The Problem of the Unseen World of Wealth for the Rich: Toward an Ethnography of

Complex Connections
Author(s): George E. Marcus
Source: Ethos, Vol. 17, No. 1 (Mar., 1989), pp. 114-123
Published by: Wiley on behalf of the American Anthropological Association
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T h e Proble m of t h e
Unse e n W orld of W e alt h
f or t h e R i c h : T oward an
Et h nograph y of Comple x
Conne c t i ons
GEOR GEE. MAR CUS
T h i s
pape r
i s an e f f ort t o out li ne a
major c h alle nge (as
we ll as
op-
port uni t y)
f or a
d e ve lopi nge t h nograph y
of
mod e rni t y
wi t h i n an-
t h ropologyt h rough
i roni c re f e re nc e t o a t rad i t i onal
ant h ropologi c al
proble m
i n t h e t rad i t i onal are na of t rad i t i onal
soc i e t y.
T h e f oc us i s
on h ow t h e c onst ruc t i on of ord e r i n
e ve ryd ay(mod e rn
or t rad i -
t i onal)
li f e
d e pe nd s
on t h e
post ulat i on
of at le ast
d ual, paralle l
world s,
one of wh i c h i s unse e n. In a broad e r
se nse ,
t h i s
pape r
re -
f le c t s an e f f ort t o
re c ast ,
but
sust ai n,
t h e
c omparat i ve
f rame work so
c e nt ral t o
ant h ropology's i d e nt i t y
as
e t h nograph y
and
e qually
c e n-
t ral t o t h e
d i sc i pli ne ,
t o
e xpand
i t s
c apac i t y
f or
re pre se nt at i on
i n
posi ng
ne w
que st i ons
and ne w
obje c t s
f or
st ud y.
T h e f ound at i on of c ult ural ord e r
among
t h e
Kaluli ,
t h e
pe ople
of
t h e Gre at
Papuan
Plat e au of Ne w Gui ne a so
vi vi d lyre pre se nt e d by
t h e Sc h i e f f e li ns and St e ve
Fe ld ,
re st s on t h e
posi t i ng
of an unse e n
world t h at
i nt i mat e lyparalle ls
t h e
h appe ni ngs
of
e ve ryd ay
li f e . As
Ed ward Sc h i e f f e li n h as wri t t e n:
GEOR GEE. MAR CUS i s Prof e ssor of
Ant h ropology
at R i c e
Uni ve rsi t y,
Houst on.
114
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UNSEEN W OR LD OF W EALT H 115
In
t alki ng
about t h e
pe ople
of t h e ot h e r
world ,
t h e Kaluli use t h e t e rm
mama,
wh i c h
me ans sh ad ow or re f le c t i on. W h e n aske d wh at t h e
pe ople
of t h e unse e n look
li ke ,
Kaluli wi ll
poi nt
t o a re f le c t i on i n a
pool
or a mi rror and
say, "T h e y
are not li ke
you
or me .
T h e y
are li ke t h at ." In t h e same
way,
our h uman
appe aranc e
st and s as
a re f le c t i on t o t h e m. T h i s i s not a
"supe rnat ural" world ,
f or t o t h e
Kaluli ,
i t i s
pe rf e c t ly
nat ural. Ne i t h e r i s i t a "sac re d
world ,"
f or i t i s
vi rt ually
c oe xt e nsi ve wi t h
and
e xac t ly
li ke t h e world t h e Kaluli
i nh abi t , subje c t
t o t h e same f orc e s of mort al-
i t y
.... In t h e unse e n
world , e ve ry
man h as a re f le c t i on i n t h e f orm of a wi ld
pi g
. . . t h at roams
i nvi si bly
on t h e
slope s
of Mt . Bosavi . T h e man and h i s wi ld
pi g
re f le c t i on li ve
se parat e e xi st e nc e s,
but i f
some t h i ng
sh ould
h appe n
t o t h e wi ld
pi g,
t h e man i s also af f e c t e d . If i t i s
c augh t
i n a
t rap,
h e i s
d i sable d ;
i f i t i s ki lle d
by
h unt e rs of t h e
unse e n,
h e d i e s.
[1976: 96-97]
Ph e nome nologi c ally,
t h i s unse e n world i s
e xpe ri e nc e d t h rough
an
ae st h e t i c of sound s and
sound i ng,
as St e ve Fe ld
(1982)
h as re -
c ount e d . In t h e
ri c h ly
d i ve rse sound s of t h e
f ore st ,
t h e unse e n world
i s
always pre se nt
f or t h e Kaluli . W h at
h appe ns
i s
always
h e re and
t h e re ,
ne ve r
be i ngf ullypre se nt .
In t h i s
se nse ,
t h e Kaluli would be
De rri d a's own mod e l of R ousse au's
pri mi t i ve
wh o d e f i e s
logoc e n-
t ri sm:
t h e y
li ve
large ly
wi t h out t h e W e st e rn
me t aph ysi c s
of
pre s-
e nc e ,
and t h us
re pre se nt
t h e ant i t h e si s of t h e d e si re f or se lf -suf f i -
c i e nc y,
f or t h e
unquali f i e d
and t h e unme d i at e d .
