Chapter XIV

a native definition of this custom, and of the reception accorded to the Trobrianders in Dobu when there is a taboo on palms there. The statement was based on the following text, and on certain other additional notes.

GWARA IN DOBU AND THE KA'UBANA'I MAGIC

1 Tama Dobu ikarigava'u--gwara: bu'a bilalava 1 We come (to) Dobu, he die anew--gwara: areca he might ripen

usi bimwanogu, nuya bibabayse ka'i banana he might ripen, coco-nut they might spike stick

kayketoki. small stick.

2 Gala ka'ubana'i, takokola: ikawoyse bowa 2 No ka'ubana'i, we fright: they take (put on) war paints

kayyala, kema; isisuse biginayda spear, axe; they sit they might look at us.

3 Batana ovalu tasakaulo, gala tanouno batawa 3 We go in village we run, no we walk. we might arrive

tamwoyne bu'a. we (i.d.) climb areca.

4 Idou: "E! Gala bukumwoyne bu'a." 4 He cries "E! No thou mightst climb areca."

5 Bogwe ika'u kayyala, mwada biwoyda. 5 Already he take spear, mayhap he might hit us.

6 Tapula nayya ka'ubana'i: ika'ita 6 We ritually spit wild ginger root ka'ubana'i: he return

ima, igigila iluwaymo kayyala, kema. he come he laugh, he throw spear, axe.

7 Tapula Valu kumaydona, boge itamwa'u 7 We ritually spit village all, already he vanish

ninasi ilukwaydasi: mind theirs', they tell us:

8 "Bweyna, kumwoynasi kami bu'a, nuya, kami 8 "Good, you climb your areca, coco-nut (palms) your

usi kuta'isi." banana you cut."

In comment added:

9 Gala ikarige veyola ninasi bweyna. 9 No he die kinsman his, mind their well.

10 Vivila kayyala ikawo, pela tokamsita'u. 10 Woman spear her she take for cannibals.

FREE TRANSLATION

1 We come to Dobu, (there) someone has recently died--there is a gwala: the areca nut will ripen, the bananas will ripen, they will stick up coco-nuts on small spikes.

2 If there is no ka'ubana'i charm made--we are afraid: they (sc. the Dobuans) put on war paint, take up spear and axe, they sit (waiting) and look at us.

3 We go into the village running, not walking; we arrive and climb the areca palm.

4 He (the Dobuan) shouts: "Don't climb the areca palm!"

5 Already he takes the spear, so as to hit us.

6 We ritually spit about wild ginger root charmed with the ka'ubana'i spell--he returns, comes to us, laughs, he throws away spear and axe.

7 We ritually bespit the whole village, already their intention vanishes, they tell us:

8 "Well, climb your areca palm and your coco-nut, cut your banana."

9 If no kinsman had died, their intentions are good.

10 A woman would also take up a spear, as they (the Dobuans) are cannibals.

These three texts will be quite sufficient to give an idea of the method of dealing with linguistic evidence, and of the documentary value of immediately recorded native opinions. They will also make clear what I have said before, that only a good, working knowledge of a native language on the one hand, and a familiarity with their social organisation and tribal life on the other, would make it possible to read all the full significance into these texts.

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