,t'veralpulllbill ,11"", .un Mound 'I.
a zU<I.n-h. I I
I t

I
Ifd bit I'd I,ll IIIJ/ kIlIJwl,'dg< Il/ hIJW /(·.ISI\ IUO!llllllrJ rlhnoh" Irrry M•• "'I
of Ih .. llhnulJ I I M um
"KY r"/I ..,,, u" III 0'\1
_I
r lu 1.1 III
f1Ulhtd ern I J IIH / SI,III , ~1It11 Ih,,"1;' 'l'huJlly III nlhrr pAIII [11 Ih .. (.hokl /vi
ollndi M"lrurn
" h hypotll/ 1/1 d ti,l' ,11 ( •• ""kll. I.llg. fro.1 '"11\ vrl , UJ lo.h ,.
l.ulI.1.1,., I I"h" K 11
I
 KI rUAL rEASTING Al Hit ("HOkIA SIT[
- --~
- - . __._----
~I.u' Ihl
11 elyle- Fnl l. 1\111)' 10 W ••hOIl , n,lYh.l Hrnwll1 "' 1" th e back 0 1 , ,erpcnl wllh .1 h',r rrnbc<lJrJ in U ... _....
I " illlllll • . . ' _ ' , . , C. Juhl ·cllng 011 I ~\.A". Tlk-
l 't'tlPIt un hll 1I1,t.: , ,' :ul Illd ~,I\L' (on\IIlIlII \t(' lnllf!\I1lS or V" II '- l . • 1 kn' I mtO squ.lsh vines Jnd frult~ Identified ('14 '1I.a....-
,'Ull 111'1\ lhun" ",II\, J , • . ) I~ UI'"It .. _ nl sp ILS . ' 'VIIQ 4Ityvo ~
I\rlh. ,11/11' \\ .1 I:. 11 hUll... "H' JII(,)I1yIl10llS 1 {'Vlt'W~ for Ih(;:,lr h('lpful ,erp' /"mb the woman s back
. I Wlltlld ,./<.v ''',: IU I I , : l :l1AAc: .. 1994 ) that CI
III rhll. r·1pt:l _ hit' 101 .111) nll".lkc\ 01 lIl ,I(c.:urJClC5
. . "'1Ift-1" 1't"~1'{)I1"1
11(111:- I• • hll\\(\(,I,
""

REFERENCES
NorES
"i lllll /1'1
Illl" P0 rl',,1I 0 1 TlIll " •."kcl.,, S·s Eorly C.lhok ,., " roJe.et W3.\
,ht" -,uh ~'I'OU ders on . D. G. .
I • UPI
If\I\'IJnlll\ 1I ~
N.lIIonl .. Clt
' II CC l'ound.llion (SB R·QI05404). "ppOrl Wd, also provided
lo j\J1 Th< SaVlJl"wh River C/ lI cfdorns.· PolitIcal Change In the u.u Pr h
, Jutlwr . h[r
' Ilull,1 .In.lly''' of the sub ·Mound 51 rem.dns by the Cah 0 kl ;) 1994 • utan< • I
l1u:' Itlf furl . Tuscaloosa University of Alabama Pre,.
~Il.lund\ ~fu~elllll SOCI"IY ~
'. J re,mJt.\ wef'C prCSCl1ll,J ill lhe 54Lh SOlltheaslern
SMeiS. C. J.
• p,'t"hmm.1t1' ,1I1U)I ,ma .. . Conferenc C Irl
_
Report of 1971
UniverSity of illlnols·Urban, Exca..""n., al the C.u,,,l;. lie
1975
• HJIOI1 Rou~e,• L"'\ No" 5--8· 1997 an .1 symposium cnllllcd _ New EVidence of I!a rJy
In Cahokon Archaeology: Fitld R<portJ, pp. 9-11 Pap"" In "\nthropol
C.lhoklMl Pru\ I IOrlS.111 d Rlru •lis" .lnd.1 co-authoredJournal article
_ IS fonhcoming
' Spnngficld illinOIS StatC! Museum
I Thr ., ruJ, 0 I· b0 J y. p'rl W>Lmbutlon muSI be undertaken caul:lously Many "aclo " .
U and J. W Porter. eds.
BaretS, C,-,
J
cuhura J In J non Clllru fll . . can play roles an wha! body parts form an assemblage (l<Je Ln Ammcan Bottom Archaeology. Urbana Unaverslty of Ilhncru P
19 84
I~Sq; LymJn JQ~•. ... , MJI"<haIl
~ and PLlgnm 1991 ). Noncultural taphononuc factors such as
Barker, A W
\\e.llh.nng. tr.ll11plong.• nd Jnimal gn.","ng do nO[ appear to have Significantly
./kC/.d the composlOon of Ihe C./lolua assemblages. however The conSistent
1991 powhatan's Pursestnngs On the Mearung of urplus In, S"-mttt"l!h ~
[ury AJgonluan Ch,efdom In Lonh oj" thr O"thl4.!1 .........1'"'i"lI) N t ~
rallem .t Cahokl. throughout Its occupational hlStory IS a high proporrJon of Ihose
live Ehw of SoutheMtml North ilmmca, edneJ b A ~, &r\rr oDd T R
parts of thr de .. lhol! hal'e low srructural denSity (I.e., are rhm and fragile such as
Pauketat, pp. 6t-80. ArchaeologIcal Paper> :--lo; \\ "'h n. DC IIIeI
<Cdpube) ,od J "er) Iow propornon of some bones (eg.. metapodials) With high
, can AnthropologIcal AsSOciation
stnJCIurai denSlt), J pattern rhal IS not denSlty· mediated . Therefore, a CUltural
Barker, A. W. and T. R. PaukC!tat. eds.
<,pl.mauon IS more likely for mOst of rhe assemblages" compositions.
1991 Lord.! of the Southeast: Sonal '"equIIY and lhe jl;an~ a,ia
·1 ·h J con\"el1lem way of aIIustrating the relaraonstup between food utility and deer
ilmenca. Archaeolo&,cal Papers Pap." No > \\'~5hm DC
bod, part dlSrnbuDon. I ha"e employed Purdue"S (Purdue, Styles, and Masulos /9 89)
AnthropologIcal Association
,d,usted Food Uru"y Index (FUI) categones of tugh , nudo and low. These are based on
Bent. A.
~f.tcill"e and Joness (t988) connnuous PUJ variable but emphasize the extremes of
[961 Lift HlStoncs of Nort/l Amen,,," W,IJ F.,wI. Pm 11
the FUI specrrum where human behavlOr may be less vanable FIgure 12-4 illustrates
Pubbcauon,
wturn pol"llons of Ihe deer are considered [0 belong to the low, rrud, and tugh rUI
categon(~
Blnz. J
1993 A"","t Chllfdorns 0) the Tilm"'~I'f(. rlt".1
5 De" would nOI ha" been overly abundant on the OoodpJain near Cahokra because of
Butkstra,J. E .. J C Rose, and C R t..hlner
lad of preferred habl/at The area around Cahok,a was mostly wetlands and prauie
, Loponot 199 1; White er al. 191Lt). The tughest denSity of deer would have occurred on
1994 A Carbon Isotope Perspe,me on Dlct:J1) n.mon
ern Ulmol5. In Agncu"'jJall)n~".\ and
the bluff edge zone and rhe adjacent uplands that con tamed an extensive oak/tudoty
woodl.md zone (Halls 1984. B Smlrh 1975). by W Crcen, pp to;, t~O Ikpmt I I
Archarologm
6. It could be argued. however. that the increasong land under crop culeivanon would
Carnltro. R. L.
/Dcrease edge habitats thal mighl attraCt mOre deer.
7 8eQ"~ ~\trallypes of squashes are represented by many seeds (>3.000) throughoUl 19BI The Ch,ddull1 I'....·,·ur or 10 th I I In 1\;-
~ 5lIb-M'Jund 51 depoSIt, Fntz (t997) beheves squash may have been a ntuaUy
Ne .... \\,,,,.1, cJn"J hI t. l) l(ln
•
anJ R
C.ltnhn.!gr Illll\CI If' I
Slgm6,anl pJ.nr 'ibIS evtdence lends support to an earher InterpretatIon (Emerson
Chanurny. W VI
t982, "rClllec J9~6J that Jqua~h (cucurbas) may have had pamcular SignIficance U1

ICrtility rel2~ rituals Tlus ~""er Illlerprrtauon IS hascd on a M'SSISSIpP,an, Surllng 1~71 'Inr h "1,,, "I 'h II,IJI
frum the BBIl Mm,,, "t~ Th,s figunnt: depICts .1 woman
f'h- figunnc rCWllcrrd
'lint 1I111'uhluh ,I Ph I <.It n 11<
It) III 1110"(1' ,I h 1111 ",on l t

351
 1{)n LA. \:) Kni/:h' Jr and E C. Moo re , eds
r9'QJ 71ac Or 5"'D CltromdcJ. The £t]'tdUl0tl 0/ Hcrnando Or S
IDo.;--,J.fj Tu.q-aJoosa UOJv~rstl)' 0 ( AJaba.m3 Press 0 1(1 to N"n~ ~PItntc: E
CoIliru.JM ,. , _.... (Slf'r'"" SI"'"! 1 _~~~I"llli"JU.
" ... ~- Cm:uhr 0. . l tbon&.
Ern' r;on. M~-
." .
n, ArrlrJUDio&> Df th, CohDkoa MD'''d.! lCT-I/, S", S~._ 10S'1
log·
cal SUf'o't:Y·
bollsm,
d Hl"O'I'monv In the Cahol 0.
.~ ..........
1990 .. _" '< IlL -Ie-m
ent
. syrn .
an
DMU.rTmCnl
_,,_
of \.n ..... ......-.. •
Rnoun:e Srudy 10. Spnngtidd illinoIS HIstone Pr<servallon J\ n0" C4 11\i", Sen.l h D dlssenaDon. -r- _.- 01
1Q9:" C.ahok•.l SC[drm~nl dIld Sooal Strucrures as Vi~"'e:d frOrn.L gefl C) bushed P .
}Wln4.' Dommatlon aM Jd~ology It! the A-fisruslPPUln World U' de ICl' 11 In C. ~ k~ 0' PO" ..... Tu: ..~.,.,...
po
WisconsIn. Maclison. 1 \.:nl"""
_
uJ Ihe An..rltlC(I "6-' 'J of
CtlltolcUl
P.auktur and T E Emerson. pp. 124-140. tmeoln- UnlVer,etylted bY l' n 1997
tU

SI 0 ( ', b PreSS _
l'Ie r.u~
and T R. paukeu{
~ O . Till' Loh/nll ll" SI1<'' ,~" Earl i\h.sSUSlrPWl "
YPress
CtftitT U\ tht ~
ES.h-1'
The Construcnon of Ml5SISSlppJan Cahokia. In Cal l ok a: Do- 199~ U vus1ty of lIhnolS
ban3
D"'s>' '" ,~( .llwuSlppuln World, eruted by T R. Pauketat
[ll
' and'",l'n6h
n on Qt\4 I.,

pp. ~9--IO.1. Lmcoln ' U",v~rst(y of Nebraska Press. ~ . Ente""n, Ptnn<Y, P A me Cahow Lo.:,l", :bort 1<m> p.
0.1.." RA. '" Waner> Jr . G R Holley, and W I WOods 199J
a
Sp30 Uy lsol.red
or Special Purposes
srru=:,;
b T E, Em<r>on, A Nroa. ~
F"""'~'
In HIgh""''' '" Ilu IWt: I """
,'99. SlX11t Annu.1 Cahok.. Mounds Field School:
Chark, J BIIr"" edlled ) I Volum<, I >nu, 1 t:.t-."" DllDL,
pp lSI-lO'
UhnotS Archaeo og)'.
ologICal Soacry

EX~ olo~\Cal_
Od'rantr. C. B L LorancN 1"1" {-.1"'.,.
It ""...... «IitN b
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I l
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IAk Pr.hulanr and &lrly HISlone C/II'fdolns ,h. Sou,h,,,-,,,,,, Un l/,d S,.,,,, 1973 _ 0 lllinms .'\.I\...U.<.Ie ... \\ ..' \ c in
Iwl of tIt< ~hJw"l ~JJL,"'"
'991 In
N.,., York: Garland Press Fowler, pp 1 3 ·
1974
CahoJutl ...\t1nrnJ Car
M
polog}'. No. 48 C~nter on lh(" MI"-":-.....'rt" . :vw.
PenIS and Commens.1 PoLocs in the PolrticaJ Economy: Food, POwe r. and A Pre_Columb.an lirb.n
'975
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91.- 01 Sonom' $t"{tl (In( nt ,,,ha
r...pun.... eruted by P W,essner and W SclUefenhovel. pp_ 87-'26, Oxford: d the o\menC3.n C"
llagiuhn Books. Caholu3 an ' «d b, 8 D _'mlm PI'. '
Stultmnu PtlUCTtU, rd1
Daup,).C.
Press _.1 lfa.,.r u.h.
r.u. " Hl..\f~,"4."
CoII;nr A Lale Woodland Crrrmonial Complex ISI the Woodforruan North. rht Caholna .-'if " . nn ~ti.dd Ithn .. I.! HI'
HR. Unpublisbod Ph.O dlSscru[Jon. Department of Anthropology, Umver.
Ar<h.eolo\f' No 0 • p ~
lily of Dlmoj •• CbamPllgn.Urbana.
o.....a.a. Fnedm.n.J
d T .anstomu.O\.1R-' In ~1.I'1"

..... and Oco...,lopment at the Early Village Level. In Th. Cloud P,ople: TI"
1984 Tnbc . SU,{ts . .tn r
og)I. • ruled by M IIkxh. pr '
(101 10.1 LondN\

DIIonpru £""~ of tM z"pottc and MlXtrc C,vrirwlions. edited by K. V Plan. FnlZ. G J

,. .. .,
"\•'f"Cnlf"'-'
i i!
1994 ~columbl.ln l ,,~,., 11&1
LP..., 1IIdJ. Marcw. pp. 46-50. Nrw York: Academic Press, dl ds 01 • onh
E.1stern Woo an fori, C.h,.... ' l
Dr,.." tJf ~",. of tM Wmm, ' 997 Speci.l Plan,s !Tom
ParIS of Vorgrllia (/nd Carol" .. : COII- senl.d .1 Ihr Sol'h OUI~ ••m
......,.~ of tM COUlIllitJ that L.r on borit S,des of "If
Rim Mi,SI" ~
tJf tM Sm/erornu,. Inhabrtants, So,l, CUmal<, and Produm.
IIlaD IIaup Clairor'. Publishing DIVISion Pntz. G. J • And Joh""" n
It ,"-'" In I~ an
1996 0Cl.al Ddtt"'"
rnll'l\$ &om H
h >Id.
U,," ,
"",n,,"u'
of CabolUa·. Sub·mound SI Pit p,.per p,.."enr,d ,H ., "~-6m
nntnl un:: ......a1
Conferrnc., 8.lOn, J(oull<, I.A on

...
 '.IMTrttl2 .s. KrlJy RITUAL f(AST

--------~==~------ -."-
Ham ~burg. P..

.'11" PlK'2l0r1., Plucur ,.and Pbnrt:rs Th,. Emerge-nee or h)(;d p

• _ _ ..1-
r(xi..,c
_HwuV\Uo
p-""'/ of A.,h,.,../D8,ull AncluuoiDgy 9 ll~
."" '~"e I
C-.. i ..... n p«huton( .and TradJtJrm.a1 Sodeflt=,. In Food and tht SIal14 0
All JfIln4UciFb u ry ITnptt1lvt. cdJl~d by
I I4tll
P W.t=.nnu and W SchI(:fenhtJvt'I "
,99"

pp. U7-/4! Odord. fl<zgluhn Book>. .

..... .,w.
IIJItD poI·ua l Lordl and Pobrlc.aJ IdL'ulogy In SClu1nea51ern Crucfdonu: C(.J llltTII.,I
fI1
md ot, En'lDOfU In lArdJ Ollh~ SOUlht4Jt. SOCUIl Intqulty attd Ihe Ndhl'( £I,ftl
Ill" S-r'~M""" Nt"d. A.mnu4, edJ{('d by A W B.. rktr and '( It "aukt. ~ ,f97b
,,,,'' ' IN. Atcf,-eologlUl P'pe" of tho Ame"ean AnthropologI cal A._.
~ .

donNo ,.
_t,

. . . . G R.. R. A. DoIIn. 1Nl P. A. SmJth

... -
_ ........ ......
u-aay . . . . -
- ......__ 811". C.hokia S,u: Grand PIu. A"""",," A.llq.." y ,B )66-JI~ --'lIP ~
....... c. J. W. PUa'" "" -,
.,. ,..,,,,...,,,. ht4Uuu. KnoaYllk. U""",..,ty of Tonn ..,eo Pr." .

. . . . . . . Rw,,", of rho Southeuu:m Ebu: Tho Imphc.auQIU of Economy.

. . . . . . .''M•• andHMJosy $or,tMlUknt Archaeology'4 t2.)" '03- "9

In Ai'lt.lean 8DUDm A,duuoiDgy, edlled by C.) Boreu and

...... IP..,"'. U,b'n,r Uruvrmty of JUInOU Preu,
........ a_ne Ch"".' Ate PaJeoe[hnobounic.a1 D.La Seller
<diu:d by C A HU,orf "",d V S
Uah'el1lty of Chicago Press
'n
dJc ~ VaIIoy. F"'."ng and Pa""'"g '"
...... by C M. Scarry, pp. , ......." GiWll"OVdl< U"'
...
Q!'h'J1! la rho Ammcan Bottom R<:gll,n In
by 8 D. Smith. pp Ill- IS>. W.. hmK"'n.

le. I 0Id0 lad CaIIok.. .n ,'.

~ ...t.red by 1
I1
..... 'brMl". UnlvenllY of N.b, ..k.
 GAT Tt4E ~....

C.lhok .. " Food Produ((fon ReconSIdered In Cahak," Do

I~' III '/It MLSSlH'l'pwn Wo,//(. e d"cd by T R Pauk.,,, ""tJI'IIIOIl alld I. I
pp
"" S.H>R I 'ncoln UnIVerSIty of Nebra.,ka Press. 'nd T e e"''''on, "
I (lrmol, N H . 4lf1d \\; I " 'oods

'''''J Wood Ovcrc.,pIO.Cltlon and .he Collapse of C.hok. In "O'Q~1l

d a
In In, wlnll "1>0 "<Ill".
' - ,. Cdlie dby C . M Scarry. pp, 6- 3. G
o ' ganq Pur "',"&
.n'~~.,ofAon· 20 2 n.
lym.n R L all.lt~S"Il/c " LJ

' 0·' 80ne Density and D.fferentlal SurvlVorsh.p of Fossil Classes J

.... II,mpatol,'fJ("tJ/ ArcJllIt'ology 3.'259-299_ , OU'"ol Of Art-
M.n".", F. and T p.lgnm

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Parr RtpresentJtlOI1 "' Archaeolog.cal Sites. jOltrna/ oJ ArCho,oln_ goIS BOdy
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1988 The SenJement Pattern and Soc .. 1 POwer of C.holua·s HJn t<r/and Ho
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use•-
...IIY of IlImo.s, Champa.gn .Urb.n.
OJ
1995 Caho""", Countryside' Houuhold Archaeology. Sml.m"," Patter"s, and Sonal
Po!wr. DeK.1lb Northern llI.nolS Un.verSlty Press
Nt'a'''. D . ..,d K. T Jones

'!II8 A Recons.der.llon of A",m.1 BOdy Part 'ndJcos. Ammcall A""qu,ly 53 U):

486-504
M,h;U. C R

nc
'990 The Lale Prehuto Cahok .. Cultural System or the MlsslSSlpp. RIVer Val.
1990
Iey: Poun.bons. Ao....ccnC< •• nd Fr.gmentallon}ou,nal oJ World Pr<hlSlory
4 Cl). '-4J. MA

1'IIt Ca"","" Clllqdo",: Th. ,."chllLology oJ a M"'uSJpp.all SOO'IY. Washington.

D.e.· Smithsoni.., Insnturion P... ss .
....J.
.,.,
........ T.R. ""bticm Et01l0",>,. New York Pltnum

... TIle 0,''''"'0 of p,..,S.. re Pol",cal CrnrraltzJI.on In the North Amcnl"'Jl

Md! • ...., Unpublished Ph.D. dlsscrtatwn. D<partmtnJ or I\J1Lhmpol
10 Vain 'ill)' of Mid"gan. Ann Arbor Rut. L L.

.....~CMo.,.'. Lt".", Prtl/O" Holder', 191$ I~J. IixrovallOIl. 0/ I/Jr /(It"", '997
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--MIIu!.!. Manoln No. 16. Ann Arbor U"'V<rMly 01 M.ch'Il •• Jl Muscum
''''''

IN
 RITUA.l FE"STlNG "T lHE C,. ... O

-
Wtnhoft. J kt £.1Jtcnl "~n.h. Ot a c ,.)F1.Il
G en CtJrn Ctll!1Il0nutlUTl\ 11\ C of
1Q.49
" Jj Ann Arbor Uruver'Slt"!" of
No. 'tldu~ "~

Zoo;lrcharoloS'cal Appro~dles to COl1lf'\~~ ~\ ',""tbn$tuu

b<hD Ik
:nlllh, B D Paper presente d a.t mr .,51rd Annu.u "t(:~tm ....
teal Confe~nce, 1l u-mUlSh.m, M.b.un>
,\fhMlr .\fuslSsrJl]ll A
£..\1'itHldtlflll ol Afllmai Popl41aho
nthropolo
o ~ Ann Arbor Un""'I"SI,)' of Mu:Jugan Museum of An
, ' tS,
gy Pap,,,
:mltn ~I T,.o.nd 0 J HJlly throPOlog)
'''''' Cluel1, Boh.vior Enden
e &001 SL~t<enth Cenn,~ Spa h
L,mL( cif rlt( SOl4thCilSf Sonnlltlcql4lly cmt/1l1t Narwt "- , or S
Elue.! rus hAccounts I"

"m'''''-d, edlled bl }\ \V Barker and T R Pauket., pp ~'J Old t'a.sCrrn N h 0"

ca! Papers No, 1\ .as/ungton, DC Amencan Anthropolo", I Ass • . :r:r-II O. ArchileoJo I
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, mlrh. M. T. and M \\ .UL.ms o·Q ~a"~

1"94
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l("pon..l1tl~. V p

lOOS Locanon Thel'l') and Comple, Cluerdoms: A MISSISSIppIan Example In M~.

