Structure, Hierarchy and Kin. An Ethnography of the Old Market in Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines ()
ABSTRACT
Every day, thousands of customers
patronize hundreds of vendors at the Old Market in Puerto Princesa, seeking the highest quality
products at the most affordable price. It is a “buyer’s market” as the variety of available products is limited to mostly locally
produced goods. Why does a customer patronize one vender rather than another?
Do social relationships influence this decision? Or, is price king? Does the
relationship between customer and employee affect the vendor’s success? This
paper attempts to shed light on the kinship ties and social stratification
between vendors, customers and employees and its effects, if any, on the
market’s economic success. After more than 6 months of participant
observations, my findings show that the fictive kinship ties which develop
between the regular customer and vendor, and the social stratification between
customer and employee provide a structured functionalism to support the
overarching economic theme of the public market.
Share and Cite:
Rich, B. (2017) Structure, Hierarchy and Kin. An Ethnography of the Old Market in Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines.
Open Journal of Social Sciences,
5, 113-124. doi:
10.4236/jss.2017.56010.