Kogwayay the Gebusi of Papua Essay

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Western culture has its own form of kogwayay. Although Western culture stresses individualism more than the Gebusi does, "good company" is an important aspect of social interactions. Western culture kogwayay includes togetherness, large gatherings of people such as at parties or family dinners. Although these social gatherings are different from what they are in Papua New Guinea, they serve a similar function of creating social harmony.

Just as the Gebusi like to engage in "wa-la" or chatting, so do people in Western culture. Westerners get together in small or large groups and chat or they chat on the Internet. Furthermore, Western culture has its own form of "yay" or jovial teasing and cheering. The teasing and cheering often takes place within groups of only one gender. For example, a group of only men or only women will share different jokes than those same people would in a mixed setting.
Often, joking and teasing is still considered to be more of a male domain in Western society. Some men still use the phrase, "There's a lady in the room." The phrase suggests that women should not be exposed to dirty jokes or curse words. Males are more known for their loud and aggressive displays of camaraderie.

The concept of kogwayay refers specifically to communication norms in a culture. Other aspects of culture such as religious beliefs or language are related to kogwayay. For example, religious beliefs are related to the role of men and women in religious rituals. Language is used differently by men and women. Kogwayay is a unique but still comprehensive way of analyzing culture.

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https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/kogwayay-gebusi-papua-12902