$U"I'r'dh Srttltm<t1t Parr......." eeLled by B. D nuth, pp, 417- 4>3 New York.
~"Gldenuc Press

,~ Pn:hlStonc .-\ren.,ology 10 che Outhe.sfern Umted States, 1970-198,. A""."I

Rmrw'"l Ah'llropol<>g;v (5)63-4"-1
t) ks B W. md J R. PuNue
1!>91 RJtu~ md ecul.. Use Or Fduna by Mlddlt Woodland Peoplesln Western !U"
nots In Bearlln'S, BOlnt·/lIt<.<, "h.1 B'u'po,hu. Tnb",,,, 10 thr Can'<T of Pau' \\ P.r.
1fI4l«. edited b)' J R Purdue. W E. Khppel, and B W S,)'I<5, pp, .f.l/-.lJ6
DlmOlS tale Moseum Soennnc Paper<. \'01 XXIII and The U",VOrsll)' of
TmncsscC', Drpar Uiu:nt of Anrhropology Report of In\'rsngJrtoru No ;1
Springficld: Dlmo.. Stdt< Mostum
SlU"coa.J R
19t1 "4'1!~ TFlNJ of rite lawN Musu"pp' laltry an,j .~.t)<lrt'" Coa.sl O} II,( G.lj D)
Maiat Bnlletln 4J W.,lungton, DC Burc:.u of AmenCdn Llhnolog)'
1e.6 ho.Ia.bu 11{ IM s.n.1h..... J<,. UnlteJ Staff> Bullclln 1)7 W.,Jungtan, DC Su
'0IU of Amnlcan Ethnology.
P.o
- ~', E;~ TuK.AlooS<1
P.o andC ... Sca."
..., ..... 1Id.wI Vanadon In FoodWJY
.......,10 W7 419
P. PC Ktll
( J H.lfTl

Pewwr pp It

...
 [ASTlNG AND VillAGE. FESTIVALS AT Ht£ CUI,. \111

- ., fUAl F _._l-..;;;,:::. _,--, _ _

I CC Junng, public reltglou5 pcrrorm.1n(~ .u (Ommunity fj, ~,

p'
FEASTING ON THE PERIPHERY
'9" ' )' Iu>chapter I explore thJ> second type of fc,,., Uul at !he
chacologlCal correlat~' of nrual rea'"ng" the ',. of C'___
THE PRODUCTION OF RITUAL FEASTING
In I
FESTIVALS AT THE CER~N on the .It ' _..... El .
,ngdor. T I1< Ceren Site, located m the Zapotltan V.lk , w.s • 110
l
VJ cl .gnculrural communJ[Y located On th. southern Mm L

Undo A. Brown ClasSIc peno , po:r\"'1tly

(Sheets '992J , P'g. '3, ' ), Around A,D, 590 a volcan,c '<ot,local,d 0IIIv, 600 II1<t
~ on'l rhe SI[. e , opened up beneath the nearby RIo Suoo anJ bun J th(' "'OUUhlll
"'ontmu
r under 6 meters of ash (Sheets 19923) The suddcnn«. of the <rup""" ~
And they [the slxteenth·century Vueatec Maya] often spend On one b ",cy d a catastroph,c abandonment
clp'tate th of the commuruty' _ , _ ' ' "IQg
",,,,,.n..
,
earned. by trading and bargaining many days,And they have two.,wayanquetwhf at they hao, -omple[e ar ufaet , assemblages 10 elr eOnt~1 of USe or 'torag. III .d<hIlOrt to
reasts: the ~"t, wh'ch
. IS. thal of the nobles and of the prinCipal people obll
so celebralln 9 Ihe5e , re:iervang fragile earthen .rclutecrure and . organIc .mf.:\s 10 urn.n. ,_ ut
Invited guests to give another similar feast. And 10 each guest they give ges each 0 ne of the
o •
p don mont and subsequent e.Xtr.ordmary. preservallon of th. "te pl'O\'Id or
aban
and drink of cacao In abundance; and at the end of the repast, they were aaeroaSted fo WI,bread
chaeo IoglS . ts w,th J rare glimpse of rural. village Ufe, mdud", . lIIalenal ",m>tos
manro [cloth] to each 10 wear, and a linle stand and vessel, as beautiful as pClJStol'l1ed
'bl t0 9 e.
lv that can be trlterprcteJ as funCtlorung m. the produc"Uon of ,Olllmwuty \
th I e', And ''f one
of the guests should die, hIS househOld or his relations are obliged to repay OSSI
and nn"" ., feasong. The archaeologtcal SlgllJru", 'U~"tu\ pamOp.lnon m
second way ofg,vlng' ,
feasts was used among klnfolk e nVllatlon"Th
when Ihey marry their ch'ld
brate the memory of the deeds of thell• anceslors, and IhlS • does not oblige the g I ren. Or cele-
. hge ,lea'ttrl gat Ceren adds lO'ponant ne\\ enten. to the archarol ('1! tili
' . 0 (fieasts . one of the major themes of t1u" \'olum
caoon
a reasl 10 return, except ,f a hundred persons have ,nvited an Indian to a feasl heueslSal 'to give
,
,
them all when he gives a banquet or marries his Children, They have strong friendship so inVites
and
Ihey remember for a long t'me these ,nvltations, although they are far apart from one a h
" not er,
Bishop Diego de Lando (Tozzer 1941:92) I

GUATEMALA
HONDURAS

In the Map region, feasting was a pivotal component of nruals for the eUte and
non·el,te auke. As noted by Bishop DlC~go de Landa, cute Maya rulers engaged 10 01

a form of competl[fve feasnng and glft·glvlng with stl-;cr undcrstandmgs for rc,
EL SALVAD R
payment. SOCial obhgauons were so embedded tn Stxtcemh.cemury May" elite
(onsttmp!lon ntuals that [he debts acquired dunllg feasts d,d not cnd w,th death
but would be mhentcd by survivmg km (Tozzcr 1941 :92), .
Pacific Ocean
But In addl!lon 10 the compe!lUvc fcaslIng of the elite. Lamb menlloned leJst
mg am(ms: th(' commoners, or "klllfol k ,.. aSSOClale d w,t h J ,1('CS[(l' vcne ••ltIon
mN
and life cycle c:clcbrallcms, Many of . thew f('asls occurrl'",., 111 fIl' 1J tlnCIIOIl w,th .nt
Uill"CIlVlUes iJUch" dannnl1 wuh alllrn,,1 h,'.ddn'"cs, " 11 ) o JI n'((IIW,
, , , .lllllllal "I(,
'
"flet rilrvrng n w. and dl~plJys of Idt"olo!:" J II Y' hafl-:'" f 'rum
IdolA,. . .. W I,I I,1, !11UI\. Plgu", I) I Map uf

•u
 rTIJAl FEA STI NG ANO VILLAGE FESTIVALS M TH
R [ (Ut N SITE ( l
i\J.u CI1Ji l"or rel.lI C5 o f ICJ$lJl1,g Infe1'l'cd fro m the Ccren da ta SA •
, Indude
the c \peu cJ c<1lcgo n e, as proposed by Ilayden ( 19<>5. 1998 Cha 1l1. ny r
. ' ptcr 2) In I 0 'dence suggests that It rook two c<nrun_ ~ _ ,
( I ) ~I ~rcc:i a ll zed p e rmJllcllt fJ CIIIl Y. kn own J S S(ru cru re 10, th at C lIcllfll) an d eVI ... s: ~IO~ th
. Was used ~ 0 I resettled the valley (Sheets 1983:>87 1' B"-d e soil ~""U.d
slOr. !!e. food p...,,,,,..m o n during feasrs. and as a s to rage ho us fc Or fOod peop e . - on SUI'Vt'y d
. aro und the exre n o e of r "tu aI par, ImOW that by the sIXth century people had nu..,., d ~_ " 'Ia BI. ,
phemo". be t\veen eve nrs; (2) a cleared alea we ,....
I .. ~. _tt UOIck un the
r 0 th e b . .~ area waS emergmg as a complex stratified sooerv rh 0 Il>d
Interpreted .1S a gnthenng space (o r food consumptio n and ntu I Ulldlng uo e . .' "" lutt>rdu
a perfo r ent sy stem " complete With OCcupational speo- I.- nl""l"
(j) an arafact assemblage InciJcanve of large·scale food preparat ' 1l1. ntes' m ""-'ts conrroUrn ob.
Ion and I es ar San ABdres, the prunary regIOnal center (Sb g Id!an IJldu,;
and \~ ) nrual " ems tha r included a deer·skull headdress with otb I'k Storage tn . ee.ts I Q8): 2.QOl It
er1e ly , chi s reoccuparion that the agncultural ,village of Cere' n Was Co unded ' "'~ dllITn.
nents of J cerem orual da nce cosrume . C01l1po.
Attempting ro reconstru ct populaoon estimates r. rh .
In tlus chapter, my o ~ieCtJve IS to exarrune the a rch aeological . . Or e Ceren cornm
. SIgnature f rocul arly challe ng mg as most structUres remam bu d d urutv 1>
ual feasttng. First the archaeologIcal eVIde nce of fea s ting at Ce " 0 nt. pa ne un er 6 mel f
renIS exa . -~;c ash. Cur re ntl y. te n structures bave been excavated d tt, 0 '01.
and data suggesting th at o ne h o u sebold m ay have been linked 1l11ned with c e_" . . an an .ddJb~
rru crutes bave been Iden tified by test pits (Fig. 132). Data rh . . ~
.
presemed T hen I rum [Q e thnogra phic accou ms [Q begin to ge
,eastlOg
are s ~. tb go ered hOOl ...., d
enerrating radar sruwes suggest at at least elghtee.n m ". vun
. . ' . nera te pos 'b p . Ore structUres. \'t, 1>.,
expect.oons for the arcbaeologlca l recogru a on of n tual feaSting in Ma SI le erified in test excavao ons. m ay remam buned (Cony. to
\'t1J'1ge comm wuoes, Finally. buildtng o n the g rowing bod y of res h ya rUral v . ' rs 199) . B~d on tb.
data Sheets (pe rso n al commwucaoon. 1998) esumates rh rh
eare toto ' . . . ., • "'oent C
cestor veneration and the built en viro nment in th e Maya area ( an· community conSIsted o f at least 150 mciJVlduals, trrn
e .g ., MeAn
1995 ). I p ropose tbat w e may be able to recogruze r ural lineage c "- any Although estiroanog the size o f the populaoon probJ. 15
,easts IrOrn drs ,mane '" do
rtncr types of re mams in tbe archaeological record . . that Ceren reside n ts settled o n top of a very tIun. yet tltrem" _,
(: _ PIV\.lUcn ...
A few terms s ho uld be defined a t th e o u tse t. [n u sing th e term fl I Residents explOIted and grew numerous plant ""'ces mclu"--
easl , refer 10 -r - '.u. u~ m~t . bt"ans.
the communal consumptio n of food and drink in a COntext tha t diffi "- squash manioc. m aguey. cacao. and cbilt as well as a numL f -'- .
ers Lrorn thal , . u.::r 0 m~"'ICtn1l
of daily h o usehold food cons umption prac tices. By the te rm n'h I fi and / or eeremorual plams (Lenrz e t al 1996). Addtuonail, commlln
. ,la fasttng I , I mcru ~
mean tha t social ne twork in which communal food and alcoh o l COn . ' kept and tended ducks, raised domesticated dogs. and explotttd "11d fJWl.l ,J<h
, . ' " sump non co.
occurs Wl th a senes of reqwSlte nrual performances . Finall~ in u sing th as wbite·tailed deer, pecca ry, and freshwater ruttles (Brown. In pn-.,,;
' e term fes.
tll'al.. I re fe r to the period of time, usually seve ral d ays, w hich is set apart fo r Open
p ublic ceIebran o ns, mdudtng ntual fe as ung cere m o nial perfio rman Household 3
• ces, and Joys de Ca,e". El SaI..cIQr
other fo rms of enterramment.
Sir. !J- 00
THE CERtN SITE Sir.
0+ 10 mtqn
THE ENVIRONMENT ~

The C ere n SIte IS located in the Zapotitan VaUey of west·central HI Salvador

at an e levation of 450 meters (1,500 feet ) above sea level. The sIte is situated
511. 14
-
~""O o
Plaza
H O<Jse ~OId 1
1

along th~ western terrace of rhe RlO Sucio, the malO river of rhe valley.
Sir. 13 Sir 6

Today th e ZapotJtan Valley. an inrermontane basin that covers an area of ap'

pro.uma teIy 18 2 square kiJometers, is extremely fertile and productIve agncul.
Household 2 C:::; 2 ,
Sir. 7
tural land But the ZapotJtitn Valley was not always an advantageo us Sir. 18 ,~

environment.
,0
Around A 0 . 260, the southern Maya penphery underwent a regIonal disaster Sir
I
when the masslv" e ruptIOn of Ihe llopango volcano, IJl central El Salvador,
Ip{wed ttphra ave r m illIOns of squafe krlometc f s (Hart and Steen .Mclnryre
19831 AJ a resull of IhIS erupt/on , th t· Z.pO[[la n V.lll"y was vlrrually depopul~lcd

170
 I Ut,/" t 11"", 'I

I XlAVAIION\ Al Till C l IHN ~ lIl

-...-- -- - -".
\ mN~
1
1 ,1\ \ \ '11 ~IH ' (' I S 11"lIh IIMI jl\\T"' l f.:~IIIII ) 1,.1\ '111 111,'1 rl'l l .l l r1 ,. ' t·fl hl'~I,. 11 IIl Vl'''' , r--
I If'Il ' .11 "it> . Ill ' .. " h " ,·rH. W 11 h " " h llll " h l' l W C'('11 I \.,I~n I () r lJKlI dUI j 1lJ..: ,I U' 111" I
g.1
,, .I
,Ih: J :I \ .1/",,1,11 11\"11 \\'. 11 (.\IIt' t", I UV1, l l " \ ( \1\'1 1111 111 .\ 1(':\I1111 l' d / ill lJH~ ,Ill I"
g 11 III
I
"'!lII\\
.
IIlL' l (,, 11:"\ POIIII)Il' lit tUlI! 1I1111 , t' lI u lll , I II \ IC' I I\ ,Ind
1\11),.
, 1 ~\O\' I , II(' d t''' 1I 11 , \, hearlh
n . HU,II
.11('.1'. Ihl'\ t ' IC' I( "lI hlllllll \ 11 11\ rUle'". ,I t ' ''H- 1lIlIldhlg. ,I "llddl'n , .lIh l v .n iu u \ Ilg n
-- _.-_ . ".
,1111111 111 ,lIl",I' \H It ' t" , ,IV,I I I'd

l)f Il u' h rllPI(' l ulh l , I\lS l t".' """ .' \,,114'1.1 I louwhold I 1.\ tlw hl'~ 1 k"
1(1 d ,l l t", West Room _. ...I
(lk .lUdl v C,,,h" 11 .\ lIl lIl hll l \ . ,l/ld n uk(·t, 111 p ll 'S ' ). It tOIl "*,-, o f 111 1(.'e.' '\(" 1 "
' q\V n
,11 t' -- --- ,
bu (l dtl lJ.:' .1 klld lt' lI (Sll lIt'lII It' 11) ••1 \ I,)ft.' t own (.$111lr lll l(-' 6 ),.1 dClI111f1 1c,. (SlllI " f
East Room
IU l l ' d ,I ' w\'l l ,1\ ,I n)\'~' l l'd O P C' II wOIk d l l ', 1 (S l ll l l' III I'" I) , d c,lIt'd t' ~ I I .IIl'UI 'II .l r
11 \ 11\ .11\' ,1\ . lI ll lllld t i ll' i.lI lJ1 pnu lld, ,HI d '\~ l lnlhll r.l 1 I. on('"

S IJ' lIl ll lh 10 1\ '(h,IIt.' d IIIlIl H't.lliIH: ly Il nus(.'i1lt ld, ' I'h l ~ 1n-lIll11
lU Ih t" (,','S I u t
l1 g
\\,1' c"\\,I\ .l ltd dl l lln~ I he.: 11,)(,)). .lll d IVU, ( :t.' 1' 11 '1 t.' ld \t.',I\I1I'1\ u n dt.,t I h (..' 'lIPt.' 1 \.' 1\1(111 \, East Corridor
\,I \ " d, (' ,I (:t'I .\ 1h, ( 1I,)l,}J: , 11,)\,,1. ), 'I'tw le.lIu w lIlA ~c:, l ion on SI I unu r e 10, l'Xn ' pI ..•• ,
•
pl"('.,~)
•
,dU'l"t n d lt.' I WI '" 11 00 c.'\J. 1\ ,I ttllld"o\{' d \!t' l"M\lI1 u f Brown ,lnt.! Gc rstl (, (In •
• •• •
Low EaSlern Wall
, 11 1\ f I Wtl ph "l1l1I1 J ' ) rt.' P' 1,.1, l ( ; t' r 'lIt- It)\)l , I v~ n, . fallen walls.
.I ,~ .. ' - '
;,',.' ., . ' . '.',. .' .. \ "
, ' .' .
~

. .. .
~
~
, ~,
. ,
STRUCTURE 10 ..,·.' ' . .:;,.-;'.
::.

,
•• • • '4' ;
' , . . . - '.

..-
\

'11(> ~lh h\H'nlu~ I(111 Ih,\! S IIU \: IUI't.' 10 W,I\o, lI sed 1' ~.1 ht.'nth.J u.lI
- "t. "~
t.' \ld r ll ll .\ lIAAc." ( (" \.,"
It' j, hll till" pIIIJU(IItH1 o f n HIlI1HlIlII )' h· 'll\' .d ~ Ih ~lI included dlll.)1 fc.lstlng. Struc
.... ,/ o S\tucture Wills /columns
1\1 It· '0 ,.\ " Ih."lhl'd r(lul w,ulIl' ,lnd d,,"b budd ing Ih,,, W,lS n rienled : lurc 10 III c.c'ft: n, 1 ~ 1 S.,\\'auOl'
Ph," vi e w cl I· S",tt.
•
~lpl'h)\, lIn,lId ' 2\ dl'~ ren l"ISI of nonh ( Pig q ,i ), T h(: S llr~ rs lrU C tlll'(' WJS (on
'11 LU It d un .1 \ quJn" etl )' ptllfllnn 1 7 11\(" 1(' I'S Oil ,1 \iut ,.Ild 1"1I1 s two ron m s, an C.l ~l
l

, · crvll1g vc"cb. Jm] ,"veral p.'u)leJ f,llurd., l\ .ub, n nJ

(11 !1n l \ nlOI11 .,nd ., w e ,( lh," k) room. Thc only ,'nl\ IlIll'CW., y il1l o Ihe bUild ing 10 large stor .lg..: J'u~, s ~ -
" ", rh m u!!h .1 """,kn pol~ don. Ih.u r,,,','d W," I lowa.d Ihe 1I01lsehuld , COl11 dbcr' I~Q1. Bc.IlIJry ut bt'\l ,Q<l1\ .
p"u lld linl,k,' ' \lhe. blld"lIIg' "X(JI'Jl cd J I Ihe 'lIe w"lI,'d corndors wrrl' l.un g . Il, . ,,1'I.Hltlllhe,' tt' non' JlI "I th <I" m<krdt
A halfhrlght WJ lltn . ,. .. 11, ltl
t' r,(Trt.·J t1uhldr ,lIld ,llnn~ I he.' nonh .lnu ('.lSI \ldl'!'j of d1t~ SUp(' r~lt UClUn,- and l he e fllod
Ihm g , n .. t'p," )'
,lilt' •\, ..
<, , (Ft,'
« 1 1 ~ ) . 1 h, I"" " rr iI
•b u t t ~ ht r I t
'(lrI1Ju l\ 'H' I" C.' O\' ' red wlth .t thJIl-h ronf r.,·1nr('ovl' r. Slru ctun.· 10 does n o t rol .
lood ili.prnslIlg Jtt' ,. ,Ill< I It\" 'Iv
< IUIl(l1\1l1nl c" .1 1'.1" \nn'U
• I1
luw rh" Jnmm,lIl1 jO Jegl"c e,ISI 01 north JI'gnment used ", domcstIC buddmgs fuuval pU110p.llllS ~.'Ih, rt·d OUI",k t'l 11", hUII,!. n· '~ 1 h
wl Ih, \lIt' .'
tauon ,s suppor t r J bv Ihl' oh"',v,lI"'" Ih.lllh,· ' ,,',1n, I hI t
h
S\rur lu n' ' 0 W.IS J,vldcd ""0 ,cwr ,.1 luncuon,tlly d"IIII(1 aClIvlly .. rcos. Tlw SlruClu~ 10 W.lS highly <'\"np,III,·,I. \I .IlI'·"I',I .ln ' 1111 1
IIor Ih C le n", COl ndor Wd' utilized fill lood prep'" ,1I\(m , I; II1JICllICd by the pres of high fOOl trut1ir \SlIlInlll\\' ,IlllI \ .t 11 ,. II1 hI " I" \\ \,\.1111 11 \
I ll ' r III IWo h,'a, "IS. ,. »! t lll/( Jnd '"'1110 (g ... Ildll1g .111.1 hand ,wnc), bone "lid auvely ·
free of Jrtil,llls ,11\,I l' I,11\1 . \l~"
' , . 111\' •• ,\\ 1111\ U\t~ln ,
1II11l'! frl rn flU'lc" ""Ih ,'ml"Y <"m 01 ,orn d"l.lf<tcd JlIst IILlI".!,' till' cntr,lI1ct . ular\y s'Wepl cleJn. 1'1.... 'UIIMhh. Ih" ,1, ,11 ,\ lu I l ' I • "
Wil}~ 1001.1 , ('f \ IIlg \'l" ',('I~ , ,111<.1 .111umlll'r uf l,lrAC.: (()(')km~ .H)d SltJlllgl' vl.'sSI..' Is. ont' participants gatht·n·t1 tor ,,'\,'nll"",' I I I• ·h. ",,\11' Ih tin \ I 1
of" hIt h ...." Illund ,,',IIll!; on ""C III th,· Iw,lr( h, Moving m Ide SlrUt'1 UI 10. 1111 a 1 I "'11\ 1 I t.: f
nu:: fa f Cn ll1 d'JI \\ ••, Uldl.lr J P'Hll.trtly tm n " .lllllr Vl' SSl'I Slor.lgc TIle.' soulh mUll and the kmd. 01 JmIJ' I' pn '\'11\ It"
m portltlt} (,I III I "",dill ,,'1I1dll\, Illlt' I'JVJI,·d und .... ,,'W, ,.1 'dll,'" w"lb. h(Jw in, With th t rn 1.1, ul Ih ..11 ...11
r,1 ex IIv.. rl d 'lIuliu 111 portuUl Wd p.u k"d Wllh.u It',ht St' Vl'lHc.' l' ll medIUm painted red and thrlu 11I1\\st\It'\1I n \1\ 11\ 1'\

'71 7
 L FEAST I NG AND VillAGE HSTIVA.lS AT THt CU.h. srn l1.~"
.,TU' . •
._
•
, ther not able panems m, me arofact >""mbl.~ h db.,
w
" re 0(ture 10 con tamed rclaavely few ser"mg v,,~ Is. "'ch~'" -~"1
~ere. 5U'"essels an d (WO pam[ed gourds. a number le .. th..,: me the
serVing veS at t h e SHe (Bea u dry-Corben '993' lns,.ad of .•,",1n1( ~ Is. "
Ucrur
stf ",cd w-~ e tughes[ number of large UWIt.n.n loo.! storaS"
0 COO ca ( ava ted to da te (8eaudry-Corbeu lQ<J2, lQo.)l
' uilding e.x ..
ceren b
RE 10 AND DEER CERE M ONI ALISM
STRUCTU c sang • feso vals a[ Ceren may have InVolved the
cl'do n co lea .h."l'I.~ f ".-It.
[n ad I arafaetS. The presence of the deer headdress in 'lou~e SU~, loll
D d deer . d th
ra e blte-tau
_: 1e d deer stag w as assoaate W1 cett"moru.J.l .lct1.''ltle. ,l( _1.'-"
che Wd me hea ddress may have been part of a dance COStume 11.> • .1 t" "
,0 an PoW (19 8' ) argued tha[ the wbue·talled deersug,. ... r mloellll'r
"als Mary d ry who played a sigruficant role tn ntual p<oIic;ill}. Pultl ,
I rnb ..n el ".
Co ., d deer was assooated "" th tbe ouh ceremon) th" ImI ed .ommu
h u",rute·ta"e
"
Figure 13 -4 Arast's ~construcoon of Structure 10 (roof over wail ed cOrridors not de- t e leaders W1 th agnculcural fe rnliry. the sun ram. «on mIc p , n the
plcred), Modmcd from an illustrao o n by Karen KieVH rul)' · natItre 0 f run
" e . death . renewal. and rebtrth.
cyclIC

LJNKA GE S BETWEEN HOUSEHOLD 1

room was used for the srorage of ceremonial and unique artifacts. Ritual items D FEASTING AT STRUCTURE 10
mcluded a deer-skull headdress. which was painted red. m association With other AN f'~
One 0 we questlons posed m tlus vo lume see Cl", . .~. ~rt~t·
components of a possible dance cosrume- including a matched set of bone Chapter 2 ) conc erns how archaeolog's.ts rrugh t Id~nnh hou, <h" thal re rular!
beads. bone ornaments. and deer scapulae . The headdress- formed from the cra. sponsore d e,ea sts from remams found 1Il the a"h.le< 1 "..J I'('roro t
mum mmus the manwble of an adult white-tailed deer stag (Odocoileus virgin i- archaeo IoglcaI eVIdence suggests th~t H o usehokll , , m ,1 .1 m
Q"us). was in srorage on a high shelf It was recovered with bits of twine still of consumable goods for public feasnng al : C I,rut'e I
wrapped around the antler bases. Presumably the twine was used ro secure the ss' Beaudry·Corben. Immon>. anJ Tuc ,., 1 , B
headdress on the wearer pre . Th,s relatlonsh,p IS uUel,e
press). . J n-om
' nurn u' l.m (\

A large jar with an appliqued C3.lIl1an head effigy and another large jar COntam. which are revIewed below
mg squash seeds were recovered ,n SlIu on the east room floor The caiman effigy
Physical Proximity and BUilding Mo(J/nwl/ n'
jar was fu!J of achiote seeds. used by vanous contemporary Maya as food color.
EVIdence linking Hou chuld I ,,"h ~rr u, mrr I Imp'
and by the Lacandon Maya to produce a red paint symboliC of human blood (Coe
ity (Beaudry.Corben. S,","'0'\> . ~t\J Ill. , r U'
'994. McGee 1990; Tozzer 1907). Adwcionally. twenry ears of corn were stored in
StructUre enITanceWdYS. wllh Inf rreJ f, t IT ffi
an elevated COntext m this room. Apparently, the corn was stored shucked as no •

remnant of husks remamed. bos 1993). 10 IS IU(JI d "1\1\ , m t

only access into tru(\ul't' l l ' l Ihl\lUgh d

In COntrast with the special·use items srored m the east room. the west room
rectly loward HOll h,)IJ I I, an" h It th III n<
was used for the srorage of uttlttarian vessels. including a large lar full of beans.
room face ea. I I<Iward ,'ttu, tu I Re
The panern of the storage of ceremonIal artifacts m the east room is consislent
PICSS). This IS not.hte bc".u 11 (Ih r
WIth practices of contemporary Maya In Zmacantin who place household altars
and aSSOCIated ceremOnIal paraphernalIa along the east wall of their homes. the
open 10 tit north (u,'
wall IlJward the direction of the nsmg sun (Vogl (976). tit no I

374
 - - I md. , ,I /1,,111'"
- -- UAL FEA S l
iN G AND V ILL AGE FHTIVAlS o\'llHE CERI:N SIH. II •
• .. ... lh.OO.

