Symbol of respect
The Trobriands had particular mannerism that were a symbol of respect and deference or their leaders. They bowed when the chief stood and sat or squatted when he did. While the chief was standing, no one else would stand and when he was sitting, they would assume a lower position such as that of squatting.
Symbol of prestige
Agricultural success was a symbol of pride for the men of the Trobriand tribe. They would work hard tiling their yam fields in a particular agricultural year so as to produce a lot of yams. This would earn them prestige in their clans and the society.
Motif of myths
The book contains a lot of myths as the ethnographer tells the reader the reasons or stories behind traditions of the Kula. Some of the myths that are in the book include that of the origin f sorcerers who were believed to have come from the soil in the form of a crab. A myth concerning the origin of the tribe where the ancestresses of each clan are believed to have come from the soil are told as well.
Motif of stories
The book also contains stories within about past events of the living dead of the tribe. These stories include that of a hero who sailed and disappeared in the sea. Another one is about how the village of Olivilevi was formed from the split of two major villages. These stories add life to the book as they illustrate the life of the Kula.
Symbolism of bad luck
Among the Kula, ill fortune is something that the people want to avoid and also know before it happens. The people believed that the sighting of reptiles such as lizards or a crab was a sign of misfortunes such as epidemics.
