The Kwakiutl have 3 types of potlatches, which are actually their way of fighting. At these potlatches, they give away property either to shame their enemies, or to build up themselves or both. The 3 types are: Investment, Vengeance, and Face Saving Potlatches.

The Investment Potlatch is when wealth is given for the purpose of gaining interest. At times, the interest was 100%, due within a year.

The Vengeance Potlatch is when a man will destroy or give to his opponent so much property. His opponent in turn would have to return as much or more. This continued until one had nothing left and he was declared the loser. It is unbelievable how much stuff they give away or destroy. The only rule is that they can't give away so much that their family or tribe is in jeopardy.

The Face-Saving Potlatch takes place when a man makes a mistake, has an accident, a relative dies, etc. These all shame a person, so he gives away property to cover up the accident. When he does this, the people will just 'forget' that it ever happened.

Pigs are never killed among the Gururumba just to provide meat for daily consumption. A gift of pork, or of a live pig, is the most important item a person can give in a food presentation, and pigs are saved for such occasions. Although a pig may sometimes be killed because it is sick or about to die, its meat isn't just eaten by the owners - they find some reason for turning the death into a food presentation. Also, the size of the herds varies with the demands of the exchange activity. Each man has some pigs that other men keep for him. These men receive a portion of each litter for their efforts, and the owner, who keeps it a secret, is protected from others making excessive demands on him because no one knows the exact number of pigs he owns. This is also a convenient way for a man to keep more pigs than his land can support.

When a Wonana man gets a deer, he gives one leg to his parents, one to the inlaws, one to other relatives, and the last to someone else. He keeps only the head and guts. Thus, they eat best when the other guy goes hunting.

The Yanomamo believe that monkeys, armadillos, wild turkeys, wild pig, tapir, and sloth is the only meat worthy enough to give to guests. They can consume any other game they capture, such as deer, small birds, a small species of wild turkey, or insects and fish they happen to come upon. The feast meat, however, is saved for guests and can't be eaten by the hunters.

The Bunyoro have a traditional custom of bringing a gift of food and drink to a friend's house as a gesture of friendship and regard. The bringer of the gifts also brings his household and friends. The receiver has his friends and family ready and also a large amount of food. They have a party and eat, drink, sing, dance and rejoice. The receiver must nowadays contribute a gift of money, but the gift returned shouldn't equal the value of the gifts brought, for that would offend the bringer. In effect, it would be suggesting that this transaction was a purchase instead of a friendly exchange of gifts, and that the receiver didn't want to continue the friendly relationship.

The San Blas sell coconuts, but not fish. They are quite good businessmen but fish are smoked and kept for feast. A man's prestige and the acceptance of his daughter in society (in the case of puberty-rite festivals) are at least partly dependent upon his ability to have enough fish to serve the guests. Coconuts aren't, however, related to social activities so they are readily sold to anyone who offers a good price.

Among the Ma'anyan, pigs and chickens are used for paying fines. When they have a 'court hearing', all the elders present are fed on the meat of the animals used to pay the fines.

A wealthy Kapauku doesn't distribute all his extra money but deposits a good bit of it in a hiding place among the rocks or in a small cavern in the limestone cliffs. He may also leave some of it with his wife or his mother; so his close female relatives are his 'banks'. Kapauku savings are of two types. One is a plain savings of cash, which can be drawn whenever needed. The other type is "taboo cowries." (Cowrie shells are their form of money.) By a solemn proclamation, a man may place a taboo on part of his savings and transfer them into the custody of his wife or mother. This taboo, which a man places on himself, prohibits the owner from using any of this money in his business transactions lest he become sick and one of his sons die. The wealth is inherited by his sons after his death.