G'OUlldIlOll,' - "" ---

l"{Te~l1n g lhal It w as [he m .un "W ai t. u~d d.ul h... h h
OlltV OIl( m"Iu" \\' 11' u ',pv"/4,:d IIl.1ild" II I A SII1 u lc
$Utll.:llll C 10 , se·wear Sl cc . y U1 l 15 OUSe
. f"l U! r ltl l c' h ' hr:lvY ll · 199 2b ). Th e o ther lo ur compl ete ntt la tt,s exh b t d
't.TII1\ \It/hewn , for Ihr ,III"H1I111I 01 ~nnd ll11{ 11(.' ( t.':\.'i,lr y fo r th e ~c.llf..' fit ~ .HdJ)' (Sheets 1990 . J I C ftl 1nlnu1
O(>d 111'(' P;I l10 ld . o f shon· tcrm or pcnodlc us~ , a mate.nOlI ~XPtC\.)uo r
I ,ll/till ,,, IlIk 'lt'd Inlll l d1(" .. 1.1 1- of dw I,HAl' 1"01 1('_1,111114 o n tlw Il C <lrh I , oaeSlI vC n IOr !t\ttDl'J
r
Wti.l , SUbO • Il y for feas[~ Intere stin g ly, not all m C'talCJ had m;}t ch
(flllI l .I'i I, .1 100.d 0 1 h.v(.· cum I'll-It." ",rl (l/ t'.\ ,In d Il•vt' n ll ,lfed "H'Itlf C 11'" Y ' t.:.lllh I" C3 Sl o na mg rtl.1J\OS
, g ll1 CI'\ l \ used oC ' " s onl y lhree mauos were found (Shec:LS 1991.h ,
Inm'l' /l' d fro lll " ulI 'irhuIJ I (PiK I J I)). Puur "' t·I (lf(.~ w e n : 111 us' ' were (h.,n
d sto nes), a
, , C p OS H I ,
1I 1UlII Hn l {Ill (Cl l kc.'d ' Il l k'i rH u n 'he.' k,te" c..'1I flu o r , w h l' rt·,I" o nc Vi" " {JI1\
, ... I tcrnp am . s and Blood Residue Analysis
Ij I U f .lg' · 1l·" III1~.1 r ill I 01 (orkt'd sl lcks ,h ,1I prl's UI11 ~lbly 11 wC)u ld ht. m (}r,l ry I Rern
C)uIll ed Fauna nndln g. H o useho ld , appears to have betn the 10c.Mn of
" un"I' lI W (il",Il" I,y .111<1 T u(ke r ,gHq. Mu blcy T,II1"k" '990). Th,. b 0,\ Jdluon [0 g . mU\
nUm er f In • ,'"g Altho ugh a sam ple of obs,ruan blades from all Site comn,.... ..sted
l (l l Ilplt: It" "'l'''lll'.\' 111 lI se Cl r te mporary slUr,lgc .11 I lOll se-hold I "'l,on {J
" ""CSIs ,,,. proccSS '"
r JIUC resl 'dues thus fa r o nly toO Is fr om Household 1 mruc.t< the p""enc. r
Wf l l1l rll W C: I(: g l1t1 dmg m o r c m .lIz!.; rh,11I wo uld be n<..· CC~S.l ry fUl hou s 'h I ,11 I .. ()

, , . . 1;; oU COIl. for. 0 JIg prorcU1 i\vo obsidtan blades 'n H ousehold I from the knchen .nd . It> ~
-' "l11ptl UI1 . aiO lll' 11 I." ( W1 t:t.' IVJbl e Ih .lt .1 .\UI' p JU \ o f Ol.lIZC cou ld h.1\1(' b
" een pro. "n'TO , ely tes ted pOSlllve to arnodactyla (deer Or peccary\ .n_rum ~
dt/n·d lell hOU:O;l:huJd hit' cydt.: r cld'll' illl OI1 S I I()wcvc: r, tlu~ eVidence of I . of11 respe.ctIV, . . Uy
~ 3IgC-$cJ lt rO I ropho resis w he reas twO blad es dtscarded oUt>.de of HOU>chold ,
fnnd I'H"''I~If .ItIUllln S l r u ClUl (" 10 wo uld s lIggC,q th ut lh e H o useho ld I co ' Hnunoe ecr . . . .
. ",pound ,n red pOSIOVC ' to Call1dae (do m esti cated dog. fox, coYOt. wolf (Wman '''''I
w.l'" Ll st'll [(If 'tl bnr IIl1 l!nSlve foou ~ nndll1g J SSOClOlcd wllh pubhc feasts .
.es encc . f deer and d og fa unal re m ams recovered from . to .....•• and.h>anl
Th" 1I1" ''!''"'J''''" Is lunh," ' "ppo ll ed by lI Sc-w ca ,· ana lyses 0 I
. . ny Onc
The re:s
P
0 f:"
h s household w Ollld suggest rhat rhe e were the <peo . btm,
",rl, lI f. IU(,lI eJ 1111 Ihe n ODI' 01 'h,' kll ch"n (SlrU(fllr. " ) showed ev,d conrexts at t 1 _
• enct of rOCl..'sse d her
e (Brown m press). A du ck w as re covered '''Sflll. tied '0. pole ,,;ill 'n.
P f [he Household, storeroom , o nce agam a dev,atlon from olher Ccri:n ,on.
sideD
' the only household to have a I,ve animal tethered mSlde It houlJ be.-
texts as [h IS 15
Str. 5 d that currcmly onl y [cn Stru cture; have been full) O\,a\-ateJ It th
k,p' '" mm
mN site ; thus t h e sample sIz e IS qU'te smJII Howeve r, gl\'cn the ""I.bl< J.LJ, rh" I
Str. 1 of nil'", meat pn". '''loo m
lern sugges~ that tius househo ld W,IS .he 10'''-'
H
.
o 5m
pare d ' h
WIl 0
ther households exc,lV.\tcJ
.
rhu s .
lar It"
~
(on<c[\.blr rh.\! H('IU, h Id,
.... mcm bers proc essed
_. m~at
( f01 i..: JMmg Jc tlVlUes J t S{T\t(cure 10
HOUSEHOLD 1
.... ....
... Str.6 Frequency and Type of Ceramic Vessels •
.- ..
' ..-\ .-,l
, . .: "'J
Str. 10 .... ....
The (craml( Jssembl.l~c further support, Ihe Ull"rptct .tllll1 ul •
.... fWl'en Household I nu'mbl.'rs aoJ t': .\!\tll''1 l
.It Structun' 1 H U'l.h ,It luJ

_5tr. 12 - ....
large Jars wllhoUI h,II1\II,', .h,ln ,1"llIlhe. l elen h"u,"!" ,M
as related to a housl'hl1lJ\ lll'l'J fur lilllb t,' rm I.I\,,! 'W[,'£
press). Furthermore. IloUSl'hlll,\ , h"d ",,,, , IIl1hun,U1 \' ." I,
Str. 11 nthC'r households SUAA"' stll1)! J ~n· .ltf· r lll' l' \,l h'f t ",.J, m
h'gher volume of <'on,un",hl,' !:"",ls 11I' ,IU,ln \ "
.. matate Corben (/0 pressl arg\leJ thJI II"u"·h,,I.I, " ' rl\
age, as well as (or lranskl'llng ,\!I,lu .,n '11"1111 hr
t:!l e.r'hen floortCOlIlPlld Will
goods than othrr IUIIISt·h"!.\,, "'IlIJ 1'\,\1. I H' I

- ..
Cfromlc Compositlonol Analy
IH Ifuu <hold I . ~ rrlJtlure 11, . ",lSlru"u,,' Il how InK PO\!fHIII .. III rwnplt' ll' In addition \(llh .111011111 ,,,I t III
"'" k n
pollUonal \Illtt'" ' hili h r

17.
 l FEA STIN G AN O VIL LAG E FESTlVI<lS AT TH£ CERE ... ~
~In
rUn: 10. 8e.1udryCorberr ( 10 press) Idenn6ed two 'mpo rred red
Ceren .,ssembl~16'"e: One ongmJtcd
. from Wllhln the ZapOQt3n Vall wares 1.11 the
- RITUA £ htvA.OO-.

. the other was produced

m ;'n n CJVlc·ceremoni.ll center, San Andres, ey. clclose to the
'tie of Ch.lchu.pa, .pproxm,ately 40 lulometers from Ceren N base to the
nc\rud red WCJre Idenofied ar Cer~n (Q dare was found exclus' , at.I Iy .ij I""
I' .... IVe Y In
Household I or the nvo ceremonial bUJldtngs. Structures IQ and 12. J e ltne r
. .. . ntereStl I
although the ceramICS ongmJtmg from Cha1chuapa consisted of both u '. "g y,
J= Jnd fuod sen;ng vessels, red wares produced within the Zapo ' ,tiLt. n,"
. the CJV1c·ceremoruaJ
do. e to the Site San Andres. . . I ' Vajl ey
core, Consisted e"tItan
pohchrome rood'se.n~ng \'e.sse1s (Beaudry-Corbett, in press). •..c US1Ve! Yof

SUMMARY

Based on the archaeological evidence, a number of inferences concenun

.crucrure of fesovals Jt Ceren can be proposed Ceren fesovals mdud d g the I
, . , e ntu,l I
le-"Stmg m the context of deer ceremoruahsm. The lirmted space insIde Str
. . UCture
10, III addJOon to the we11-trodden and we11-mamtamed exrerior ground s.. ..r

rugge.st thar fesovals were public evenrs and food consumption occurred In""-I13ce '
oUldoor areas open
The Household I compound may have been used penodica11y for food pre
raoon pnor to and dunng feasts ar Strucrure to,
pa·
The resrnered distribution of ob,
.. ruan blades resong pOSitive to arumal blood residue suggests that meat was
proces cd here. Addioonally, the number of functional metaces recovered In
Household I suggests that this household was the locus of mOre food gnndmg
Ihan \\ould be necessary solely for household consumpoon. Women living In

Figure '.' • Women', ""rk group u. tng hou'

Housdlold I Ilkel)' assISted WIth labor-mrensl\'e grinclmg for feasts prepared at
Q

Strucrure 10 Howe"er, the presence of WOrn mtlales, WIthoUt matclung m"HoS, --'- (0)'...
1 nel.l1J\ D 10 'lnIP~) 0I11n Gu.tmu
.... ha bUlI.!Jn.·
~_ls that some women U\'ing m other households brought thm OWl) /nIlHOS

la this compound to assist m gnnrung (Sheets [997 personal communJcaoon),

In U e COnle, b. ~encralh
l'ounJ und un th r
Thu • respon Ibility for food preparation for feasrs seems to ha\'e IOvolved 3 small
Ihr ku(hen Wh,le., le" ",m',n lend I I
glOUp of "-omen Ji\'ing 10 and beyond the ImmedIate household
maJonl), of th< "omen ,lIn n"us
nu, !I~ pr~parallon
It In "
of hou chold pace for the of mual feasts .ssoooted
aCUvltle su..-h ~ nnJm (.\fl\ or pr
WIth nearby ctrelllomal buildings has para litis among the conremporaC)' Maya
pnor [0 .1 1'",(1\ I anJ h'r th lul' tI
In the Guatemalan vtllage of Santiago Aluljn, cofrudia mt'mb~rs stage festivals
pounJ IS rteJ Inll)
l"t)J\\ mll'ubh \\ "
t fj a ling The (ofradw bUIldIng. a speCIalized (eremonl.1 structure
needrd tu pw,lu,l" 10 [ lat d
thJt [h~ Corpor~[dy own~d acr. of the sudalll)' and serves JS the Slt~ bUI\Jing It IS cun, ~hl [h t Ih
aJway located within [he dC1m~ lie household, ompound of Ihe funmonrd In Imll r \ Ul Ih
In trullc nd (elT1:ll cofradw m"mbrr Proor 111 a t"suval, J 'mJII al Iru IU I
om n g.;Ilhrr ~I [h h<lu hllld ul [hI' Iugh,' t rJnkln~ me III Rrrurrun& Il I 1\
pr p food (or (11 116) ,\1(I,1I1j u .. I prn Idb mpt m
r mov d frum t Jr g 10 <llI"n w~ h d, nt! dllll rl "I'

7.
 I .m/,," /11,111 '"

., un lU (' 10 . ( .'01 11 . hl'.II', • .)nU !H·1LI 'hh .Il sl) I .

" . ,.. .. Ip't'l I 111 ,1 I • It: In [0 extra v1l1agc SOCI<11 relall
,111 \ I ' qll ," I \C; II J . ,h Ihly Wt'l't' nlnslIl1lcd U III I UI1U h ad g reater access
' \( ' I1 dH.' Sil l' ,Ill P" • , Y h I( I,) , ~ u"als • oru, appa r~nll '
III donw "'h u llla ' . m O l l' Unl qUl' fClUclllcn1 S " "'lidl cs 1 availa ble [0 all community members (Beaudry.C b ) J IOciAll\t'l
IIU I1 'n 'hnt' l' \'t' t V"I11)' pro \' I "' loll s. s pml , .11
J
Pll'S'
' t ill I work nO Or t'tt . Ul prc:
I . ' numhel 01 .R hl ote sct:' ~. wh l( h I' b . "
I t I ' f Jo~ ,lIld .1 iU ~' 10 ;lhly d
( III ill~ (: r l • ' , . I ~ "J\, JI ,lrly Cnlo nl .11 .1ccu unl s n Ot e th.1l ml' (] AL FEASTING IN THE MAYA AREA' ETHNQ
"1"l' \(' 11I spt.'tlltl tOII\ 11 rl , ' '" , ,11 f Ort) RUR RCES AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL IN;ERENC GRAPHIC
, t' conl e", ' 01 r ublt r r1l1l.1 C::\slI n g Cc g , tit I) SOU . ES
J
J) W I' rnll\lHlH' 111 I ) , clh ' · (onc sources n Ote lhat at the time of COntact M I
111011 _ . ' ) rh ' (Hlml! ("vldt.' I'lC C: (r'om I he I lo usc ho lcl I CO lllPOlln I • (Jr, h
Brhft IS
O , aya me.~g~ rn
1!J1'l~ rO U t" 1t.J.jI , t, , II d ' I t SUL1 nt hneage houses or small temples (Pox and Co k ·"''>'''td
' " ,Il err!'n likely 10 ow e ,I Slll1 l <1 1" pJ IlCrn tI m ne
g ,-' \I\ ,h . 1I mc',H r OIl,!il1C11rllrJI Per • . . h 0 (996 ). A1tbou'''\tn
ses nO longer eXist m t e Maya area. there lS 'd &' •
" 'r cs 1'01' conking ,1I1cl servin g vesse ls make Il p . h
age OU e\f1 ence. that S\l
PSllllhlll'd \'csst' I ( ",MU I r)sSlbl he modern Maya fi esta system (spectfically co "-ad , ~
. , of fi.' o,,,,I!! .11 Slfll(lUrC 10 . An CXlt'c;:m c ly J<lrgc C k c that t . ' I . " IQJl. a "''ncrensn
Iu .II'PIP)'lnt.lU· I Ile \IZC; • _. 0 0 lllll r / May. instJUluon ,"vD ved In the production of vilI " (
. I 6 l.y n : w;., l'C'cuvclcd Itl Sltll, Ic.s lln g directl y 0 b h
Cat 0 le . age ...ovals ",dud.
POI wHh ,I ,- .lp.l(lI) (.I 5 ,·1 n One of . ual feasung. subsumed some of their functi ons (Cook 8 )
dw $lrU{lUre 10 1 I eJ rth<
.
(l1r tUd!)'· ol'bell 1993). Currentl y. vesse l c'pael[
• , . _ ICS of
109 nt , . 19 I An eumlru._
f the matenal correlates assoaated W1tb comemp ,
. h .J of .111 cII, n reranll c indIvidual .se rving vesselsave
h non 0 , . orary ",\oy. ~n,_
JPprO~IT1l .IIC: I)' 0/1(: I 11 . Is might elUCIdate feaUlres potennaBy useful for the arch I .~<
11,'(: 11 dll .(.'(.( I)' lIleJ~
. uI'e"'" ($t")'
. BM"er. ".rsonal communlca lion. 1998), al lQw. f,,[lva . ato o&,e.ltdennfj.
.on of rural feastmg spaces.
II'lg fur preltmll1JI)' Illkrc.mc:t"~ of the m::tXlmum number of In~ivj,duals thiS POI cao
. . A',unlln.' IhJt Ihey wer~ complercly filled , Ceren ind,vidual cc .
LUU '" M r V l : " . I;' SPECIALIZED FEASTING SPACES
I anw " ,,·rvlng v""ds coul" hold .1 me,n of 885 cc. or approximately 3·5 cups of
In general. twO types of physical spaces were noted by ethnographtrs tho~
f""J Thus. ,Ir ",",unum c.,pacIIY. the large cooking POI could have served up marked by permanent dedicated ceremomal buildmgs. and 0pen'illr fUStln R
lu ~'I IIld,,',duJI erl'lngs o. approXImately one half the 150 Indtviduals rhal spaces usually m association with permanent strue",",s. '
Sheet> (personal communication, 1998) estimales may have lived in the Village,
\n()lher >lmil." cAlremely large cooklllg vessel was recovered beside the Permanent Dedicated Ceremonial Buildings
hl'unh In Ihe kll,hen of Ilousehold I and if it were used Simultaneously il
Ethnographic references frequently stated that rural cecemorua! fJOltn.. "ere
wuuld la"" Ihe number Ihal could be served to 128 indiVIduals. Although pre.
constructed sirrularly to domestic buudtngs. Thompson nOled of C.h"h . b u
hmlt1Jr). csumale. of Cere" lestlnl crowd size based on maximum capacities
villages that "specialized temple buildtngs seem to be absent ""'lead. "" amon '
of cooking ve,sels. rhen. would suggest that some feasts at Structure 10 were the Lacandon, a hut of normal residennal type . although perhar' a hnle la .;n.
open to Ih~ entln.' communlly. serves the religIOUS needs of the vtUage " (1970:76\ llke\\'1St . am ng the 'pI, M
rN't' 01 Ceren were frequent enough for hosts to consrruct, and continuously and Xyanl Maya of Qwntan. Roo. h.truck (1933) noted that «rem mal hn,
mJUtt.lIn. a spectaltzed bUilding solely dedIcated to feasting activIty and the stor- were constructed of slmu.r matenal and sIZe a the fanuh hUI
01:' of ntual paraphernalia The aSSOCIJtion of two permanent buudtng types, nI- The Lacandon Maya (MeGee 1990) h.l\( a aerect hut that" ,ha",J b\ . ' re
u~l archll,clure Ut close prOXImIty to a residenual eompoWld. suggests that the lated families. Interestingly. these Stntcruces are J 'soo.\ld \\lIh .:. ,"'P..II\\
rclatlomhip between Household I members WIth activltles at Strucrure la was in. ered cook huts: "The sacred hut hos Its 0"" fire and It> 0' 1\ uWbil, "I\kh a
,mutlonahzcd T1us mterprelanon IS funher supported by a series of building exclUSIvely used for Ihe celebranon of rchgk'''' ohs." non, 11, bnl ' an f. ;\
m()Jlfic~tlons 10 both Structure 10 and Household I suggesting some time-deplh mtO Ihe domestic hUI renders It unfit IU b" oilcreJ W Ih · !!,,J, 'n
lO <'''Irnet of these buildmgs. Ceremonial ktrchen hUls wen.' unltlcd by Ih" mu .•1 '1"'1''''1 "1~ ,,1\
In addmon lo Itnkmg Household I with feastmg at Structure ro, mlerprm· tam.les and fi)od oflenng In the,,' It'''''''''''' \
kt.·, •
{lOIU b."d on ceramic composiuonal analyses also lmk Household I members kitchens. arm.cts, Jnd [('Jfun's "" th"I" ·p.lr.u"", (Ot , 1 n \
wllh oclal networks beyond the ImmedIate commun,ty (Beaudry-Corbett. III the concepl of mUJI pUnty \·lhnll'I',,"1 .m.\ 111<'11\1'''''''
The rCJlncud distnbuuon of ,mported ceramIcs wIlhm the vdlage sug· Among the Chum MJ\., "I t;UJI·I1\.11.1 \\ ",10111 1;>4
III th
"
ts thar Howchold I members. Ut their role as producers of fltual feastlllg and presence of IWU tvpe u\ 'I' • IJIt ,11" 11I ••"l< III r.h lhl" , \I 11

