Ci, Gender and Social Change among the Asmat of Papua, Indonesia

Ci is the Asmat word for dugout canoe. The ci is an integral part of the everyday life of the Asmat - an ethnic group residing in eastern Indonesia in Papua province (formerly Irian Jaya) - who live in the middle of a huge tidal swampy area. Owning a ci is part of the Asmat's habitus because ci is a guarantee for mobility, both individually and collectively. The ci is essential for the everyday lives of the Asmat. However, the existence of these dugout canoes is now critical as they tend to be replaced by machinery boats.This book uses a very simple piece of material culture, the ci, to introduce readers to the Asmat people and inform them how the Asmat people live. The ci becomes the focal point to understand gender power relations among the Asmat, particularly through social, economic, and spiritual dimensions. This volume is based on an anthropological fieldwork among the Asmat people for many years, and investigates the cultural significances of Asmat's ci by using 'symbolic and interpretive anthropology' as theoretical framework.ContentsForewordAcknowledgmentsTable of contentsList of illustrationsList of acronymsIntroductionI. Asmat: an exotic and nostalgic world1.1 The ci: an Asmat's habitus1.2 Back to Asmat with new eyes1.3 Learning to know, learning to preserve1.4 Story from the field1.5 Scope and limitations1.6 Analytical framework usedII. The ci: a significant key to understand Asmat2.1 Select literature on the Asmat2.2 The ci: the Asmat canoe2.3 Gender power relationsIII. The Asmat: a never ending surprise3.1 Asmat: a pregnant swamp of natural resources3.2 Asmat in Papua province of Indonesia3.3 Asmat: a region that contains no stone3.4 Asmat art: an anamnesis3.5 Defining the Asmat people3.6 Asmat: people of the tree3.7 Warfare and headhunting practices3.8 Some impressions about kinship3.9 Mission "touch"IV. Physical dimension of the ci4.1 The ci material4.2 Understanding the ci through its sections4.3 Types of ci4.3.1 Pakanam ci4.3.2 Jicap ci or pakman