Baias, bisnis, and betel nut: The place of traders in the making of a melanesian market

Timothy L.M. Sharp*

*Corresponding author for this work

    Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterpeer-review

    19 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    Purpose: This chapter examines the interactions among wholesale betel nut traders within Papua New Guinea's (PNG's) flourishing, contemporary, and indigenous betel nut trade. It explores the nature of the "social embeddedness" of the trade and how particular "place-based" practices and ideas shape people's engagements with markets. Methodology/approach: Multisited ethnographic research focused on betel nut traders. Findings: This chapter highlights how local ideas about sociality and exchange shape the copresent rivalry and companionship that characterize interactions among Mt. Hagen's betel nut traders. Traders travel long distances and take great risks to buy betel nut. They travel together, share resources, and trade in the same places, and through this they become part of one another's social networks. This creates the expectation that traders will cooperate, consider other traders in their actions, contribute to each other's safe-keeping, and act collectively in their interactions with producers. This does not preclude competition, however. Traders compete for profits, but the competiveness of their interactions is also influenced by a concern for status. This copresence of companionship and rivalry, which pervades Hagen sociality more broadly, is central to shaping the trade as a whole. Originality/value of the chapter: Betel nut is the most important domestic cash crop in PNG, and selling betel nut is a prominent livelihood activity for rural and urban people. This chapter reports some of the findings of the first detailed study of the betel nut trade in PNG.

    Original languageEnglish
    Title of host publicationEngaging with Capitalism
    Subtitle of host publicationCases from Oceania
    EditorsFiona McCormack, Kate Barclay
    Pages227-256
    Number of pages30
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2013

    Publication series

    NameResearch in Economic Anthropology
    Volume33
    ISSN (Print)0190-1281

    Fingerprint

    Dive into the research topics of 'Baias, bisnis, and betel nut: The place of traders in the making of a melanesian market'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

    Cite this