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Trobriand

  • Reference work entry
Encyclopedia of Medical Anthropology

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Alternative Names

Bweyowa, Kiriwinia, Kilivila, Bowoya, Trobrianders, Trobriand Islanders.

Location and Linguistic Affiliation

The Trobriand Islands are located in the Massim region of Melanesia 120 miles north of the eastern tip of New Guinea (approximately Latitude: 8.30S, Longitude: 151E). The Trobriand archipelago, consisting of some 22 flat and partially raised coral atolls, sits at the intersection of the Coral and Solomon Seas and is politically situated within the Milne Bay Province of the Republic of Papua New Guinea. The population is centered in the larger islands of Kiriwina (Bowoya), Vakuta, Kaile’una, and Kitava. Boyowa’s population, exceeding 26,000, is located in some 60 villages (Lepani, 2001; see also Weiner, 1987). The language of the Trobriands is Kilivila (Kiriwinan). Lawton (1993)lists 11 dialects. Five of these are spoken on Boyowa proper, three on each of the remaining large islands, and the last three in culturally related Luscancy Island (Simsimla) and the...

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Authors
  1. Jay Bouton Crain
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  2. Allan Clifford Darrah
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  3. Linus Silipolakapulapola Digim’Rina
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Human Relations Area Files, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA

    Carol R. Ember  & Melvin Ember  & 

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© 2004 Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers

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Crain, J.B., Darrah, A.C., Digim’Rina, L.S. (2004). Trobriand. In: Ember, C.R., Ember, M. (eds) Encyclopedia of Medical Anthropology. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/0-387-29905-X_101

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/0-387-29905-X_101

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-0-306-47754-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-0-387-29905-1

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