The Gift and Gifting Culture - Kula and Potlach

The Gift and Gifting Culture/ Kula and Potlach

A “Gift” in different cultures can symbolize a number of things. In America a gift can be defined as: “a mode of exchange where valuables are not traded or sold, but rather given without an explicit agreement for immediate or future rewards” Whereas in other cultures gifts themselves are not actual gifts but the beginning of an informal contract or the beginning of a spiritual blessing passed from one tribe or generation to another. For example, in the introduction of Marcel Mauss the gift, one of the topics that were being defined was

“..Describing the phenonmena of exchange and contract in those societies that are not, as has been claimed, devoid of economic markets, since that market is a human phenomenon that is our view is not foreign to any known society – but whose system of exchange is different from ours”

After the readings the phrase “there is no free gift” is put into better perspective. According to Marcel Mauass “A gift that does nothing to enhance solidarity is a contradiction” To understand why there is no free gifts one must understand that every gift has to be returned in some specified way that sets up a cycle of exchanges. A husband and wife for example were examined and a husband of Trobraiand gave his wife a small gift. This was no free gift but was said to just be a kind of gratitude given to his wife for her sexual services said Mauass. Other examples of gifts given were gifts for having children. There are many forms of gifts including the potlatch which is an example of a “total system of giving” This meaning that every gift given has to be returned in some specified way” Among many other cultures, these gifts carry a much bigger meaning, for instance pigs are used as gifts for tribes in Highlands of New Guinea. The Maori law the taonga (gift) is given a spirit called a “hau”. This spiritual power is then passed along once maybe twice until it is returned to its “homeland” explained a Maori juruducal expert. Although giving gifts are important for tribes, receiving them are also just as important. According to Mauass “To refuse to give,