Ancestral Lines: The Maisin of Papua New Guinea and the Fate of the Rainforest, Second Edition

Barker's clear, engaging, and often self-reflexive writing style provides students with a readable and interesting ethnography. Pacific Affairs

"Ancestral Lines is a vivid portrait of how the Maisin draw upon their past to shape the modern present which,
like tapa designs, they continue to recreate anew. It is a rich, ambiguous depiction of rural PNG which should appeal
to multiple audiences. Because of the way it is written, theoretical simplicity, and first-person narratives of
fieldwork experience, the book is eminently suitable for entry-level undergraduates encountering cultural anthropology
for the first time. It would also be useful in courses on material culture in society and, of course, on sociocultural
change. In addition, Ancestral Lines is a welcome entry into the emerging literature on rural conservation in
the Pacific." David Lipset, Anthropos

Barker's book is beautifully organized, clearly written, and each chapter fits snugly within the confines of a basic topic included on all introductory syllabi. Moreover, unlike many ethnographies written specifically for undergraduates, this is a text that will neither talk down to nor bore students. Barker's finely observed discussions of such topics as reciprocity, kinship, and sorcery not only cover the major lines of argument surrounding them, but also add new ideas. Joel Robbins, Oxford University

Ancestral Lines seems to get better each time I use it: it is that rare book that engages first-year students while providing the insight and intellectual depth upper-level courses require. Dan Jorgensen, Western University