Nathan McAllister

Nathan’s research project is based on his fieldwork on Duau, Papua New Guinea, which sits in the southern side of the kula network. His thesis takes as its focus the statement made by his research participants that they are ‘a kula people’, which meant for them being a generous and loving people. This leads him to consider kula as more than just an economic institution, but as a ethos of generosity and love. So, he uses kula’s ethos to analyse Duau practices of Christianity, mortuary ritual, small-scale capitalist exchange, and their ardent support for their children’s education. Throughout his thesis he frequently examines the proceedings of village courts cases.