JIO 11
 -- FEASTING AND VILLAGE fESlI\lAU AT THE. CE.RE.~ ~ T
••
-- -
~JflJAL. I I.. tL. h:''VAOOft

CI\'" of It-"I\.II.' l," C' IlH'nl.11 h,IUSl" .Inl! t"l'/lf1tlt"rt hou ,l'!'i Ilmh lh • . . , r performing lhe (er~mony E.JCh fJm,ly bnn~," add h I '
. <: eCI c"'1110 nlt!n l 10 I on~ ,ClOd wtuch bi
hu USl' .!lld tflt' C
'I'" .1,11" hUII'l' 'lIlln 101 I(.J .1:' ''11 01
.
Il~t· ,Hf .IS fCl r COrl)(} 'I
r.lI ... YOWl) •
111,11 I pay
'ooked by .
CT""
the women in me ccremoruaJ hous~ kitchen and ~t b
en y ~~~
w«,'1I .I:i tur Inod p",'p . lI.lIIUIl IInu dl:o;pen))m d
IlllMI p.II.lphl·III"h .•.• ,' c~ 1 • d upon which Jny ceremoOlal house SUs u consld-d
g lInng to 'rh e Ia-n .... '" ~ ~md "pot
lIlunJI k'hllll~cll·ll1nlll.IJ "(lUSt" WCT(' ('701111110n (;o~Hl1l'C.s of IlIral ~. I '" . disnOl! O
be used for any secular purpose The ccrt:monU.l ha
.
c
wtl1Ul~
' . • SCI( cn)e d It kept clear or vegetallon by communal aldell \abo .L
Wht'H' ,lS t'llfJ •• dltl hUII'(,' \\l' re.1 .'~orj. ll cd \\I lIh Iht, mOre popul.ncd l Owns, t"ll s art
ce aroun , .
.
r, "'-nc.rt the: Indl.
Sp,l re arc during ceremoOles (WiSdom t940 .416)
Cl'rt.'IHU III.I' h Oll.,C~. (O n ,\ 11UCl l'd .Ind m.lH"H.lincd by th e C:OnlnlUI1 II :Ins cong g
Illt' l11hl'f'!'i tlf fhe (Ul1'l llllll1l1 Y. Wt'I't' ~J IJ 10 bC'" t.:olTIll1l.1n;) lIy Owned by alla 'bo r 01 'I at [he larger coft·dia house the open eJttenor space ab "
. • I"n Cll1bers Mcanwhl e, 0 Was used tor
(If lht" till/m ( I Ill'," ~c lllt..' Il1 C IH . \,Vl suo m IU.IO:.lR I). These rlll":ll cercm) I ' ' ation and co nsumpnon'
fUrt' , WC''-' lh t, Iou for
'.
I' tu"I ('Jslmg .lnd
•
nles for
(l'"u.) Sln, c.
rammakll1g ngricult"l I r
, Ira 1(! I't d
I food prep.r
up or fifty women, appoLn[cd by the mayordotnos, are busy .ll the cotndu
It\", ,lI"ld D .1,V of Iht~ DCIlt! cdchrilllo l1s
i\ gro '-tl
rnak 109 Chl .. '" alot' coffee. and tortlUas m the large Ovens and Fi............
,,1-'
b,.... m .c L
Ule: COn•.
Mp.. , ()I the- I.II):CI "/l/rl1..\ hUV\.".1 cel"t'monhll hou~e. the conSLrUCtlon of which IS like , courry .rd Long benchhke t.bles
d,;, .
are covered wlth gourd bowls 6U<d Wlth ,c. UM:"

thoU of .10)' mhel hnu .. e. con~s"ng usu.llly of .1 sleeping house .lnd k.uche:-n The:- ror. 1 all [he Ind,.ns clnnk free of ch.rg<, (WISdom 1940 419-4;01
rill/ate, w h'ch
0lt'1 " .. "u.l lh 1h(' c~l-emoOl~, 1 hnust', while Ihe loiter IS ustd by the women ror .f...ad{a house) IS bUllt like any other house but 1t lS much b.rac:.r U1d b.as ~
Oll)klll~ f~)lhl Junn~ ("("l'"Clllonl(~S (\\ 'ISdOIll IQ.10:j8..J) It [the co)' , ""
.-rvard ' since on Important resnvais many hundreds of lndians congn:g'"
large COU"J
[ \11("( fh(' \.C"rt"I1UH1) I Lht' /nJJ.)n s then rC'rurn to Ihl' ceremolllal house, where feast. •
aro uod It- In the courrya.rd stands a day oven. used for hailing chllau Stt1.'t'd to lnJi.
1nl!. Jnnkrn~. d.IlJ J.mnng go on through lhe night A large group of WOmen pre- nnS on 'eso",,1
I1
days, (Wisdom 1940'385)

p.u"'(" t.1n1.llr.... (llll/lm.l1n: gruel). dlllntf, IOrnUJS, meJt:...~. Jnu coffee. using the sacred
\\ ,Itn for Ihh purpnst ( Wi~doln IQ.tO·4JS -4W ' SOCIA L GROUPS THAT SPONSOR FEASTS
The ArchaeologicalSignarure of Ltneage Spaces
C,~/r"'lid hou,e, \I ere located III morc populated settlements. In addition to servtng :~ this volume ' lt IS posstble to recognize the matenal coml,,'> of nI'!'
As seen U'
JS lht'locu, of fCsrtv,lls , the cajrd,lin hOllse wa the tcmpora.ry residence of the mny,
ous typeS of feasts from remallS m the archaeologrcal record MottO, t,_ th '.
,'r,/t"'t" (nJoyC reltgtous offiCtJ/) .tnd IllS family dunng hts year of sef\~ce in office,
househ0 Ids that regularly eng:rged en feasts are e.'1'ected to ha, ••n >r!\la<t ,
Tht' ,'ofrJdl.J I. fOWld only ,n tht' pucblos and IS used
tonne-cl/on with fesDvals. In sem bl age 'U1dicattve of dus role, Among the contemporary 'la 'a, runl h,'u"
The m.d\'t1Tlh'mtH In'f' In It dunng t..helr penod of sen'lce at [he c hurch and use It as a holds occupied by hneage heads (Hayden and Cannon 19, 'r" , U,
<tora~l' hou," lor the f.,u\,JI pJrJphernaliJ On f,,-,uval dJYs the Indians bnng thetr cofradia leaders. have more large fiesta pots and ,nt'lalt> tha~ ,)ther hO'Nb
(onrribuuun~ of mJlz('" ra th1.l, house Jnd the women gnnd If Jnd cook It into foods. reflecnng partiClpatton m Imeage or sodaht'l fea rs dunng ti"t., Tb,' ~u ' on
cspl'l".IaJl} duial( and tortillas. Whl.:h J~ often given graus ro those who arrend che arues as to whether tt would be posstble to tdennfy the "1'" 01 ,(I(U\' ur
fe't"..1 I"e hou,. " usuall) bUIlt at the edge of lhe pueblo. near some tmportant
' sponsored teast, ITom rem,un, Ioun,[ UI rh arclur,
eage versus so d ahty) that
trod \\hKh lead, to IMge outlying altlclL>. It is built like any other house but It IS teal record In the Maya area , tt may be po' ~blt' t(l tdcnn hn a\:
much lar/:" (\\"Jom 19.10.j85)
feasts when they occur m ,1 speCl.lltzed (onre,(. ,uch a,. hn '
by combmmg the expect,lOnns (If fe.lstmg ",th the nut 'nal
Open·Air Feasting Spaces Associated with Ceremonial Structures " ' . \.,,\ I ., \11 •In I~" 'h \ I\.l\\\
for demarcating S,ICr('u• Imea!," ,paL<
Although de>cnpuom of bUildmgs used for fcasnng were scant m the literature, of the ways m which hne,'gc grllUP' '!c'tn,.r,atcJ "I 'red "\,.", h d a
the use of outdoor 'pace ID associanon wtlh feastlOg was even less frequently re· rial component that ktt ,I dtslInct ,It dl.\l'"I,'g,,-'11 ,')Utlll
ported by (,thnngraphcrs However. Wtsdom (1940) noted rha! the cleared space
IAncestorsj wen- \'ctu'Ulc.'"u, b"UIl\( \"le , ,1U'' I u"th "tM rt ..
OUUld of Ih,' cer< morual house was used for several types of acnvlties related ro
tlons were inhl'nll'J thnl\l~h them h\ thl'Ir Jl· .... nJ.a.nl 1
tbe produolOn of f"s!lvals
ce tors "slrpt" wlthm tlu.~ \,\ll"tflldhH\ It'" \ t ,J('\l~
rnduru fr m.D rwcr the "'k"ti'lJ1IO It""'nshlp Jg.thrr 10 the open .pace surroundmg the cham or (untlnUlt\ III I "HII (' lr .an,l\\IUni

h hoUSt' bnns," I.rgr quanut1r 01 chlden um.lr ,r.... o. rn''''t<, alol, fruits. and .ncmon ofit"1l ",~rk."i. Ih t rl1Un lll'" ,)1 lh \\ \ "
(nidul r. rmrlll d SUg.=ne dnnkl E., h I.mtly, IJlltnbutt" • pr'o III two unul men(C'ment or thr lun trulIhll\ nt " \\ ,"
- drrd.,t' coll~(I.d Ihe nlOn,,), 011.1 ("".I .rr glVrlllu th" kaJr,.IS 0)1"'11«..... ;~.T~h.ni I ~I i" ,,"'1, 1lhI' •

Ila
 -_.
l'/"Ir'I\- ,rpldlf',/" "U',Hh ,ltn"tu,(,,1 I IMH' Cl tCd nnt' .\lll h "f.'qucnn' fi-o lll K';t ,\ ob, bUt th
- ,
RI
r UAl FE ASTIN G AND VillAGE FESTIVALS AT TI1,
CERE~ SITE
.
El'
,AlVAQOI

1' '' Il"'"'' Uhhlllll <l th Ihro u,.:h'lUI Ihc.· I~l\\I ,lIld.\ oJ Mcsoal11l'rI(.l (MeAn,'ny I t,I (. r the corndo r be later moved to the west all
o .
t;' 11 'l'h .I\I\ " dd r'a '
"'5 16,
•
I ", JJI 0
to

The sleeptng bench was obliterated and bu d d

w Opentng I
"""ani \-taUs<
hol Id n e. Unng a.
lllh u ut:h m.ln), an:h,H.-oJog lcal hOU.'oic.' ho/d co m~oun~s In (he M<lya 3 ,'('a art' likel ",hie. h t he en ure flo o r level
.
o r the back rOOm was ra_ d J1!:noV;lt1on tn
ro h~tn buri~lb under Jom es lI c pl.tr(o rn1!\, th ose l e p1 CSC nllng th e p rac ti ce of d Y TI e conservation ethiC at Cere.n preVe nts eXCaVatIng
1
thuS p recluding an impo rtant SOurce of data fr
u, mto the 00 r
On 0 struc-
nl"............ llllli'C "...'u...... d •~ri1 ce (or li neage '-lIlce~ to rs sh o wed a rund a m e ntal cll ill1ge c· tUres. om subOoor b 1
bUlh..ltm't flll1rnOI1 (c .g .. J uom eSQC spAce rh rH WJ S transfo rm ed II1to a spc . I In h to fuJly test tlus hypothesis. However, the above. un.; .nd
I . C01C cS gro und ilTChlle: 1
e>
nru" l lo,\I/e; ~ f cAnol ny ( 095 ). T IllS pJ rrrrn IS dra m,1t1ca Iy Il lustrated In th Ci a IZed ggests th at Stru cture 10 was a domeStic reSidence th ctura. ~t.
(ern su .a l , at some POtnl
Jcropo lrs Jr Copnn. where eJllc m e mbe rs 0 f th C I· · lineage were eb rn'. ''1
o undmg ·r l.; to ry und erwent m odifications to become a cerem
lue 'us , . .
_'I
om.. ocale that h .
m lIS
I
. I
under floor.s o( lhe lr do m es ne compoun ds, T "Ie s~ u nderwenr Impressive bUUd. . uncd rura1 lineage house. If thiS Lnrerpre[atlon lS corre t th ptr l ps
was a _ . c . en the devnnon in
mg renovarions unt il evenruaJly th e en fl re do m estic compOund was literally h StrUcrure to buildtn g alignment would suggest that o · _,
re ... ngm", oCC\lpant; of
tomb~d within J IJrge <em ple known as S trucrure 16 (Stuarr '997). en Srrucru re 10 held a wsrmctlve status In the commurury
. .
The rransformatlon of do m estic space Into a sacred Imeage bo . I
, use IS n Ot
uruque to ,he Maya area For example , KJ rch (C hapre r 6 ) noted that ntual C CONCLUSIONS
least· A U mber of features poten tially useful for the archaeological d 6
mg In the nJJage of Tikopla. Polyn esia, also occurred ar lineage an d clan ternples n I e:nn canon of
,har lusro n call)· functioned as reside nces for ancestors. After years of do spaces used fo r Maya village f~astmg can be Inferred from ethnogtapluc, ethno-
men!C 1
hJ5 [O n e , and archaeological eVldence fro m Ceren Although ru-' '1 .
us~ Jnd the su b,equent burial of ancestOrs wi thm the m , some residential build. I 1dJ. .\< a,a. Ctrt:mo-

m/,'S were tra nsfo rmed mtO "holy houses" used fo r riru al feasting. rual houses often have a sinular acclucecrural plan and scale .~ dOmtsDc
Assunung rh ar s uch a change in building fun ctio n couJd b e infe rred from re- compounds, they shouJd h ave m o re hearths or other coolung thm r.a= ex
ected for domestic u se Those areas used for large-scale food p"'panoon mlghr
~ave
m ams JO the archaeologIcal record , the n domestic s tru crures eltsplaying a similar
I fearures that facilitate the distribution of food se",ng. uch l> the 10\\ . " .
hfe lusror )" m conjunction with the mareriaJ corre lates o f fe asting, m ay e nable Us
co mfe r nrual feas(Jng revolving around a lmeage organiza tio n . ice wall. If ceremonial hou ses ate the sam e size as domesne compoun.t, thon
they should be associated WIth open exten or spaces thac are used bv group, g.th.
Social Graups and Feasting at Structure 10 ered for feasting and ntual perfo rmance . Areas used for ceremorual g,th riD:,
may be regularly maint.med and kepc clear of tr,lsh and debm \ID",,,, t,
Rerurrung ro Ceren . can we infer anything abOUt the socia l unjr cha c sponsored I
cleared ceremonial gathenng areas are expecced to ha,< a h.n:iI',aeJ ~rouoJ
feasts a c Strucrure 10? As suggesred earlier, the Household I compound appears
surface inelteanve of an are a of heavy foo c traffic
ro have been used pe rioeltcally for large-scale food pre paratio n . SmtiJarly, che ce.
Households or groups ulVolved m spon onng festn.h n>av ":<1.1, m ill
r3Jll]C assemblag e and arclurecrural orientation s uggesr Hnkages b e rween H ouse.
located m close prOXimity ro the speClabzed ceremonial ,tnKtu"" Tb,' archlle,
hold I m embers and SrruCture 10. Thar crus linkage m ay reflecr a lineage aC(Jvlty
rure may be deSIgned to fac,hcart' the mO\l' menr of r rk and. ' \ rn
1> suggested by the partlcuJar lusrory of buileltng modtficatioos at Srructure 10 .
the livmg quarters of the hoses J.nd che $pe<t .lhl <,I ':<n:m<'lllJI 'tructu
A> me no oned earlIer, at the time of the eruption Structure 10 had undergone
sociaced cookmg feature s. Are ,ls used I\n the IJ'¥-c·. cal' I, ,J p",. ,n
ac least three building modtJicatlol1S. With rhe exception of building allgnment, a
have a hIgher frequency of food prcp,lr,llill" .lmtJ(I.. ' . ·uJlh Ih" " \ dl\
POInt co which 1 wtll return below, the onginal Structure and arcrurecrur.J fe a.
ficuJt-to.rransporc !Cems su(h as "'<"I.IW, th.n , \I'" ,,~,Ilt1 ,!.>Ill ,t!. h"u, holJ
rura f"l/owed the same buddIng plan as domIciles ar the sire : a rwo-room super. semblages. MoreoVt'r. "UlIIl" Jnd "I .. toll(., ",e,1 " nh 1"'",,Ji,.U Imp I'" [lot\ I
structure «instructed on a elevated square platform and a centrally placed door ,I lhth,
feasting foods may show ,'vl<kn,,' llf IIghl,·t u><' " J! \\ h,'11
ID me Inlt'nor wal/ tha t allowed access '"to the back room where the "sleepmg"
used in daily household Illlld pI p.1I dUlln
bo.ch was located At 50me pOInt . Struc rure 10 unde rwent a series of renova· Ethnohislonc . ~lhnn~rJph" , 11,\ 1\ hJ(,\I"',, .' th I
lion A law clay floor was constructe d around the ea st and north sides of rhe suo \tasls often occurred 11\ Ih \l1l1l~ I ,,\ Itn 'r th I hM'
~r rUClurc: walls wc.-re c:recred re tnClUlI: access, and I hIS dlca was roo fed . A ceSIOfS. omhlrung Iht' mal n '\lnr 'al ,
It r.chen w~ placed Ul me n o nh {/Jrndof A m' w dourway W.I~ bUIlt 111 the north tha Ilh Il'.UI Ol d) Il,' u \ ,nlt'1 hll

. 14
 RITUAL FE ASTING .... NO VilLAGE FESTI'V"'lS "'T To.tt CERE", S

r h e afUl.Jeo
_L Ioglea1 reeD rd . spt:czlically
• when dlese feasts OCCUr In
-
speaalJzed IInc.
-
age houses. . I ,- . vessel; that funcoon
veSSeu borh utilit~.., ond
Ul

sef"'l/lg cion nruals. were tanjpble renund= of rhe oo'l

o w h ar \Vere rh (" advantages
• to those mvolved m sponsonng
aJ ritual feast 109
'
consurnPbedded In p.recrpatlOn m rho", network>..
and feso.v . tls at Ceren? A range of benefirs, from function equilibnurn to mar oon5 em
compeoove mrere:sr-cheory models. have been proposed for ~articipation in rh: O WLEDGMENTS
contempo rary M aya fiesta sysrem (e .g .. Camara . 1952; Cancla,n 1965"'SCarra
ea A' K N thank Bn." Havden and . (..:lue! o,etltt <-- ,_
lik~ (0 . .ur _~I ~
1961; Chance and Tay/or 1985 ; Collier 1979; Farns 1984; Hayden and Garget( 90; I \\,ou!d urn and subsequent \"OlumC!."'Thank3 to b- _ .
19
leA sympOS1 _ • _, .
Nash 1958; Vogt 1969. Wolf J959). Interestingly, nrual feasOIIg among contempo. the S UO\ve d m e use of the Ceren d.l" .nd Co t.rurn Bu,,"_ - 1 COIL" '-_
c analyses, I also thank Payson Shoe",. Barb.... \ oorh " , onJ ~
""::.IUr'
l ruralists ID Asia suggests that both models may have heUristic VaJ o"sly'
raI) agncu '. Ue
(Mem 1973; Freedman 1958, 1970 ). For example, ID some ASIan Villages perma. valuab Ie co mme.nts on caruc.r drafts
,.0lI
for
nenr cere-mom'a1lineage halls are used for rirual acrivities iocluding feasts . In ad.
dltlon to this utilitarian function, ceremorual halls take on a symbolic role and REFERE N CES
i\hern E. M
stand as VISIble ICOOS of the econorruc strength of a lineage as the "hall reqUires
• . rhr C.II of lhr DcaJ '" ~ 0,,,,,, \~. Sc.nfwd
for Its building and Its maiotenance and for the upkeep of its rites that it be en. 1973 db
Btaublcn . H F"' and H Lun etg
dowed. hence a hall IS a mark of riches" (Freedman 1970:r68). As lineages con.
1993 Arefact Corner"""on dunn rh. 'm F..IJ :
stantly assess memselves by comparing their halls with those OWned by other llmlrtarv R~pon , educd b,' p hc:(t.~ and ~ " ID '"
lineages In the village, me material trappings of feasts as well as the actual line.
, -
Uruve~I')- of Colorado. rr
age-feasang eVent have Stroog boundary-marking potential (Mero 73;112). Be.udry. M and 0 Thck<r
19
Born promote wrcbm-group solidariry as well as being a means to compete With Hou~ehold I .-\T'C~ E ~"':m In It
omer lmeages and eogage in self-aggrandizing behaviors (Mern 1973). A similar ".d by P 'hccrs anJ B . 1.1,«. FI> l\h
observaoon was made by Clarke (see Chapter 5) concerrung the feaSting prac- f BuuJ.ry-Corben . \1 P
oces of me rural illa ID Normern Thailand. J9Q~ CcrMTUc AnJ.h '\1. • J" de "'c (fort r
Wbemer feasting at Ceren followed a similar trajectory is unknown . However, Ceren ~lIc El ,J.i, Jor \ PrrllrnUun
rf me interpreratJon mat Household 1 members sponsored feasts at Structure 10 K NC\'II, pr '
"5 8oul~r ')
IS correct, then the archaeological evidence does suggest a possible benefit loN.1 Cc!>nu An.h I . JO\. cl I "Ttn
n.rv Rtp<ln ~lcd b) I' ee and
Rather than me accumulation of a disproportionate amoum of material goods,
, ",Ity nf I I rod
mferences based on me ceraDllc assemblage suggest mat Household I parOcl_
In 8t Tt Ihr \
en-am"
pated Ul a geograpluca1ly broader social network that did omer households exca-
I A,"mro. edit d b I' l h
nted to dare (Beaudry-Corbett, Ul press). Scholars have argued that extended
B.. udr) Cornel! , 1 I" E. Inlm '"'
weal networks created by consumption rituals are nsk.reducrng slrategles that, ,"pr< I/"u h 1.1 I In I IN \
dunng umes of enslS. can be accessed to proVIde Cntlcal SUPPOrt and lllformalIon UN b I' ",... l
IQ pamopanrs (Douglas and lsherwood 1996:XXIl) . The sponsorshIp of feastIng Jl Block. K 0
Srrucwre 10 may have prOVIded a SImilar advamage to Ilousehold I Incmbcrs. 198) The 7ap<l1lt n \ U
In a broad~r ptr~ptctlve, feastIng was likely an awvlry for forming aillances 111 I ,,",aJ Irltru" Tlv
tht Zapo!Jtoan Valll")'. Th" restricted dlstnbulIon of polychrome servIng vessds U In
produud dOSe to San Andres, which were 'ound only I louse hold I Jnu lhe
111
wo Ur~m{JruaJ buddings (1) Ihe eaSI, uggcMs Ih~1 HOLJsdlUJd I m~mbers m.IY Ho"~h"lJ no!

have bun mOT.. d~'y linked It) Ih" CIVil (rr~mtlllIJI

,t flirT Ihdll orhlT hou.," nu ",InII

hoIdtl:lUVllled 10 dill(' (fkoaudry Corbel[. In 1'''- ) I'e~

'ling liMy IlJVt' "nn ,I .'" BI... " L and
nil I1 re-
I utrd In allunet (ormatllm Irnklllg Ihl (lVI, (' 1.. "ItIlIl,II, " " "" III '"111< IIIptwa
I
I me Ihmughflullht valley If " . 11,," pr,liJI' 1111' Wfllll~: "I IlIud
...
 LIttJn '" BrPw"
ND VILLAGE HSTlV.. lS ,l,TTHE CEA£
F( "STING ,.. •
fl lTU .. l

...... ~~ ... :.and

of Chanl!~ I.o.u~"""t' b .m I~ In

• f(J ~ A5P"ctS
>. d b" M Freedm= . pp IOr' ......ru. d.
:1lf14 cU'(e /
SOt .

