During the Malagan ritual cycle in New Ireland, Papua New Guinea, the community gathers for elaborate feasts, the display of intricate wooden sculptures, and the performance of dancers wearing Tatanua masks. While these rituals are spiritually intended to assist the deceased's transition to the ancestral realm, they also serve a critical socio-political function. In addition to facilitating the departure of the soul, the Malagan display and performance cycle is designed to accomplish which of the following social processes?
- AMap maritime trade routes and currents, using the spatial arrangement of the masks to guide physical navigation between islands.
- BEstablish a permanent, static temple of ancestral portraits that serves as a continuous focal point for daily worship.
- Validate the transfer of clan-owned intellectual property and the inheritance of land and leadership rights.Answer
- DEnforce strict gender divisions by requiring women to perform the Tatanua dances while men exclusively produce the barkcloth that covers the display.
Answer
The correct answer states that the Malagan display and performance cycle validates the transfer of clan-owned intellectual property and the inheritance of land and leadership rights.
The correct answer is correct because the Malagan cycle functions as a socio-political forum where the sponsorship of ceremonies and the display of carvings publicize and validate the transmission of clan leadership, land rights, and the ownership of specific ritual designs (intellectual property).
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
The Malagan ritual cycle and its socio-political role in the transfer of clan status, leadership, and intellectual property rights.