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Traditional Melanesian societies have the intelligence to tell the strength of certain
names in the story and narrative explanation. Of course the emphasis is on tracing back the
journey of people or tribes, crossing mountains and hills in a variety of living conditions.
Stories and narratives regarding personal or tribal life, often highlight one aspect of life
that is superior (Neonbasu, 2009a, b), (Andreas Jefri Deda c.s. 2013, interview with people
of Moskona [‘Zefnad Ogoney’]).
Third, oral tradition unravels relationships between tribes in a social fabric. As seen
here, the second function is expanded and explained further in the third, with emphasis
on the identification process culminating in the insight of the role of oral tradition. Stories
and narratives created, in addition to introducing individuals and tribal groups, describe
the content of the network of social relations in connection with something unique and
privileges of a certain figure. Often, when describing intercommunication of familial
relationships, the stories portray authorities and obligations of one tribe to another. The
classical description always uses ‘social status’ based on the analysis of ‘wife giving group’
and ‘wife taking group’, which then pinpoint the rights and obligations of each group.
Fourth, oral tradition explains the division of tasks, though very basic, but neat and
well-disciplined. Stories and narratives often reveal the role of family members: fathers,
mothers, and children in the paradigm of family ties. The division of roles and tasks within
the framework of family life has always the dimension of unity and integrity. This means,
the focal point is not the differences in space and involvement in certain activities, but a fact
of life of having ‘different functions’, but always aim for, and for the sake of ‘maintaining
harmonization’. An ancient division or distribution of tasks is based on ‘differentiation’
between men and women. The map and manners of the division is known generally in the
qualification of ‘binary opposition’ with pair style: vulnerable groups // powerful groups,
activities inside the house // activities outside the house, active // passive, top // down, left
// right, bright // dark, heavens // earth, mother // father, front // rear, woman // man, visible
// invisible, little // much and a variety of other dualistic categories.
Fifth, oral tradition reveals the content and meaning of any political structures in
society. The role and function of each tribe to maintain harmony in life together is always
emphasized many times in the presentation of stories and narratives. There has never
been a case in which the persons or the tribes mentioned in oral tradition work only for
themselves. Meanwhile, on the sidelines of the oral tradition, it can be seen that ‘the pattern
of traditional politics’ does not put emphasis on giving oration - or campaigning - but rather

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