BY RONALD HAMLYN-HARRIS. 89 
also known in the coastal villages of Kevori and Maiva. 
Traces of the decorative art are also found in the Aipiana 
and Siria, Yule Island, as well as the two villages of Kevin 
and Mowa and perhaps others. It has been pointed out: 
by Chalmers,* amongst others, that the Kaiva Kuku 
ceremonies are essentially tabu. 
The men, i.e., chiefs of the various sections of the 
village decide that the coconuts shall not be eaten until 
a certain time, €.g., in preparation for a feast. The “ ex- 
pert’ in the matter of coconut growing dresses up in one 
of the Kaiva Kuku masks and parades the village and erects 
a few stacks with portions of coconut shells or other odds 
and ends suspended from them, ¢.g., grass streamers and 
boards with markings on them.t Gardens in like manner 
may be tabooed ; a breach of the tabu renders the culprit 
liable to punishment by the appropriate ‘‘expert,’> who 
keeps a wetch and deals out punishment, dressed up in a 
mask and disguised with a species of grass dress. Pro- 
bably the real force of the tabu depends on magic, since 
it is generally sufficient from the native point of view to 
get sand out of a footprint, etc., for a native sorcerer to 
be able to cause all sorts of trouble to the man who made 
the foot-print. Dr. Strong further confirms the statement 
that the masks are kept jealously guarded{ from women. 
Though of recent years there has been no difficulty in 
obtaining masks, the natives showed the most intense 
anxiety that the women should not be allowed to see 
them. 
The Semese§ ceremonies occur occasionally and are 
essentially initiation ceremonies for the youths although 
they are different from the ordinary initiation ceremonies. 
When the ceremonial paraphernalia is being pre- 
pared an enclosure is made a short way out of the village 
for the purpose. 
* Chalmers, Pioneering in New Guinea (1885-1887). 
+ With reference to ‘“‘ experts’? who from the native point of view 
preside over the various departments of native life, consult C. C. Seligman, 
** Tac Melanesians of British New Guinea,” 1910, p. 299. 
i Haddon, A.C., ‘* Descriptive Art of B. New Guinea, pp. 105-107.” 
§ Chalmers and Gill, Work and Adventure in N.G., 1885, p. 138. 
. 
