From Proletarian to Entrepreneur to Big Man: the Story of Noya1

The resemblances between Melanesian Big Men and capitalist entrepreneurs have long fascinated anthropologists. However, even though traditional leaders in Melanesian societies resemble entrepreneurs in certain respects they are motivated by different concerns. In this paper, I consider the career of Noya of the Eastern Highlands of Papua New Guinea to demonstrate the contrasts and confluences between the roles of big man and that of entrepreneur. Noya is neither a traditional big-man nor a pure capitalist, but has drawn selectively upon the logic of each in his drive to achieve promience. His life story provides insights into how big-men articulate with the capitalist world system.