Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 1, 1890.djvu/84

78 of the shades is called “Kibuka” by the western tribe, and “Boigu” by the eastern. There is no island known by the former name, but the most western island of the Straits, close to New Guinea, is named Boigu. As the eastern tribe does not appear to have had any business dealings with the westernmost islanders, it is quite possible that they really believed that this particular island was the abode of spirits. From what I gathered at Mer, I have very little doubt on this point. The western islanders projected their mythical island beyond geographical recognition. Strangely enough, however, in the legend of Tiai of Badu, the mari of that infant went to Boigu; and in the story of Mutuk the murdered men flew as flying foxes to the mainland of New Guinea (Daudai).

In speaking of Kibuka, it was always described to me as being to ‘leeward’: in these latitudes a steady and strong south-east trade wind blows for seven or eight months in the year, and geographical relations are usually expressed in terms of this wind. Owing to the influence of sun-worship in so many countries, and the analogy of death and sunset, it is not surprising that the land of the dead should be so often placed in the west. I venture to suggest that another reason may be worthy of consideration. A nautical people such as our islanders would naturally conceive of their spirits as sailing with the prevailing wind, and would hardly be likely to locate the spirit-land in a quarter which would necessitate the spirits beating to windward. We have no reason for supposing that the sun was regarded by the Papuans with any feeling of veneration, or that sunset was compared with decease. Possibly the same can be shown for other peoples, and the westerly location of the land of spirits by different races may be a pure coincidence.

I have been able to gather very little concerning the condition of the mari in Kibuka. Dr. MacFarlane states in MS. that they are said to sit crying on the tops of the trees, wishing to return to their friends. Possibly this was suggested by the flying foxes (sapura, Pteropus), and in the legend of Mutuk we find that he and his murdered friends were transformed into flying foxes. The best men among them appear to have been better off as spirits in some undefined manner—‘best’ in this application has no moral significance, but solely applies to such characteristics as bravery, bloodthirstiness, and other savage virtues.

I was told that when a mari arrived at Kibuka, “by-and-bye the ‘devils’ hit the mari with a stone club and killed him.” What this means I do not know; by ‘devils’ I suppose the resident mari are meant. Unfortunately the word ‘devil’ has been adopted into the jargon English spoken in the Straits, and has no definite meaning; thus it may mean a man’s spirit, or spirits which haunt a locality, or