671 



the master (or masters, if more than one clan is giving a feast) 

 of the Mad una and by several other men, who play a part 

 in the feast arrangements and who join, at least partially, in 

 the fasting. These men also have their heads well decorated 

 with feathers and ornaments of boars' tusks, shell plates, etc., 

 suspended from a shell-disc necklace. All the other men 

 taking part in the ceremony are also decorated, but less pro- 

 fusely, and none of them are blackened. They all wear 

 armlets and anklets of dry pandanus strips, a sign that they 

 take an active part in the performance. These men bring back 

 from the bush the mango saplings and the O'd'u creepers, 

 which form part of the pig magic. They come in state, 

 forming a procession, which is headed by a man blowing the 

 conch (Bogigi) made of a Triton shell. He is followed on 

 both sides by two men, also with conch shells. Behind this 

 triangle are brought the mango saplings, as many of them as 

 there are clans performing the Govi dance, or what comes to 

 the same thing, as many as the platforms that are to be 

 erected. The saplings are carried by assistants of the Maduna 

 masters, who take part in the Udini taboo. From the top of 

 each there descend two streamers of the O'd'ii creeper, the free 

 ends of the latter being held by men. The master, or masters, 

 of the feast (Madnna guhinaj follow the mangoes, each walk- 

 ing behind the bearer of his sapling. In the feast I witnessed 

 there were two saplings and two Gubinas following, as two 

 clans were to perform the Govi dance at the feast. 



This group is followed by a number of men with drums, 

 who all sing and dance to the beats. Both song and dance are, 

 as is always the case, called by the same name, Boroa evanre 

 laige — Boroa meaning mango. The song runs: — 



'' L(Vupa'dpa ai guri 

 The pole on the platform it falls 

 Arau'oi oi rei'6 

 Modiri hdtxi avand 

 mango mango 

 A?r(>/'oi oi re/V) 

 Ailopulopo ai guri 

 Tree on platform it falls 

 Arau'oi oi rei'd 

 Modiri tsdni tsauio 

 mango 

 Gisoa fsaue f^aiioi." 



This song undoubtedly refers to the mango pole erected 

 on the Govi platform ; but the mango saplings which were then 

 being carried were not placed on the platform, and I could 

 not get any information as to the reason why this song is sung 