Ye t ,
wh i le known
by
t h e Kaluli i n
e ve ryd ay
li f e i n an
e pi sod i c , c ommonse nsi c al,
and
f ragme nt e d way,
t h e unse e n world i s
syst e mat i c allyi magi ne d
i n ri t -
ual
(t h e Gi saro)
and d i sc ourse
t h rough
me d i ums
wh o, rough ly
li ke
an
e t h nograph e r,
h ave be e n t o t h i s ot h e r world and h ave se e n wh at
ord i narype rsons
c an
only
h e ar t rac e s of . Communi c at i on wi t h t h e
unse e n world and aut h ori t at i ve
i nt e rpre t at i ons
of e ve nt s i n t h e h e re
and now world of t h e Kaluli t h us
d e pe nd
on t h e c oh e re nt vi si on of
me d i ums,
wh o at c e rt ai n mome nt s
gi ve pre se nc e
and ord e r t o Kaluli
c ult ure
byc re at i ngpri mari ly
vi suali ze d
re pre se nt at i ons (rat h e r
t h an sound e d
e voc at i ons)
of t h e unse e n world wi t h i n t h e
f ully
se nse d world of t h e h e re and now.
Unli ke t h e c ase of t h e me d i um wh o i s known t o h ave
ac t ually
be e n
t o t h e unse e n world , t h i s
d oppe lgange r world , paralle li ng
t h e Kaluli
h e re and
now, pose s
f or t h e i r ali e n
e t h nograph e r
a
proble m
t h at
po-
t e nt i ally
subve rt s h i s/h e r own use of t h e
f rami ngc onc e pt
of
c ult ure ,
i t se lf ,
t h at
e f f e c t i ve ly
bound s and c onve nt i onali ze s t h e Kaluli as an
e nt i t y
t o be st ud i e d and wri t t e n about . Af t e r
all,
t h e ali e n
e t h nog-
raph e r
h as
only
t h e Kaluli s' h e re and now ac c ount of t h e ot h e r
part
of t h e mse lve s t o
go
on: t h at
i s,
t h e ac t i vi t i e s of t h e vari e d i nh abi t ant s
of t h e unse e n world . T h i s would not be so
si gni f i c ant
f or an
ord e rly
re pre se nt at i on
of Kaluli c ult ure
(si nc e
one
always
re c e i ve s as e t h -
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116 ET HOS
nograph i c
d at a
se lf -re pre se nt at i ons
base d on
c omparat i ve re pre se n-
t at i ons of
si gni f i c ant
c ult ural
ot h e rs,
suc h as t h e Nue r
gi vi ng
an ac -
c ount of t h e
Di nka,
or t h e
T ongans
of t h e
Samoans,
or t h e Ame ri -
c ans of t h e
R ussi ans)
i f i t we re not f or t h e f ac t t h at li f e i n t h e unse e n
world i s so
i nt i mat e ly
and
i nh e re nt ly
a
part
of wh at i t i s t o be Kaluli
i n t h e h e re and now. T h e unse e n world and t h e Kaluli h e re and now
are so
c omple t e ly se parat e , ye t
so
c omple t e ly
d e t e rmi ne one an-
ot h e r,
t h at an
e t h nograph y
of one wi t h out t h e ot h e r
mi gh t
be f e lt t o
be
ke e nly unsat i sf yi ng.
As Ed ward Sc h i e f f e li n
e xpre sse s
i t f or t h e
Kaluli :
T h e re was no
f e e li ng
of
e nmi t y
be t we e n t h e Kaluli and t h e mamul ove r
t h i s,
f or h ow
was one t o know wh e n h e ki lle d a wi ld
pi g
t h at i t was t h e re f le c t i on of some one e lse
and not
just
an ani mal? Kaluli se e me d t o look on t h i s as one of t h ose
t ragi c
f ac t s of
li f e t h at must
si mply
be
ac c e pt e d
.... T h e re i s a more or le ss c h e e rf ul
ac c e pt anc e
of t h e f ac t t h at
e ve ryt h i ng
i s
pai d
f or
bysome bod y
some wh e re and t h at f rom t i me
t o t i me one must re c e i ve t h e
lumps
h i mse lf .
[1976: 101]
Li ke
c ont e mporary
vi si ons i n t h e W e st of t h e mod e rn world
syst e m,
or li ke
Gre gory
Bat e son's
c ybe rne t i c e c ology
of
mi nd ,
so f or t h e Kal-
uli ,
t h e se e n-t h e i llusi on of f ull
pre se nc e -and
all t h at i s unse e n are
c omple xly
li nke d and
mut ually
c onst i t ut e d . T h e d i f f e re nc e i s t h at
t h e Kaluli
pe rson
i s
ac ut e ly
aware of t h i s all t h e
t i me ,
wh i le we are
onlybe c omi ng so,
i t
appe ars.
W h at i s t h e
e t h nograph e r
t h e n t o d o i n h i s/h e r
e mpi ri c al que st
f or
a f ull or at le ast
sat i sf yi ng
ac c ount of Kaluli c ult ural ord e r?
Li t e rally
se arc h out t h e d e ni ze ns of t h e unse e n world on Mt . Bosavi so as t o
d o f i e ld work
among
t h e m
and , t h us, re pre se nt
t h i s ot h e r
paralle l,
ye t i nd e pe nd e nt
si d e of Kaluli li f e ? T h e
e t h nograph e r
of t e n t rave ls
and h unt s wi t h t h e h e re and now Kaluli on Mt .
Bosavi ,
t h e
plac e
of
t h e unse e n
world ,
but i t i s ne ve r
li t e rally
f ound -se e n and t h e re f ore
graspe d by
me ans of
re pre se nt at i on-e i t h e r by
t h e
e t h nograph e r
or
by
t h e
Kaluli , ye t
i t s t rac e s abound i n t h e ri c h Kaluli ae st h e t i c of
sound .
