The Moka Exchange Research Assignment Paper (Case Study Sample)

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The Moka Exchange
Marcel Mauss’s three obligations of the gift entail giving gifts, receiving and reciprocating. In this particular case, a big man in the tribe of Kawelka arranges a feast to pay back a “Moka” to a Peruwa, a man from a neighbouring tribe that had earlier on hosted such an event. With Moka meaning “interest”, Ongka arranges to repay more than what was given to him initially, which was 400 pigs. He intends to counter this by giving back 600 pigs, which indeed is in agreement with the obligation of reciprocity that whatever you give back must be of higher value. Ongka works hard to bring friends, relatives, and other his tribesmen together in smaller feasts to contribute pigs towards the big Moka to repay Peruwa. He does so to maintain the fame and status for him and his tribe and to outdo Peruwa. In the feasts, he collects enough gifts from the three feasts that he held. (Andrew, 32-46)
Karl Polanyi argues, “The economy is an instituted process” in non-western countries. It is a process where man interacts with his environment, to ensure means of material stuff continuously supplies his wants. This system is concerned with action within a market, where commodities are used as prices to quantify action and conditions of choice. When the economy is institutionalized, it brings about unity and stability, producing a structure in the society. Instituted economies are characterized by reciprocity, redistribution, and exchange. In the Moka exchange system, the environment is organized symmetrically to allow for successful reciprocative behaviour among the tribes. Kinship and neighbourhood positively contributed towards this reciprocating behaviour. The Kawelka people also demonstrated sharing and division of labour, which brings about a redistributive economy. Arranging for the big Moka meant that people had to share and contribute pigs and money towards its success, and in turn, the women had to take care of the pigs, demonstrating division of labour.
Ongka’s system of rule was by persuasion rather than physical coercion. He did not have real authority, leaving him no choice but to persuade his people to accept his ideas and plans. He encourages them to work hard for the success of him and his tribe. He makes speeches at the small makes to convince his people towards contributing for the big Moka.
“I have knocked you down because have given you so much,” declares Ongka at the end. He makes this statement to imply that according to their traditions, he had achieved for his tribe what any “Big man” should. These include political and social gains. Among the social gains are fame, status, and prestige for both himself and his people, thus earning him favour among his people over the Australian rulers to come.
Ongka’s obligation to sponsor the Moka does indeed amount to fulfilling an agreement equivalent to a legal contract. This is so because customary practices associated with the Moka exchange are tied by rules governing Mauss’s obligations of gifts. Just like how legal contracts serve to preserve morality, the Moka gift giving is founded on morality. By giving, receiving and retuning gifts, moral bonds are created between the people involved in the thus exchange. Thus by agreeing to sponsor this, Ongka was obligated to honour the “rules of the game” just like it is in a legal contract.
Just like how the Kwakiutl chiefs organize their people and designate duties, Ongka was also responsible for organizing his people for a common cause. He made sure to encourage the men to work so as to raise more pigs while he delegated the duty of taking care of the pigs to the women once he acquired them. This is clearly shown by Rumbeka his favourite wife, who has to take care of more than ten pigs to serve as Ongka’s contribution during the Moka. While the Kwakiutl chiefs acquire their positions and status from the primogeniture...