The Culture of Reciprocity

             The phenomenon of reciprocity plays a large role in establishing social influence. While learning about this concept in class, I couldn’t help but realize how prevalent reciprocity is in societies across the world, especially in cases where reciprocity completely defines a community and the relationships between these people. After taking a writing seminar on the Nature of Money and an Intro to Anthropology course, I have become familiar with the kula, which is a ceremonial ring of exchange between islands located in New Guinea. At first glance, such a system of exchange might seem like a form of trading, but there is an apparent distinction that sets this system apart in the nature of the objects that are exchanged. Instead of giving an object to an individual that the individual needs in exchange for something that you need, these objects are not commodities and are not necessarily useful. They are gifts in the form of ceremonial bracelets and necklaces. The value is not placed on usefulness, but on ornateness, the history of the object, and on the symbolic power of the object.

            While the exchange of gifts between the islands establishes connections between communities that might otherwise be independent and distinct, they also created a political hierarchy. Individuals are able to gain social and political standing by either obtaining or giving especially valuable gifts, first within their communities and then with members from other islands. Forming and maintaining relationships between the islands can strengthen one’s political and social ties. Relationships within the islands are also dependent upon a continued gift exchange. The whole concept of gift exchange is somewhat misleading in that the ceremonial gift is not in fact a gift in and of itself, since the giver always expects the receiver to reciprocate, often with a gift of equal value or, preferably, of greater value. In this way, the whole system is based on reciprocity and creating binding social ties by the necessity to perpetuate the gift giving process. If an individual or family fails to reciprocate, this can completely destroy the relationship and cause conflict among the group. Similarly, if a tie is broken between islands in this manner, a very hostile situation can ensue. That is why the kula is so important in maintaining the unity between these islands as well as personal relationships within the islands (Malinowski, 1922).

            There is an apparent aspect of reciprocity in the social influences that we experience today in our own communities, and it is certainly interesting to observe other communities that are entirely based on this system.  Individuals feel obligated to reciprocate upon receiving something, a feeling that I am sure we have all experienced many times throughout our lives. The downfalls of reciprocity, which manifest themselves in our communities as well as those participating in the kula, are that they facilitate uninvited debts (and relationships) and often can result in unfair exchanges. Since an individual feels the need to reciprocate, he or she is, upon receiving a gift, obligated to give something in return.

            While there are situations in which unfair exchanges are apparent, like the example of a car salesperson offering a customer a Coke and in return, the customer buys a car, this phenomenon is not as evident in the case of the kula. It is favorable to give a gift that is more valuable than the one received, but the gift exchange is expected to continue as to maintain the relationship. Thus, the gifts become progressively more valuable as the exchanges continue and there should be no unfair advantage since each party takes turns giving the more valuable gift. There would be a problem, though, if the accepting party of a gift simply had no means of reciprocating in an equal or greater manner. This would reflect poorly on his or her social standing and ability to form strong relationships between other members of the community (Malinowski, 1922).

            It is interesting to see how reciprocity, which I sometimes fail to even notice in my day-to-day life, is so amplified in other societies. While reciprocity may exist where there is any human interaction, there seems to be a scale of how important and how pervasive it is depending on the culture. The kula is a prime example of how nearly all of the relationships, political hierarchies, social statuses, and other social phenomena are founded in this system of exchange and the need we all feel to reciprocate.

Reference:

Malinowski, B. (1922). Argonauts of the Western Pacific: An account of native enterprise and adventure in the archipelagos of Melanesian New Guinea. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul.