Table of Contents

List of Figures, Illustrations and Tables xii

Acknowledgements xiv

A Note on Trio and Wayana Language and Orthography xvi

List of Abbreviations xvii

Maps xviii

Introduction 1

Guianan Leadership 3

Guiana 4

The Trio, Wayana and Akuriyo 5

Fieldwork and its Limitations 8

Structure and Scope of the Book 10

Chapter 1 Making Trio and Other Peoples 13

Ethnogenesis 16

A Theory of Continuity 17

Substance and Filiation 19

Telling Stories, Making Groups 21

Time, History and Identity 24

'The Trio' as a Group 25

Ethnogenesis and Alterity 27

Missionization and Ethnicity: The Contact of the Akuriyo 29

Slavery and Identity 33

Marriage and Manioc 34

Strategic Ethnicity 36

Leadership Inside and Out 37

Chapter 2 Houses and In-Laws 41

Leadership, Inequality and the House 42

Households and Housebuilders 45

The House as Artefact 46

The Collective House 49

Scale and the Household 60

Consanguinity, Affinity and the 'Atom of Politics' 62

Symmetry and Asymmetry 64

Leadership and the House as Idea 70

Chapter 3 Trade, Money and Influence Economic Influence 77

Exchange and Trade 78

Trading with Maroons 79

Money 81

The Politics of Air Travel 84

Airborne Evangelism 85

The City, Prestige and Mobility 86

Air Entrepreneurship 88

Public Speaking 90

Literacy 92

Metaphysical Communication 93

Bible Economy 94

Leadership and Influence Beyond Consanguinity 96

Chapter 4 Music and Ritual Capacities Structured Sound 101

Tortoiseshell Pipes: Individual and Collective 102

Rattles and Shamanism: Percussion and Harmony 105

Capacity, Blowing and Song 107

The Music of the Other 109

Speech as Music 111

Ceremonial Dialogue 113

Music and Leadership 118

Heterophony 119

Music and Difference 120

Chapter 5 Owning Persons and Places 123

The Language of Possession 125

Moveable Wealth 128

The Value of Land 130

Names and Places 132

Parc amazonien de Guyane 136

Gender Asymmetry and Women as Property 137

Ownership, Wealth and Influence 146

Conclusion. Society Transcends the State 149

Glossary 161

Appendix. Trio Relationship Terminology 164

References 168

Index 181