Not a Hazardous Sport

Not a Hazardous Sport by Nigel Barley takes readers on an adventurous journey to the island of Sulawesi in Indonesia, where Barley immerses himself among the Torajan people. Known for their spectacular buildings and elaborate ancestor cults, the Torajan society offers a perfect setting for anthropological fieldwork, aligning with Barley's own advice to his students to choose a location where the people are beautiful, friendly, where you would appreciate the food, and enjoy the flowers.

With his characteristic wit and attention to detail, Barley provides an insightful look into this complex yet adaptable society. The mutual warmth of his friendships with the Torajan people allows him to experience a role reversal, transforming from the observer to the observed. When four Torajan carvers visit London to build a traditional rice barn at the Museum of Mankind, Barley becomes their host. In this magnificent and self-critical finale, he finds himself explaining the absurd complexities of English city life to his bemused but tolerant guests.