The serimónia network: economic mobilisation through rituals in the hamlet of Faulara, Liquiçá

This chapter addresses some economic aspects of the ritual exchange regime in Timor-Leste. Drawing on quantitative data gathered in the village of Faulara (Liquiçá municipality) through a household survey and a qualitative case study on the marriage rituals involving a particular household, we show...

Descripción completa

Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Fidalgo Castro, Alberto, Alonso Población, Enrique
Tipo de recurso: capítulo de libro
Fecha de publicación:2023
País:España
Institución:Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM)
Repositorio:Docta Complutense
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:docta.ucm.es:20.500.14352/2521
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/2521
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Timor-Leste
economic anthropology
Household economies
Ritual exchange regime
Ritual revitalisation
Antropología (Sociología)
Religión (Sociología)
Religiones primitivas
Microeconomía
51 Antropología
6301.10 Sociología de la Religión
5101.10 Religión
5307.15 Teoría Microeconómica
Descripción
Sumario:This chapter addresses some economic aspects of the ritual exchange regime in Timor-Leste. Drawing on quantitative data gathered in the village of Faulara (Liquiçá municipality) through a household survey and a qualitative case study on the marriage rituals involving a particular household, we show how ceremonies structured around fertility-giver/fertility-taker (umane/mane-foun) relations constitute only a small part of ritual activity in which other types of relationships such as neighbourhood and friendship play a central role as well. Building on that and considering the ritual exchange regime in a broader way, we show how the ritual exchange regime can work as a credit and savings union as well as a safety and solidarity network. In a broader theoretical perspective, we analyse how people use rituals as an economic mechanism and propose that they serve to ensure the economic security and redistribution embedded in kinship and everyday social networks.