&:onom~'{
Press
iHllt Prt.sllgc I n (1 Mayo Community. Stanford e ;.. I
G,rsd .
.1
vaoOns at Srrucrure 10. JO,.. de Cacn
"""2. ExC.1 El Sah'ilSlO'r.
,.,;7 _J
_.1 __ ..I
A Prdlml'ldry Rtpo,l. cw.tcu
!n •P
..
CMist"n . R. ,99 cercI! S'U. _ uruvernty of Colorado
Boulder
".. oons at S trUC1lJ1'C' 10. )0)" d~ Cerf. In deN
pp. p-54
Th~ U-a r fo r 11t~ H ell r l and SOkl of a Hlghuuttl M ayo Tou"l. AUStin
f9Q;-

Te...s Press. 1993 E«' >. d by P SheelS and S Slmmons. pp .:<-

C,,=o. P ",,'Y Rtport. ewte
l}' of colorodo
11>61 The CNll RelIgiOUS HIerarchy ", Mesoa m en o." Communl l .p Sl V Sreen.Mdnl)'T"
les.
Background md CoJoruaJ Development Aml"TUan Amltrop 010o-i rt , Spa nu h
re· ;I"" VI J E. and
. 3 .BI."e Jo,en . Tephra fro m !he A.O. 200 Eru
Ch""ce. } . and W Taylor _,
0- 6J'4BJ_4~ 1983 TIer<ArduILo1ogy • nd Vo""'n"", In CAlTa/llmnuJI. TM
8
19 5 ColTadi.., and Cargo: An HlStonea/ Perspeellve On the M",o. _ In
vaJDr. erur<d by P. Sheeu. .o\uson. U"""""'Y of Tev,
RrLglOUS
- HJerarchy Amt'nCan
- Elh,.ologuI12 :1_26. .... lI f ncan CIVI_,
Cce. S D.
;ll)'dtn. 8 S la Power, Pnnaples fo r CleaWl £.
109.J
CoUrer.). F
Ammca ·s FlrJt CUUlIUJ'. Ausun UruverSity of Texas Press
1995
Pa~:~1U of SCCI4/ Incqu.rJI/); edll."j b · T n
Fov _ 86. Funchmenlal Issues m Archaeol " G.
1979 1'1" I;, .
Stranficaoon and Dtspule Handling m Two HIghland Ctu'pas Co • era! edilors. New York. Plenwn
Ammcan Elhno/ogul 6:joY-jUl. rnrnUrntles
ConversoL ::"hulous Feasts: A Pro/egnmenon to the Mh
•
parancc of Feasnng. P.""r PItSCllled a l the
1995 PaJeogeography of the Ceren Site. El Sa/vador PhD. <Lssenaoo Urn ogy Annual Meeong. Se.rue
of Colorado. Ann Arbor Uruvermy MIcrofilms.
. n, versuy
Cook. G. w B. and A CaMon
r~4t'Dl.:
" A,

,n< S/nImIrrl1/ MJUnwJ Synnru. Ellt.!'....

/lJr 1914 ......
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dt PaJacio. D. G.

'985 lmer to the KIng 11/ Sptlin: Bnng a Desmptwn of the AlICltnl PrOVInces DJ Cuo",.
,.,.".,,., 'uko. CUlCQIUm, 41Id Chiquimu/", In Ihe Audlt7lCUl DJ GUO/nnQIiI, Wlrh Q.
Accmuu 11/ the ungrurges. CIU/omj, and Rtbgurn of Th"'r AbonglnaI1nluslnrQ.rs.
1IJI4. Descriptw.. of the Ruipu of C"P"n. Tramlaled by Ephraim Squl<r Cui",
City. Car : labyrinthos.
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NW

Ethnography for Archaeology. C.",., A.

.. a.u... London' Athlone .

-
 _._-----
'-

,...hl. ~,
.uRI FEA ST ING IN THE ANCIENT NEAR EAST
Den/se 5chmondr-Besseror
'ihlTI'. P n
NIIO
ri ' ,. 1 ~lr)nCer~n,
\, 1IppCu . •
f(~iJO (".1\011 III 19(,,10 J"Vt.',fli~tlf(Otl.r
•
(/1 I1 It' Ci' rt;, S
S"/"dd", . t1 Prdllt,,"nry I~t'p(l", c"unt'd by P Sheets .I!"Id II 1vh. Kce I 1/1', HI

•
Houldrr Un" 'l"f"ry oJ C%r.l!;'I0 . ' PP I76- IHI
IQUJ..! 1hr Crlh, S,ll': A l-Iu/lIJton( Vil/lIgt Bllritd HI Volt-atlic A.fh '" C~'I/rnl J\
CJ~(" SruJI(:s lJl Ar(h:t("oJu~y Sent's POri Worth , 1c)! H a rcOUrt IJ ttlrnr/l
COlllp.my rac:e a:
ChIrped SJune JIld Ground Stone ArJJr" IS from Joy. de Cer~n. 1991
IIJQ1.b

'"''t'11I1.; ",mu I11 'ilt Cai" Sll~. El

.. Sa Id ~I H"Wmy Report edited b-<), I" '9<1,
ViI or.· A ne
,lnd I( .' "'eI·".
pp 81>-104 Boulder UllIver.",y of Colorad" . YP Sh" U
~h«". I' D. ed

h,8j ArduJtPfoA,.'Y Dl1d Vt'fCrHl,sm el,,'ml Amrnca: Tltr Zaporitd" Vallty of El Sal
III
Hlllvr: AU~lIn Unlversny of TexJ~ Press
',rnmnm., S .lnd . VIIJ"Jobo~
I"'IJ
LJnd.'<Jpr Archaeology 111 Operation 8 berwccll Ilousehold 1 and Ih S
(ure 10 Patio. In Crrctl P1cJ)f(t 199.1 P,-rl"tI",nry Rt'port, edited by P SheC I true.
~ SJnlmon •. pp. II 4,
llulIlder: Unlv"r,,, y of COlorado. ' e Sand

19Y7
rh,. Ro\·.1
• Crypr, or Copon NaCloIlQ1 C,ograplll( IQ. 68-93.
rhump.son D. nd.l R S Thomp,on
IPH
/I N"bl'. ReS/denee Jnd I"
Ocpe"dcnCle, J' Mayapan Canltgl< 1'/JIII."o, of
WQJhlngtun. C.rrrnl Reporu 1 (25): .uS 15 I
Thompson. J I S
1970
Maya /{urarya"" R,lIG"" NormJn UllIvcr",y 01 Ok/dho"," Pre.' , .
Tozzer It M
1907
A C""I"',OIl"" Sludyo] Ill, Mayaj and Ihe /.(lr/I/"I"" rI Nt.w York ' M.onlllon In Ihe .nrrelll c.r I J I lh
I I
lA""" s rrWttO. dt Uu (D,a. dr rUtawn. TrJlhIJlt·" by Allred 'IO?l..,r CJmhl1llgc ,~) and unclfurm I I lIt 11
Pt-abody Museum ur Arrh~<ol(Jgy Jnd l',hnol"lly.ll.lIvJlt! UllIvtr'i'y
V0lt" I' quel of 4.500 (0' ago llll I
IP69 Ihe OCt"llSllln d In th P" r I
1m"(4.la. A May. Com"u.lly I" lilt Iflxlllm,,"'~ CillllP(I' C,lmhridgt' 11./1 '
.. rd Un"'<nlly 1'"'1•. '" Ihr ml~ of k-. ling In Utn r
lusr wu. tcrufi)lnt I t 11 r
rurtlUas for ,h. GDIts· A Syntbolu A""IY'I "/ 11111111""(,,, /{I/u,,/,. (Jl1lbnJ~.. n
H '\!lid ( nIW'OIly Pr COnt nd thal Ih n 'nu
(
ft Ilva1a nd

OPOTAMIAN IT

...
 ------ --
an prt',l,em da ' sOUl h(~ rn Ir~tq . th e..' (;OlI1lII'Y of SlI m CI w , I
--.-

-
d ;]s ,1 OW Ii
nl.1 t' of !\11t tlnd 1,1Cklllg dll' nlO$. 1 eiC:l11l"lllJry nw Illat . I a UVld l pi
• . . , , ' cnJ S Sll ch <is .1111,
or urn limber \\'oocl As It IS IOd.ly. It W3S c Ul'sed III SUmn . b Stone , Illetal
d It: rya.sCQ "
JO would hJVC been c1 b.lrren desert Ir nOt watered by tw rchlng he
E h 0 fiVers lh T "t
- up r_lte. "" ,'long the b"nks or rhe Euphrates, the les , e 'g'i, and
h s unpred,ctabl
("W O n\'C'rs, I ~l( the Sumcnans first se nled They transrormed the cl e of the
gooon ,lJId dr,lIned swamps II1to nch ferul e so t/s. They Id . ry SIll by "·h.
r . COU thus cn '
lJrllllOg _ They speCJalJzed Ln rhe CUltivation of d(,lles and b I gJgc 111
. , ar ey, as I
r",Slllg of sheep and caltle. We I as the
The populadon was clustered where Irrigation Was possible I
a ong the nv
the canals. The first serdemems were vtUages, but around 3500 B h er and -,.,
such os Uruk and Girsu , appeared III the south . The process Spre d
.C. t e fu st .
CIlIeS,
"--
'. '. a to the n c
and along cl,e Tlgns Wlch che nse of Nlppur, Kish, Shuruppak and Kh < . Orth
. . ' a,aje. Ea h
Clt) WIth Its surrounding VlUages was separated from che next by I
O~St~~he
C -
f
o swamps and desert. The hinterland was a desert where nomacit 'b S
=
--,
" , , , . C [n es Wer :
probably roanung Trus geograpluc S1ruanon, m which each settleme
nt Was COn
e
-
<:
~
fined to relaove ISolation, favored the development of small political '
. unitS called
- -
clty-sratcs . In che tlurd millenruum , Illcitvidual dty-srates may have h d
.
nons of 5,000 re 10,000 people .
a popul,_ --
The polmcal leadership of rhe aty-states was firsr III the hands of high
.
pnests
of che powerful Mesopotanuan rem pie. However, by 2900 S .C., a king ruled from
a ro),al palace, built nexr re the sacred remple area. The king's main function was
to build and keep in good repair che remples of che gods, ro plan , oversee and
mamram che u-ngation system and the defensive fortification wall surrounding
the at)' He was also in charge of raising and supplying the army, including costly
meral armaments. Finally, we may assume thar the king and his queen played an
Important ceremoruaJ role, in parncular, during the monthly festivals, which, I -1l
will argue, generated the capital to support the royal endeavors.

FEASTING IN ART
The famous "Standard of Ur," whtch fearures the mosr derailed image of a Near
Easrern feasr, illustrares che Sumenan lung hosting a banquer (Moorey
198298-t02, FIg. \4. c). The panel. inlaid WIth shell, limesrene, and lapIS lazuh,
how, the ruler as rhe largest figure of che top regisrer, and sportlllg a ktlt With
multIple l1er~ of fnnges. The six guests fadng rum are identical m size, wear the
ume garmem wlch a smgle fnnge, SIt on surular wooden stools, make the same
gesture. and hold stmllar cups. A harpIst and a smger emertam the elegant as-
sembly while attentive servams are busy helpmg, Below, mnereen offenng bear-
en. urgamud ID five delegations led by ushers, stand In a long Itne stretching
aver rw'J regmen Unlilu: the stereotyped banquet guests, th e gl'Et bearers have
 -
,nd,vidUJI Ie.Hun's olnJ ~l "SUnle d lf1 e rCI1I pos itio ns Sume nans With sh
JJ1d \\'e.u1n g {nl1~eJ k ll n~ le-ad the procession- aven hcads
omc of th em pu ll Or PI
Olle C~COrl~ J ' m.dl fl oc k of goa t!'o: ,lnd ra m s w hile another C3n1CS
.
bundlUS13COw,
- -
l'orclgnl-rs fo llow weanng sk ,rls ove rlappin g 10 fi-Onl. T hey are dr pl d Cs of fi sh
cu rly haIr. bearded or clea n-shave n, and occasIo . n ally WIth a headdr.s'Cle0 wllh
Ihe men bl1 ngs " kId in hIS arms. anoLher lea ds a tea m of asses, still oths. Ile or ,
he.vy loads of goods on lhelr backs or shoulde rs. T he processIon adv trs carrY
. . a n ca~ _
wards the right inruca rong th at It IS proceeding toward the ban quet hall in 0 d
par ade the goods before the king. The occasIo . n for the feast is no doubt r Cr ro
tary VIctory since Lhe opposIte SIde . of the standard shows the king Ins a mili- '
. . pectong
pnsOn!!rs in the aftermath of a battle. The ull.,d panel therefore disclOse h
MesopotamIan VICtory feast wa s attended by m ales (mili . .
tary leaders) d S. t Itat a
_ • t nn. 109
and musIc was Ulvolved. and It onc1uded a processIOn of local offering bearers fo l_ ,

lowed by the display of boory or tnbute fi-om foreign countries. The fact tha I i
sinular 1Illaid standards excavated at Mari, Syria , also combined banqueting Wjt~
an exhob,rion of goods (Parrot 1953:6g s. 64--66 and 70-72) confirms that the two
scenes belonged together as two episodes of a vicrory fea st. It is noteworthy that
more space and artentlOn tS devoted ro the display of merchandise suggestin
that the parade of goods was deemed the mOre significant of the rwo. g ••

About rwenry carved stone plaques excavated in the Sumetian ciry of NiPPur
(FIg. 14.2) tn sires of rhe Dlyala Valley (Pig. 14.3) and Elam, depict a more popular
feast where music and competitive SpOrts , such as wrestling, were taking place
(Boese 197cPI. X :2; Fig. 14.4)· Humans and sometimes deities wearing horned
headdresses (Boese I97LPl. XVlI1 :8- 1I; Fig. 142) are shown banqueting on the
upper register. As on the standard, the guests sir on wooden stools and usually
hold cups. Here , however, females are present. Servants and musicians are of ei- -•

cher sex (Boese J97I:PI. 1:2, 111:2; XVlI :I). More importantly, the king faces a
woman of equal size and cherefore of equal starus-most likely che queen (Boese
I97IPI. h. 111:3: etc.; Fig. 14.3)- On the lower registers, individuals are pictured
lcadtng bulls, goaLS. and kids on the hoof, hauling Jars, carryIng on cheir heads
piles of goods or trays loaded wlch merchandise, while still others are holdmg
nngs of precIOus metal or bundles of fish (Boese J97I :PI. 1:2; 1l1:i ; V:2; IX :, ; XYb,
3; XV/b) . It IS conceivable that [he chariot with a ceam of four onagers, some-
umes depicted on the last register, was also a prized olfenng (Pallis t926:155). The
carved plaques therefore concur with the standard for suggesting thar feasting In
the anClenr Near East meanr not only banquetIng but also gift giVIng.
The gJYPllc artists competed In vlrruosity to depict feasts on the minuscule
Fi&u~ 14 a (top) ~rtOr red plAoIu
field or cyhnder seals (Call on 1992; Pig 145). Here food was served Mear
Pl 1111 AI
ha unches and b/Jwls filled with prepared dishes w('re displayed on high chests plaque I'nHn I't"

(Arruet 1<J80.PI <j() 1182. IIHII). Ht'er, kept In tall Jars, was Sipped with m('loIl str,lWS (BerlIn: \Vaker dt I'\l r I"

Jt4
 - - - - - - - - . -. - _ 114'" II' .•• ,\d,,,,,,,, 11 If
• -- _ _
-- -------_.
• rnn.1/ FEASTING IN THE ANCIENT NE-AA £A ST

~
•

• . . l~..l ~_-..'. ." ._'., Seal unpresSl on from unknown slte. After 1'1= AmI ••. W GI)r~ \!ts.'
'----'----..:..:........:..:... "-~
..~
. --.-:.~........y. '. .
Flgur< _Ill
14 6 Arclut'qut',
.. PI . 92 . I 21S (Pans: EdlOOns du Centtt, alJona! de 1. Rccbel"\:be
FI~", 14 4 Porlor.lted plaque &om Khaf. e .. . '. rerum I ...
IInhf'{alLnl, PI \ '2 (Berltn ' Waiter de G J . Aft .. Johann es Boese. Al""<.sopol Ofique •• 980).
' rtJ)'ter. 1971). al'ttLSch( SClef1

InStead they glonfy banquenng and the parade of goods ThI,u

1
(Am,er 9 o.PI. 90:fJ83, 086-"87) As on th rfc 1123-124). •
gu ests h . e pe orated plaqu th 199 the anaent Near East, the =portance of fesnv.us ""' collectm ,
were uman Or SomeOmes ruVlne (Am es, e banquet .iliat, m . '
g _ urrung VIctUalS 10 fact. seen through art. the deli\"tf} of olfenn", 1lU~
Th· uJ
e) co d mdude both sexes (Amier 1 98 'PI
Jer 1980:PI. 92·r2..l8 122
.
.
- 1; F.g. 4 .6) ~~= . .
garded as the most sigruficant aspect of feasnng This seems ,-et) suruI
aJ Ii o. . 90:TI8r-U84) Or b .
m es Or emales (Armet 1980:PI. 90:1192). Oancin k e exclUSively
::flY feasnng systems descnbed by Kirch (Chapter 6) and Junker Chapt<"T 1
har ' IJ ' g too place to tb
. prsts. unsrs, and dappers (Armet 1980 PI 9 . e tune of
h . . 0. TI 93- Il94) Olii ' b
0\\11 bnngmg fish, a kid, or a large Jar (Anuer 1980'PI . . enng earers are
9 2 .1218). . . 9 0 . II8 7, Tl9O-U91; PI
FEASTING IN THE TEXTS
Feasrs W. - also a frequent tOpiC of mythologtcal (\'~o>nphout 1
~,
21
In sum. feasong was a popuJar motif of MeSOPotamian art. It is notew (Postgate 1992:146-147). and economic c~=' such as ch.,
~ ~ !~ t
the monumenrs focused only on the econonuc aspect of the feast d orthy !ha. (Rosengarten 1960a:24<r-302) The runellolll. tablets (ompkmCllt th
rured th relJ . an never PlC'
e glOus muals thar cenainly rook place during the f, . aIs p Don provided by art WIth the advanrage that th~ tut 'pdl Ut th
esov (OStgate
celebrations, their locanon. duran"n. and frequen. I Tt' \
cablets record the movement of gooru th~c co<'\k place dunng th
individuals involved.
The cats, as the art monumenrs. refer w mularl t
marked special events uch as the kmg mv. mu mllita
with counmes Bon ro 1Q9.I 11 and th U\.l~'"UT n
a palace (Sauren 1970). However. M '0p<'tamlan It -
fativals celebrating the mulnpl gods oi th
ample. twice a yur the people of GII'SU h n I"fiI t
up (0 seven da Th
Ninginu were four da long I
f e '45 Sal Imp", Ions from Ur After P,erre Amte'. UJ Glypllque MiJopoIOmlr""' Ar· the Ball, da I
duz~ PI 90 1190 J 191 (Paru Ediu<," du Centre Nanon.l de 13 Recherche So en 'l1Ic mudel,(
1980,
cbey Itdear

IN
 -
FE,ASTlN G IN TH E ANCIENT N£AA (AST

le\l". lilt." fC-~lSh m,H'kt'd rhe dO)'!' when lh ' d - I .....

W(lrsh 'Ppcd S",,,, m.lnkmd w,,, crcaled Cla Citi es dll',sce fc n d t" d frOlll hClI" the so-called offenn for !he
.ln~ gOuc:le!\~es
i ., expe(ted nor Ol11y nru l Is b prov,I, e Or lh l'.rr uPkeep lh en 10 bC con []1bu
oon s were
h as that 0 r th~ fishe r iilen, "
h

(o ppcnheln, '''14 ,87- 'Q1 ). AI her fcasrs, .Nan a so a bangu Cl and I.v'. h. 0'"C gOds
Ul 'h
"10""
~c.nl
SlOn aJ go'
lds. sue 11 ·ar.; of tisb oil
f ~
Ra , nganc:n 1
offenngs for the feast . ...~'u
cles as we as J
rsron~ . S C Was g,ven SIIVc,_crowns "en Ct~ (o(CS dSo (fish and cur
:~,
o .11ld of precious mel.)!. and gOods Indu..J- , v n•
'''9J.~6)_
. Orhcr gods rece'ved meO( . /ish nou b\.ling al1J nlaJs On I h C hOof '(Ce~sels k,n l also conrnbuted brought one arurn..J For camp
In djVid~·traror
L

d J rcs III quant'tJes "Ccordlng ro rhe'r, r.nk r, m eer.rhou ' speclll d . cLsheso"e" " enng a lud for the feast of ba.rlcv ea
s s, and foremen .t
0 'airy a d
J960b'4 ). e panlheon (Ro ' 11 J"II'US eorded as de v " (Rosen=nen 19t><la'it> , H o,", r
Th e re~ts also c/<1nfy the prom",enr place given to cl .sCI1ganc "
' re
L''''' ,5 'as' of rn c
"the re
aJ eaong
f Nanshe an
.,- -
offc~
d ills wife , are hsred as •• ch
Lld
.1.. __
u un-
I le IS by re"caJmg her role as the ImermecLary betw 'e qUeen i n rhe srone re for ._the pn est 0 b ep and twO lambs . and One <heel'. "ne ,,'_ . n
I10 uSehold servants. herders, and furmers broughe heeena-people . an d gads. 'rh _ "./lg' Pe([Ively, one s. )e The 0 th er lugh poesrs and thelr \\1'_ .,
bb rea
h Ifd ,a nd beer. which she was III charge of sacriJicm r Ollenngs
rh of Smallcar~e e or reS ngoere n 196ob041 f B. u the CODm-burion of the Pnest 01 1Ul h
a (Cohen 1993 '37). She also orgaruzed pilg '
enonng g ro e paneh eon On lheir.
nm ages eo atrend the
(ROse e For che feast 0 ne asheep,
, one lad. strong beer. black be r I
. . .
ho Nansh. In rhe vanous CIties of the stare (Coh _ fesO"'t,es agues changed tobles
Isa"" 0 dares, an d roasted barle\. (Ro. eDga"en I
\Ve gather from rhe rexrs thar rhe culminatron of th en 1I.993'44- . 45). e
bunches of veget., mosr frequent 0 fferings• reported m the le b
sacnlicial meal shared by the gods, the royal familY rh e reuglo . h us festJ Va Is Was a ate d LO arr, the
d other VICtu als . But the conmbutJon, '"' hre n I
2
zenry (Pall,S 19 6:173), As pIctured in arr, the eVents e pnesrdnnkin
J' involved ood, and rh e .CI~_ rr
the'
hoof fish, an
S me texrs
from Umma an d Ur hse COtb1derabl de ,~I'
and merry maktng_ The namcs of the two yearly Nanshe and N . . g, roasting,
fes~vals.
bles. 0 d (Llmet 19-0;67).
th rexts revc al I n am a 7mgh'. _peotic del~ lhe
'·che feast of barley eating" (She-ku ) and "the feasr of al mglJ'SU eds and firewoo
re,
leave no doubt thar the feasts were the OCcasion fio m . t eatJng" (Bulug-ku),
r
Although Ur-Lama
e par d some four thou:o.lnd <'it
fabulous quantities of food involved are cLsclosed ll1 anmaSSIve
inscrj ticonsumptio
f n. 'rh e LOgs •.ceerall1
- . For mstance, the records are nOI (omplere 11
kingof Lagash, ca, 2500 a,c., who boasted of the 70 p On 0 Ur-Nanshe.
(eqUival ""TU the big pICture
f venues genera ted by . banquet _gIftS,_ compard I
kiJ o li ters) of barley Consumed at the ll1auguration
_ of0"the temple entf N.
ro 30,800
. I~ndholdm!-'" m
~I~U
amounta1aee0 reresources, su ch as It I, aL un le r h t
h I
(Cooper 1986:29 ). In turn, rhe feast of Ur Nanshe presages che eXtrav0 b otherIIip nngs was consum ed at the fea" and h,,\\ mu a,
aganrof an-
quer offered by the AsSYrian king Assurnaslfpal LI for the inauguration h' theThe
0 emost "gm . 6canr uUormaoon reye .11.:.1 to rh
t I
palace of Nimrud in 879 a,c, The 69,574 guests were then entertained ar the e:
same 0 IIienngs were repeated over and 0\ hr
pense of 300 oxen, 1,000 calves, '5,000 sheep, 1,000 lambs, 500 deer, 500 gazelles, fishermen deli v,-red Ihe same:' amount. <,f I tr
10,000 eggs, 10 ,000 loaves of bread, 10,000 Jars of beer, ro,OOO skins of wine.
'0 kg per fishet'lllan: the:' adnllOlSlTatO. nd I mn
ro,ooo measures of chick pea, and so On (Finet 199 :3 -35).
2 1 priestS lOvariably contnbuled three ,UUl1lab I r
Thar colleCting goods was an essential parr of the feast comes OUt loud and
and drinks for Bau . ThIs s[longly ·u ,I thal I
clear ID the tablets as it does in art The srone carvings illustrating endless proces, smcdy regula led, mandalot) ontnbun n
SlOns of Worshippers, bnnging a kid ID their arms, pushing animals On the hoof.
Jars vocabulary they were monthh ta ('.
hauLng , Or carrying trays and loads of goods are echoed by che innumerable
l,sts of offerings compiled by rhe palace adrnrnisrration. The cablers stipulare sev-
THE FEAST AS A RELIGIOUS EVENT
eral types of gdrs Some, speCially earmarked for the banquet (Nig-ku-da, liter- The lens makr it cl ar liut th monlh!
ally "WIth" the meal), were offered by the pnesrhood, high officials, a.nd palace ing the days of the month
employee~.
hm
They consisred of fish, mear, a certain milk dish Or cheese, partrcular runpJe. The feaS!, ho r, did liar m
types uf breads, and beer Second, goods lI1cludIDg arumals, bread, and beer were th
fact that the fi!staVlls re
bu}ughr tr} Ihe palace by household servants, the palace farmers, and herders 10 The ~bclon of ~
be .acnficed to the gods by the: queen (Roscngarten 1960b 44), Pinally, Ihe musl ofthetr

l ••
 •

I Jrhllr $1"11"'11''''1 Ikt1ndl

\\ -Ind, .tnll 111u h _ __-_., hh hnnl': ch ~ ,m runCC'

