6 Field Museum of Natural History 



year to year, a new framework has to be made, and 

 each feather carefully fastened in place. 



First a peek-proof enclosure is made in front of 

 and surrounding one of the large men's houses, as 

 there is no special house for this purpose. The en- 

 closing fence is about as high as the masks, and is 

 made of palm or other leaves. Within this enclosure, 

 in the shade of the large projecting front of the house, 

 the frame is constructed, and most of the feathers put 

 in place, but for finishing touches the masks are care- 

 fully set up on supports under a special high shed, 

 made for the purpose. 



Of course, no important affair ever takes place in 

 New Guinea without a big feast, and for a week or two 

 before the performance everybody is busy collecting 

 provisions. In this all the villages unite, though the 

 main work falls on the entertaining village. Several 

 days are spent in washing out sago, one or two in a 

 big fishing expedition along the beach or in the lagoons. 

 Then there is a big pig-hunt, and often a voyage to 

 Menam or some other place to buy pigs and other pro- 

 visions. 



The village of Awar, where the ceremony was to be 

 held, is made up of a number of houses scattered at 

 intervals along and on both sides of a single street, 

 which in fact is nothing but a native path that has 

 been widened and cleared of vegetation in the neigh- 

 borhood of the houses. Shortly before the ceremony, 

 frames are erected near the houses along the street, 

 and on these all kinds of food materials are placed, so 

 that everyone may see what an abundance of food is 

 supplied for the feast. This food consists chiefly of 

 great bowls of taro and yams, packets of sago done up 

 in leaves and ornamented with leaf streamers, and 

 even pigs securely bound and fastened to poles, these 

 being supported on forked stakes. Here the things 

 remain, pigs and all, till needed, which may be for 



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