All Talk and No Action? Saying and Doing in Kwanga Meetings

There is a small but growing literature in anthropology about political language (e.g., Bailey 1983; Bloch 1975; Brenneis and Myers 1984; Paine 1981). Significantly, several recent contributions to this field have been made by scholars not primarily concerned with sociolinguistic issues. Rather, it has been increasingly recognized that in many societies politics tends to be all talk and no action (Myers quoted in Atkinson 1984:35) and that, therefore, to understand politics we must understand what talking accomplishes. This seems to be particularly true in acephalous, egalitarian societies and also many communities with headmen who have limited power. Long public meetings are held to discuss issues of community concern and much time and energy are devoted to these events. But in many case either no decision is reached in meetings or a decision is made but later ignored and seemingly forgotten. Atkinson (1984:35), for example, notes of the Wana of Central Sulawesi, Indonesia: