198 Gunnar Landtman. 



SIVAGU OF AUGAROMUBA. 



106. Sivågu is the „master" of Âugaromuha, a point between Mawàta and Måbudaväne. 

 He is a kind of cicngena (ef. Introduction to no. 102) and at différent tiines appears in the shape 

 of a man, a snake, or a havvk. As far back as the peopie can remember, there has been a large hawk's 

 nest in one of the trees, which no one would destroy. Once when I passed the place in a canoe, 

 the hawk was hovering över our craft, and my native companions said that it was shovving us 

 the way. Particularly when on a fighting expedition the peopie carefully watch the movements 

 of the hawk. If it swoops from the top of the tree towards the water and there wheels once, 

 flapping its wings, this means that the peopie had better return, for they will be defeated. But 

 if it floats smoothly in the air, this signifies that the way to victory is clear. 



Sivågu imparts useful information to certain men in dreams, and sometimes to obtain it 

 peopie go and sleep at Åugaromuba. At times Sivågu comes and crouches down close to the 

 dreamer, looking very thin and poor, hut on other occasions he appears as a strong young man, 

 carrying a bow and arrows and wearing many ornaments. He may also assume the face of the 

 departed father or some other friend of the dreamer, or even look like a busbman. Sivågu never 

 mentif)ns his own name in speaking to anybody. Sometimes he will tell a man in a dream, 

 „You go there (naming a certain place), you find him something; me there alongside, you no 

 fright." Next day the man will go to the place indicated and find a snake there, which carries 

 in its mouth some „medicine" in the shape of a pièce of vvood or a stone. The man is required 

 to catch hold of the snake and pass it round his head (cf. no. 125), and then the reptile will 

 disappear suddenly, leaving the „medicine" in the man's hand. The next night Sivâgu will again 

 corne to the man and teach him what to do with the object given him. Sometimes the „medicine" 

 is used when planting taro or hanana and sometimes for securing success in hunting. A hunter 

 will chew and spit out a small fragment of the „medicine", appealing to Sivågu to help him to 

 find plenty of game. On arriving at Àugaromùba the protegé of Sivågu will chew and spit out 

 some of the same „medicine", saying, „Me fellow come now, me stop along you now; you give 

 me cassowary, kangaroo, 1 kill him belong you me (for us both)." And on leaving the place 

 the man will put down a small pièce of méat saying, „1 leave you now, me fellow go back now, 

 I been sleep along place belong you." 



One ot the songs at the gciera or harvest ceremony (cf. Introduction to no. 290) refers to 

 Sivâgu in the following words, 



„Sivaguria gâmugoria Sivaguria gainngoria Sivogu gàiitugo gâmugoria." — Gàiiiugo, a 

 plant, symbolizes Sivâgu's garden, and the song expresses a hope that the people's garden may 

 become as large as that of Sivâgu. (Ndmai, Mawâta). 



BASAI AND KAIBANI OF PAHO (cf. Index) 



107. On Pâho Island there is a hollow spot beneath the ground which gives an écho 

 when peopie stamp on it; it is called Bâsai's drum. There is also a stone, called Bâsai's stone, 

 which is associated with one of the lumps of beesvvax attached to the tympanum of drums in 

 in order to improve the sound (cf p. 97). The name Basai is sometimes used for a mythical 



Tom. XLVn. 



