90 KAIVA KUKU AND SEMESE DANCES. 
Ivam indebted to Mr. E. R. Stanley, Govt. Geologist 
of Papua, for his kind permission to use the three photo- 
graphs here reproduced and for the details which enable 
me to illustrate them. 
Plate 1 illustrates varieties of the Semese (Sivesi) 
masks used in the Kaiva Kuku ceremonies at Koraita, 
near Kerema, Gulf Division, and the large type of sym- 
metrical’ work seen in this illustration has only been met 
with in the Vailala and Kerema villages. They vary in: 
height from 6 to 25 feet or more*; the longer varieties 
being held in the vertical position by means of light rope 
stays. There is a common method of ornamentation— 
the upper portio» being more or less consistent, the lower 
variable. Sometimes the decoration consists of heptad 
figures or circles, usually five stringers top and bottom 
adjoining circles. The whole periphery of the broad por- 
tion of the mask is decorated either with cockatoo feathers 
or lorikeet. coloured plumage ; just within the periphery 
the mask is coloured with a serrated decoration common 
to all masks of the Semese. The large pole above the apex 
and the broad portion of the mask are coloured alternately 
in broad black, red and yellow bands, except that some- 
times white is substituted for the yellow. At the bottom 
of the mask is a rami-like contrivance or pubic covering 
consisting of plaited and unplaited banana stem fibre. 
Immediately above the rami and distributed laterally 
are two projections meant to resemble ears, decorated 
consistently with serrations. On occasions these ears 
are made to resemble those of the ceremonial pig. On 
the same horizontal plane and at right angles to the ears 
is another projection resembling the mouth of the croco- 
dile and rarely the pig. It consists of an upper and lower 
jaw studded with prepared spines from the sago or coconut 
timbers. The mouth is always gaping and the eyes of the 
native dancing with the mask are situated about this point 
so that he can see where he is going. 
The masks are prepared in a secluded spot out of sight 
of young boys and women folk. It is generally understood 
*T. F. Bevan, Toi!, Travel and Discovery in B.N.G., 1890, p. 145. 
