Chuave politics : changing patterns of leadership in the New Guinea highlands

Abstract

In this study of contemporary politics and political change in Chuave, Simbu province, Papua New Guinea, I document how the nature of local level leadership has changed since Europeans first entered the area in 1933 and examine how current big men co-operate and compete in everyday political affairs within and beyond their own clan or village. To a great extent my analysis focuses on the effects of superimposing a state organization on a traditional political system lacking formal leadership offices and representative institutions. The introduction of administrative officials, local government councils and, more recently, village courts has forced people to alter their conception of political authority and has provided big men with new opportunities to achieve influence in political arenas incorporating former enemy groups. Government elections are highly competitive affairs which highlight rivalries between individual big men and traditional socio-political groups. I show how people's perceptions of government institutions and officials are coloured by their allegiance to particular political groups and describe the problems leaders confront when attempting to fulfill the duties of elected offices. Contemporary politics is in no a way confined to state derived political processes. Christian missions have well established systems of village leadership. Big men also achieve prominence by manipulating wealth in ceremonial exchanges that include both traditional and modern valuables. Furthermore, men now gain recognition as entrepreneurs within the western sector of the Chuave economy. In short, the ways in which a man obtains recognition as a leader are extremely diverse. Traditional-style big men compete with church leaders, store owners or government officials. Chuave women have remained peripheral to mainstream political affairs. But they have created a separate organization that allows them to achieve public recognition and political power at the local level. My thesis, then, traces the development of new institutions and organizations that have arisen since contact. At the same time I detail the persistence of traditional beliefs and behaviours that continue to influence current political action. In doing so I analyse how both men and women emerge as leaders within a framework of traditional socio-political groups and state political arenas. Show more