THE DOBUANS OF S.E. PAPUA. 



473 



Amongst the women tliere are varions classes, tlius : — 

 I. The arawata, above mentioned, who is respected. 

 II. The abisida, or beggar, who is despised. 

 III. The werabana, or witch, who is feared. 



Witches are considered to have great power. For instance, by 

 •occidt influences a witch can deafen a person's ears, and so make him 

 mad: or can cause his heart to burst, or drink his blood, or snap his 

 veins, or bi-eak his bones. She can throttle a child at night by invisible 

 lingers, can swamp or capsize canoes, climb to the top of mountains, 

 ■cross from peak to peak on cords of fire which can be seen any dark 

 night. She can descend into the eaiih and bring foi-th fruitful seasons, 

 or epidemics of sickness, at her own sweet will. 



The men seem generally content to let the women have tlieir own 

 way in domestic and general affairs, as long as tliey are themselves 

 allowed to ride in war, and carry out trade expeditions. Occasionally 

 a woman will be tliraslied, but she has her remedy in divorce if the 

 thrasliing is too cruel or unjust. Occasionally, too, a witch will be 

 ■drowned. For instance, the aunt of a chief was accused of practising 

 witchcraft, and causing several deaths. The chief at last became 

 ashamed of the repeated accusations, and took the old woman out to 

 sea in a canoe, and drowned her by tying a big stone to her neck. He 

 refused to listen to lier protestations of innocence, and simply said he 

 was ashamed of the reiterated charges. 



LAND LAWS AND OWNERSHTP OF PROPERTY. 



The laws about land are very simple, and never departed from. 

 'There are five classes of land : — 



Asa, or village land; Waborebore, abandoned village site, but 

 claimed by the original ownei-s ; Tanoa, garden plot; O'ai, 

 a clump of trees ; loiodaita, land without an o\mer. There 

 is no land of this last class in the 'Edugaula tribe on Dobu. 



Land is divided amongst families, and every individual has his 

 •(>wn portion. Land is never sold, and cannot be alienated. It can be 

 loaned for a term. A person dying may bequeath a portion to one 

 not of his family, but the land retui-ns to the family on the death of 

 the legatee. 



Land is never given in compensation to an aggrieved paily. The 

 boundaries are marked by small stones, which indicate each person's 

 property. This boundary between the properties is calle(A Tanolodawa, 

 and is never altered. When any division of property takes place the 

 whole piece of land boimded by the Tanolodawa is given undivided. 

 Fights occur between the heirs if an attempt is made to break this 

 Tule. 



Wlien a man dies las land is inherited by his sisters" children, his 

 brothers, and his sisters. His own children do not inherit, for they 

 belong to their mother. 



The deceased's mother may plant on the land; also his father 

 until he returns to his own village as a widower. When a woman dies 

 lier land goes to her children, her sisters, her brothers, her mothers' 

 l)rot]iers. 



The first-bom has no larger share than the others. The share of 

 :a child is taken care of bv an elder until he is fit to use it himself. 



