Les Premiers fruits : parenté, identité sexuelle et pouvoirs en Polynésie occidentale : Tonga, Wallis et Futuna
Institution:
Paris, EHESSDisciplines:
Directors:
Abstract EN:
In the thesis "the first fruits" ('les premiers fruits'), the author tries to demonstrate how the polynesain society of tonga has organized the relations between the social order, kinship and the representations of the intimacy of the person: the body, its substances and the sex-difference (gender). The symbolic gesture of the offering of first fruits is the starting point of the analysis. Crucial aspects of the demonstration are the analysis of the kaings concept - kinship group as well as principle of identity - and the brother-sister relationship in the domestic and the political realms. The thesis is based on the fieldwork material of the author, historical data, and a comparison between tonga and the societies of wallis and futuna, also in westen polynesia. The author shows how tongan society has constructed in the long run ('longue duree') a sacred hierarchical order, transforming the structure of kinship groups and remodeling the representation of the person as well as what is sexually at stake herein.
Abstract FR:
La these "les premiers fruits" propose de montrer comment la societe polynesienne de tonga a organise les rapports entre l'ordre social, la parente et les representations de l'intimite de la personne: le corps, ses substances et la difference des sexes. Le point de depart de l'analyse est constitue par le passe par l'analyse de la notion de kainga - a la fois groupe de parente et principe identitaire - ainsi que celle de la relation frere soeur. Elle s'appuie sur les materiaux de terrain, sur des donnees historiques et sur la comparaison entre tonga et les societes polynesiennes de wallis et futuna. Elle montre comment la societe tongienne a construit sur la longue duree un ordre hierarchique sacre, transformant la structure des groupes de parente et remodelant les representations de la construction de la personne ainsi que les enjeux sexuels qui les fondent.