How Does a Big Man Increase His Status

question 34

Multiple Choice

How does a big man increase his status?

• A) The term big man refers to the liminal state a Kapauku youth enters before marriage; he accumulates wealth as a way of funding the wedding and paying the bride price.
• B) Big men are typically war leaders, and as such must have a standing supply of "grievance gifts" to compensate the families of warriors who die under their command.
• C) The primary means of becoming a big man is the wearing of a tonowi shell necklace, which is imported from the coast and is therefore quite expensive by Kapauku standards.
• D) Big men are village heads who are trying to turn their achieved status into something more permanent; the standard way of doing this is through conspicuous symbolic displays of wealth.
• E) Big men do not keep the wealth they accumulate; instead, they redistribute it to create and maintain alliances with political supporters.

---

Definitions:

Comprehensive

Including all or nearly all elements or aspects of something; thorough.

Field Report

A document detailing observations, activities, and findings from research or operations conducted outside of a traditional office or laboratory setting.

Typical

describes something that represents the usual or expected characteristics of a particular group, category, or situation.

Informational Report

A factual document aimed at informing the reader about a specific topic without the writer's opinion.