Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 24, 1913.djvu/310

 288 The Poet7'y of the Khvai Papiia7ts,

are comparatively few. Although songs are part of almost all ceremonies of any importance, the singing does not as a rule take place concomitantly with the rites but separately, generally with dancing. In most cases the words of the- song have little or no reference to the ceremonies in question.

Certain observances at the gaera or great harvest festival are said to be accompanied by songs. As an introduction to the chief part of the ceremony the natives have various games, and among others a shooting match with small bows, such as are generally used by boys. A bunch of bananas is hung on a tree for a target, and instead of arrows the stiff mid-ribs of a certain kind of. grass are used. Different groups of men compete, all shooting together, and each time a man succeeds in placing a missile in a banana his people cheer by shouting " Wi/" During the shooting the people sing, —

<-/. " Giriba mannba giriba inanuba wiaika inafiuba

satvaia, zvi."

The meaning of the words is very uncertain, but the

different groups of the people want to encourage their

marksmen in this way.

The most important part of the gaera ceremony is the setting up of a tree, which is decorated in various ways and has all sorts of fruit and other garden produce hung from its branches. Just before the tree is erected the men lift it up horizontally and swing it in their hands, singing, —

e. " Giigjc ivatara ai'akiki sarakikio!' (" You me (you me = we) make him that gugu [the tree] now, make him good.")

" Gidjava gidjavao arakiki sarakikio." (" You me dance all same, make him good.")

" Rube riibee gagi roropopo rube riibee" (" All people come thick, all stand close" {i.e. there should be no gaps in the crowd).)