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Defined by Joel Robbins as the science of continuity, anthropology has long experienced difficulty explaining changes and transformations. The notions of cultures and traditions it maintains tend to simply assume their durability. This inclination has led to the problem of overlooking the dramatic heterogeneity in bodies of myths. Since myth is often treated as the 'great component' that promotes 'the unity of a culture', even among those who are critical of the timeless notion of culture, the theoretical tendency that pervades anthropology is to emphasise its coherence with the whole while disregarding its conflicting multiplicity. This paper attempts to propose a framework within which we can better address the multifariousness of a body of myths in actual social circumstances. This is accomplished by expanding Edmund Leach's view of myth as an 'argument' and taking the view that the reproduction of myth requires its alteration and transformation for the sake of appropriating conceptualised qualities of social value. The subject of this study, in particular, is the myth about the Butonese lowlander in North Seram, Maluku, Eastern Indonesia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the development and effects of a rapid livelihood transition on households, and reflects on how it fits within historic trends of livelihood change for people living in highly variable and vulnerable environments. It also discusses the implications of livelihood dynamism for local governance of natural resources. In recent decades, seaweed cultivation has expanded exponentially in coastal communities across the Asia-Pacific. A case study is presented of a remote small-island community in eastern Indonesia where over the last ten years a dramatic shift in livelihood focus has occurred. Previous dependence on diverse low-productivity livelihood activities transitioned to a predominant focus on seaweed farming. The case shows how social, economic and cultural environments co-develop as people move out of conditions of collective poverty and into more nuclear household-oriented livelihood activities. Specific attention is given to the influence on a marine resource co-management program operating on the island to illustrate how local livelihood dynamics relate to broader paradigm-driven conservation and rural development initiatives. While alternative livelihood programs seek to relieve pressure on resource stocks and provide opportunities for coastal people, this case study provides timely insights into the kinds of unintended effects, trends and impacts that are associated with rapid change in the way people make a living. This study argues that, in addition to achieving higher standards of income and well-being, livelihood improvement interventions need to adequately ensure that conditions under which new livelihood arrangements come to function can be maintained locally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Objective: to describe the system of health reporting by village midwives and two rural clinics in eastern Indonesia and solve some of the problems in this system through consultation. Design: participatory action research model where problems are identified by those most affected and solutions sought. Clinic staff were observed and interviewed regarding their work roles and reporting duties. Allocation of work time to various tasks was recorded by all clinic staff before and after the implementation of a new health recording system. Several information sessions and focus group discussions were held with village midwives and other health staff to identify and address problems. Setting: Indonesia initiated a programme in 1989, aiming to place a midwife in every village, in response to high maternal mortality rates and low rates of births attended by trained birth assistants. Remote rural villages in eastern Indonesia have difficulty recruiting and retaining village midwives. These midwives play a crucial role in health reporting. During 2010 a new system of recording and reporting by clinics was implemented. Participants: village and clinic health staff in two rural subdistricts in eastern Indonesia. Findings: there was incomplete coverage by village midwives in the two subdistricts studied; 28% of villages had a resident midwife, 48% had a visiting midwife and 24% had only monthly visits by a mobile clinic. Village midwives performed duties additional to their official duties and training. Village midwives had problems associated with the reporting system including inconsistency in reporting, poor access to individual patient histories and poor access to clinics. These problems resulted in incompleteness and poor timeliness of data transfer. Key conclusions: midwives in remote villages felt compelled to provide services for which they were not trained. Poor quality of data reporting resulted from inconsistent reporting methods. Local staff can successfully change and manage reporting systems if given appropriate support and training. Implications for practice: socialisation of health reporting systems among all staff involved can lead to improved data consistency and completeness. Effective systems for data transfer and reporting may reduce time spent on these tasks by some staff. Improvements to accuracy of data and availability of individual patient histories have the potential to contribute to improved health care. Quality of health care by village midwives should be addressed by adequate training and improved transport. