Risk-Pooling and Herd Survival: An Agent-Based Model of a Maasai Gift-Giving System

C Athena Aktipis; Lee Cronk; Rolando de Aguiar

doi:10.1007/s10745-010-9364-9

Risk-Pooling and Herd Survival: An Agent-Based Model of a Maasai Gift-Giving System

C Athena Aktipis, Lee Cronk, Rolando de Aguiar

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

70 Scopus citations

Abstract

We use agent-based modeling to study osotua, a gift giving system used by the Maasai of East Africa. Osotua's literal meaning is "umbilical cord," but it is used metaphorically to refer to a specific type of gift-giving relationship. Osotua relationships are characterized by respect, responsibility and restraint. Osotua partners ask each other for help only if they are in need and provide help only when asked and only if they are able. We hypothesize that under the ecologically volatile conditions in which Maasai pastoralists have traditionally lived, such a system is particularly suited to risk pooling. Here we explore whether osotua increases the viability of herds by comparing herd survivorship and stability under osotua rules to a) no exchange and b) probabilistic rules for requesting and giving livestock. Results from this model suggest that this gift-giving system can dramatically increase herd longevity through a limited pooling of risk.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	131-140
Number of pages	10
Journal	Human Ecology
Volume	39
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s10745-010-9364-9
State	Published - Apr 2011

Keywords

Cooperation
Maasai
Norms
Pastoralism
Reciprocity
Risk-pooling

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Ecology
Anthropology
Environmental Science (miscellaneous)
Arts and Humanities (miscellaneous)
Sociology and Political Science

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title = "Risk-Pooling and Herd Survival: An Agent-Based Model of a Maasai Gift-Giving System",

abstract = "We use agent-based modeling to study osotua, a gift giving system used by the Maasai of East Africa. Osotua's literal meaning is {"}umbilical cord,{"} but it is used metaphorically to refer to a specific type of gift-giving relationship. Osotua relationships are characterized by respect, responsibility and restraint. Osotua partners ask each other for help only if they are in need and provide help only when asked and only if they are able. We hypothesize that under the ecologically volatile conditions in which Maasai pastoralists have traditionally lived, such a system is particularly suited to risk pooling. Here we explore whether osotua increases the viability of herds by comparing herd survivorship and stability under osotua rules to a) no exchange and b) probabilistic rules for requesting and giving livestock. Results from this model suggest that this gift-giving system can dramatically increase herd longevity through a limited pooling of risk.",

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author = "Aktipis, {C Athena} and Lee Cronk and {de Aguiar}, Rolando",

note = "Funding Information: Acknowledgements An early version of this work was presented at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey. We thank workshop participants for their helpful comments. We also thank the members of the Rutgers Behavioral Ecology Lab, who provided helpful feedback regarding the manuscript and Liz Dong for editorial assistance. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. SES-0345945 Decision Center for a Desert City (DCDC) and Grant F32 CA144331. Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendation expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation (NSF).",

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doi = "10.1007/s10745-010-9364-9",

language = "English (US)",

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N2 - We use agent-based modeling to study osotua, a gift giving system used by the Maasai of East Africa. Osotua's literal meaning is "umbilical cord," but it is used metaphorically to refer to a specific type of gift-giving relationship. Osotua relationships are characterized by respect, responsibility and restraint. Osotua partners ask each other for help only if they are in need and provide help only when asked and only if they are able. We hypothesize that under the ecologically volatile conditions in which Maasai pastoralists have traditionally lived, such a system is particularly suited to risk pooling. Here we explore whether osotua increases the viability of herds by comparing herd survivorship and stability under osotua rules to a) no exchange and b) probabilistic rules for requesting and giving livestock. Results from this model suggest that this gift-giving system can dramatically increase herd longevity through a limited pooling of risk.

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Risk-Pooling and Herd Survival: An Agent-Based Model of a Maasai Gift-Giving System

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Keywords

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