" - methodologically innovative, theoretically sophisticated, ethnographically engaging, and beautifully written - what makes this book especially noteworthy is the author's ability to bring closely observed research data into productive dialogue with general social scientific theories." * Michael W. Scott, London School of Economics " - a fascinating manuscript. It is clearly and straightforwardly written, adds new and important ethnographic material to the small but growing contemporary literature of Island Melanesia, and is relevant to current debates in a number of ways." * James Leach, University of Aberdeen.