Androgynous Objects

This book explores the way meaning is encoded in material culture by focusing on the androgymous symbolism of the looped string bag, or bilum, of the Telefol people of central New Guinea.

Androgynous Objects explores the way meaning is encoded in material culture by focusing on the androgynous symbolism of the looped string bag, or bilum, of the Telefol people of Central New Guinea. The web of meanings 'woven' into the bag is shown to extend beyond women's lives and bodies. It is open to manipulation and reformation in a variety of contexts and is used by both Telefol women and men to explore, and so explain the complexities and ambiguities inherent in their social life.

Autorentext
Maureen A. MacKenzie

Klappentext

Androgynous Objects explores the way meaning is encoded in material culture by focusing on the androgynous symbolism of the looped string bag, or bilum, of the Telefol people of Central New Guinea. The web of meanings 'woven' into the bag is shown to extend beyond women's lives and bodies. It is open to manipulation and reformation in a variety of contexts and is used by both Telefol women and men to explore, and so explain the complexities and ambiguities inherent in their social life.

Zusammenfassung

Androgynous Objects explores the way meaning is encoded in material culture by focusing on the androgynous symbolism of the looped string bag, or bilum, of the Telefol people of Central New Guinea. The web of meanings 'woven' into the bag is shown to extend beyond women's lives and bodies. It is open to manipulation and reformation in a variety of contexts and is used by both Telefol women and men to explore, and so explain the complexities and ambiguities inherent in their social life.

Inhalt
List of illustrations, Preface,String bags, material culture and gender: an introduction ,The Telefol and their bilums, Open loops, open lives: production in the female realm,Elaborations: production in the male realm, A good bilum is like a good woman: the social value of women's bags, The bilum is our mother: the social value of men's bags, The loops of integration, Appendices.