Fi nally,
wh at
pre ve nt s
t h e c ult ural
e nt i t y c onve nt i onally posi t e d
by
t h e
e t h nograph e r
i n t h e f i e ld and t h e n c onst ruc t e d i n t h e
e t h nog-
raph y
f rom
bre aki ng up
i n t h e f ac e of t wo
paralle l world s,
one
f ully
ac c e ssi ble t o W e st e rn c ommon
se nse ,
t h e ot h e r
i nt rac t ably
not
so,
i s
pre c i se ly
t h e
assi gnme nt
of t h e unse e n world t o mat t e rs of be li e f .
W h i le t h e
e t h nograph e r
t re at s t h e unse e n world
re spe c t i ve ly
"as i f "
i t we re
re al, paralle l, i nd e pe nd e nt ,
ye t
i mpli c at e d
i n
c onst i t ut i ng
plai nly
obse rve d Kaluli
li f e ,
h e or sh e h as no
appare nt
c h oi c e but
f i nally
t o
re pre se nt
t h e unse e n world as
f ully e nc apsulat e d by
t h e
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UNSEEN W OR LD OF W EALT H 117
h e re and now Kaluli c ult ural
ord e r,
as
f ullypre se nt
i n t h e c onve n-
t i onal
c at e gory
of
e t h nograph i c d e sc ri pt i on,
t h e i r "be li e f s."'
So
f ar,
t h i s d i sc ussi on
may
se e m
me re ly
a nai ve
re playi ng
of t h e
ve rysoph i st i c at e d
c lassi c d i sc ourse i n Bri t i sh
ant h ropology
and
ph i -
losoph y
about t h e
rat i onali t y
of
be li e f s, e spe c i allysupe rnat ural
be -
li e f s, among
so-c alle d
pri mi t i ve pe ople s (f or
t h e lat e st i n t h i s t rad i -
t i on se e t h e Holli s and Luke s
volume , R at i onali t y
and
R e lat i vi sm,
[1982], e spe c i ally
t h e
pape r bySpe rbe r). Howe ve r,
I want t o t ake
my
f anc i f ul
c onjuri ng
of t h e
pot e nt i al re ali t y
of t h e unse e n world as
an
obje c t
of
st ud y
f or t h e
e t h nograph e r
i n an
e nt i re ly
d i f f e re nt d i -
re c t i on,
one t h at le ad s f rom t h e world s of t h e Kaluli t o t h ose of t h e
d ynast i c we alt h y
i n t h e
c ont e mporary
Uni t e d
St at e s,
and t o t h e
proble m
of
re nd e ri ng
an ac c ount of t h e lat t e r. T h e i r "unse e n
world s,"
rough ly
li ke t h at of t h e Kaluli i n re lat i on t o t h e i r h e re and
now,
are muc h le ss
proble mat i c ont ologi c ally-t h e
unse e n world s of
mone y
and we alt h
t rac ki ng
t h e h e re and now world of t h e ri c h h ave
a
ve ryd e monst rable ,
i nd e pe nd e nt ,
and
se parat e
e xi st e nc e .2
W h at I li ke so muc h about Ed ward Sc h i e f f e li n's
e t h nograph y
of
t h e Kaluli i s t h at h e
re solut e ly
d i ssoc i at e s
any
c onnot at i on of t h e
myst i f i e d
or t h e sac re d f rom h i s ac c ount of t h e unse e n
world ;
i n so
d oi ng,
h e d oe s not le t i t
sli pe asi ly
i nt o t h e c onve nt i onal
c at e gory
of
t h e
re li gi ous. Alt h ough
h e must st i ll
assi gn
i t t o t h e
c at e gory
of be -
li e f ,
or
world vi e w,
of t h e
Kaluli ,
h e suc c e e d s i n
e xpre ssi ng
t h e c on-
t i nuously
h uman
quali t y
of t h e unse e n world wi t h t h e Kaluli h e re
and now-i n one
re gard ,
i t i s
me re ly
anot h e r world f or t h e Kaluli
(li ke
anot h e r
pe ople
i n t h e ne xt
valle y),
but one t h at i s
re solut e ly
and
re c i proc ally
t i e d
se amle ssly
t o t h e i r
se lf -und e rst and i ngs
of wh o
t h e y
are and wh at
t h e y
d o. Ac c ount s of Amazoni an world vi e ws
c ome c lose t o t h e sort of ac c ount t h at Sc h i e f f e li n of f e rs
(f or e xample ,
R e i c h e l-Dolmat of f s
[1971] re pre se nt at i on
of t h e T ukano
c osmos)
but
t h e yusually
re st wi t h i n t h e
c at e gory
of
re li gi on
and ne ve r
push
t oward t h e
se e mi ngre ali t y
and nat uralne ss of t h e se unse e n world s
f or W e st e rn re ad e rs. It i s t h e
ph e nome nologi c al
work on sound and
e mot i on
by
St e ve Fe ld and on soc i ali zat i on
by
Bambi Sc h i e f f e li n as
a
c omple me nt
t o Ed ward Sc h i e f f e li n's
e t h nograph y
t h at so
pe rsua-
si ve ly
loc at e s t h e unse e n world i n t h e
f ragme nt e d ,
c ommonse nsi c al
re alm of
e ve ryd ay
li f e
e xpe ri e nc e ,
rat h e r t h an i n t h e vi si on-ori e nt e d
f rame works of ri t ual and narrat i ve d i sc ourse t h at are t h e h abi t ual
f oc i of so muc h
e t h nograph y-and
t h at d i st anc e suc h a world as a
mat t e r
c osmologi c al
and
supe rnat ural.
