The Heart of the Pearl Shell: The Mythological Dimension of Foi Sociality

The Heart of the Pearl Shell is a book that examines the myths of the Foi people of Papua New Guinea and how they relate to their social world. It challenges traditional interpretations of mythology and suggests that there is a dialectical relationship between the images of myth and the social world. The book is part of UC Press' Voices Revived program, which aims to make high-quality scholarship accessible again.

Format: Hardback
Length: 350 pages
Publication date: 19 August 2022
Publisher: University of California Press

The Foi people, who reside on the periphery of Papua New Guinea's central highlands, place great importance on the flow of pearl shells in their social life. The pearl shell serves as a crucial medium for the creation of their most significant sexual and social roles.

In his book, The Heart of the Pearl Shell, James Weiner delves into a series of myths of the Foi people, skillfully integrating substantial ethnographic materials to offer profound insights into the development of social theory in anthropology and Melanesian studies. Scholars specializing in semiotic-symbolic anthropology and comparative religion will also find the author's exploration of the meaning and role of mythology in Foi culture of great interest.

Rather than employing conventional Freudian or structuralist interpretations, Weiner posits a dialectical relationship between the images of Foi myth and the images of the Foi's social world. He illustrates how each set of these images is mutually dependent upon the other for their creation. This groundbreaking study identifies Foi social meaning in the re-creation and attempted resolution of the moral dilemmas that are crystallized in mythology and other poetic expressions.

The Heart of the Pearl Shell is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, a testament to the publisher's commitment to seeking out and nurturing the brightest minds while providing them with a platform to express their ideas, reach a wider audience, and have a significant impact. Drawing from a backlist dating back to 1893, Voices Revived employs print-on-demand technology to make high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again. This title, originally published in 1988, contributes to the ongoing revival of important scholarly works.

Weight: 635g
Dimension: 229 x 152 x 23 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780520367159