EGALITARIANISM IN THE FACE OF HIERARCHY

Research into egalitarianism and hierarchy continues to be important in understanding Political and economic processes in all societies. These terms are relative, rather than absolute, categories and depend on cultural meanings as well as social action. The people of Sapwuahfik Atoll (Federated States of Micronesia) assert an ethos of egalitarianism while also valuing a traditional rank hierarchy adopted from neighboring Pohnpei Island. This paper describes how Sapwuahfik handles challenges to its egalitarian ethos and how public activities, especially feasts, maintain that ethos while acknowledging the legitimacy of the regional rank system. Sapwuahfik thus matches traditional polities with its powerful neighbor while protecting plausible egalitarianism within the community. The cultural linking of rank symbolism with community identity and the public management of status claims combine to make issues of rank a contested and fruitful domain of ideology and social action.