292 PRIMITIVE PATERNITY 



hundred years. The relation of maternal uncle and 

 nephew still brings with it similar rights and au- 

 thority to those in Fiji, or even in some respects 

 greater. The relation is called wadwam and is re- 

 ciprocal, no distinction in privileges being drawn 

 between uncle and nephew. The wadwam was not 

 merely entitled to take anything belonging to the man 

 to whom he stood in this relation ; he might stop a 

 fight in which his wadwam was concerned. The 

 moivai or guardians of a boy during the initiation 

 ceremonies were his wadwam. " It seemed quite 

 clear," says Dr. Rivers, "that the chief mowai was 

 the eldest brother of the mother and the second mowai 

 was the next in order of seniority either in the family 

 of the mother or in the clan." On the island of 

 Muralug, though under the present patrilineal system 

 the bride's father must give consent to her marriage 

 and reoeives the bride-price, it is her brother who 

 arranges what presents are to be made in return and 

 other details. The bridegroom must supply a bride 

 in exchange ; failing a sister it is the duty of the 

 wadwam to give his daughter. Moreover in paying 

 the bride-price the bridegroom's wadwam made the 

 actual presentation on both Muralug and Mabuiag. 

 These customs point to the mother's brother as 

 wielding the authority in the former matrilineal stage. 1 

 The interference of the bride's brother in the arrange- 

 ments for marriage may perhaps be ascribed to his 

 interest in getting a bride in return. 



Among many of the tribes we have mentioned a 

 true family life has hardly yet arisen. It may be said 

 to be in course of formation ; the consciousness 



1 Rivers, Torres Str. Rep. v. 145, 147, 231. 



