RELIGION. 



299 



because they are not allowed to see the actions of the men. Whether on the 15* of June 

 1903, repairs had also been done to the temple of Tobâdi, I am unable to say, but a new 

 young man-house (see fig. 195), at the north end of the village of Ingrâs, was inaugurated 

 about this time. During the afternoon there was much blowing of the flûtes and when the 

 members of the expédition went to pay a visit, it struck me that, on this occasion, the 

 conversation took place in a specially subdued voice. Dancing again took place, that is to say, 

 they walked stamping round the centre pôle; after this, amidst great silence, the floor was 

 struck heavily with the above described pièce of wood, then. several times ail stamped on 

 the floor in very quick tempo, each time ending with two heavy stamps and then the feast 

 was over. They declared they had eaten nothing ail the day and before doing so must first 

 go to sleep. 



I saw a specially ornamented pôle placed outside the village of Thaë, on the side 

 towards the shore, surrounded by a fence, inside which lay a number of empty cocoa-nut shells. 

 A similar pôle is standing at Waba (fig. 193), entirely by itself, carved and hung with 

 empty turtle eggs, whilst 

 numerous dry sago leaves 

 are tied on to it obli- 

 quely, like on the centre 

 pôle of the temple of 

 Tobâdi. It is called 

 ïvàrvpû, exactly the same 

 as the paddle N°. 676, but 

 it was impossible to find 

 out its meaning. In front 

 of the temple of Sâgeisàrâ 

 (fig. 185), two ornamented 

 pôles are also standing. 



The temple is the 

 centre of feasts, 

 which again proves how 

 the religious idea per- 

 vades the daily life of 

 thèse people and the ques- 

 tion who or what is wor- 



shipped in the temple forces itself to the front. Unfortunately, a clear answer to this is wanting. 

 Probably the différent names given for the temple and the top figure (pp. 287 and 29i)indicate 

 différent spirits, whilst another is called kru or chru (see p. 27 under N°. 79 and flûte 

 N°. 1299, p. 313). They appear to be goodnatured spirits, as ERDWEG [1. c] reports of the 

 tapnm of Tumleo, but like the latter (a female one) they are at daggers drawn with the women. 



The men were reproached by some members of the expédition, for having instituted 

 religious cérémonies purely out of selfishness, where to themselves the part falls to eat much 

 and enjoy themselves in the temple, whilst the women must prépare the dishes without 

 being able to taste them themselves. For their egoism and the déception of the women, the 



Fig- 193. Jl r âj-ëpiï--po\e\ Waba. 