I n~lnn.l I f.mUy· hlg g and 3Uth nf' S •
Un~cr I go Css or Ihe slorcho u.\C "ncl ueen"s pre:50~
y • l- e -'un W, IS Ihe ) dcl _ ... he roya
d lertl/ll dCI') e.lch nty Hood ,ed oLlt ( I,;ng and cl,. q e" the parade of f: It
\\ dS ''''-'punS/h/
e Cdlenng IQ every P;::s:~e,C'JI prOtect,on or ap.,ronP:~."ly
("I'
log d he ..... ·
'J15 [h"" reIn ~0 rce escnce(
k. g to r"'~
0 f rhe further
'" mcrease d rhe P"'CSlln''' r
"
n·"",. requ'red (ood. dnnk. and s helter c need o( Ihat deiIY- who. like ~~<J :.., ("" e aC'Llal p( .~ offenngs. g'fu. glonfieJ III ut. ..,rt
.h cel vc .... e . s bnngtng h th t _,
The temple perperrared the .dea thar rnankllld h d b I"
~CI1, 0 re mo'\'; '\\ ~ er 1
~ \\ ,
rshippe r LI_
.~, q" rocesSlon rhe feast ,Ve \ ff, gs p resented [Q th~ _
prOVId e rh e pantheon With lis upkeep ( LJmbe a een crea(ed In O'"der I· eCo , of wO vould ""e to
.
ne d
~
" a'th ere,o
d
' re e.\-pec red to prod Uce more gOOds ntha'993"h97-'98) . E.le h househOld
n W at I t req
10
'['he :racooo o( w publicly rhe 0 enr1tnbUtiOO m ne" of th
e s an s urrend er the SUrp lus 10 Lhe gods. s "gifts" T h Utred 10r i1s oWn "",n' .of to sho
~
parade Ius con _ _1 hooor re>er.' cl f r In
ca use th e d e l[les we re capable o ( d Oing evIl as w J;
e malter Was Urgenl be '"""" ed ro
or;o ,<hold ob g was rhe processlO
. n a speUd.!
'""'gm
o n e can well that
th
gads. when sauslied Wi th rl,. care they rece v d Cf' as gOOd. T hey we re lOVing' rholl , Or. l any case.
h b o ·on,,,,uJ1lry·. e d Producrs? n . xtrao rdm,_. rv ,00.11 pre"
"I' ~"sualIY P"~
J e rorn lhel r -
W en cLspleas ed. They co uld in a wh.m gen erare f:av bl . cry. Ut wrathfUl
r.u I h a rveses, mult.ply th e animals of th e he rds and bOr .a e ra ms . Pro dUce plent•. nngs creared an e . osc adnured " n ro -
J of" f o"e an vU'coe m \
~
USt ,. II h . .
We • t ey COuld se nd famme rUrn fields and 0 h d .
nng prosperity to f:
am llies. ,shibioon dO ewhere, rhe hum Those wh o b rou gh t <.he m<...,' a'O ~
er as s
Id .
an . plague flo cks Or people with cLseases. and unleash d
re ar s mro b
. arren Waste. S"fIl . jsed snn,,- <nness. 'ho supp1led hnl e re nJi
s' desp . h reas rhose W b' m
1Jl d J", d ua I . th e refore. had the awesome respo ns.bility fevasra 'uJlilJang
' StOr ms. Each VIce fIlO d admlfed. w e r ng IS well illustrated \ .1".
. f th 0 " Ing rhe p""seThe d an m penoven eSS 0 glVl Enten .1n
d Emc ".h
oons 0 e powerful de. ties. Each household was to avo 'd " ""Pecra. co 1 gue between
t h e on b y •r., li'ng to attend the muals and to prOVide uallI Irnra ting . rhe pan. used the heared c!Ja 0 h of ,helf respecme b
qU.nOOes. . E a ch indiVIdual held in rus hands the welfare qand tb ty goods
d In eno Ug I, r..d[lIIiI1g
summer.
argull1g the wart
r rds between prota~
<.he twO ru. t.
_._ !
G lYIng · p I enufullywas nor a marrer of chOIce' ir was a srern ob'" e Oom o f the CIty.
an oUDtS to a bank 0 wO Enlen claImed that rh ... m~" at
. ugatlo n. afll nve olfenngs mul h
of rhelr respec far supem)r (Q Ihe b un I
THE FEAST AS A SOCIOPOLITICAL EVENT value . he gave were h
honey, and WIne . versa (V.nsnp hou t 1~'P- ' LrI, \1 t e .1.
The feast was nor only relogious. It was an importanr SOcial and po",; J
Th ere can be no doubt thar SUmerian festjvals like feasts all over th event.
Id u~ca EfIle5 h• and VIce ds but .lso premge
val
. In the (om mImIC

'
tracted crowds from far and near for the pageantry, e Wor ar.
music. and drama. ~iry pro from the go . ( concerrung rhe COI\' 'Jurn.
TextS an
d art are mu e
a: MartiJ.Il',,,,,rClon \. n t
dwellers and villagers flocked to view the king and rus COurr lJl
' the ' d bring ouenngs h
paraphernalla and to hear the Iugh priests Utter sacred words ceremonial
whilelr performing
feast an. 10f early fou rth . ml llenmum St'''!> . hnwUl • ( r
III asenes o . hm,mdt . Be . roll \ J. I
sacred gestures More impOrtantly, the presence of the gods at the sacrificial meal b nng . of pnsoners ( c I I I
broughr the entire commuruty together. FlOally, as depIcted in art. after the ritu. thetheeathird millenruum
III . . 8 .C' .• Id 01oglC.11 i' n Ion" [ I
als were over. jt was time for merry making. Music. dance. and competitive bnng the most 1aVIS
. h 6U~
,.of<. rn the great t quanti
games gave everyone a chance to rusplay elegance. beauty, grace, strength. and bl deemed such a profound rn u\[ [0 the
dexterity to front of alJ The feast was a place to see and be seen. Y
it did not
. d
OthClWt . Q( [ty ...a
occur. ffi 1 n
The royal famJly was the focal POlOt of the feast. We may assume that they gamut of punishment ranging from m
$toad OUt from the crowds by wearmg lavish ceremonial regaUa. Mosr Impor. time when fame and shame w re ~ .&1 d
tantly, lhe ktng and the queen played a key role 1Jl the ritual. As shown on the
Standard of Ur, the ktng presJded Over the procession of offerings. As represented CONCLUSION
on the plaques, the royal couple hosted banquets. Pinally, [he texts spell our the The combined inIOrmauon deri¥N &om W tin
a CUve part played by the queen 10 collecting offenngs and making sacrdices. We Near in the third nUllmruum
may lI1[er rh~t In all these various CIfCUmStances the king and the queen occupIed
p'/m ,ons (I( h()flIJf Sl."grt'gart'd (rom Ihe rest of the communIty. Par IIlSlanCe, the
ra rrda rd (If UT prt'scnrs rhe kmg $~a[ed IIn (l/1e SIde, facing [he guests. The lesfl
 FEAST ING IN THE ANCIENT NE'A EAST
On ... ,. Si/.mtlt, /, /,
• r~\jT'"

tire Cltizen ry h
-r-L • Ipp.". n va led
W O" h
n e' q u • e<1C oth er In .
ccn . aCtJng .IS Inl<~I'n1 ed
I
presennng the nlOSt d qudques R(e5 m~uellt~ :1 r poqllC
p alace econo nll c Contl-ol F 1;·ry be twee n Lh e people a nd th e p g~nerOllsglft U)
rus aDo n e
L; orga XVlle RCItCO"lft' Ajsynol~"c '"rl"n'lJt'U.Tft4. cditN
a.nd th e ulUrn;n c recIpie nt Olf,n Jh Y, (: e ktng w as the ce ntral figure :;tLhCOtl , gave the AcCl.5 de /JJ H;uTl -sur-H eurc:: COmlu:. ~ge Jc: rech rchcs en l
m ' l e OIl£' l1ngs Th di e cere pp 5<r74
o o o n th e whe e ls of .L M . e C Ivery of ··g lo... 1110nles
r u.e esopo La,, · ~. '" to the gods"
10 reed each househ o ld d
(0 pro uce J SU
11"" re",s uibutt on econo m y Th
I 0 e COnt O b
SCLin """,y. p R. S . .r ,he Ch. Id, ... ' A Rt"VUcd and UpJauJ ~·tln,.,,, .,/ Su U " aT.!
.ullmaJ. and m rt _L ~.
J'
rp us. r COurse, a U m e 1_ thJ n " " ans ~ 198Z Ur Oj_<{HUt. Il hac a Co m eU UruVU'Slty Prt:
L, u .ancuse were n .. on y d I vall O'''' -
h c nds and . ot co nsumed at the feast b . e IVe ne, of
grananes unnl th eir d' . . Ut l11 ereased the
Crucago: U ruvers)[~- of CNc.go Pn.:o.:o
" ·Iesopotam,a the feast WJs a fulcrum;' ~t:T1buoon . (Rosengarre n 1 a:44P).lace
A Leo
960
DPP<
nhe.H'J'l.
An,,,,,,1 Mesopo UJttUd .

t e scate redistnbution . In 1964

econo my. -'I·S Svcnd ,\.age I "" Ak'l.lI Ft5tlVal. Copenbag.n B.mco LW\(! B
ACKNOWLEDGMENT p... , , Th, Bairy 0"'"
,9,6
Research aSSiStance b I Ri
Y nes vera IS gratefuuy acknowledged. parro[. Afldrt . CollecOo n des Ides Phocograpruqucs. ""L - ctuld
Man
REFERENCES 1953 Ides er Calendes
Arrue" Pierre
PuU'"d<. Francesd CIOnS on che ' Banque, Theme. an I
1980 Consl e.ra
LA glyptJqu~ A1esop011J'tllt1lPl~ archalque Paris· E~· d 1994 and Syna In Dnlllnns '" nonu.
1a Recherche Saentifique . . . wOons u Ce t N . Mesopo [anua
.
n re anonaJ de ,--26 Padov. SaIgon sri
Boese. Johannes lanO. PP. >

1971 All1nesopOlamLSchc W"hplalt"l . Berlm ' Wall d G ,""le.J. N&lrlv Mesopotamia . Lon don Rou tl eclgo
P"S.,,-
Bonera. Jean . er e ruyrer. 1991 .
1994 rteo yvonne
BOisson, banquet. er vie sodale en MesoPotamie ID · k. Rosell!:" . C [Summ .... ,I< Con.s"m ....HI,'n da .... ... \11 &-......... n
• - . n ml mg 111 Ancient S _ I9/iO. U oncer
trla, «lired by Luao Mdano. pp. 3-13. Padova: Sargon sri
Cohen, Mark E. .
0,,- Editions E de Boccard

1996
19IiOb U Rtgtmr ut> Offr"nJe; .1 ....< ... $, ,br ':;ummrnu
The Sun. me Moon. and the City of Ur. In Rehgto" a"d Poli,lCs I" Ill, A . card
N Etu . t1Ctnu
ear I, eruted by Adele Berlm, pp. 7- 20. Bethesda: Uruverslty P f
Maryland ress ° Sauten, H
Les feles n<o·sumencnn., cl kUf ~nC'dl I In •
1'110
1993 The CU/hc Cal .... dars of the Ancj"I' Near East. Bethesd.: COL Press.
rynol<>gU/ut In", """."••11<, .,uteJ b, nJrt Fine It
Collon DomJruque
1992
eonul. BeIS" de recherche en \\ . ,pot
Banquets in me An of the AnCient Ne.r Ease. In Banqll<ts d'Onen" edired by SchmlDdl·Bess.ral, Dents<"
R. Cyselen, pp. 23-30. Res One males Vol. IV, Groupe pour I'Etude de la CiVl' 1\l9> &fort Wnnng. u nn lIn" 1'>11\
lisauon du Moyen-Orient Bures Sl y
COoper, ]errold S VwtiphOUI. H. l. J.
1\l9> 111. Bmquel (ene tn th ,I I
1986 Summa" and AkkadUl" Roya/IILScnplloll.!, Vol I. New Haven The Amene,n
"'OrVnI, tdiled by R l, len. PI'
OnentaJ SOciety.
Finer, Andr':
I'Erud. d.la Civtb non <tu I

1992 Le BanqucI de Kalah ofTen par le ROI d 'Assyrie AshurnaslTpalll (883-859). In

Banqurts d'Onr/H, edited by R. Cyselen, pp. 3t-43. Res Onentales Val IV,
r.roupe pour I'Etude de la Civllesallon du MoyenOnenr: Bures Sl y
Lambert, 'iN G
1993 /Jrm.lIrmJ "f "')od and Dnnk 10 [he Gnds ID AnClenL MesapotamJn In /("",,,
and SlUrlfiu tn the AnctnJI Nr.r Brut, edtted by J Qu.cgebcur, pp. 191··'01 Leu
"cn Ungcvt'nJ Pt'tters rn Ikpartemt·nt Oni'ntaltsttek.

402
 • GAA 8 AGE ANO THE MODERN "'''''(RICAN FEAST

GARBAGE AND THE MODERN

- (am",ar
ndles, un ,
musIc. and exotIC dance step, Wh .. w
.. m"" d~
-----
e red, I1owever, was the m ass ive cleanup ilftC!l'"\.\oarcb . \\lth g>.I1Ons of
·s lolJi ca
Cl · ,
AMERICAN Fe ,n"",b d ound. o( roast lamb, pork. chicken bones. and was,
Doug las C. Wilson and Wllllom L. Rorhje ASr re eran r e SCrap th..,
.pH/cd be Ily discarded on the OOor One operator went to _L., bl
' n casu a <0, .rou e of
.,d bee d over the entITe dance noo pnor to the C""sy f.,." " I' I
r
I "
fJPlng (. rdboor
ent cleanup.
bsequ . d ' 1. _ d '. d
'r , 0 "Cl Itate
In Ihe last .sever" , de(ade.s, home enterralning In Amerlc I the'" . feasting In In ustnauze soaetles, an tbe Urnted Stat
rom " "'Mte,' of rules and regimens 11110 • very ••per, r
I evolved d ra"'alltally
las dscusSlng es '" par.
' , it
In I celebrations at the CrystaJ Ballroom are tmponan' d
M
arfha Sfewart (/982: 12)
ana . reeWheellng affal
r.
(lClilor.
Ihe Gypsy
they u.
. '..
ill "rare rhe rufficulty In charactenzmg an American f...
' . nec Otcs
,~~,g L,~_
""_
b<c;!use b d ranges o( ethmc groups and econotTUC classes ,La, .1.
. The roa ' UI m""e li p
hJv,or, d Srates participate in an equaUy daunting array of feasting ' cn",,,
UnJlc ~.
Ihe it ,5 dl'ffi euJt , even for rhose who Itve Wlt!un the culture, to understand t he
,Ind nFO f ex 'ant , feastll1g beh.vlors . The Gypsy feasts also tUus""te U~ro p b.c.
(uli1 ra
of e th nographic-respondent recall . and reporting,. ' When the re .."
espeaallv
len JOIzers an d participants are unwilhng to be mtemewed Tlus bias ID Inform.
orgI ,"«rvl.ews . whIch has been ruscussed at length elsewherr (e.g , Rltenb.lu<''' •

and Harnso . n 1984 ,' Sechresr I979; Webb et al. 1966), Underscore, the lm""",ft,
r v ~..
h

of~eJrra
In h eologlcal exanun.tion of feasung behavior,. Slnce rhe'
stud" of mare'-
na) 0 b1fC ,s ' IS nor subject to the same biases as tradltlonal ethnograplu, te h-
mqut's
, (Rathle'J '995, Rarh)e and Murphy 1992:53-78l.
In rJus chapter, we espouse a matenals·based approach to the stud of the
Amenc.n feast. We argue rhat the social and economic processe, rh., Iu\ led 1
the Widespread availability of speciall)' foods , rhe mass'productlon of I \, ,t
commercial goods, and the shrmk.ing SIZe .lnd mcreased fimnClall J.p<1ld n
n
of households in urban and suburban ernngs, hlve democratlZ<d, .lawn,
and fragmented the Amencan feasr We suggest rhat nun of rh lun.-n
Amenean feases have fallen away with rhelr lormal ltmbule,. 1(3''Ul~ I mc,
thar function pnmanly a solidanty led.t,.
The Crystal 8aIJroom POrtland, Oregon, operated berween 19£4 and 1968,
cros~-secC!on
111
ho,ung a ciJV(rc of Amencan music and dance, 1T0m DlXieland
Jazz. '"altzt'~.
and'old time" tra<LtionaJ (square) dancing to soul mUSIC and psy-
TYPES OF AMERICAN FEASTS

chedehr hghr shows. HistOrian Tim Htlls 's (1997) monograph on the ballroom In a!tempting 10 <Lserimin')fe betwe~n th., man\ 1'\'1"" "t .I,t. In Ih LIlII cl
d',eumem, rhJt 111 the late r950S and early 1960s, the Operarors augmented rh", Stales, if is firsl appropriale 10 segregdle rh" ~ li'J" . h Id Ul anJ \ Ih h J
from those given by larger sO'-lal groups an nOllhousehulJ, Ion IthQ
revenuC5 by lea'lng our the hall for Gypsy celebrations, IIlcluding Peas[s of Ihe
nughr apecl thar this dislinnioll has som thmg to d" \l11h Ih nUrn
D(!;Id A[fempt by Hrlls In rhc [990S to Interview participants af rhese mid
participanls or the size of the r. aSI, Ihl IS nOI ~h. d,. th~ h,
~,'ue '15, IIh
rwcnut'lh·cenlUry ((,3St5 were s[ymled by rhe Gypsy communIty's secretive and
nalure. and rhelr II1herCI1l mobthty (Timothy Hills 1998, personal
gatherings can incJudt' hundreds of re "'Ill n
dUde only a handful of peopl . 'om lun th "nh.!as I
C'ommunJQU(lIl) The only reports 011 these Gypsy feasts are recollections by the hOUSehold_level feull il 5('"Ulg in a
Inspection of a ran~ of IWt'IIII Ih l lIIur
operator of the Rallrt)om, who dt" (nbI'd tht, .. VI brdm J[tlre, " bouquets of flow·
RI "
talnlng lUides sugull a of Id llht "", I I
 (O/UHt A I 01

