Sunday, February 1, 2015

Tiv (un)categorization of exchange


In “Some Principles of Exchange and Investment among the Tiv,” Paul Bohan describes the three categories of items with exchangeable wealth he observes in Tiv society.  One group contains items related to subsistence, focusing on local food items.  This is a category considered to fulfill needs of all people, unlike the second category, associated with wealth and status.  Cattle, slaves, and metal bars are exchangeable commodities that fall into this grouping.  The third relates to rights, especially of "dependent" Tiv people like women and children. 

Any commodities left uncategorized are considered without an exchange rate despite their reciprocal value.  This interested me, and I was wondering how these items may have been exchanged/acquired.  Some of these commodities could be produced individually and therefore have no market demand or value.  Considering Bohan's definition of market, these also could be acquired in the form of a gift.  It is an item having no attachment to exchangeable wealth but usually having an expectation of return of something with equivalent/greater value. 

Bohannan, Paul, “Some Principles of Exchange and Investment among the Tiv,” American Anthropologist 1955

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