T h e unse e n world of t h e
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118 ET HOS
Kaluli ,
as
re pre se nt e d by
t h e Sc h i e f f e li ns and
Fe ld ,
muc h more t h an
t h e T ukano
c osmos,
as
re pre se nt e d byR e i c h e l-Dolmat of f ,
f or e x-
ample ,
i s a
ph e nome non
t h at
sugge st s be i ng
st ud i e d li ke
any
ot h e r
e t h nograph i c subje c t
e ve n
t h ough
i t
f i nally
c annot
be ,
at le ast wi t h -
out a
le ap
i nt o
i magi nat i ve
f i c t i on
(se e
not e
1)
t h at would f ash i on a
h e re and now ac c ount of t h i s
world ,
as i f t h e
e t h nograph e r
we re
t h e re ,
f rom t h e d i ve rse Kaluli
re port s
of i t .
T h e
e t h nograph i c
t re at me nt of t h e Kaluli t h us
bri ngs
me t o t h e
ve rye d ge
of a
me t h od ologi c al
and t h e ore t i c al
proble m
i n t h e
prac -
t i c e of
e t h nograph y
i n soc i e t i e s of
se lf -st yle d mod e rni t y
and
prog-
re ss,
t o wh i c h I now want t o t urn. Unse e n
d oppe lgange r world s,
t h e
e qui vale nt s
of t h at of t h e
Kaluli ,
are
e qually
as
c onse que nt i al
f or
groups
of
e t h nograph i c subje c t s
i n mod e rn
soc i e t i e s, ye t t h e yre ally
are
unproble mat i c allyc apable
of c onve nt i onal d e f i ni t i on and e m-
pi ri c al i nve st i gat i on.
W h at be c ome s of t h e
f oc use d ,
loc al ord e r of
c ult ure i n
e t h nograph i c
re se arc h wh e n i t i s und e rst ood i n
t e rms,
li ke
t h e
Kaluli s',
of at le ast
d ual, spat i ally
d i st anc e d , c omple xly
c on-
ne c t e d ,
and
mut ually
d e t e rmi ne d si mult ane ous world s? Doe s t h e
e t h nograph e r
re mai n,
as h e i s
obli ge d
t o d o
among
t h e
Kaluli ,
wi t h
h e re and now ac c ount s of t h e se
world s,
or d oe s h e move t o
grasp
t h e m
e mpi ri c allyand ,
i n so
d oi ng,
t o
re c onf i gure
t h e f und ame nt al
ground upon
wh i c h
e t h nograph i c
narrat i ve s and
re pre se nt at i ons
of
c ult ural ord e r h ave
t rad i t i onally
be e n mad e ? How d oe s t h e
e t h nog-
raph e r
i n h i s/h e r own ac ad e mi c c ult ure ,
rat h e r t h an t h e Kaluli i n
t h e i r h e re and now
world ,
h and le a
subje c t
t h at i s ne ve r
d e f i ni t i ve ly
or
se lf -suf f i c i e nt ly
pre se nt anywh e re ,
but i s
c ont i nually
and
part i ally
c onst ruc t e d i n
paralle l,
si mult ane ous,
but
se parat e
c ont e xt s?3 Suc h
i s a
subje c t
li ke t h e
c ont e mporaryd ynast i c ri c h , among
ot h e r lat e
20t h -c e nt ury
Ame ri c ans.
T h e
d ynast i c
f ort une s t h at I h ave st ud i e d i n T e xas ove r t h e
past
f e w
ye ars
are
c omple x
c re at i ons of vari ous ki nd s of
e xpe rt s
and of
li ne age s
of d e sc e nd ant s t wo t o f our
ge ne rat i ons away
f rom
f ound i ng
e nt re pre ne uri al
anc e st ors. A
d ynast y
i s
c ommonse nsi c ally
a
f ami ly,
but af t e r muc h
e xpe ri e nc e
wi t h t h i s f orm of soc i al
organi zat i on,
I
f i nd t h at i t i s
pri mari ly
a f ort une i nst e ad . Conc e nt rat i ons of old
we alt h , h owe ve r,
h ave no one
part i c ular
loc us or
mat e ri ali zat i on;
i n
sh ort , t h e y
h ave no
pre se nc e .
R at h e r,
a f ort une h as
mult i ple ,
si mul-
t ane ous mani f e st at i ons wi t h i n a
vari e t y
of i nt e rc onne c t e d but i so-
lat e d soc i al c ont e xt s t h at
e nc ompass
t h e
long-t e rm
f at e s and
d ai ly
li ve s of
li t e rally
h und re d s of
pe ople .
In
i ni t i at i ngmyre se arc h ,
I f ol-
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UNSEEN W OR LD OF W EALT H 119
lowe d c ommon se nse and t ook t h e
f ami ly-li t e ral
f le sh -and -blood
d e sc e nd ant s,
and
part i c ularly
t h ose wh o se e me d t o be le ad e rs or i n
posi t i ons
of
aut h ori t y-f or
t h e
d ynast y.
I soon d i sc ove re d i n t h e i r
h e re and now li ve s t h e
prof ound
i nf lue nc e of t h e
e qui vale nt
of t h e
unse e n world
among
t h e Kaluli -t h e
c omple x
world of
h i gh lyspe c -
i ali ze d
e xpe rt i se
t h at
t h rough
an e laborat e d i vi si on of
labor,
not
only
st ruc t ure d t h e we alt h
but , also,
c re at e d
d oppe lgange r
f ac si mi le s of
t h e
d e sc e nd ant s-rough ly
si mi lar t o t h e Mt . Bosavi wi ld
pi g
re f le c -
t i ons of Kaluli
pe rsons-vari ously
c onst i t ut e d as
c li e nt s,
be ne f i c i -
ari e s of
t rust s,
we alt h sh are s i n
c omput e ri ze d st rat e gi e s
of i nve st -
me nt ,
and ac c ount ant s' f i le s. W h i le t h e unse e n world i s
ri c h lyre g-
i st e re d
t h rough
sound and
i mage ry
i n t h e h e re and now of t h e Kal-
uli , i t
d i st i nc t ly
i s not
among
t h e d e sc e nd ant s wi t h i n
d ynast i c
f ami li e s.
