ABSTRACT
This chapter considers objects as material manifestations of social relations, and attempts to discern something of the social relations involved in the movement of objects, and ideas about objects, between Fiji, Tonga, and Samoa. It looks at some other objects that were moved around and the social relations that might have been involved in their movement. The chapter examines the analytical position via the patterns of exchange of spouses and goods. The exchanges focus on historic, protohistoric, and legendary times. Ceremonial exchange within the Tongan social system can be characterized as indirect reciprocity, in that ego can extract goods and services through one set of kinship links, while goods and services are extracted from ego through another set of kinshio links. In strictly trading exchanges, Samoans exchanged fine mats for Tongan bark-cloth of gigantic dimensions, large sleeping mats, and red feathers.
