Question

When the anthropologist Malinowski first saw the shell armband “trinkets” that the Trobriand Islanders considered so important in their Kula Ring, he was baffled. What did he discover gave the armbands their value?

a	The armbands had value because of the history of those who had previously owned the arm bands; they also allowed the new owner to organize future trading expeditions.

b	Their value lay in their weight; Malinowski learned that the heaviest armbands were considered the most valuable.

c	They had value because they contained precious shells from far away islands that could not be found locally.

d	They were considered valuable because they were so beautiful and physical beauty was extremely important to the Trobriand Islanders.

Answer 1

When the anthropologist Malinowski first saw the shell armband “trinkets” that the Trobriand Islanders considered so important in their Kula Ring, he was baffled. What did he discover gave the armbands their value;

A.The armbands had value because of the history of those who had previously owned the arm bands; they also allowed the new owner to organize future trading. (They were traded for necklaces of gold- lipped oyster-shells and other trinkets in a complex set of rituals incorporating myths