Be i ng
t rue t o t h e
me t aph ysi c s
of
pre se nc e
t h at
sh ape s
t h e i r
i nd i vi d uali sm, t h e yalways pre sume
t h at
t h e y
are
se lf -suf f i c i e nt ly
i n
c ont rol of t h e i r
li ve s,
wh i le
be i ngvague lyaware ,
more so t h an ot h e r
Ame ri c ans
probably,
t h at
t h e y
are
c onst ant lybe i ng
move d about
and d e t e rmi ne d as be are rs of we alt h and c re d i t i n world s of
mone y
and f i nanc e .
Now t h e re i s a
gre at
d e al of vari at i on f rom f ort une t o f ort une i n
h ow
e laborat e ly
t h i s unse e n world t h at c onst i t ut e s t h e
organi zat i on
of we alt h h as e volve d . W h e n t h e f ort une i s st i ll i n t h e f orm of
ori gi nal
asse t s li ke land or
busi ne sse s, c lose ly
h e ld and
manage d byf ami ly
me mbe rs,
t h e unse e n world i s
re lat i ve lyund e ve lope d (but
t h i s si t -
uat i on i s rare f or
large
f ort une s
be yond
t h e se c ond
ge ne rat i on).
Large
f ort une s
ge ne rally
h ave
f ami ly
of f i c e s t h at
at t e mpt
t o c e nt ral-
i ze and
ke e p
c ont rol of t h e f ort une 's d i ve rse mani f e st at i ons i n t h e
large r
world s of
law, f i nanc e ,
and
c orporat e busi ne ss,
as we ll as look
bac k t oward t h e
f ami ly
and d o vari ous we lf are se rvi c e s f or d e sc e n-
d ant s-t h e
gray
d e ni ze ns of suc h of f i c e s are t h e
analogue s
of t h e
Kaluli me d i ums. T h e se
d ays,
suc h of f i c e s e i t h e r t urn i nt o
rami f yi ng
bure auc rac i e s
t h e mse lve s, re pre se nt e d c oh e re nt ly only by
t h e
myt h i c
ord e r of t h e
organi zat i onal
f low c h art
or, gi ve n
t h e i r c on-
se rvat i ve and
c onse rvi ngnat ure ,
c annot
re allymanage e f f e c t i ve ly
t h e f ort une 's i nt e re st s i n t h e ri sk e nvi ronme nt s of i nve st me nt mar-
ke t s,
and f arm out
f unc t i ons, sh ari ng
t h e
powe r
t o
manage
and re i n-
ve nt t h e d e sc e nd ant s wi t h e xt e rnal
e xpe rt age nc i e s.
In
my
e ve nt ual d i re c t
e t h nograph i c probi ng
of t h e unse e n world
of t h e
d ynast i c ri c h -some t h i ng
t h e Sc h i e f f e li ns and Fe ld c ould not
d o f or t h at of t h e
Kaluli -my
ai m was t o
juxt apose
a
re pre se nt at i on
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120 ET HOS
of t h e
i nd e pe nd e nt , si mult ane ous,
and
paralle l c opi e s
of d e sc e n-
d ant s,
as d i f f use d and ani mat e d
t h rough
t h e
c omple x prac t i c e s
of
e xpe rt s,
t o t h at wh i c h I was
c omposi ng
f rom
my
i ni t i al c ommon-
se nsi c al work on t h e
ph e nome nologi c al,
h e re and now e xi st e nc e s of
d ynast i c
f ami li e s.
Eve nt ually,
I
be gan t e nt at i ve ly
t o work t h e ot h e r
way,
f rom t h e
ot h e r, re c i proc al pe rspe c t i ve -t h at i s,
t o know a f am-
i ly
f i rst as t h e busi ne ss of t rust
d e part me nt s,
ac c ount ant s' c alc ula-
t i ons,
i nve st me nt
manage rs' d e c i si ons,
and t h e work of law of f i c e s
and , t h e n,
t o be c ome
ac quai nt e d
wi t h i t as f le sh -and -blood d e sc e n-
d ant s. W h at was
ke e nlyappare nt
t o me f rom t h i s e xe rc i se
(not
as
suc c e ssf ul
e t h nograph i c ally,
as one
mi gh t i magi ne ,
as
movi ng
f rom
t h e
f ami ly
t o t h e
d oppe lgange rs
i n t h e world of
mone y
and
c api t al,
rat h e r t h an vi c e
ve rsa)
was t h at t h e re al loc us of ord e r i n a
d ynast i c
f ormat i on was one t h at h ad no
pre se nc e
or
plac e
at
all, alt h ough
i t
was f ull of t rac e s i n t h e
prac t i c e s
and d i sc ourse s of t h e
se parat e , par-
alle l, bli nd lyc oope rat i ng
world s of
e xpe rt s
and
d e sc e nd ant s,
mu-
t uallyc onst ruc t i ng
and
re pre se nt i ng
one anot h e r all t h e t i me -I re -
f e r,
of c ourse t o we alt h i t se lf . W h i le t h e re are
c h anne ls, c onne c t i ons,
be t we e n t h e world s of
e xpe rt s
and
d e sc e nd ant s,
t h e c onst ruc t i on of
we alt h on an
e ve ryd ay
basi s
d e pe nd s
on a
large ly
aut onomous
par-
alle l
proc e ssi ng-an
e laborat e d i vi si on of
work, se nt i me nt s,
and i n-
t e re st s t h at
c onst ruc t ,
i n
se parat e sph e re s, pe rsons
as
mone y
and
mone y
as
pe rsons.
