356 Gunnar Landtman. 



The man whom Gamiga had told of the turtle ceremony imparted his knowledge to the 

 people. He also said, „Gamiga been see people belong turtle insida hole. He (they) proper man 

 like you me (us). He show him Gami'ga plenty thing, that's why he been stop long time. That 

 people feed him turtle all same you me feed him pig." (Nåmai, Mawåta). 



SACRILEGE AGAINST THE HORIOMU SHRINE. 



289. Once while the Itoriönm ceremony was being performed a small boy thoughtlessly 

 threw a stick över the screen into the shrine. Immediately afterwards another boy who was a 

 little older happened to enter the shrine from the same side. „Who chuck that stick !" the men 

 asked him angrily, „You been chuck him?" „No, I no chuck him, boy there outside chuck him." 

 „No, no," they persisted, „no other man chuck him, that you." The boy burst out crying, for 

 he foresaw his fäte. He took a dugong bone, stood up with his back against the screen, and 

 stuck the bone into the screen, thus marking out his exact height. „Mark belong me here," he 

 said, „you fellow watch all time." He knew that he would be killed, and this was the only 

 sign or memorial he could leave behind. The others killed him by means of a certain „poison" 

 (sorcery), while the real culprit remained undetected. Since then the children are carefuUy watched 

 by their parents when the höriamu ceremony is in progress, lest they should throw something 

 över the screen. (Nåmai, iVlawåta). 



AN INCIDENT FROM THE PERFORMANCE OF THE FIRST GAERA CEREMONY. 



The gdera is a king of harvest festival. When determined to hold a gdeia the natives prépare 

 an abundant crop by working particulariy hard in their gardens. At the festival itself a tree is put 

 to stand with the stumps of the branches still remaining, and various kinds of vegetable produce are 

 hung ail over the tree which is also gaily decoraled. A continuous series of niagical rites accompanies 

 the érection and décoration of the tree, and a particular importance is attached to the placing of the 

 flrst few roots or fruits on the tree. 



290. The Wâsi people long ago held the first gcicra ceremony, and when the large 

 gdera tree was erected they wanted someone to hang up the first few yams on it before any 

 other food was placed there. So they sent the si!sei (a cassowary with brownish feathers) to Mâo 

 in Kiwai to fetch a man named Bubiia who lived there with his wife Dôdiâhere, for they wanted 

 him to hang up the yams. And the sései ran off. In his absence the people began to think 

 that someone eise than Bubiia could perform the office of putting the first food on the gdera 

 tree, and they asked tîie wallaby to do it. But the wallaby answered, „I no savy," and squatted 

 down beside the people. Then they called the iguana, „You corne put kaikai along gaera.'' And 

 the iguana came and scratched the ground rather embarrassed, for it did not know how to hang 

 up the food. But the époo, (wild fowl) flapped its wings and said, „What for you send him that 

 man (the cassowary) long way, what for you no speak along me?" And it flew up, caught 

 two yams in its claws, cried out, „Tou, kiou, koko-ko-ko!" and hung up the tvvo roots on two 



Tom. XL VII. 



