Malekula, A Vanishing People in the New Hebrides
London: George Routledge & Sons, LTD, 1934. First edition. Hardcover. Quarto. XL, 789pp. Original blue cloth with gold lettering on spine. Frontispiece portrait of the author. A valuable record of anthropological field work undertaken by the late author under very trying circumstances and edited from his field notes by Camilla H. Wedgwood. Although the book, like most anthropological records, is mainly concerned with the ceremonial aspect of life, yet the reader will find that it contains valuable information also on the sexual life and the psychology of the people of Malekula. "Frequent cohabitation is regarded as a bad thing, especially for a young man". "The advice generally given by the old men is that a man should copulate once a night for three nights in succession and then have two nights' rest and so on continuously". "Only for old men, especially those whose hair is white, is it considered right to sleep with a woman once nightly with no intervals" (p. 155). This work is profusely illustrated with 3 maps, XXIV b/w photographic plates and 40 in-text figs. Some age-wear on binding with light staining and rubbing on covers, spine age-toned, and back joint rippled. Head and tail of spine slightly chipped. Tiny closed tear and creasing on free front endpaper. Previous owner's blind stamp on free front endpaper, half-title, and title-page. Minor and sporadic pencil annotations throughout (easily erasable). Binding in overall fair to good-, interior in good+ condition. fair. Item #27649
Price: $150.00