NEW GUINEA:

 Its People and their Customs.

[TRANSLATED FOR THIS JOURNAL.]

No. II.

Tools, Weapons, Garments, &c.

TOOLS.

1. Axe The most important tool with which the Papuans hollow out their canoes and manufacture their weapons is unquestionably an exceedingly simple instrument viz., a stone axe. When one beholds their buildings, canoes, implements, and arms, and looks at their axes and at a few pebbles and fragments of shells, their only other tools, one can only wonder at the great patience and ingenuity of these savages. The head of the Papuan axe consists of a hard gray, green; or white stone, which has been flattened and sharpened by continual grinding. In the archipelago of " the contented people " I have also seen hatchets which, instead of stone, were made out of a stout tridacpa shell. For a handle the stem of a young tree having straight branches is chosen, and he cut off that a part of the stem with a branch will have the shape of a 7, of which the stem forms the upper part. This is flattened on the top, and slightly hollowed out, and the sharpened stone is placed horizontally on the scoop. Then another piece of wood (out that it fits over the stone is, with strong cords of hands or various sorts of bark, he tied on to the handle that the stone appears wedged in. Such an axe can only be used with effect by an expert. If wielded by one unaccustomed to its use, it is easily broken, or is an ineffective instrument. I know this from my own experience, and it was not patience that failed in the trial. The natives, with their light axes, of which the breadth of the blade is not more than 2 inches, can fell trees of 20 inches in diameter, and also carve minute figures on their spears. The Papuans generally use small axes, the blades of which are not broader than 2 inches, but every village possesses one or several large axes, with blades from three to four inches wide, which have to be wielded with both hands, while the others are managed with the right hand only. The stones for the axes (a sort of agate) are received from the mountaineers, but are not plentiful. An adult never possesses more than one good axe, and the large axes are prized as something exceedingly valuable and scarce.

2. Pebbles and fragments of shells. These apparently rough and small tools prove efficient for a great variety of work in skilful hands. What can only be cut out roughly with a stone axe, is polished or pointed with the sharp edge of a pebble; as, for instance, the spears and arrows. The various shells and fragments thereof are preferred to pebbles, as being less brittle. Various figures are scratched upon bamboo with the points of shell fragments. The large combs of the Papuans, with carved borders and also the bamboo boxes in which they keep the lime for betel chewing; and their arrows, can furnish samples of this skill.

3. Dongan is a pointed or flat ground bone having either a dagger or a chisel edge. To serve the former shape, the bones of the cassowaries, and but seldom those of a human being, are used; for the latter the bones of pigs and dogs are taken. With these dongans fruits are cut in both a raw and boiled state. The dongans are generally carried on the man, held by the arm-ring. Such a small though pointed bone cannot be counted a weapon.

4. Bamboo-knives—Are made by taking out the inner fibres on the edge of a piece of bamboo, and leaving there only the sharp hard rind.

With bamboo knives meat and various fruits and vegetables are cut; while with a dongan nothing is ever cut, but only split or pierced.

WEAPONS.

1. Chadga.—A spear about 6½ feet long, made out of a hard and heavy wood. It is as well the most common as the most dangerous weapon of the Papuan, and his companion wherever he goes.

2. Serwaru.—A spear of less weight, though equal length as the former made out of the same kind of wood (a sort of palm) but with a flat 10 inches long bamboo point. Where the point is fastened to the shaft it is usually ornamented with a piece of circus skin and feathers. The bamboo point usually breaks off and remains in the wound.

3. Aral (Bows). These are also made out of hard wood ; they are about 60 feet long. The cords are made out of bamboos.

4. Aral-Ge,—Arrows having points of hard wood, about 3 feet long ; the points are generally round, and form a third or a fourth part of the whole length of the arrow, and are set in a shaft of light reed or cane. Some of the arrows are very neatly carved, and have barbed points.

5. Palom. An arrow of the usual length, but having, like the serwaru, a broad bamboo point. It is regarded as more dangerous than the former.

