What is "pubusi"

Pubusi is custom in the independent nation of Kiribati. In the culture of Kiribati, a person may ask a neighbor for any material possession. The action of so doing is "pubusi".

If denied the request can lead to a major loss of face, and so is rarely refused. This embedded cultural practice may explain their nonconsumer attitude, which along with a relaxed islander attitude, leads to a very low GDP as measured by the standards of developed nations.