Toward Peace: Foreign Arms and Indigenous Institutions in a Papua New Guinea Society

Wiessner, Polly; Pupu, Nitze

doi:10.1126/science.1221685

Cited by 47 publications

(28 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…Two avenues for cooperation postviolence are coresidence and the exchange of marriage partners. The strategic alliance model is consistent with social science research demonstrating the malleability of in-group membership (60)(61)(62) and with anthropological research that shows lethal coalitions in tribal societies can number in the thousands and draw men from multiple settlements (6,22,(63)(64)(65).…”

Section: Significancementioning

confidence: 57%

Lethal coalitionary aggression and long-term alliance formation among Yanomamö men

Macfarlan

Walker

Flinn

et al. 2014

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

115

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Some cross-cultural evidence suggests lethal coalitionary aggression in humans is the product of residence and descent rules that promote fraternal interest groups, i.e., power groups of coresident males bonded by kinship. As such, human lethal coalitions are hypothesized to be homologous to chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) border patrols. However, humans demonstrate a unique metagroup social structure in which strategic alliances allow individuals to form coalitions transcending local community boundaries. We test predictions derived from the fraternal interest group and strategic alliance models using lethal coalition data from a lowland South American population, the Yanomamö. Yanomamö men who kill an enemy acquire a special status, termed unokai. We examine the social characteristics of co-unokais or men who jointly kill others. Analyses indicate co-unokais generally are (i) from the same population but from different villages and patrilines, (ii) close age mates, and (iii) maternal half-first cousins. Furthermore, the incident rate for co-unokai killings increases if men are similar in age, from the same population, and from different natal communities. Co-unokais who have killed more times in the past and who are more genetically related to each other have a higher probability of coresidence in adulthood. Last, a relationship exists between lethal coalition formation and marriage exchange. In this population, internal warfare unites multiple communities, and co-unokais strategically form new residential groups and marriage alliances. These results support the strategic alliance model of coalitionary aggression, demonstrate the complexities of human alliance formation, and illuminate key differences in social structure distinguishing humans from other primates.internal warfare | male coalitions | fraternal interest groups | strategic alliances | Yanomamö T he evolution of lethal coalitionary aggression remains a pivotal topic across the biological and social sciences (1-12). Revealing the ultimate and proximate factors responsible for the emergence and dynamics of warfare is of practical and theoretical importance across a wide range of contexts, including the evolution of human ultra-sociality, coalitionary psychology, ethnic identity, leadership, and political behavior. Surprisingly few detailed analyses exist concerning the social composition of lethal coalitions in small-scale societies. This lack is problematic, because the particular form that lethal coalitions take sheds light on the adaptive function of this behavior and the phylogenetic roots of coalitionary aggression with chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes).Humans, like chimpanzees, demonstrate a capacity to coordinate behavior with others to kill conspecifics (11)(12)(13)(14)(15). Although the scope of lethal coalitionary aggression is far greater in humans, a number of similarities exist between the two species, namely coordinated groups of adult males defending home territories and aggressing against individuals from other communities with low-cost but ...

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Section: Significancementioning

confidence: 57%

Lethal coalitionary aggression and long-term alliance formation among Yanomamö men

Macfarlan

Walker

Flinn

et al. 2014

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

115

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“…A diverse set of approaches has been used to study intergroup violence and warfare. Evolutionary models have credited collective violence with an important role in the development of modern human behavior (2-7), whereas cultural and ecological factors have been shown to influence small and largescale violence (8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13). More recently, there has been increased interest in understanding the dynamics of group-based violence and the social processes that can contribute to it in the setting of insurgent and terrorist groups (14,15); for example, online records suggests small, self-organizing groups coalesce into larger groups preceding terrorist attacks (16).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Formation of raiding parties for intergroup violence is mediated by social network structure

