Review: Ulithi: a Micronesian Design for Living William A. Lessa

Gladwin, Thomas (October 1967). "Review: Ulithi: a Micronesian Design for Living William A. Lessa". American Anthropologist. 69 (5): 526–526. doi:10.1525/aa.1967.69.5.02a00240. ISSN 1548-1433 0002-7294, 1548-1433 .

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Abstract: The article under review is “Ulithi: A Micronesian Design for Living” by William A. Lessa. This work is part of the “Case Studies in Cultural Anthropology Series” and consists of 118 pages with figures, maps, and plates. Lessa, who is well-versed in the subject due to his extensive visits to the Ulithi atoll since 1947, offers a summary of his previous works on Ulithian culture, aimed at beginning students of anthropology. The review acknowledges Lessa’s expertise, particularly in folklore and the early history of the Central Carolines, yet notes his omission of Ulithi’s rich maritime tradition, which is central to its cultural identity. The book primarily offers a synchronic picture of Ulithi society as it was 30 to 40 years ago, before major foreign influences. The reviewer criticizes this choice, arguing that it portrays anthropology as merely the recording of ancient ways of life, ignoring significant cultural changes and the anthropologist’s role in addressing them. Despite this, the book still presents a coherent view of the Ulithi way of life, fulfilling the principal objective of the series.

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MAG: 2166858193
OpenAlex: W2166858193
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