ABSTRACT
Picture 6: Pui’s kenduri besar, the big religious feast This chapter looks at how and what it means for the Orang Laut to circulate things within their own communities. It examines how the meanings of objects are defined or transformed through different forms of exchange. It also details the social relations and group solidarity that are established through the circulation of things. Within their communities, the Orang Laut observe the principle of sharing and helping as an extension of their system of reciprocity. Their network of sharing and helping operates in the same social context as their system of gift exchange. The individuals within a community who give things to one another are also the people who help and share things at a household or community level. There are, however, differences in social relations. Reciprocity in gift giving
constitutes a relationship between two parties (Sahlins, 1974:188), while sharing and helping represents a collective group action.
