128 PYGMIES AND PAPUANS 



supposed that all the natives of New Guinea are 

 cannibals, and fears were expressed by many of our 

 friends that some, if not all, of us would end in a Papuan 

 feast. But we saw no signs of cannibalism, and we 

 have no reason to suppose that it is practised by the 

 people of the Mimika district. Men whom we questioned 

 about it denied it and showed expressions of disgust 

 at the suggestion ; but that is not a complete proof 

 of their innocence, for I have known people elsewhere, 

 who were undoubtedly cannibals, deny it in the same 

 manner. The question of cannibahsm is always diffi- 

 cult to decide without direct evidence, and in the case 

 of these Papuans the verdict must be one of " Not 

 proven." 



The account given in a preceding chapter of the 

 difficulties we experienced in learning the language of 

 the Papuans will serve to explain how it was that we 

 learnt so little about the nature of their social system. 

 The people of Wakatimi were called Wakatimi-we 

 (people of Wakatimi), the people of Obota were 

 Ohota-w'e, and the people of other villages in like manner, 

 but we never heard one word that included them all, 

 nor indeed do we know whether or not they consider 

 themselves all to belong to the same tribe. 



In every village that we visited there were one or 

 two or even more men who called themselves natoo, 

 a word signifying " chief." But in no case did the 

 natoo appear to have any authority over the other 

 people ; their houses were no bigger than the rest, and 

 (except in one instance) they had no more personal 

 property than the other members of the community. 