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Previous analysis of sex differentiable terms (or SDTs, words that distinguish sexes in humans and nonhuman animals) has shown how they can coincide with folk zoological life-form taxa and, at the same time, provide evidence of covert taxa, notably a category of "mammals." In this article, the system of SDTs employed by the Nage of eastern Indonesia is compared with a similar system found in Central America, among the Chuj Mayans. Similarities and differences between the two systems are explored, in some instances with further reference to English SDTs, and consideration is given to how such terms may reveal universal tendencies in ways human languages register perceptual difference among animal kinds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article seeks to explain different symbolic meanings ascribed to volcanoes in various social and political discourses of Flores Island in Eastern Indonesia. The analysis shows the ideas connected to volcanoes and their central role within processes of conflict resolution at a local level. Exemplary in this regard is a hitherto undocumented peace ritual, with its practice of sacrifice. The ritual takes place at times of social conflict and in case of eruption of the highly active volcano Lewotobi laki-laki in the Lamaholot region of East Flores. The reciprocal relationship to volcanoes enables clan groups in Flores to reconcile with unpredictable natural powers and to handle dangerous and sometimes violent aspects of their society simultaneously. In addition the phenomenon of public guilt confessions will be stressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At the invitation of the eastern Indonesian village of Leuwayang, three researchers returned to Kédang to observe a revised harvest ritual once thought extinct. The article contains consideration of recent political changes in Indonesia affecting religious expression, describes the village birthday celebration and the series of community rituals that were subsequently carried out over a three-day period in the original village site. There follows a summary of the nightlong chant accompanying the reciting of male genealogies of the village with an explanation of its references to legendary village history. An attempt is made to place the chant within the comparative study of ritual language. The conclusion briefly tries to situate the rituals in relation to villagers' preoccupations in the modern world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the cultural differences between a small eastern Indonesia community and Western tourists. It builds on the work of Reisinger and Turner (1997, 2003) and Fitzgerald (1998) who have examined the generalized cultural differences between Indonesian tourists and Australian hosts. The study is based on research over a period of more than ten years (1989-2000) in the Ngadha regency of Flores. Participant observation, interviews, and focus groups were used to investigate the villagers governmentsç guides' and tourists' values, attitudes, perceptions, and priorities in relation to tourism. The paper provides a detailed case study of visitor and local community perceptions and values in relation to tourism, and how the differences in cultural backgrounds lead to misunderstandings and friction. Beyond the value differences identified by Reisinger and Turner (1997) in relation to time, dress, conflict avoidance, greetings, expression of emotions and authority, the research revealed differences in perceptions of crowds and events. Many tourists transgress the local cultural norms (adat) that the villagers believe disturbs the universal order, upsets the ancestors, and has the potential to produce undesirable results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the story of Ba Naruq, a secluded woman living in the interior of an island, her sexual affair with Kiaq Mitèn and conflict with his sisters. This conflict eventually leads to a breaking off of her relations with Kiaq Mitèn. Then her father sells her to Raja Laga Doni, but she rejects his advances and eventually dies. On learning of this Kiaq Mitèn is heartbroken, and eventually uses a ruse to find her grave, where he mourns. The story is presented, together with the original and translation. The local references and meanings are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores concepts of animality found among the Nuaulu of Seram, eastern Indonesia, with special reference to the position of dogs. It argues that it is insufficient to say that dogs are simply a preeminent case of the class "domesticated animal," as this is weak in Nuaulu representations and practice. The relationship between humans and dogs is qualitatively unique, confounding symbolic generalisations. Nuaulu dogs are economically critical, companionable, and objects of sentiment, but when they underperform they are rejected and abused. Such contradictions indicate a tension between dependency (reflected in physical intimacy, anthropomorphization, naming, caring, prohibition on eating) and callousness (reflected in the manner of both their birth and death), which is linked to competing conceptions of animality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is a study of stakeholders' perceptions of the reliability of landings data obtained by governments on fish stocks. The case studied is the tuna fishery in Indonesia, which is the country's most important fisheries sector in terms of income and employment, but poses particular difficulties for landings data collection because Indonesia is an archipelago made up of 17,500 islands making data collection a very complex, time-consuming, and costly process because of the large number of ports and the need to employ a considerable team of enumerators to collect the data. This study is not an enquiry into whether the officially recorded data are reliable, but whether fishers and other stakeholders believe them to be reliable. We carried out a survey of 921 respondents (724 tuna fishers; 154 live-bait fishers; 16 policy makers; 16 public sectors and 11 private sectors) to investigate their perceptions of the way landings data on tuna are obtained and collated by Indonesian government officials. The results indicate there is considerable scepticism about the accuracy of these fisheries data. Respondents said there was inadequate funding for data collection; the enumerators were poorly trained; and there were few incentives for checking the results of surveys. These and other criticisms raise serious doubts about the efficacy of the management of the tuna fisheries in Indonesia. Stakeholders' perceptions on how to improve their confidence in the data collected include greater involvement of individual fishers and the private sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]