TREES, KNOTS, AND OUTRIGGERS: Environmental Knowledge in the Northeast Kula Ring

According to the islanders, these substances affect the growth of root crops and the chapter examines the variation across the region from Kiriwina to the Nasikwabu Islands and attempts to find definite answers with the help of biochemistry.The bulk of this chapter describes the habitats and botanic characteristics of a number of trees clustered by local principles, and their variation within the region, building on data of ca. 500 generic taxa (108).Due to the cultural and geographical complexities, variation in practice and principles is significant, but some guiding structures include the emergency supply of food from Muyuw to the West (131) based on-as well as motivating-affinal and kula exchange relationships (132).