Tabu : analysis of a Tolai ritual object

Abstract

The subject of this thesis is the 'persistence of tabu (shell-money)' among the Tolai of New Britain. This tabu is made from little shells of a family (Nassarius) which are abundant in the seas of Indo-China and the Pacific. Before the arrival of Europeans on the Gazelle Peninsula, the Tolai acquired these shells from distant places and manufactured them into tabu. The shells were strung onto strips of rattan. These strips were joined into strings and then packed into coils or baskets. The express purpose of tabu in the coils or baskets was ritual exchanges. At some ceremonies, this tabu was distributed in small amounts to everyone who attended. These small pieces then became the 'monetary' tabu. They circulated for a short while as 'money' but then they were 'trapped' and taken out of circulation by many individuals, who hoarded them away again in coils or baskets for future rituals. Today the Tolai still acquire the shells from distant places and bring them to the Gazelle Peninsula for manufacture into tabu and it is still important to the cultural life of the Tolai. It continues to perform a monetary role, but only to a lesser degree due to the introduction of modern cash. The importance of tabu for the Tolai today lies in its 'ritual' role. As a 'ritual object', tabu embodies many cultural 'desires' and 'ideals' and in this sense represents 'human society' itself. It is used in ritual as a 'dominant symbol' with many layers of meanings. These meanings are activated in presentations. In each presentation, a different meaning or set of meanings is activated. The meanings activated in these presentations become statements. These statements express desires, intents and emotions. Many of these desires, intents and emotions relate to three cultural values: property ownership, kinship and identity. The statements cannot be uttered by word of mouth because they are socially disruptive, undesirable, humiliating and even dangerous (when they relate to spirits). They can only be made through the ritual presentation of tabu. In this sense tabu is a medium of communication about matters which are culturally Tolai and this is an important factor in the persistence of tabu today.