A big man is a highly influential individual in a tribe, especially in Melanesia and Polynesia. Such a person may not have formal tribal or other authority (through, for instance, material possessions or inheritance of rights), but can maintain recognition through skilled persuasion and wisdom.
A big man is a highly influential individual in a tribe, especially in Melanesia and Polynesia. Such a person may not have formal tribal or other authority (through, for instance, material possessions or inheritance of rights), but can maintain recognition through skilled persuasion and wisdom.
Source: Wikipedia "Big man (anthropology)" · CC BY-SA 4.0
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