Just Talk: Gossip, Meetings, and Power in a Papua New Guinea Village

Just Talk examines the often overlooked role of gossip and rumor in creating power in small Melanesian communities. The Kwanga of the East Sepik Province of Papua, New Guinea think that malicious gossip is almost as dangerous as sorcery. They sp hours in community meetings, looking into rumors about sorcery, adultery, and other sources of trouble. To understand how "talk" can create and ultimately destroy the position of Melanesian leaders, Karen Brison follows discussions of particular sit...