FILMS AND OTHER TRIALS: REFLECTIONS ON LONG-TERM FIELDWORK AMONG THE MAISIN, PAPUA NEW GUINEA

Authors

John Barker, University of British ColumbiaFollow

Abstract

This essay is a personal reflection on my developing relationship with the Maisin of Papua New Guinea from December 1981 to the present. I discuss my initial research focus and how my early fieldwork helped me to better understand the ways the Maisin have responded to changes in their community over the past twenty years, particularly in dealing with outsiders. I contrast my understandings of Maisin society with portrayals in two documentary films made in the community, Anthropology on Trial (1983) and Changing Ground (2001). I argue that the relationship between anthropologists and host communities fuses intellectual engagement with a powerful ethical commitment, both of which strengthen with time and experience.

Recommended Citation

Barker, John (2004) "FILMS AND OTHER TRIALS: REFLECTIONS ON LONG-TERM FIELDWORK AMONG THE MAISIN, PAPUA NEW GUINEA," Pacific Studies Journal: Vol. 27: No. 2, Article 4.
Available at: https://digitalcollections.byuh.edu/pacific-studies-journal/vol27/iss2/4