Cri se s of value and valuat i on
bri ng
a sh oc k of mut ual
re c ogni t i on
t o d e sc e nd ant s and t h e i r
d oppe lgange r,
moni e d
c ount e rpart s
of t h e
unse e n world
and , t h us, gi ve
t h e
e t h nograph e r
a sort of c onve n-
t i onal,
si t uat e d h e re and now ac c e ss t o a
ph e nome non
t h at must be
ot h e rwi se moni t ore d and
re pre se nt e d
i n t h e d ual
ph e nome nologi c al
d i me nsi ons I h ave be e n
d i sc ussi ng.
T h e d e at h of t h e
pat ri arc h
or
mat ri arc h , i nsurge nc ybyd i sgrunt le d
d e sc e nd ant s,
or a c rash -or i f
one
pre f e rs,
a c orre c t i on-i n t h e st oc k
marke t ,
all t h e se are oc c a-
si ons wh e n
we alt h , usually
i n i t s
t ot ali t y,
must be
gi ve n
a
pre c i se
value
t h rough
an
i nve nt ory
and valuat i on of asse t s. But i t i s
i mpos-
si ble t o
pre c i se ly
value
gre at we alt h ,
and t h e
e f f ort ,
or
ne e d ,
t o d o so
t h re at e ns t h e i llusi on of
soli d i t y
on wh i c h t h e ord e r of bot h t h e i d e nt -
i t i e s of d e sc e nd ant s and t h e work of
e xpe rt s
are
rout i ne ly
base d . T h e
proc e ss
of
mut uallyre pre se nt i ng
e ac h ot h e r as
unse e n, vague ly
i magi ne d ,
but f ound at i onal world s f or ac t i vi t i e s i n t h e i r own
sph e re s
i s
prof ound ly
sh ake n
byh avi ng
t o d e c lare
value , ac c ord i ng
t o t h e
d i sc i pli ne
and
re qui re me nt s
of e c onomi c
ope rat i ons,
wh e n e i t h e r a
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UNSEEN W OR LD OF W EALT H 121
pe rson/owne r d i e s,
as i n t h e d e at h of a
pat ri arc h ,
or we alt h d ra-
mat i c allyd e c li ne s,
as i n a st oc k marke t c rash . T h e
d ynast y
wi t h
wh i c h I am most f ami li ar h ad
suf f e re d ,
i n t h e
pe ri od
of one mont h
i n
1987,
t h e d e at h of i t s
pat ri arc h
and a d e c li ne of c umulat i ve wort h
i n t h e re c e nt st oc k marke t c rash . W h i le t h i s h as me ant se ve re d i s-
ord e r f or t h e
f ami ly, f ort une ,
and
e xpe rt s
i n t h e sud d e n
me rgi ng
of
c onne c t e d world s
ke pt apart
and
part i al,
i t
i roni c ally
h as me ant or-
d e r f or me as t h e i r
e t h nograph e r, wh o, longt ryi ng
t o
c ope
wi t h a
d i sse mi nat e d
subje c t
d i f f use d ac ross
manyc ont e xt s,
now f i nd s a
c onve nt i onal,
i llusorypre se nc e
t o
grasp
i n t h e
f oc usi ng
and
loc usi ng
c ryst alli zat i ons prod uc e d by
c ri si s.
Pre sumably
wh e n t h e i r ord e r of
paralle l
unse e n world s
e ve nt uallyre t urns,
so wi ll t h e
c h alle nge
of
d i sord e r t o t h e t rad i t i on of
e t h nograph i c
me t h od and
re pre se nt at i on
i n wh i c h I
prac t i c e .
In
c onc lusi on,
I want t o make i t c le ar t h at
d ynast i e s
are not a
spe -
c i al c ase or an e xot i c
ph e nome non
i n t h e
proble ms
t h at t h e i r
st ud y
pose s
f or t h e
e t h nograph y
of
mod e rni t y. Sc i e nt i st s, prof e ssi onals,
as
we ll as t h e c re d i t -c ard
c arryi ng
mi d d le -c lass are
pot e nt i al
e t h no-
graph i c subje c t s
wh o must be st ud i e d as
d i sse mi nat i ons,
as
always
and
part i ally
h e re and t h e re . Nor h as t h e i nc lusi on of anot h e r c on-
ne c t e d
world ,
i n t h e c onve nt i onal
e t h nograph i c
f oc us on t h e h e re
and now of a
si ngle group
of
subje c t s, pre se rve d
t h e
assumpt i ons
of
pre se nc e me re lybybroad e ni ng
t h e
purvi e w
or
bound i ng
of t h e e t h -
nograph i c proje c t . R at h e r,
t h e ac t ual move t o
i nve st i gat e
an unse e n
world h as
put
i nt o
que st i on,
wi t h i n t h e
e t h nograph i c
f rame work
and e ve nt ual t e xt
i t se lf ,
t h e
f i xi ng
of
me ani ng
or t h e
spat i o-t e mporal
pi npoi nt i ng
of
ph e nome na.
