Gogodala People - Economy

Economy

In the Gogodala tribes, work is divided through gender division that is based around extended families. This means that both men and women work and provide assistance when it is needed. Work for men ranges from paid employment in Balimo to hunting, making gardens, building houses, constructing canoes, clearing land and cutting grass. Jobs for women include "cooking, fishing, making sago, sago bags, grass mats and fishing baskets, collecting firewood and other bush materials for use in the house, caring for animals and maintaining the house." (Wilde 2004) Although the Gogodala "desire the benefits of money, clothes, food, houses, water tanks, electricity and store goods that town people enjoy, town people lament the loss of freedom afforded by the village lifestyle". (Wilde 2004)

A very important form of work for the Gogodala, as was mentioned before, is the production and preparation of sago, for which women are normally responsible. Since Gogodala villages are normally near swamps and lagoons, they are provided with an ideal location to grow sago palms. Still, these swamps are not located directly on the villages, and so often a fair amount of traveling must be done. "Women are primarily responsible for the production and preparation of sago, from cutting down the palm, to cooking and preparing the sago flour for eating." (Dundon 2002) The origins of Sago are that a male ancestor brought the original sago with him and cultivated it in certain areas for others to collect. If eaten correctly, Sago gives energy, and thus it is a very important part of the Gogodala culture to consume Sago. (Dundon 2002)