Response on 'The Argonauts of the Western Pacific' by MALINOWSKI

Bronislaw Malinowski, in his book 'The Argonauts of the Western Pacific' writes about his anthropological studies and expeditions in the islands off the coast of New Guinea. Malinowski talks about the workings of the tribes inhabiting the islands, their social systems, and the culture of the society, focusing on the society's unique and complex trading system, the Kula, which Malinowski describes as "It [the Kula] looms paramount in the tribal life of those natives who live within its circuit".

Before going into the details of the cultural workings of the islands and the Kula, the writer feels a necessity to describe his methods of research, as it naturally increases your work's credibility and authenticity, and in particular proves ethnography's scientific credibility. He explains how important and how challenging it was for him to interact with the natives of the islands. Collecting concrete data didn't help. Malanowski believes that full involvement in everyday life of the inhabitants is crucial for seeing the world through the native's lens; for objectivity in his work.

Malinowski provides details about the norms and cultures of the society. He discusses in detail, the natives' appearances; the absence of a well-recognized general authority; and the matrilineal structure of the society. He talks about even the most intimate part of the inhabitants' lives, that is, their sexual life. The detailed account shows how involved the writer was in the lives of the natives and hence how committed he was to his ethnographic research.