The Folk-Taks of Ihe Kiwai Papiians. 363 



islanders were asked to sit dovvn outside the screens, as the ceremony was new to them. They 

 were given food, and after a while the dancing of the maskad spirits began. „My god, all 

 face they stow avvay aiong bushes (they cover themselves with leaves and branches)! My god, 

 plenty nice thing (ornaments) he got! By-and-by 30U me (we) make all same." 



When the dance was över Dagüri asked the visitors, „You fellow go away to-day? 

 What time you go, you make me fellow know what time you ready." „No, what thing you 

 make him, me want see good," they rcplied, „me want watch that good dance you make him." 

 So the Yam islanders stayed on and watched the whole tåera ceremony very carefuUy in order 

 to be able to reproduce it at home. The Däru people provided them with two dug-out canoës, 

 and said, „That's no proper canoe you got, I give you good canoe." In the mornings they 

 worked at the canoës, and in the afternoons the tåera ceremony was resumed, and thus the time 

 passed. At length the two canoës were ready, the ceremony concluded, and the Yam islanders 

 sailed away in their crafts. 



The women in Yam were waiting for the return of their husbands and brothers and 

 looked out for them from the mountains of the Island. On the same day as the canoës left 

 Ddru they could be seen from Yam. ,,0h, two canoe there he come up all same man (living 

 beings)," the people said, „all same two pigeon (birds) he fly he come. Another canoe — what 

 canoe they been go (the one canoe is the same in which the people left). Another canoe — 

 somebody been give him; two pigeon he tly."' On looking at the canoës closer the islanders 

 thought, „Oh, two canoe he all same (are alike), I think that wood (the log-canoe; they been go 

 (in which they went), they leave him there, two proper thing he come." The women and 

 children waded out in the water up to their chests, and when the canoës came sailing in, they 

 caught hold of the outriggers. But they soon were obliged to let go their hold, for the canoës 

 raced at a great speed. „My God, what good thing they bring him he come!" they exclaimed. 

 The delighted women threw themselves över their husbands and kissed their faces and noses. 

 Looking at the canoës they said, ,.0h, what name (how) they make him that hole (excavation) 

 along canoe.'" „That proper canoe," answered the men. 



All the things were brought on shore, and then the new-comers said to those men who 

 had remained at home, „Another good thing me find him. What people he die, you me (we) 

 go make him dance." Wliereupon they prepared a horionm shrine with two screens, and held 

 the tdcra ceremony, keeping it secret from the women. From Däru the practica came to Yam, 

 and thence it spread to Nägiri, Möa, Bådu, and Måbuiag. 



This story is told to the young men at their initiation into the låcra ceremony. (Nåmai, 

 Mawåta). 



A. Some Dåru boys once left their toy canoës on the beach, and from there they were car- 

 ried away by the rising tide, and one of them drifted över to Yam Island. It was found by the people 

 there who determined to go and see where it came from. After constructing a log-canoe two men 

 named Kenova and Ébogiibu with some friends sailed över to Ddru. They attached a wind-rose of 

 coconut leaves to the little toy canoe and polnted the bow of the latter in varions directions. As long 

 as they held the right course the wind-rose kept on whirHng round, and thus they were direcled over 

 to Dâru. There they saw the horiomu screens and were received by a man named Dagüri, and the 

 toy canoe belonged to his son. The Dâru people used dug-out canoës, and the men from Yam wanted 



N:o 1. 