( IOn. Uh ld" uod Ithll ll., (101 l , rill' Hilllk' 11/ '"1,/(, ~'fllfll ~ I "
-
t ht 1\, I
tmh " \\ "'"
,
'!gu d H ,1n l uhl!-
' I,
~(' l l ht~s .ilc · " I'I ' I DI)lj 11,'
" f I >, .III)pl(_,
I I
dt·t 11
.1 ., k il'lu h~· h , lVH JI , .lI st) lIlf lud" th mw _ I
hit . . 111\ it,,,, I in I I
dr n ~ l I 1n l III I ell b
111 h. ,I\" \\ "h h l ll~I"It ,'l\lIlhd .. ,) , I i l) ll dll \ l \ lI l h d.IY 1 ~lhl l ' l 1' 1, .• ,
Ut
I) ' 11 '1 ·,>,1111 ,1nl.! lorl l l .\1I1hl)Tlt l l'~ 1{.IVt"" I I Y You lhs In .t h
Vd . C;';'" I~
I ),I Y, ." 1 P,1I1 h k ~ I )
• • Ion I\ y p i li • . • I'll IHh '" 1 1I
IlIk '\ D.I' " ,d" l'ntd t"l\\ t 1),1" , Nt'\\' r "Il I " 'Y"I' 111 . . l'I, ll ('d .ll1d on l y )"I.u dy lllldl' IMCH )d Ailh h Y uth P.trth"..IIol nfro.n
fl!! PtH1tly .~_
1').1\', .lI ld Wt'ddl1l~ \.lIl l·~
t\ ' . . " unb l).IY nlt'l . ou p. St,l\k
h IHUII,II I)" ,", (1l II1I1Ihw", , IIHI /VI "!
11
Ik ' I I . i tI ror h i~ l or!(': ,1 1 ~\ f( h _l ('u l o~y 10 Iddft" I 1 f I t,JH· t h.1J d. "'"-'tU
. I t) Z W l lll l' I"
Il' nt ' • \\ .1 C( Ih ol rt.ulrJ th
Ivr'l C<j Itv) I lIe' \ mn'ltltl \\ ,I"l rll' \ ldllkltllClk' Hh,ntd u" IlWIH I!oo 1n l " I" I ' • 11'Ch,H:f'l lo WSlS runs llIt l !..' "" Ihl' lr bott I lOn'i1J1Tlf'\tth n b h ~ Pu-
:. l~I,1 hilV( , " cs ot hu uor I t ....l'Ior. r"t I
1)~ly ,Ihl,' IdkLl lOn o f rl' ,lslIn~ bl.· hi.lVIO I J t, bee r ~nl
" u l"(",\
HUh , Il ltl \ldlllJ.:, till D h f<' I ) . ,I ."1 P .lI rk k !oo IllIhlwl lll thn'" V\ I ' t y
01 I'~ .' . • WIn"
J h.II' k '~ 1\ 1Il~ dll11I('I , two C hli'11I111~ dilll1 t.' I , Itl UI O d1l'I' An; ~ 1'I f. 1I1 JC.l .... tln~ t ypc.' s II'lr lllJc U
" • • I l' \ 1l' :o.
\ .11 il' ll l' S {)I w\'ddll1 l1 ,\ \ .
" '" 4
~ '11 11 "1, ,1 1 . .In'e, "nu ball b
0
l'\I\' '''Il~ r hddl (' n \ IH ll y 1 "" 1, I " ul s ' lo UI, St c nll' l·t~llI111\ l· n l 1c.:,l~lS . \lIch ' 5 11 \. ,tr fnIO:VOlh.
I('J I1 n l l l r." ,l il c tHOOll 01 I l ' !Il', hI1 W lH S, ,\
,·,S. .
111 I " . . ' .1W"'l\~n I " .. nd ha
'l"P tlt Ill, ~, hl1d~l' " .1I1 Y' UI'I'(.' I . 1I n1l'II '!'I (. ,In..l P ,lI ·l y. II lId .1 ("(1\
•
kt,\1I
• , \ ,. ...
p n ll y t .ik(.'W ISi..' ,
Illl Il'
qu .,
Ire leasl 'YlwS , pcc , r,c~ lI y dC''''''od f,..
f'I "r lOurlM eun
uJu, ur "',J.-.
Ib
...... ~ "'1"1.
t.. h ' I.\ {~ I \'c.'lt ' ( I Y,\' , '\ ' i. I'i "(I I,;,q) I\lodt'I" Fllr vdnl'l·tllll III ('iJ,}k"I.~ , itl t.' nlll il'!\ twu ' \\I111Ptton \lncr;all 'J
FIVE TUCSON FEASTING CASES
{\ I'c.:' llt \\ cddht,L:. hlt.'. dd , I ~ I , ,I wl' ddlllg It' ,' , .\ \Y('ddmg
1"lIPJ'l I..' r, 1i11l ' C dll'll1t,' l 0 1'

t \ Pl~' 01 ' rh .ll1k !'lgl\' ln.c. dllt1 WI. IWO t flW!'I 01 ChnSlIH ,h dlllnt' l , t w o typr, 0 1 Nl' W
'fhollg h idr.llizcd Amen " ", IC",lIng l y p es C,\I\ b .. ,
II1 . , '.enllfied on th
Yl..1 t s i l .al dlllIWf' tlHl' t. tl'lt' f\lIs fC11 ~hnWl' rs. l w P t YPl'~ Or P ,' ~I (' 11l1l' nu , t wo t ypt.. ~
'C,1.11O 11 gu,des lh., h.\Vl' i1nll nshcd ' 1\ lhe late . tl1\cnU.'ndcn
.' . t\ytntl«h «ntu th
lone prctil ... how k .lSlS In Am, nea .\rc J<n,ally h 14 ry. OY '.lIno!
"I 1-<,", rh "I 11IIy 1II,·'H! .•1 W.\,h\II~\()n ·s IIl1lhd.l), 1III1I'hl'lll1 .•1 ChnSl Il1 .1S 11I n"h .1 t lI. 'ncludm h

ellll. j) '·11" 11,,,,,· 1' 11 " 1'.11')'. •1 blllhJ.\)' lUll, hl'OI1 /11 dlllll '" P,\I' Y. ,Ill ., llc ' sk.'/l II\I:. I
I' 'n .lis• .lft purchased. prepared, L1sed. con'ume.
' d
u . an WJ tcd In h
g 0.. fca'l\ng",.
rX,lInll1C fet,sl mg rCfll S(' an m tlJ e rn T uc",on, AnzonJ dis . l , !oC,' hon, wr
. klll1,.: 1\1 III,"h.tll g,'1 tng,·th'·I. ' .lIld .1I1 .,11," " hlllll V.\l t· IlIII"' ·s nay p.lny. Iher
11"IiIY ,n Ihe m,'tcna I remam' 01' these fe I"s a j' hCU~\," ~omt of Ih"'>n. I

hu IJd J' nut 1l\('1l1l<ll\l·d 1\\ Ih,·,,· Illld 'W"IlIl"lh r ("1I\1I Y gelld,'s ",duul' M .II."1l ' . I U IS · .. · m w al Ih,v gcne ...lI . .,
;lbolll lcasttng III t le nllC l lJlt S Our tOClI.S IS n arro ' d tt\ 4J
I Ud k ' J..:lIlg ' I)." \",' 11·, .111' D.\V• •111<1 P" ' ,,,Il'l1t ~' D.l y. The g",wnc n.lIl1r,· 01 " . 10 the ho u, h Id I I
1t.\S' .,od IIITIlled 10 'he ,""metl on, In I"e.lsnng [h.u a bl . 0 (\t
Ill''' ' f""Ill'!"lh ,rlllll! y n'u\..bonk .\I\L! ,' IlIl' 11.11 I1ll1g gll,dL'S 's rl' Il Crll'd 11\ Ihe 1"\:1 rt \1~1 (" J.t't' hJ co kp lnl1
II\d tiu, t,H1 be stud'l'd In J IIl.Hen.11 sen.e In nur d ' ,
rhJ t n o noH l hn!'lthll) 1l'II~tntls on ,l SIOth .1I'l' Illl' IHif)lwd , . l~(U~ton. bc!(}\\. \\f tn-.u
Al1ll'nr.111 k.lsllng m .1 more gcner,11 ,O ntC'L O\lr.\poI3I, , h
( 11,1.1.111".\1"1"', .1I·,· pt·rh.lp, Ihe: mU$I I\Il1L'ril.\lluf 1,·\\,lS. bUI .\, ,I' yp"lh,,), J ,'e till' TUl'son households \Cl other $0 '.,11 grLlllps ng t e pattern., \I.'en 1n
hurl 1.,
ddi," . ~1.lllh.1 :;I,' W.\rt ·, ( ,<)/11· \0 11' ) IlWllllS lor cock!.1I1 p,lIl1es range OV"r,he Y"ars Wl' h,\vc: thsccrtlt'd m.lIlY ,"Ifercn,cs b ·n . h
In-m \Ill .,,, ·,.thco"'g> 01 (1 H pt·upl.· I() .\ ·· I.II~e ,' . ll' I1UJIl'd b.lsh" ul 100 . Susan . ' ..' <cn I ~ ttf'<'rteJpc:r
("1'1'llllns .\lld undl·f>I.H1dong of .\ pJrt'r ul.u bch.\(nr JnJ 'h- I
R an • ( '<,I , S . \1) hl"II1C" ~U1dl'. 11.,,,, 1.1 Wo,k rI Htll l ,,,, A ~;1I111"1') S"<"f\'ss/lIlIy Nlm, ... n).lten.&. n:.Uittl '
tll.II n'l"e,,'''' ,he l'onsl'q lIt" K," of I haf bch.wlor 1 hrough !.\I..tng In ." h.stol
lIS rh '''"~III'g. ,ugg(" " Ih.ll Ihen' ,Ill' th,..·,· lypL" ul nKkl.1I1 1'.11 Ill', . sllc,al. K.,1. 1.llht·I· lhan clhnogr.,ph" ur sunol. g" .11 appro."h III \ mcn, .IIl
b U tl ( .1I1e.I ( uu, Il,lI\l' " ,SIll , \, I ((ll kt '
111"
I' 11 f,l" oh cn h.IVL· " lht·mc. bas"J On .,
hllpc tn pruv,de IIlfurm.II,on Ih.1I " ul pr.\n"..\I \".llul· tll .\I\:hJr"I<. 'h' ,hh.st
h 01 • (" n "n,t 'U l I,
I dJ \ CH en.'f"'~""
1",'nW,H , huusL"w.\lmll1g. "' holid.IY· BIIslI1ess
I'l ' In
" wall funtr.l:;t With ~nlr tl\\ 11. IIl'lrU.' rI<"l"t , unLil'r:')t,lIldu,s \'It tl ," nn
I1p 11 ttl 1I,,·lud. lit) hCl" rct:,·puum.1I (lll\f"n' n(~~ .\I\llllL'SII1<'" ,un.\Is. 11\ ,oorll,·s Isec R.lthl'· '<)oj~. R,"h)\' .IIlJ ~llI'ph\ ",N l , ~
LHl1p ~,n )' ptlllH."!'I 111hI I hl' In I,11) 'UU ':, Y"II
... t elld "n,rL·lliIlIY· . Il0us"hold gJrb.lgl· 1I,I\lr,,,n \n Zlln., "!'ld....1lip 1\\ K~ a ,
( ( 7) "Ill) prov,d,' \ ., lllllqUl' ",,,ght 11110 Ie.hung beb"v,o" 11\ sanitallun work,·,.s III ·I\'e>on h.,\"<' ",IL"IIl.11I'.III, !:.lIh, (,I ,Jn,p
I .I I 'S
UUlll I

on •
•
11( d, ,nhl'S., VJfIl·l) ut IlIIILlllm,.",dud,ng (' ) pu'U1.1 p.,r" .•
I S,·lung. (2) ,'("
garbage Il'Ii ,H till' rurh"d,' .111.1 ddll,·r,·d ""'lit
hi lud, m , ,Iunt
I
h - In n n lion .1Il.! "It •• S L.1I1 IW ,'\( 1. , , . . '
\ "'cd III III 11,10'111.\ . I I 1I J,'Ch,.cologlsrs uf th.· Unll""'" III .\1\ 1 .'1\.1 ' , ..111 ' I ,) . 1 1
."- \ I tt"' i:tlnnl\~ l w t"\ () ~
nl \\ h,( h ~It .I, 'gn",I!ll lIlt'el Ill'W l onl.1t b • III h rural tlep'!. iU(\tlll1r (h" \llI,h. Ih"t'h'I\ , I' Ih'· IIl,h'ldll.ll h., , ,
noml P I I . \11 eW1l1 Sill' .IS,'
and ) putu' !h~t It' g\VI' n /(11 ''1W' ,"n 01 IIH" e '''It, . .. sentmg dlllh" tdl"" ,,1., ...
·.1 .11 tilt" "" h ,," ",\I '''''1\ III a
n Because we Ion" Oil tilt' hUll" ""1,1",, ~\lI' "11' n.Is" I' bm,
11 tea 15 I... whl< h Ih,'''' .1It·
,.
1111 ~lIll' , ••
,r" Ih,»\· ,,'.
IOrs Ihul or,ur wllhllllh, hilI'" h.,I,1 • ,1.1, ,lu,1
A h r p( Am n
.. . . I I \1)10,11 Y 1'.11
'ndudmg '.'IllP'" It.lltllllly.II' . I IlI'r ~ taurants. nw IlIlg h~II,. h ,11" '''"'' 1II,1
dto • I 1" "I' .11" "t
r hlllg" I I"gglllg "''''1''· 1111,1.11 Y .• I 10 •• ".,,1 ReSIdue ' trum two d,tI, "'111 IlIl1t n. j \\

I d AI "h,,1 dOlllllldl{"d I'JIII<·' . 11 • .I,lt." I" 1'.11 It> " 1nl beha 10" tl,.. I.,II,~ ... , , III I'll ,",1.1\, .'t lh",

401
 ,

Rac h rl kup !<. J JllI') it.·d during th ese n,vo peri o ds was p a ll1stakmgly pOred 0
. , h . ver b
U I1I\'crSII)' of /\ri ZOI1:t student rc!'Oearchers. d oc~'m c n t~ng eac speci fic Item in th~
8~E1S-l k ..
~.lrbJge Tht, go.I' o f the :resc nt .-H101YS1S 15.LO Ide ntify th ~ m atenal l'crnalOS of a r"ArtifactS Related to a Than sg lvlng Feast in Sample (45-120291
~ 111 ~111 sample o f Thc.son te J SLO;, ;Illd to uc raiJ th ose m a ten al aSSOCiations ~
t }'p es Jl1d quantities o f rood.~,
.
beverages, ro b 3ceo, 3n d o r h e r m a tc n al Itcm orlhe M~lerial
Srand
. vesse Is, [he presence of COns 'used S""
, .nd ruscardcd u,e 'YPcs of speaal servmg 'ryp< f)-'Q:p
' . . • P1CUOUS plastic Sager Cresl
.'Q

Wos'e of food and Jny eVIdence for the number and co mpOSItIOn of peopl
' . e pres_ I'<>od f.lu nal
ent 80 ed on lhe mar-erial rcmruns. we also attempt to make some Infere
, ' nees on
food
I'<>od
bo tanical
,,~ ~
,
th Ukely organIZers and contnbutors to the feast, the hkely purpOse of lh ' plastic P'Ot.a.to Pt~1
I . . . '
aspects of marenal I'edlstrlbutlon, and other Important clements of" .
e 'eaSt, """d paper Kmgston P"!,,,-
. eaStl ng Pood fe rrous can
., 02
rot.to ""'~ :t
~ lr\rJ.c t c ~
behavlor Although we rely almost elltlrely on the matenal record to guide
I . ' .
Inlerpretatlons we acknowledge [,a[ we are partiCIpants In th e cultu
OUr
r"",d ferrous COln
Cable:cu
~ton
20~ .
10 oz.
~chCUl L<: ,
1

FOod plastic S'\\~pn C&Q

' . ~ - Rambo.,·
48 ....
I
ore srudymg and shamelessly employ our uruque knowledge and e"peri Food p a ~r /fC: rTous
. .
dnd also an understanding of the Amencan feasnng calendar, to help '
ences, Food fa unal/botarucal
Ptllshury
So..
35"Og
hreal3 .. i 4i'PU
bua.umaba..
,
In OUr Food oIop
m(erpreratioos. paper Fntos
so.cldood } 02..
The Fall 1991 sample comprised 65 pickups collected at various times betw
een so,ck food
plastic
plastic
Saguaro
TootsJe RoD
I oz.
'orn "'nU4 cb&p ~At\'tJ
!'Oh. cbtp "''I'\'tt
,
September 27 and December 5· Project archaeologists recorded mote than 8 soack food ;(b
mruVJduaJ Items. Four of the sample plckups were collected on December 2 h
.000 Snack food
paper
paper
8r.tchs
Lifes;;r,vers
ODoh WT1P1<c
'bocow. "Nh ""I'I'<t
,
1

.l e snack food
Monday afTer the November 28 Thanksgiving holiday. Two of these plckups [On . Snack food
paper
paper
Topps la:
hut! Qn,k ....t4hlt"f
t...bbic ;:um rr<r
,
tatlled good evidence [or ThanksgJVing feasting bebavior. The first feaSting type Snack food Scubum
tnula..
papa NI Kat an.!!
we tiJscuss, then, is perhaps the most trarutional of all the secular holidays of the Snack food l", •
Food prep;marion I sefVmg alummum :ob", ~ "''I'I~'
Urured States. 80th plckups were collected from a census tract of middle-ciass !od "
, Food preparaoon / servmg te..Yll1t:
predommamly Anglo-American families on the east side of Tucson. Food prepanoon l servmg fC!.xnle plaso c
rJd:.n ,
,
rood preparation I servmg plastic ,
CASE ONE: THANKSGIVING Food prep.uaoon · servlOg
Food prtpuabon .' serving
p.lper
plasoc
•
A pICture of the ThanksgIving feast associated with Sample C45-I20291 (which we
refer to as Case One) emerges from the close examination of the material items.
Food prcpmoon ,I s~rvin~
r-ood prepuarion ' serving
paper
pl;hnc Soun!)
... 1

Nonng that any of these material objects could be found in any household \Jonllcoho~c bn~r.lg~s .11uOlmUI1l
PIi'<'
Per"
plClrup, It IS the association of items, the high frequency of items, the diversity of Akohohc btvcr"g(s Jlummum ,)1,1 \ld\. u~ ,
Items, and the date of deposition, that provides the best evidence for feasnng be. Alcohol.ic bcvtr~~s ollumtnum H anUth U
Alcoholic bcvcngrs .1lunllnunl R U\h\ thc f
havior. Artifacts believed to onginate from the Thanksgiving feast are listed In U
I
Alcohol.ic ~ngts polpcr
Table 15 t In the ptact.tce of Amencan historical archaeology, we have included S".ragt ",1.led I
r l.hht
the paruculars of brand names and container sizes, along with frequency and Oth" pi .. tK
type dJsnnctions. 11tis provides a clear material-culture context for the arrifacts Tobacco I(').(tlt" PJp<'1
Tob.tcco Itl
and an associational framework for the comparative study of feasting behavlor In 11;"
I"" r l
T·b.t,co 1(' tilt'
hlStoncal archaeology. Other students of material culture Interested lJl identify· 1'" r 1\,
I
Tobocco
lr nit Pol, \\
109 feasttng behavior also may find it useful. Tobocca
As dJsctlsscd in the introductory chapter, one disnngUlshmg anribute or leaS! Tob.tcco
I. tt! ro r \ I.
TCJbacCD
",pel "I n, I
tng behavlor IS the preparatton and servtng of spcClal foods. NO! surpnslIlgly, "'pel

401
 -_.- f),"(~ljl \ (' \\ ~ 1.1;:..
"';:..
" ::..
' "::..
" ::..
"::..'''::..
''::..
''''::..
' ::..
' ::.."::.. ' ":!.:J'_ _ _ __ _ _ _ __
"::..

_• ------------G~A::..R-.~.~G~E::..A::..N::..D~rH::..E~M~O~O~E~.~N~.~ ~~~~__
I ~ERI( ... Pl ' H n ___
- ____ __
rO.1' ft"J rurkt' \, I.~ one- of Lh l' more J rch.lcolog lc.1 Ily VISible co rrelales or 'Th
. . "nks. o ve rs ). Orher fresh and packaged feast-rel't<d '
~ 1\"ln~ f~;ts lJnt-: 10 till' Unll cu St.ll e.."i Por ex.1Jl1plc. DICkens and Bo w c n ( IQ8 . le k I. lOod Ut m " InCI"de ""H_
. 0 .5 1- 53 ) (p eels), broccou, corn-on·rhe-cOb. rolls d
u.'i('U th e rel.l ll\'l· freq uency 0 1 LU rkey bones fro m ~l ' 910 refuse d ep OSit ass .
.. . . ,. oelated
'"tOes
d 0 cooking and serving incl ude. an alUltUn
. an pumplu b "'-'>.
n ~d M.t.ttrUb.
P<>
W Jt h \1 '\\'orkm!o! clJ's n t~ lg h borh ooJ an Atl J nta. Geo rg ia, as one m eans t 13 t C [ 'gh urn pu:: tin an 1 n:-
.. . . , • . 0 Infer ferrouS rneral bowl, et t plasoc trays, five plasoc dlshe; a : """"urn pt.•••
e.' rl~ f\\ CIlU e lh ·cc n rury 1 h .lO ks~lvlng .l nd C hnsrmas ho liday behavlo r
ne ferrouS metal fork, and two plasoc spa ' P per C\lp a p
A~. shown in T.lhlc 15 ·' , the most obvio us food Ite m s related lO the Case 0 cup. 0 ., ons.

leJ" IIlcluue ,\ pIJs(!( "S,lge r C re,, ' tu r key WI',lppCr a nd 17 ru rkey bon es T~: AS with Case O n e . there IS eVide n ce fo r consumpuon
_
of
mcludJng coffee and soda, but the maJon ry f b nona)coholl( ba."
bont'~ found 111 rhls ~lngl e pl ckup represenr over one-quarter (27 percenr) of lhe ages, 0 . .erag
-d to rhe consumption of alcohol, includm e matcn>is are te.
po ultry b"n ~' ( 11= 6.1) .lI1d 16 perce nt o f rh e tO ta l bones (n= 109) documented d lat" . g . o-ounce 0,,",
Ur- . enSlve malt liqu or and quart bottles of me"" .".,. bottl. of
Ill!: Ihe Fa)) ,111 .11)'51> A s 111 lhe DIckens and Bowen (J980) srud y, the frequency of mexp - , enSWt I'g.r be
ducrs in Case Two are also represented. although Ct. Tobacco
nlrkc . Itc ms m C.lse O nc prOvides a strong lI1dJca tlo n o f holiday feasting behav_ pro m much I""
(n-- 43 filrers and rwO packs) and vaneoes (0 = 31 than C On er nUmbe".
. ' ase ~_ llus . . ,
lo r Othe r food It ems that may be related to rhe reast (Table 15.1) include van ar there were relatIvely few smokers at the ~ . ug;,'I:. " to
ous uS th ast and l'OSSlbl .
/'re, h ,md packaged food Ite ms, Ulcludmg 350 g rams o f m ixed and Unidentifiable grOUp of feasrers, pe rhaps o nly a smgle household a >mail..
food uebns (claSSIfied as "slop" by the Ga rbage Proj ect resea rchers). Snack fOOds The marerial discards fro m tbe rwo Tucson Thanks . ,
an' \\eU "'presented, mcludmg bo th chIps and ca ndy. glYUlg .casts are qWt< .hf
, r even though ey were heId m tbe same vea, m tb
ch -
leren • I C same netghborbo..-.l
There are se\'eraJ mote n.ls m the Case One pld.-Up related to th e preparation
Case Two contains few e r packaged items, more fresh foods , an d prnb.blv ..
and ' enmg of the ThanksgIving feast These include aluminum fo il sheets, plas-
held for fewer
.
people than the Case One feas< . One comma _.
' . n <Jcmentln both.
uc trays, and 38 paper plJtes, suggesting that at least part of the feast w as Served however, tS the consumptIon of relanvely large amounts of a1rohohe be-; fa ,
o n JJsposable cLnnetwar. Evidence for beverage use at the feast is do mmated by Even m the 1990s, when the h ealtb effects of alcohol and tbe don"",, of drum.
akoho"c beverages, \Vlth at least three types of low- to moderate-cost Ame rican I driVUlg have been well publiClzed , alcohol appears neee,.,.", to lh( U'""''' of
I.lger beers. Tobacco consumption IS represented by t90 filter tips from five differ- many American feasts (see Quinn 1997'115).
e m brands of CIgarettes. These filters represent Over !4 percenr of aU the cigarette
burts recorded m the Fall 1991 sample of plckups. The quantity and cLversity of CASE THREE : H ALLOWEEN
agare tres recorded m the Case One plckup provide good evidence that this I Tbe largesr quantity of alcoh o l-rela te d Item, found In a ~mrlc r, ur fn' tb,
Thanksgl\'mg feast mcluded an e.\tended-family or suprahousehold gathenng, Fall of J99J tS also closely assoCtated " ltb a tYFlc.u Amen,.., ,u l'c:>ut III
\Vith pe rhaps as many as SIX ddferem smokers. pie ptckups were coUecre d o n Novem ber 5. \\ Iu.:h \\3, tb, Tu , do ~ all< U
The linage that emerges from Case One IS of an enended family gatbering previous Thursday Hallowee n Of the four. th~e ,ontam,d
Wi th a tracLtional turkey dmner, notable alcohol consumption . the USe of dispos- I pation the Halloween celeb ration . 1\\0 "t' tb·s ontamN .1'I'
In
a ble p ape r plates, and a smoke-filled enVlronmenr . Although some foods were range of candy wr.lppers and Sl'me Hallo\\ «!n puaph tTU!1
apparenrly prepared from scratch, such as the turkey, many were purchased balloons. In contrast, '" mpl ... D 4, ·1I0<;01 leas< Thn-,
pre prepa ned from the grocery SfOne There IS no eVldence for the USe of expen· pers or food debns of am k.lnd Instead, th, ,ampl ~ ,\ 1 ,
s;ve Or exotic materials and much of the serving matenals are cheap dIsposables average, COSt lager b~cr In tl ' ,\Od "'·\lun' " ' ,mpn
varieties, including tWO ',Irt'·!!,', ,,1 hght b, r Th
CASE TWO: THANKSGIV I NG the beer artifacts re<orde,11tl t h,' 'I\ll~ I \l,oNl
Sample D 45-120291 ICase Two) also contained good evidence for a T hanksgIVing lqlresented by .17 lilt,, \, ups .111.1 .\11 Inl't, ;ill
(t"dSt. b UI o ne rhat dJffers somewhat from that documented In Case One Por the agarette , The remallld, r "I Ih, nil 1 , "
ale of brevlty. w e have nor listed In detail the matenaJs re lated to feasting, bUI According to Manha I ~ \\ . I I I S lh d
merely de nbe rhelt general charactenstlcs and how they compare Wllh Case hu ;u dl~renl typ S 01 h •.1 h'l11 Ir \I I It l'
One Ca T Wt) conum ... o plastlt' wraps from a " Honeysuckle" bra no turkey and des of red Win at\ p.a It. .r I
a four pound' r'() (cr Fa rms" duck. but only a slnglc bone (obVIously, there were
~ r 11 hit." Ih t III h.

