Not a Hazardous Sport: Misadventures of an Anthropologist in Indonesia

NigelBarley travels to the island of Sulawesi in Indonesia to live among the Torajanpeople, known for their spectacular buildings and elaborate ancestor cults. At lasthe is following his own advice to students, to do their anthropological fieldwork'somewhere where the inhabitants are beautiful, friendly, where you would like thefood and there are nice flowers. With his customary wit and delight in the tellingdetail, he takes the reader deep into this complex but adaptable society. Themutual warmth of his friendships allows Barley to reverse the habitual patternsof anthropology. He becomes host to four Torajan carvers in London, invited to builda traditional rice barn at the Museum of Mankind. The observer becomes the observed,and it is Barley's turn to explain the absurd complexities of an English city tohis bemused but tolerant guests in a magnificent, self-criticalfinale.