Socio-Ecological Change Among the Fore of New Guinea [and Comments and Replies

Abstract

Historical reconstruction based on contemporary evidence shows that adoption of the sweet potato by the Fore approximately a century ago set in motion a series of events that transformed their institutions and natural surroundings. As the consequences of this act unraveled, the Fore moved to virgin lands, their population increased, the character of the living space they occupied was altered, and they were confronted with new kinds of social and political difficulties. Egalitarian social practices and relatively free social segmentation became important factors in their response and adaptation to the new challenges and opportunities. This indigenous cultural evolution was ultimately interrupted by the arrival of Western man, but it had laid the foundation for the dramatic cultural change which followed. Because the Fore were a small, isolated cultural enclave, it has been easier to select key elements from the complex of ecological, demographic, economic, and sociopolitical factors governing Fore life and to use these elements to develop a dynamic model elucidating the interdependent aspects of their socio-ecological evolution. Much of the evidence has been developed from an aerial photographic survey of the Fore lands.