410
411
 -~
~~~~~__~G~A~R~.~A~G~E~A~N~D~
T H~E~M~O~D~E~'~N~~~~~~
"~UIC"" F, ___
."
- -- '-'
. ana w'3S also recorded The plZZa ha . -
JSt Thrr-c: ~.lmrle5 r~lll ,.shorl of rhls Ide.11 The dominance of InCXpc nSlve: la l , f 1'l1::tnJU ~ xe... Provide. tht \..-
o ns umed at the .east. altho ugh fast ·food du """ ~
bl"t.~t\ III lhC" .s.ln'lpks be lles the (,lcr rh~ll Lhey arc denved from a rruddl c+tn
' co m
gC I
food'. CO d) .Iso could be related to the feasting P' glng found In the rioA':.
\nglo.\mt'ricoln nelghbc)rhood In rhls case. as WIth many InStances of A C, OC usce . ilCUVltl~, Se Ir-'-"',.
- _ men can (n mple ",clude paper and pla.tic dmnerw"", mng It <nu ..<.....~
f1.~~l~l1ng beh.IVlor. me cultural n orm~ dlctJled by e ntertamment guJ d cs, cook. n the s. - - --~
I se there was only a smgle brand of beer -
boo"--. Jnd ,Iuvcrtlstng dJfcr conSIderably from rhe acrual behavlor of A menca. . Beca. u _ _ . w~ truoall" lh
s assodated WIth pathologIcal alcohol co . ought Uu, Cue
hou,~hold.. n pour wa
e of the. pickup, though, along WIth the amou
nsumpOon A
- Conslder'Qon of
the cl a[ . _ nl omd v.t.ne. ~.
esrs ,h.t " IS not. The sample was collect d W "J 01 ct~uettt
bunS. Su gg e <doesda .
CASE FOUR , PRESIDENTS' DAY
t994, W
hich closely foUowed the Presidents' Day hoM ~. "b~
ay. on Mond . ~-,
l l,
Turrung ro rhe 1994 sample. we find lWO other plckups assodared with h'Igh aIco- _~ se materials do represent patholOgical drinkm th a~, "'Qru."
hol consumption.
_ each of whIch . however, represe nt very cWferent e""res
0.1"' .
Slons of
,t I f u ,e
- d WIth and perhaps accentuated by. the holid.v
g, en tlus bcha
k \" }( " [O,.
fcasrmg behJ"lor A roral of 63 plckups was collected between Februa ry 15 and relate . , wee end Hollda
are probably often an excuse for hmge dnnlun - )\. such lIS
pay days. g. Many en'<Tt
gut'des streSS that there should be a defined p"~se
December I. 1994, representIng nearly 11 ,000 recorded items. Tbe artifacts aSSOCt_. <0 a pan-,' We I.. >mmenl
- r- "r
ated WIth feastillg 111 Sample C7,022394 (Case Four) are listed in Table 15 .2 . As many American households, the exCUSe for reas . ",-poth'''lZe
Wilh the Case Tbree Halloween feast, many artifacts are associated WIth a Ico- that'" . tlng IS that thert " 3 •
plUS of cash. a day or (Wo off work, and a thint for ethyl alcohol. ""
hoLe beverages (n=:33 cans and 3 canons), representing 33 percent of all the
recorded beer Items the 1994 sample These contamers , however• repre sent
LO
CASE FIVE: MIDWEEK PARTY
onl), a smgle variety of moderate·cost lager As shown LO Table 15 . 2 , tobacco COn·
,,..., .. !uch "'6> a fnil.,
am ie A7'OJ1I94 (Case Ftve) was coUected on March n . I"'"
sumpnon IS also well represented by 126 filter tipS and 11 packs, together repre· 5 P
._,-,p not aSSOCIated WIth any common United Slales houda, The nltn~ (
plUl-u
sentmg twO brands and four varieties of CIgarettes. As hsred in Table 15·2, a tra ce Case Five are listed m Table 15.3 AlcoholIC beverage amhru. are ll:lln J(lllUmt d
I
y r containers, although a much _ greater varier-;
. of b«["';. ."
'- pt< -em " <n
b bee
TABLE 15.2 brands), includUlg more expensIVe Imported le:uc,n bg<N .nd '{"" :Wt). =fI
Artifacts Related to a Presidents' Day Feast in Sample C7-022394
b
-wed'" ales. Other alternative 'malt beveroges
._ =. -
'pr'- nl , J {,,"ro'r'
"
most interesting from a m3tenal ·culrur~ pel"pect\\e. all of th~ coo=1. ~
TYre Material Brand Size DescnptlOn No glass. The beer contamers m thIS plckup represent 2~ pent"nl ;ill th
recorded in the 199-1 sample . A, \\"h the other case>. n<!\.lle
corrugated
cardboard pizza boxes 2 few in number
Food prcpancon,' servmg poper Daxie. pia res 7 Food items in Case F,ve are donlln.tt·d t-, IU

fOod prCpar.1DOnl servIng plasDc Dart plastic fork 1 nuts. popcorn, and chIps Th.- \"\\\' pl.""< Jel> (ul" •
Budweuer llpack lage.r beer can 3
AJeoholJC beverages paper may have held tak... ouI parr t<wJ. Or ''',h I
aJummum BudwtlSer II O. oz_ Llger beer can 33
Alcohou(' beverages plateS. cups, or silv.:rw.lre Th.. (l0 gr.lIn, ,,\ fl h hm
Nonalcoholic beverages glass Seagrams 1 hter gmger ale bottle I

0 cola bottle I Wlth the ervmg of Ih It- I, 11 t-t r Th It'

.. on.aJcoholic bever.ge:s plasoc Coca Col. lO OZ

Tob~cco «.nle t paper Marlboro filter up 9l packaging

Tobacu) re.aletpaper Marlboro hghl filter up lJ the mat riat re,','N ,1111 \ iI 11\
filler op 10
Tobaew '''mlet paper Camel hgh( lIDlIr Dol fe" t ntt
Tobar«, (unlet po per Camel hglu ..... ud there: a ell' non f
filter up I
menthol

Tobo"" paper t pWuc Marlboro pack • abient d

,>I» poperlpwuc M.,lboro hgltl pack l me fth
I , I
T'~ () papertplasnc Camel Ugltl pack \n pu
I
lure m.ln,Uill1.1
nJ r 11
, •

413
 ,

-
TABLE 15.3 everyday consu.mpnon of these lt~lIU
Artifacts Related ro a Midweek Party in Sample A7-031194 r
o1. .dues
. f feasong III Tuaon shv. the toul "--q>'E
0 U~ "rib 0(
re~ ,utd beverage use. Ce.n;un SI>Ca...Ut). ItCl'tb.. ~ cb as
T\'flt: M;aten .. l Brand S... Descnptlon - fa ed predorrunand} dunng yeor-end holi~
No t11
conSO ssodaoOns 0 f maten~ -'- and the di\~ltv
.
r...od poaper Wonder R.out ducke.n wr-appc:r - _
UJ1lque a
_Ji
~'"
g I
d es of many modem feasts ."" prob.b . --~ .
Food r<lun..! 504 ducken bones the res1 u <UUl.)

bot.1n1~1 60 g lim.
food
• n.. d food plllSnc Laurll Scudder popcorn wrappe.r THE DEMOCRATIZ ATION OF THE AMERICA FE 5T
2
Sn:.ck food paper Golden Valley J oz. popcorn wrapper er obvioUS characten.stlc of the the <:a:>cs documeru~~ l...__
1 AJlo th ~ iK11! .,
bot;minl 18 g popcorn waste f ..nreSSlOn of the feamng beha\"lor The n'lUcuh
Sruck food
btbty 0 ~r . • r I>f
,snack food pJuuC' e.gl. 60Z, potato chip wrappe r
I and table serongs. IS bas<.d som.,,", _
Rema 6 oz. tOrtilla dup wrapper erages . ~.
rood
Sn .. ,k p/;u(iC
I DOns but also clearh' on chOl= JicUt(d at tk
Sn.ck rood pl.uoc PengulO3 hard candy wrapper prescnp · .
12 n, oz. lager be~ bottle
I . appropnate for the guests nu. ob""f'nl
Alcoholic beverages gl." 005 BqutS ",ha( IS .

Alcoholic oo'erag~ glas5 Corona IZO.oz.

12 n oz.
lager beer bOttle " 8 [Vr'enoe
. th-cenrurY'
entertammg.
gwde.> For e amn l-
r- ..
glass Amst~J Light lager beer bOltle no longer ngo rous presmptlons for soa~ habits and n , thAt
AlcohoLe btveragd
gl.u~ Bohemia 12 n oz lager beer boctle
• body of e:<penence m :\mem:-.-, ~ ~ .... n,
A1cohoLc bt'Verages 2 I
Aknhohc beverages gJass Columbus 12 n oz. lager beer bottle I
new 0 penne.><. and re5J><'ct for Ji"l'r<lt\
lIlg ''''!
U 11 ,
Alcoholic beve.rages glol5S Bndgepon 12n .Oz. ale borrie 1 nslder ourselves unhamp"red b\ the re.' .
Alcohohc be.verages glass McTamahan 's 12 El oz. ale bortle I
m'Y CO .,

Alcoholic beverage, corrugated

m.y let our mono be ' tT) an~·thmg- (1" I
cardboard Coronil I2 pack
4
lager beer box -rhere ~re J re\\' b.\Soons ut fomlal ~ Istm "
I
Alcoholic bc:verdges paper Dos BqU1S 6-pack lager bee r label I The Intemanon.ll GUIld of Prof•. ·,onal 1Iutl I
AlcoholJc bNtrages paper Wmterfun 6-pack beer label I serVlee techruques oser the Internet. mdu
Alcoholic beverages glass ZIm3 12 n oz mal[ beverage bottle S mal Omner." ..nd -Entcrtammo- umn I I
malt beverage label
of ·obvlou · ranI.. or q HU"': ,urn ~, the ~
I\lcoholic beverages papcr Zfma 6·pack I
Nonalcoholic btverages alumlnum Pepsl Cola 12 n. OZ_ cola ca n 2
NonalcohoJac bever..ge~ paper coffee fillers rttary of S(.ltt" • .1 ~l.lh; ~ '-:0 moor "
2
Nonalcoholic beverages bo~ruca.l coffee grounds I honor. Ho"'cs·cr. "1 .. Im t th am
~Iow the s.tlt nd ' pou lh
mg "etiquette" or a lIfestyle that does not mdude [Obacco consumption. and food trIces and to tITar 11 t , I th
serV1ce that does nOt employ disposable dmnerware . dilRrence of r. st r
It also unportant h
IS th~t
DISCUSSION sampl could be- pu('\"h m
ThIS bnef foray mto feasting in modern Tucson, Arizona. provides some prim~ry Unlled In a • th
mattrial data to discuss fusting behavior in the Untted Stall's DUI first 1Il1prc> 1 t

I<m is that there are many feasts . The five cases of feasung. nOtt'" here. rtprCscnI pIOducuon r
4 percent of the 118 plckups for the combined Pall 19\1t and Spnll~ 1 l'all"'9.1S,lnl O'hcr elemen \
plo, and we h,lYe merely scratched the surface of the data. pullUl~ Illlt the Illust _out
wmpdlmg example5. Even at 4 percent. it can be roughly <sum,ned th,1( k,I\t' III _b
'TuC1lm are o«urring al a rate of one per household every 100 ".'y' IJI , "
St·(lmd. ,('rlilln typQ of foodi. and mo.t types of a\rnhlll .nd t"h.II"" I" ".I
uCt • al wn umw at Uruu:d SIlIU:. feutl in high frequent ir. , (11111',11 ,·d h Iq' w"

.,
 --
-_.- . feasong behaVlor '" • charactcmue of !he mt
J 'U"·'· ,u, h J
. In' \Il,rl· ~ . •H1
small segment of lhe pOpul
I Tt . f " illl on I ~ s neltlbuI 'Y Ifl oe . of tndusmahzed tUoo"," ~iJ'tonQI ~
U1 m .un ,PL"\.IJ . I ' I WICJlly tnvtSlb e. 'le notiOn 0 sa rurallon . % .. ',' C[ens
1 (' .•H't' .m.; lJ( Cl (~ " d d POint" be a cbara renal iropllcauons of the gn:.nr:r a:\
USIIIl! Ihrm . 11 ) . fin whllt' ceramiCS. con s) ere: by Spencer. ,aY k the rn a
. , ",.'lo,n31 Utlhl} r.. WOOd n [0 eraC. d ceralTUC table'wares and other con!-umtt t.:;
IIr dn"[1. .1·\om~ co I bl n dus rcg arJ , Alte r att31rung a certaul I bcgun ss p roduce
S' hO) " ,J uJ r' eVclof . of rn' - horne-processed and prepared food:, re
.111.1 Ilcht'dulg (Iq , "I rwng' "nle IS gamed by addlttonal eXpend costs eliance on . .
,. I J, wJ IJp t." ~ eas U1 g r
tury an d eatly-rwenoeth-cennuy reluse depo"t. e ,
., ItUres
, .llu,· 111 ,,'a" m> . • 'ahh Wc would argue thar m m ost Amenc.n h . deer
,e!!.",II<" 01 111wnlt· dnd,~c dy been ,,,hleved.
[centh-cen ) The modem garbage data pro""l., "",o1e
oUse nJnl! ser [99 2 .
II " h' hold has ,I "J 87'28Z , pur sable srage tn the evoluoon of the Amcn:-.m
hn l SI .. " t '" I ' bed feasting ntuals. such as rhe English te '9 ' d rnost dlspo .
. . d · .. f f",·m• . prescn . 'cere.
newest an h Urute . d Sta tes bas democrauzed feasong_u ~ h" d , edu. BY
1 I" ,mISe 0 J L • S probably directly related co mdustrialtzatio
Id tilt' forma wnner, I n and vJItile t e b o th the size of the feasnog g'oup tend> to •
mOll)' dl .. duced consumer goods ,n late-nineteenth - and twentie h . we mean
the Id"C111 of mass pro 11 'b 'I' th . t . downsiz,ng, eO f rna ten al resources poured mto the fust t, mu,'h k"
. . Th rum hd. resulted III the ex.t llry at I S a characten . the percentag America usually lflyolye one or t\\ extend '01 f:unili , \
rc nlUlJ AmenCJ IS In , k . StlC
. Cl se The AmcncaJl WOIllQlI S Coo Book Identifies " h that feasts Ul
uf Ihe modern Amenlan ea . " I e ",,1.1 I 'I
Pothesize han 15 to 45 people All of our example • abo\", 1II 1
problem of the rwrma, I mral .. suggesnng. that elaborare m eals are nOI jUstifi ed no more tof aroCtpan .. tS usuall" one household. "uh rerh~p' n "" th.m
. social phySIOlogIcal ..or economIc. and that even the mos I . J .
from dn}' POInt 0 f vIew.. numbers p I As some p apers m thIS volume illu,u tt.1n n
. at peop e
lo rmJ I nl("J I must. rJO Uow the rules of health (Berolzheuner 1963:54). ,z .dro non
ften uwolve the best food and dnnk w,thIn the "to\!
Blddlc and Blom ('937) nOled the mld·rwentleth·century economic processes . feasts 0 . tin' 1 ,
cieDes. b yond the group san,.. n mntt a, t,
times even e
thal wcre changmg the American feast: "Vanery and change a re nOI far Ihe and some mli d especially the l.lfger onc,. ",rh ,un.hrd
wealth). ,he favored few. but for Everywoman ." They suggest thal the increased sere a ne .
have been nmes \\'e h ave routlniz d ur fOl"'" f n ur
JVdllJb,lny of mass.produced consumer goods resulted in "a change of glasses" nd short servUlg .
onds. a " feaSt5i- the m auguratlon of rh Pr!:. dmt ! Ih
be'"l: equal to the price of a movie. and the cost of a cemerpiece bowl being gran d "bIg man
most I eeting banquets for the ,tr n~ .!, mt' IU 1
equJI to Ihe cost of a pack of CIgarettes. It IS also clear that by the mid-twentieth the annua m
StlItes. be termed food "'''tra\ J~n7.:l' Ball· an
cenrury. there was a reemphasis away ITom the home production of feasting dJnners cannot
. m> late nmeleemh and "',lrl t" tt th h
10 the greater use of prepackaged substitutes. Feasting foods discussed in very popular m c
odt,ul parne, " n,1 ,,,cl.1hzll\ 11\ b
Wilhams (1996) Tht Way Wt Art: PartfiC Northwest Cooking. 1843-' 900, I 17iven way to C
D- L''' ' Amenc.lO fC:J)!lI'~ ar un,1 ubt
arc dominated by home-prepared cakes and sweet breads. In contrast, the 1954 of this SIW' Ul ,
neth ·.:entur . shllt fn 1nl a I I
Cooked 10 TaJlt cookbook of the junior League of Portland provides a section en. and eary-tw I en
utled "The Cook Is at the Parry" that lists meals that can be made IJ1 the mormng. urban and suburban . Do mll 1l\g ,, 1 rh \ m n
thereby releasmg the "hostess" to enjoy her parry. ing of the American tloa t
Parr o( Ihe trend away from formaliry is reflected in me abundance of dispos.
abJe dinnerware noted in our Theson feasts. Although entertamment gUIdes dis- FUNCTION AND FRAGMENTATI N
courage the use of paper and plastic plates. cups, and other disposable china and Thouah it Is posslbl th;!t urn
tableware. these are often used in lieu of ceramics, glass. and omer durable Hems maytICtoe
L... nh anee tatu, ,' u n' ,'". 111 n
lur a vancry of American feasts. As early as 1964, the National lndustna l Confer. parmers. the of m t m n t\ I ,
enc(' 80drd noted a downward trend in the United States producuon of ceramic closely lied to ent t'tamm nt h
pmduO$ due purly to substitute products. including pressed glass and plastic ma- .. In the Umt J
I
!enal In the late tw~ntieth century. piper and plaStic disposable substitutes have
b ((, me much more dOminant. Pranklin Auodatea (1998) estimates thal !he (Oil
.. !'tlll!n
r
tnhu!I<Jn ,,( paper and plastic platel and cup. In the munldpal solid WaS!l' strl'am
pubh f
,,{ !h ' lltuted States has ruen from 0.3 puceru by Weight III 1960 to 0 .9 peln'lll 111
l
191;16
1

"
 - G~A8. GE ANOTH( MODI.
--
A

oil p.ut)' or to Cf11Crl,lIn," bUI Ihe one Ic.'gllll'l"l,llc.' rC'1Son IS to I .

-- •
-.

'lJVc .1 Wl I
."u .Ihove', {here Jrt' S()Il1(.' pr.,c.:uca J benefits or the~ .,
'\.\ nou• IH. 11Il'll'
~,t~1 In 111 I
Sf)CII,:ue.C: Amcnc.1n fCJ.s1s 1I11doublCdly provide valuahle SI',, ' (: U\(I"ltl!J): ,J
- . ... II1 g~ 10 1 I -Cl.!
for-rn.luon exchange. yet because the ~IZC' of hous<!ho lds I~ ' 11 nftll"",11 iI ou,
. . Im. .nd '
w,th other reldr,ves .nd fMcnd, arc weak, they arc prObably q I the "nit
Ua Il311 v I ~
11'0'" nonmdustn,;d SOC ICUCS. Ydln~rtnl
Perh.ps che be>l,lIusrlOClon of how we d,ner from fca slIng "
r nOmnd ._
Clt l /O·,S how much reastlllg wc do In restaurants (P'g '5 ,) J s u"',al So.
. . • UtI ry to
ncr rC.'erv;IlJOn on Chlistm,ls, ThanksgIVing, Or Easterl This als II get a"",
• 0 I USlr:}
the sac.. 1 value oJ reaSllng has been lost. By tr.nspOrring thcm to " • tcs ho",
, It slaU I'a, _
have, In J sense, both emasculatcd Jnd secll la";zcd fcasts, Comp ' I It,, "'0
"'" lllndl'cds or

CONCLUSION ,
All of the trimtnings. I
We arc
broU oht b,l(k (0 the G l'
c> d
at ~
d
COln fc"Sllflg ~ '. tem L' aunun • r our

None of the hassle. o

f the I\men
nor (note C .
10 , tn (har.(t~nzm th~ full nn f
,I J ,( th,lt there .. re man tltoat
.(kn O \\ ( !;
porta"t quo •hue , JnJ ilke the G l' d bra
traJnwn.,1 methods rh., rurlll
u.LOIl
....·\1'r • "rr<' cm III the ~bun nt
St.t... hU~.
.lor- Through. nUleo." b.I ,d r ro.l h
gLStl l-an begm l\l do um< nt
Vnlltd I~te' an.1 cl r"h Il'
,,,,ement ~hout \

REFERENCES
Bm"'' •.
m" Ruth, W
'901 lltr 1ft""""
l'ubll\run
I RIddle Dol'Olh nd I
I'D TM It. • " 1
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I
This 1llluwgJVing. lTI/1ke a pt!gnmlJgc k) uur mhk' I I
kw a I1adi1ionaJ bw W,dllUllhc IrdWlIlIlitl Clt=;1II up. b

1'gur~ '" A Munu" hOlrl.dvrru "l11m' I." "

t l .. Llnmc Ita ••

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 Franklm ~oaa(es. Lrd
IQQ8 CJtnraCltl1ZAtlOn CIf M,m.opal Solid Waslt' III t"~ U
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Fr.anklm Assoaares. Led .. Prame
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8 aj S0 1Id
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Waste D,VISIon, , - J '
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19~ Mda GIven'S Modrrn EncyclopedIa of CookIng. Chicago: ) . G F

sooats . erguSOn and 4 I
Hms, Tun

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1954 Coolud ID Taste. POn/and, Ore The Junior League of POrtland

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IIJItl RMbbrsh! 1M Ar<lJaeoiogy of Garbage. New York; HarperColhns
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.. Hftll4 WDrlr a ilD"",: A G,,1dr 10 Successfully ManaK'ng lilt Mlnll/HlS' Now Yu. k'

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... ha I'ranarco )olC)' Bur
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