Sago Versus Rice and the Reorganisation of Ritual Spacetime: Competing Modes of Dependency in an Age of Decentralisation in Asmat, Indonesian Papua

Asmat social worlds are permeated with multiple forms of dependency. In this paper, I ask how different modalities dependency inter-relate within the space and time life, is being reshaped by Asmat's increasing incorporation broader structural orders during a period national decentralisation. First, describe relations shape everyday through discussion quotidian food distribution concomitant claim-making. Then, outline inter-clan interdependency innovate on above pattern ritual feasting, which generates remarkable co-presence ritualised interdependent work. Finally, explore feasting interdependence, its organisation in time, warped ‘The Allocation Village Funds’ (‘Alokasi Dana Desa’), decentralised government grant. do so via case study feast house construction project, villagers attempted to reckon new typified, indigenous discourse, distinction between ‘sago’ ‘rice’ as local versus introduced staple foods associated contrasting regimes action. At stake here, collision newly emergent modes dependency, viability socially valuable which, an age decentralisation, becoming shaped reliant types forces outside community's own labour control.