Af t e r
all,
t h e
d oppe lgange r
world of d e s-
c e nd ant s,
out of t h e i r
c ont rol,
i f not
i nf i ni t e ,
at le ast se e ms so. T h e
c onst rai nt s of t h e ac ad e mi c
c ommuni t y
and
d i sc i pli ne ,
of t h e
pro-
d uc t i on of
books,
and t h e
c ogni t i ve c apac i t i e s
of t h e i nd i vi d ual e t h -
nograph e r f i nally
bound and
st rat e gi c ally
d e f i ne
subje c t s
and
world s f or t h e m.
T h us,
t h e i llusi on of ord e r i n a
d i sse mi nat i ng
world
of
me ani ngs, part i c ularly
at t h e ne xus wh e re
pe rsons
and
mone y
mut uallyre pre se nt
one
anot h e r,
i s
prod uc e d
as a c ommon i nt e re st
i n and ac ross t h e
ve ry
d i f f e re nt c ont e xt s of t h e
banke r,
t h e
lawye r,
t h e
pat ri arc h
or
mat ri arc h ,
and
f i nally,
t h e
e t h nograph e r.
NOT ES
Ac knowle d gme nt s.
T h i s
pape r
was re ad i n t h e se ssi on on "Cult ure As
Illusory
Ord e r" at t h e
1987 AAA
me e t i ngs
i n
Ch i c ago.
T h anks f or t h e i r
re ad i ngs
and c omme nt s are d ue t o Ed ward
L.
Sc h i e f f e li n, t h e se ssi on
organi ze r,
and
Arjun Appad urai ,
t h e d i sc ussant .
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122 ET HOS
'Out si d e t h e bound s of
ac c e pt able e t h nograph i c narrat i ve , e ve n i n t h e so-c alle d
e xpe ri -
me nt al
mome nt ,
t h e re i s a c h oi c e : one c ould
c ompose
a
(sc i e nc e ?)
f i c t i onal ac c ount of t h e
unse e n
world ,
d e ri ve d f rom Kaluli
re port s,
but wri t t e n as st and ard
e t h nograph yc omparable
t o t h e mod e i n wh i c h one wri t e s about t h e Kaluli h e re and now world . T h e e f f e c t would be t o
bri ng
t o li f e
t e xt ually
t h e world t h at t h e Kaluli be li e ve t o e xi st and be an i nt i mat e
part
of t h e i r
e ve ryd ay
li f e
anyh ow,
t o be
plac e d alongsi d e
t h e
e t h nograph i c ally
obse rve d Kaluli h e re and
now. T h e unse e n world would be
re pre se nt e d ac c ord i ng
t o bot h t h e
ant h ropologi st 's
c onve n-
t i ons of re ali sm and t o t h e e sse nt i al
re ali t y
t h at t h e Kaluli c lai m f or i t . T h e re sult would
pe r-
h aps d i st urbi nglyjumble
t h e
c at e gori e s
of f i c t i on and non-f i c t i on i n
e t h nograph i c wri t i ng,
but
i t would look
qui t e
f ami li ar and
le gi t i mat e
t o sc i e nc e f i c t i on
af f i c i onad os-pe rh aps
Ursula
Le Gui n c ome s c lose st t o h ome f or
ant h ropologi st s
h e re .
20f c ourse I am on t h e we ll-t rod
pat h
h e re of Marx's c e nt ral not i on of
c ommod i t y
f e t i sh i sm
(or
more
ge ne rally, just f e t i sh i sm)
as
me t aph ori c allye voki ng
t h e
c omple xly
c onne c t e d mi -
me t i c
re lat i onsh i ps
be t we e n
pe rsons
and t h e i r mat e ri ali ze d re i f i c at i ons i n
c api t ali st
soc i e t i e s.
And i n t h i s
re gard , all
I am
sugge st i ng
i n t h i s
pape r
i s a li t e ral
e t h nograph i c t rac i ng
and
d e ve lopme nt
of t h i s
ke y
Marxi st
i nsi gh t
about t h e c ult ural ord e r of
c api t ali st
soc i e t i e s.
My
onlyc omplai nt
about Marx's f ormulat i on
(alt h ough
I
c e rt ai nly
und e rst and
i t , gi ve n
t h e ki nd
of c ri t i c al use s t h at Vi c t ori an wri t e rs
e f f e c t i ve ly
mad e of
re pre se nt at i ons
of t h e
"pri mi t i ve "-
t h at
i s,
t o
poi nt
t o c e rt ai n i rrat i onali t i e s i n
c i vi li ze d , mod e rn
t h ough t
and
prac t i c e s)
i s t h at
t h e
me t aph or
of f e t i sh i sm
e mph asi ze s
t h e
se lf -d e lusi onaryaspe c t
of
myst i f i c at i on
at t h e h e art
of
c api t ali st re lat i ons-some t h i ng
li ke t h e
posi t i ng
of t h e Kaluli unse e n world t h at
e xi st s,
not
anywh e re e lse , but i n t h e f e t i sh i zat i on of sound s of t h e f ore st . T h i s
myst i f i c at i on
c an
only
be
d e moli sh e d f or Marx
by
a t rue
(sc i e nt i f i c ) und e rst and i ng
of h ow
c api t ali st prod uc t i on
t re at s
h uman labor.
By
re le gat i ng
i t t o t h e re alm of t h e i rrat i onal
(wh i c h
f e t i sh i sm i n t h e world of
t h e
pri mi t i ve c onnot e s), myst i f i c at i on (and c ult ure )
i s ove rlooke d as an
obje c t
of
st ud y,
as an
obse rvable se t of soc i al
prac t i c e s
t h at
si mult ane ously
c onst i t ut e
pe rsons
and
i mpe rsonal pro-
c e sse s i n
c api t ali st
soc i e t i e s.
