The Folk-Taks of tlie Kiivai Papuans. 87 



said, „Pdna (friend), you go, my tail he hea\'y, I can't walk about long way." So the éterari 

 remained behind, and Bfdedu went on alone. 



He came to Idje, and from there he savv Kiiru in the distance. Placing his weapons on the 

 ground he sat down under a kapar o tree to rest. 



On Dâru Island there lived a certain mythical people called Hiamu before other people 

 settled there. The Hfamu used to spear dugong which thej- ate throwing avvay the bones. A havvk 

 picked up one of the bones and flying auay with it Jighted on the same tree under which Bidedu 

 was sitting. The bird dropped the bone. and Bfdedu gave a start, exciaiming, „What name (uhat 

 is) that?" and then he noticed the bird. The hawk cried out, „Sse!" which in the bushmen's 

 language means, „You catch him," and Bidedu picked up the bone. The bird flew away to the 

 sea, and Bidedu carefuUy noted the direction which it took. „You go, to-morrow I go too," said 

 he, „I think people he stop outside (on the coast), that bone you been pick him up, people been 

 kill that thing." '^ 



Bfdedu spent the night there and the next morning he put the bone in his basket and set off in 

 the direction taken by the bird. He reached the shore at Dijdu-pâtu near the Oriömu river and 

 from there saw Dâru Island in the distance: „Oh, Dâru there he stop, smoke he corne. That havvk, 

 bone he been pick him up from them fellow." 



The Mawâta people werc living in the stem of a large creeper called buhére-ripoàpo. Bfdedu 

 walked underneath the creeper without knowing that anybody was dwelling inside. But when he 

 had gone a few steps past, he heard voices behind him and turned back, saying, „I think man 

 he stop inside." Producing his coconut-husker of bone he split the stem open, and men, women, 

 and children came out (cf. n:o 16). '" Bidedu performed the karea rite (cf. p. 14) and sprinkling 

 water over the people .said, „No good you stop inside rope, more better you come clear place 

 ail same me — walk about, see wind, moon, star ail right. Room belong rat and snake inside 

 wood, leave him that place." The name of the leader of the Mawâta people was Bi'dja. The people 

 wanted to prépare a meal for Bfdedu, and one of them brought him earlh saying, „Sago hère." 

 Another gave him a kind of small bitter fruit and said, „Banana hère," while a third offered him 

 some fruit of the nipa-palm, saying, „Coconut hère." They had no lire and were in the habit of 

 eating everything raw, wherefore their mouths had a foui smell. When Bfdedu saw what poor 

 food the people had he said to them, „I go Kùru, to-morrow I come back." 



He went to Kûru and provided himself there with ail kinds of fruit and other garden 

 produce, coconuts for eating and planting, différent kinds of banana, gdmoda, tobacco, and niany 

 other things. His wife helped him carry the things back, and he brought a glowing fire stick 

 too. On returning the Mawâta people he said, „You got no proper kaikai, I give you good 

 kaikai." He instructed them how to u.se the différent foods, coconuts, taro, sago and ail the rest, 

 teaching them the right names for each kind. He also showed them lire and said, „You been 

 dry him kaikai along sun, I give you fire this time, you cook him proper." 



Bfdedu remained with the Mawâta people and taught them how to build houses and to 

 make gardens, and the people were very happj". Several Mawâta families profess to know the 

 names of ail their ancestors up to Bfdedu and Bfdja, as many as six or more generations. 

 (Nâmai, Mawâta). 



N:o 1. 



