The chimbu political system

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Abstract
The current Chimbu pattern is one of dispersed settlement and land‐holding, easy individual mobility and tolerance of divided loyalties, especially within the tribe. Structurally, this is a segmentary system in the form of a patrilineal mechanical model, but genealogies show many inconsistencies. Taking war or hostility to strangers as a pervasive feature of highland New Guinea, this paper sees group cohesion as resting on intergroup rivalry and a common interest in self‐protection. Two kinds of leadership are indicated (war‐leaders, and ‘managers'), both lacking in continuity. A table lists the main units in 13 New Guinea Highland societies.