Byassi gni ng
t h e f e t i sh i ze d
re lat i onsh i ps
of a
c api t ali st
c ult ure t o
"supe rst ruc t ure "
as a
f i gme nt
of i rrat i onal
me nt ali t y,
Marx d oe s not
e nc ourage
t h e
ground e d
st ud y
of
myst i f i c at i on
i n
c api t ali st c ult ure ,
as I d o h e re . T h e
c ont e mporarye t h nograph e rs
of
t h e Kaluli re solut e lyre je c t
a f e t i sh i ze d c onnot at i on f or t h e
unse e n,
but
qui t e
nat ural and c om-
monse nsi c al "ot h e r,"
world of t h e i r
"pri mi t i ve s,"
t h us
re f le c t i ng
t h e
ve ry
d i f f e re nt c ont e m-
porary
i nt e lle c t ual c ont e xt i n wh i c h t h e
pri mi t i ve
i s wri t t e n about f rom Vi c t ori an t i me s. T h e
poi nt
i s t o re si st t h e Vi c t ori an h abi t
(f ollowe d by
Marx i n h i s
posi t i vi sm)
of
assi gni ngpri m-
i t i ve unse e n world s t o f e t i sh i sm or
supe rnat urali sm,
i n
sh ort ,
t o
argue
i nst e ad f or t h e i r nat u-
ralne ss and c ommonse nsi c al re ali t y.
T h us f re e of t h e
me t aph or
of
f e t i sh i sm,
Marx's
post ula-
t i on of t h e mut ual
re pre se nt at i on
of me n and c ommod i t i e s
(or mone y) ope ns up
f or d i re c t
i nqui ryc omple x paralle l proc e sse s
t h at c onst ruc t soc i al i d e nt i t i e s i n
c api t ali st
c ult ure s.
3Asi d e f rom t h e "si mult ane ous unse e n world "
c h alle nge
t h at I am
d e ve lopi ng
i n t h i s
pape r
t o t h e
me t aph ysi c s
of
pre se nc e
i nh e re nt i n t h e
way
c ult ural ord e r i s
t ypi c allyre pre se nt e d
i n
e t h nograph y,
t h e re i s anot h e r mod e f or
re c onf i guri ng
t h e se lf -c ont ai ne d
e t h nograph i c subje c t
t h at i s
e me rge nt
i n i nnovat i ve
st rat e gi e s
f or
wri t i ngh i st ory
i nt o
e t h nograph i e s c onve nt i onally
f oc use d on h e re and now
subje c t s.
For
e xample ,
t h e most
si gni f i c ant aspe c t
f or me of Mi c h ae l
T aussi g's long
and
c ompli c at e d Sh amani sm, Coloni ali sm,
and t h e W i ld Man
(1987)
i s h i s
e xpre s-
si on of sh aman-c li e nt re lat i ons and t h e
e xpe ri e nc e
of
h e ali ng
i n
c ont e mporary
Columbi a as a
prof ound
ve rsi on of c ult ural c ri t i c i sm and ac c ommod at i on t h at c an
only
be und e rst ood as
suc h
byse e i ng
t h e se
ant h ropologi c al st aple s
as t h e
re sponse
t o t h e t urbule nt h i st ori c al c on-
d i t i ons of
ge noc i d e
and t e rror,
t h e
me t h od i c ally
re d und ant ac c ount of wh i c h
oc c upi e s
we ll
ove r t h e f i rst h alf of t h e book. Di f f use d i n t h i s
t e mporal d i me nsi on,
t h e c onve nt i onal e t h no-
graph i c
i nt e re st i n sh amani sm be c ome s t h e loc us of
i nd i ge nous e xpe ri e nc e
f or
c omi ng
t o t e rms
at onc e wi t h bot h t h e
pre se nt
and
past
of t h i s
re gi on
of
Columbi a,
and wi t h t h e wi ld man wh o
i s bot h t h e re i n t h e
h e ali ng
and i n t h e
always pre se nt
"unse e n world " of t h e
past .
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All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
UNSEEN W OR LD OF W EALT H 123
R EFER ENCES
FELD,
ST EVEN. 1982. Sound and Se nt i me nt : Bi rd s, W e e pi ng, Poe t i c s,
and
Song
i n
Kaluli
Expre ssi on. Ph i lad e lph i a: Uni ve rsi t y
of
Pe nnsylvani a
Pre ss.
HOLLIS, MAR T IN,
and ST EVEN LUKES,
e d s. 1982. R at i onali t y
and R e lat i v-
i sm.
Cambri d ge ,
MA: M.I.T . Pre ss.
R EICHEL-DOLMAT OFF,
GER AR DO.
1971[1968] Amazoni an Cosmos: T h e
Se xual and
R e li gi ous
Symboli sm
of
t h e T ukano Ind i ans.
Ch i c ago: Uni ve rsi t y
of
Ch i c ago
Pre ss.
SCHIEFFELIN,
EDW AR D L. 1976. T h e Sorrow
of
t h e Lone lyand t h e
Burni ngof
t h e Danc e rs. Ne w York: St . Mart i n's Pre ss.
T AUSSIG,
MICHAEL. 1987. Sh amani sm, Coloni ali sm,
and t h e W i ld Man: A
St ud y
i n T e rror and
He ali ng. Ch i c ago: Uni ve rsi t y
of
Ch i c ago
Pre ss.
This content downloaded from 200.16.16.13 on Mon, 30 Jun 2014 11:45:01 AM
All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions