756:-speaking communities, authority was obtained by a man (the so-called "big man") recognised as "performing most capably in social, political, economic and ceremonial activities". His function was not to command, but to influence his society through his example. He was expected to act as a negotiator with neighbouring groups, and to periodically redistribute food (generally produced by his wives). In this sense, he was seen as ensuring the well-being of his community.
681:
The latter consists of segmented lineage groups, locally held together by faction-leaders who compete for power in the social structure of horizontally arranged and principally equal groupings (factions). Here, leadership is not ascribed, but rather gained through action and competition "with other
713:
Concepts of the role and what it entails are relatively fluid and can vary between groups. Typically, any authority a big man may possess is neither formally defined nor universally recognized by others. His position is usually not heritable and his descendants are not guaranteed the right to
654:. Such a person may not have formal tribal or other authority (through for instance material possessions, or inheritance of rights), but can maintain recognition through skilled persuasion and wisdom. The big man has a large group of followers, both from his
700:
and re-distribution of material and political resources. Spreading the word of his power and capabilities - thereby establishing reputation and recognition among outsiders - requires the delivery of resources as
705:
to relevant big men of other groups. Simultaneously, he must secure resources for his own followers in order to maintain their satisfaction and confidence in his leadership. As such, the big man is subject to a
678:", Sahlins uses analytically constructed ideal-types of hierarchy and equality to compare a larger-scale Polynesian-type hierarchical society of chiefs and sub-chiefs with a Melanesian-type big-man system.
266:
625:
696:
A big man's position is rarely secured as an inherited position at the top of a hierarchy. Rather, big men commonly compete with one another in an ongoing process of
283:
717:
In the Island of
Malaita in Solomon Islands the big man system is dying away, but the big man system can be seen at the political level. Every four years in the
658:
and from other clans. He provides his followers with protection and economic assistance, in return receiving support which he uses to increase his status.
553:
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has studied the big man phenomenon. In his much-quoted 1963 article "Poor Man, Rich Man, Big Man, Chief: Political Types in
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982:"The Big Men: Chris Bowler, Ben Smyth, Alex Thomas, and John Zhang." Essay by John Zhang in the 18th issue of
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855:(1991:341-365) applied Sahlins' ethnographic model to instability in settlement patterns during the
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721:' national elections, the system can be clearly seen, especially in the Melanesian Islands.
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Such a system is still found in many parts of Papua New Guinea, and other parts of
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871:"Poor Man, Rich Man, Big Man, Chief; Political Types in Melanesia and Polynesia"
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order based on his ability to effectively balance these mutually opposed tasks.
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808: – Ritualized system of exchange in the Mount Hagen area, Papua New Guinea
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Anthropological term for influential person in
Melanesian and Polynesian tribes
889:
787: – position or title conferred as authority based on being older or wiser
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The rope of Moka: big-men and ceremonial exchange in Mount Hagen, New Guinea
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The first use of the term may be found in the
English-translation of
737:. The term may be often found in many historical works dealing with
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848:
James
Whitley ("Social Diversity in Dark Age Greece",
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Pages displaying wikidata descriptions as a fallback
745:applies the concept of big-men to a community in
714:succession or any otherwise elevated status.
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8:
796: – Priest or tribal Scandinavian leader
878:Comparative Studies in Society and History
850:The Annual of the British School at Athens
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554:Network Analysis and Ethnographic Problems
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642:is a highly influential individual in a
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574:Political and Legal Anthropology Review
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961:, Melbourne: Oxford University Press,
820: – Authoritarian political leader
230:Societies without hierarchical leaders
7:
752:Traditionally, among peoples of non-
959:A Short History of Papua New Guinea
775: – Corrupt, autocratic leader
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548:Political economy in anthropology
1000:Politics of the Solomon Islands
869:Marshall Sahlins (April 1963).
781: – Idolization of a leader
410:Numa Denis Fustel de Coulanges
1:
581:Journal of Legal Anthropology
249:The Art of Not Being Governed
1010:Politics of Papua New Guinea
826: – Romani tribal leader
785:Elder (administrative title)
773:Big man (political science)
731:Dreißig Jahre in der Südsee
686:Powers and responsibilities
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927:Cambridge University Press
689:
587:Journal of Law and Society
307:Colonialism and resistance
1025:Bislama words and phrases
890:10.1017/S0010417500001729
859:, 10th-8th centuries BCE.
261:Non-western state systems
237:African Political Systems
957:Waiko, John D. (1993).
286:and the State in Africa
1030:Political anthropology
528:Circumscription theory
315:Europe and the People
284:Technology, Tradition,
602:cultural anthropology
390:E. E. Evans-Pritchard
243:Papuan Big man system
749:, Papua New Guinea.
395:Wolfgang Fikentscher
370:Henri J. M. Claessen
125:Pantribal sodalities
1005:Politics of Vanuatu
818:Political strongman
779:Cult of personality
725:In Papua New Guinea
538:Left–right paradigm
907:on 2 October 2013.
533:Legal anthropology
435:Thomas Blom Hansen
365:Robert L. Carneiro
154:Segmentary lineage
91:Leveling mechanism
41:legal anthropology
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682:ambitious men".
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350:F. G. Bailey
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220:Case studies
179:Ethnic group
149:Band society
104:
24:
18:
747:Mount Hagen
698:reciprocity
430:Ulf Hannerz
425:Lesley Gill
1020:Narcissism
994:Categories
836:References
733:(1907) by
322:Cargo cult
225:Acephelous
115:Matriarchy
110:Patriarchy
97:Leadership
945:698948824
898:145254059
761:Melanesia
676:Melanesia
652:Polynesia
648:Melanesia
510:Eric Wolf
82:Age grade
36:Political
921:(2007).
824:Rom baro
812:Monarchy
767:See also
668:American
567:Journals
164:Chiefdom
141:Polities
27:a series
25:Part of
703:tribute
640:big man
272:Mandala
105:Big man
86:Age set
984:Scroop
965:
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896:
598:Social
267:Negara
969:, p.9
905:(PDF)
894:S2CID
874:(PDF)
794:Gothi
644:tribe
256:State
159:Tribe
130:Chief
120:Elder
77:Caste
963:ISBN
941:OCLC
931:ISBN
666:The
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650:and
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301:Kapu
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38:and
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