Art. XII. — The Dukduk Association of New Britain. 



By R. H. RiCKARD. 



(Presented by Rev. Lorimer Fison.) 



[Read November 12, 1890.] 



Dukduk is the name of a secret association on the Gazelle 

 Peninsula of New Britain, and of the central figure in that 

 association — a man dressed in leaves in imitation of a bird, 

 which (6eo, bird) it is frequently called. Probably the 

 resemblance was stronger in the past than now, and the 

 figure was in imitation of a cassowary, but the constant 

 rivalry between the originators in the various villages has 

 yearly produced many minor variations. The lower part of 

 the dress is like a petticoat, made of long supple palm leaves, 

 extending from the breast to, or a little below, the knees ; 

 around the body the leaves are fastened to a hoop of cane, 

 to which are attached suspenders which pass over the 

 shoulders. The upper part of the di-ess is a long conoid, the 

 base of which is another hoop sufficiently wide to pass over 

 the shoulders, and covered with more of the above-mentioned 

 leaves, forming a long over-lapping fringe to hide the part 

 where the two hoops meet, and rest one upon the other, and 

 under which the arms are doubled up and hidden, while they 

 hold the whole steady ; and also frequently carry a spear 

 projecting behind and before, while the hand is unseen. 

 The part which hides the face is framed with cane, and 

 covered with various things, as leaves, fibres, cloth, &c., 

 worked together as only natives can work them. It is 

 sufficiently open for the man to see his way, but not to 

 admit of his face being seen by anyone a few yards distant. 

 Above the head it forms a spire, often four or five feet long, 

 on which the decorations are the best that native taste and 



