The Dukiluh Association of Keiv Britain. lb 



The N.W. monsoon is the fishing season, and in it most 

 men and boys living near the beach are thus engaged, and 

 in this way they accumulate more or less shell-money ; so 

 when it is near, the Dukduk and Tubuans are said to die. 

 A few days before their death there is generally a public 

 dance, in which the Dukduk and Tubuans take part ; then 

 there is a collection on their behalf, which is made by either 

 spreading a cloth on the ground, or carrying it around among 

 the people, and into it men and women throw their contri- 

 butions of shell-money-pieces, varying from six inches to a 

 yard in length. On the day of the death there is a feast on 

 the tareu, when the dress is all burned, and there is pretended 

 crying, which is all that outsiders know of the sad event. 

 Collectors of curios have tried hard with tempting prices, to 

 buy the head-dresses, but always in vain. Towards the close 

 of the monsoon, when shell-mone,y is more plentiful, these 

 birds, phoenix-like, come to life again amid great ceremony 

 and rejoicing among the members. 



In all these things the proverbial proclivity of the native 

 mind to prohibitions is very manifest. In the Dukduk it is 

 taboo for men to have connection with their wives during its 

 preparation, as also to eat food prepared by women, except 

 that which requires but little handling, as whole taro or 

 fowls ; it is taboo to tie or fix in certain ways when making 

 the dress, and other things too numerous to mention are 

 "taboo." In various districts there may be slight differences 

 in these and in other parts of the Dukduk. We have noticed 

 on the North coast it is conducted with much less severity 

 than on this side. 



We have spoken of the Dukduk as it was a few years ago, 

 but at the present time it is almost dormant, owing 

 possibly in some degree to the influence of civilisation, but 

 chiefly to the opposition of the whites. This has taken 

 several forms — 



(1) That of ignoring their taboos, as by leading their 

 servants or concubines with them, when walking the beach 

 over the tareu. This greatly annoys the men, spoils their 

 craft, makes them ashamed in the presence of their own 

 women, and it demonstrates to the latter the falseness of the 

 consequences which are said to result from it. 



(2) That of violence in cases where the Dukduk is the 

 cause of war which interrupts the markets, or where it 

 interferes with their boats, in the crews of which are some 

 non-members visiting or landing at places near the tareu. 



