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Sorrow of the Lonely and the Burning of the Dancers

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While reading Schieffelin's account of the reciprocity system of the Kaluli people of Papua New Guinea, I was struck by how much of interaction between humans is a product of cultural ideology and aesthetics. The Kaluli's performance of gisaro may seem overwhelmingly brutal to a western sensibility (indeed, the burning of the dancers was soon banned by a missionary influenced government.) Yet Schieffelin, a highly respected anthropologist, presents this cultural practice with insight and understanding. While at times, especially in his concluding chapter, Shieffelin's theories of the cultural structure of reciprocity may dwarf the individuals living within that construct, the book remains an incredible glimpse into another culture. This book is an invaluable read for anyone interested in theoretical anthropology. Further reading on the Kaluli can be found in Schieffelin's student Steven Feld's ethnomusicological papers. Bruce Chatwin's Songlines is another fascinating, albeit less focused, theoretical look at performance practice in Aboriginal Australia. After that, the bibliographies will keep you busy until you die.