6. Saran.—An arrow used in fishing, having four, five, or more points.

7. Jur.— Spear, having several points of hard wood. It in used in fishing at night time, and by the light of torches ; the shaft is of bamboo, in order not to let the spear sink.

The inhabitants of the neighboring islands (Bili-Bili, Jam-Bomba, Griger, Tiara, and others), have also large shields, nearly three feet in diameter, made from hard wood and ornamented with carvings. My neighbors on the coast do not possess anything of the kind. I have also seen in some villages long flat sticks about five feet long, which are wielded with both arms, similarly as the old long swords had to be in battle, stone-throwing is resorted to.

The principal weapon in war time is the spear, a dangerous weapon within the distance of 35 to 40 paces. The arrows can scarcely be considered dangerous beyond 50 paces, us they are too light. During war, and on hunting excursions against the wild pigs, the points of the spears and arrows are rubbed over with red earth. The Papuans on the coast do not poison them.

GARMENTS AND ORNAMENTS.

The only clothing of the man is the mal, a piece of cloth, 10 feet long, 6 to 8 inches broad, usually red-colored made out of the bark of trees. The manufacture of the mal is similar to that of the tapas of the Polynesians. After the upper layer of the bark has been separated, it is beaten on a flat stone with a piece of wood, until the bark has become soft and pliable; it is then colored with red earth and ready for use. The red earth does not last long. The mals have in time a grayish appearance. One end of the mal is held at about the region of the navel, the rest is drawn between the legs and then wound several times around the waist where the two ends are tied together. When this garment is drawn tight the front ends hang down. The women wear a frock, also called mal; it consists of fringes 20 inches long, which, fastened to a belt in thick bunches, reach down to the knees and shelter that part of the body without impeding the movements. The mals of the women are generally black, with red horizontal stripes, the girls wear shorter and less dense mals than the women, in some villages (Bili-Bili Island in the Archipelago of the contented people ") the mals of the girls till their marriage consist of a girdle with tassels of dyed bast in front and at the back. The girls exhibit a careful regard of decency in their attire, and also use ornaments of shells and colored fruit kernels about their girdles.

Besides the mal the Papuans have various long and broad pieces of cloth of similar preparation as the mals. These are worn on account of the cold, during the nights and mornings, and are slung over the shoulders.

The jambi and "gun" are inseparable from the Papuan. The former is a small bag, carried pendent from the neck ; the latter is larger, and is carried over the left shoulder. In the former, tobacco and small articles are kept; in the latter the fire-boxes for betel-chewing, the jarur, shiliupa, kai, shells, small bamboo boxes for the red and black paints, and many other necessaries. These bags are very neatly plaited from fine and variously colored cords, and particularly the jambi, adorned with shells.

On the upper arm, above the biceps, the men wear ear-rings, called sagin, very artistically plaited from bark or grass, and decorated with shells. Between them and the arm the dongan is usually carried. When the young Papuans intend to adorn themselves, they stick behind the sagin twigs of party-colored leaves. Over the calves of the legs similar rings are worn, called samba-sagin. The tusks of the wild pig are worn as particular ornaments on the chest, fastened to a collar. This highly-valued ornament is called bul'ra. Shells and dogs' teeth are worn around the neck instead of the Bul'ra, which are very scarce articles.

The men carry as ear pendants large pieces of tortoiseshell or wooden rings. When they have neither of these, small sticks of bamboo, longish stones, or flowers, are worn instead. The women have two kinds of ear pendants. One or more rings hang on the ear-laps; through the hole in the upper rim of one ear a cord is drawn, which also runs through a similar hole in the other ear; to both ends of the cord several pairs of white dogs' teeth are tied, which hang down on both sides of the neck while the cord rests on the head.

The women possess also two bags called nan-geli-gun, which are far larger than those of the men, and are carried differently, not over the shoulder, but hanging at the back by a cord drawn across the forehead. In one sack the fruits are daily carried from the plantations to the villages. The other, which is rather smaller, is used for carrying infants. If there be no children, the women burden themselves with young pigs or dogs, which are nursed very tenderly by them.

(To be Continued.)

Brisbane Courier (Qld.), Wednesday 30 June 1875

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/1400687