Not a Hazardous Sport: Misadventures of an Anthropologist in Indonesia

Nigel Barley travels to Sulawesi, Indonesia, to live among the Torajan people, known for their spectacular buildings and elaborate ancestor cults. He follows his advice to students to do their anthropological fieldwork in a beautiful, friendly, and tolerant society. Barley becomes host to four Torajan carvers in London, invited to build a traditional rice barn at the Museum of Mankind. Not a Hazardous Sport provides a magnificent end to a trilogy of anthropological journeys.

\n Format: Paperback / softback
\n Length: 192 pages
\n Publication date: 15 November 2018
\n Publisher: Eland Publishing Ltd
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Nigel Barley embarks on a remarkable journey to the island of Sulawesi in Indonesia, where he immerses himself among the vibrant Torajan people, renowned for their awe-inspiring architectural marvels and intricate ancestor cults. Following his own sage advice to students, Barley ventures to a place where the inhabitants exude beauty, warmth, delectable cuisine, and picturesque flora. With his infectious wit and penchant for vivid storytelling, he transports the reader into the intricate tapestry of this complex yet adaptable society. Barley's deep connections with his newfound friends enable him to break free from the traditional confines of anthropology, becoming a host to four talented Torajan carvers in London. Invited to construct a traditional rice barn at the esteemed Museum of Mankind, Barley experiences a remarkable reversal of roles as he becomes the observed, while his guests marvel at the complexities of an English city. "Not a Hazardous Sport" serves as a magnificent culmination to a trilogy of anthropological explorations that commenced with "The Innocent Anthropologist" and "A Plague of Caterpillars" (both published by Eland). A poignant postscript, penned thirty years after these adventures concluded, underscores the profound arc of this captivating narrative, where roles are effortlessly exchanged and the human experience is explored with depth and introspection.

\n Weight: 250g\n
Dimension: 217 x 139 x 11 (mm)\n
ISBN-13: 9781780601434\n \n