FURTHER NOTES REGARDING THE KAIVA KUKU 
AND SEMESE DANCES OF PAPUA. 
By Ronatp Hamuyn-Harrers. D.Sc. 
(Read before the Royal Society of Queensland, 29ih May, 
1916.) 
Some time ago I contributed a short paper on the 
ceremonial appurtenances used at Kaiva Kuku and Semese 
dances in illustration of some material now in the collec- 
tions of the Queensland Museum,* but on account of the 
extreme difficulty in ascertaining information regarding 
these secret and symbolic dances,f I had to confine my 
remarks to the information which was cvailable at the 
time. Since then I have been in communication with 
various correspondents in Papua and have been success- 
ful in obtaining a little more information which I here pre- 
sent as a further contribution to a very difficult subject. 
Dr. Strong tells me that the ceremonies take place 
in the coastal villages of the Papuan Gulf from Orokolo 
on the west to Jokea and Oiyopu (Oiapu) on the east. 
These are villages speaking closely related languages and 
forming a clear ethnic group. A similar form of decorative 
art is found in the villages of Purari further to the west, 
but in language and customs these are clearly cut off from 
the Gulf natives proper. Dr. Strong is not sure whether 
they have true Kaiva Kuku or Semese customs 
On the east the decorative art {together with the bow 
and arrow) was just beginning to enter the Mekeo and 
coastal Mekeo or Roro villages. Remarkable customs were 
* Memoirs Q’land Museum, Vol. 2, 1913, p. 9. 
+H. H. Romilly, ‘“‘ From my Verandah in N.G., 1889,” p. 88. 