Glowacki

Isakov

Wrangham

et al. 2016

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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Intergroup violence is common among humans worldwide. To assess how within-group social dynamics contribute to risky, betweengroup conflict, we conducted a 3-y longitudinal study of the formation of raiding parties among the Nyangatom, a group of East African nomadic pastoralists currently engaged in small-scale warfare. We also mapped the social network structure of potential male raiders. Here, we show that the initiation of raids depends on the presence of specific leaders who tend to participate in many raids, to have more friends, and to occupy more central positions in the network. However, despite the different structural position of raid leaders, raid participants are recruited from the whole population, not just from the direct friends of leaders. An individual's decision to participate in a raid is strongly associated with the individual's social network position in relation to other participants. Moreover, nonleaders have a larger total impact on raid participation than leaders, despite leaders' greater connectivity. Thus, we find that leaders matter more for raid initiation than participant mobilization. Social networks may play a role in supporting risky collective action, amplify the emergence of raiding parties, and hence facilitate intergroup violence in small-scale societies.warfare | social networks | collective action | pastoralists | emergence I ntergroup violence is common, worldwide, and harmful. Global annual deaths from large-scale warfare, for example, range from 0.5 to 1 million, and this does not include nonfatal physical and mental injuries (1). A diverse set of approaches has been used to study intergroup violence and warfare. Evolutionary models have credited collective violence with an important role in the development of modern human behavior (2-7), whereas cultural and ecological factors have been shown to influence small and largescale violence (8-13). More recently, there has been increased interest in understanding the dynamics of group-based violence and the social processes that can contribute to it in the setting of insurgent and terrorist groups (14, 15); for example, online records suggests small, self-organizing groups coalesce into larger groups preceding terrorist attacks (16). Warfare has also been studied as a collective action problem-because individuals must mobilize to engage in a group activity with shared gains (e.g., deterrence, territory) and individual risks (e.g., injury, death) (17, 18).Despite these advances, fundamental questions remain about how violent groups are formed, and the extent to which they may self-organize and emerge organically. Theoretical work suggests interindividual differences may be important for initiating and sustaining risky collective action, but empirical evidence in humans supporting this is sparse (19,20). Research in primate behavior provides some clues regarding the emergence of violent intergroup conflict. Wild chimpanzees engage in lethal coalitionary violence against other communities (21), and a few "impact" individuals sh...

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“…). Amongst other things, our research was able to document the surge in warfare for some two decades after the adoption of guns, followed by a trend towards peace starting around 2010 as Enga began to see the futility of tribal fighting (Wiessner and Pupu ).…”

Section: Researchmentioning

confidence: 92%

“…(Wiessner et al 2007). Amongst other things, our research was able to document the surge in warfare for some two decades after the adoption of guns, followed by a trend towards peace starting around 2010 as Enga began to see the futility of tribal fighting (Wiessner and Pupu 2012). Nitze Pupu is currently monitoring village court sessions with the assistance of Lus Mas to understand how these courts are updating 'custom' to satisfy community in a rapidly changing society, an engaging topic.…”

Section: Culture and The Enga School Curriculummentioning

confidence: 98%

Beyond Bilas: The Enga Take Anda

Wiessner

Tumu²

2013

Oceania

Self Cite

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A crucial issue facing anthropologists, linguists, and museums today is what to do with research material and artifacts that have accumulated over the years. In 2005 we sought ways to return 20 years of material on Enga history and tradition to the people of Enga Province at a time when rapid change was leaving young generations with little sense of their cultural heritage. The goal was to build a center, the Enga Take Anda, House of Traditional Knowledge, that would provide knowledge of the past to help Enga understand recent changes and to consider what should be carried forward and what left behind. To be effective, the Enga Take Anda would have to be a museum and as well as a resource center with an active role in Enga schools and the Village Court system. We describe here challenges and successes in this endeavor. The establishment of the Take Anda has involved much trial, error, flexibility and persistence, largely persistence.

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Toward Peace: Foreign Arms and Indigenous Institutions in a Papua New Guinea Society

Cited by 47 publications

References 16 publications

Lethal coalitionary aggression and long-term alliance formation among Yanomamö men

Lethal coalitionary aggression and long-term alliance formation among Yanomamö men

Formation of raiding parties for intergroup violence is mediated by social network structure

Beyond Bilas: The Enga Take Anda

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