254 S. E. Peal — -Communal Barracks of Primitive Races. [No. 3, 



The Juangs (in Keonjur) have the same, and after work and eating', 

 the young men drum and dance, while the girls sing. The Revd. E. 

 Petrick, who lived as a Missionary for some years at Ranchi, informs me 

 that under the name of " Damkuria " these communal barracks for the 

 unmarried (of both sexes) are seen in all Sonthali and Oraon villages, 

 and that before marriage there is complete liberty between the sexes. 



Mr. W. H. P. Driver, who has had large experience among these 

 races, confirms the above. Speaking of the Koroas (Journal A. 8. B., 

 Volume LX, Part I, No. II, 1891) he says :— 



" Every large village has its " Damkuria " or bachelors' quarter, 

 for boys who are too old to live with their parents," girls stay with 

 their parents until they are married. The dancing ground "acra," is 

 usually an open space in front of the Damkuria, and young people 

 enjoy considerable freedom until they are married. 



Turning now to the Archipelago and Pacific region, we find in 

 more or less modified forms this singular social institution common all 

 over New Guinea, and the houses conspicuous as " Dubus, Dobo, 

 Dupa, Marea," &c. 



Many of our best travellers and missionaries have given us excel- 

 lent descriptions of them, and the customs pertaining thereto, though 

 in many cases failing to perceive their sociological significance. 



Considering the great difference between the Papuan and Indo- 

 Mongol races, and the distance sepai'ating these areas, the similarity 

 between the " Mosup," " Pah," " Arizu," &c, and the Papuan, " Dubu," 

 " Marea," &c, is most extraordinary. 



Not only are they in each case abnormally large and long semi- 

 sacred communal buildings, which serve as guest and council halls, 

 decorated with skull trophies of war, or feasting, and specially set apart 

 as the sleeping places for the young unmarried men ; but we find the 

 structure and arrangement of the houses almost identical, not only are 

 they characterized by extreme length, but in all cases the floors are 

 raised on piles 6 to 10 feet high, we even see such a detail of construc- 

 tion as the peculiar Naga " hum tong," Miri " tung gong," or project- 

 ng siesta platform which is common among all Indo-Mongol houses, 

 urning up in the Papuan " Araiba," identical in office and structure. 



Internally we see a long hall, with fire-places and sleeping bunks 

 each side. Last and most significant of all we find that in all 

 casea these houses are strictly tabu to women. 



In saying that the extraordinary identity seen between these 

 Indo-Mongol aud Papuan buildings and their objects, cannot possibly 

 be the result of accidental coincidence we tacitly admit the existence 

 of a far-reaching social relation between these now distinct races. 



The Revd. J. Chalmers, describing Ipaivaitani's "Dubu," says : — 



