Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1885-04-21
NEW GUINEA

The Aborlgines Who People the Larg,
Island North Of MISUNDERSTANDING
Manufacturers and scanty Costumes.
The Port Moresby natives, who be.
long to the extensive Motu tribe, are
great traders. They procure huge
canoes, made of single tree, from
friendly tribes. with whom they have
commercial relations, further to the
westward. Planks can be easily cul
from these canoes foot and half OF
two feet in diameter. The houses OF
the village are built along the edge OF
the beach on piles. Just now is busy
season. An annual trading voyage is
made by considerable numbers of the
natives to the districts lying further
west to exchange the pottery of Port
Moresby for sage and canoe-trees.
The women have for some time been
diligently employed in making pottery
for the western market. The process
Of manufacture is simple. On piece
of board is placed mass of moistened
clay. The woman, equipped only with
a smooth stone, which she holds in her
left hand, and light, bat-shaped piece
of wood, some fifteen inches long, in
the right, squats in front of the clay.
and, taking from it a lump, beats it
with the bat on the stone till it becomes
concave. Occasionally dipping the
bat into the water and sprinkling the
clay to keep up the proper degree of
moisture, she gradually fashions the
pot. 1t is certainly remarkable that
the sizes and shapes of the different
classes of pots turned out by this rough
process can be so exactly maintained
as they are. The newly-fashioned pots
are taken to fire of small logs and
burnt, and while hot are sprinkled with
reddish liquor, which colors them.
Large numbers, are made for use at
home, and many more for the annual
trading voyages Two, and sometimes
three, large canoes are dashed side by
side, few feet apart, and platform is
placed upon them. On this is piled the
pottery to be taken to market. The
time Of the outward voyage is arranged
so that the canoes can start with the
last of the southeastcrly monsoon, usu-
ally about the early part of November,
and return with the sage that has been
given in exchange for the pots, when
the westerly monsoon has set in. Pot
terry and sago are the chief but not the
only articles of exchange. Elaborate
govern the movements OF
the trading fleet. No woman is per-
mitted to 60 on board any canoe be-
longing to it. While under way, if
banana is eaten, the skin must on no |
account be thrown overheard, for fear
of offending the spirits of the deep,
who would also be put out if cocoa
nut shell, after the milk had been
drunk, was tossed into the sea. The
winds are taken on board in an earth
enware pot. When the fleet arrives at |
its destination, usually Manumanu, on
the osborne River, each leading naYi-
gator makes his arrangements for
trading. He-makes over to friend on
shore all the goods he has brought with
him, and this friend feeds him and his
followers during their stay, and hands
him certain amount of sago to take
back. If canoe is required the friend
points out the tree and assists to drag it
when cut to the river.
The natives of this part Of New
Guinea are by no means black.
some of them indeed are very light
n color, and almost golden hair
8 not uncommon. This tint is
,ften met with among the Mel
lnesian tribes of the South Seas, who
obtain it by dressing their hair with
ime. But in the neighborhood OF
Port Moresby the lining process is UNI
Inown and the tint of the hair is nat
lral. The women wear the til or
,etticoat of grass common to many
,arts Of the Pacific. Their bodies are
covered with tattooing, the breasts
ven not excepted. The patterns are
IS a rule very elaborate, and a perfect
Maltese cross of eight points with
lisc in the center is frequently seen.
The men are as nearly as possible
TAXED, The clothing consists literally
# nothing but string taken round
he waist and passed from back to front
'etween the legs. Without this trihing
lrticle Of dress man of Motu, the
lame of the tribe that dwells about
Port Moresby, would wish not to be
cen. The Motu people speak in very
lisparaging terms of some tribes who
i've further to the westward, and who,
mike themselves, are cannibals, be-
ause they are, as the Motu people
ay. naked; for they do not even
wear the string. The women wear
necklaces of small white rings or
reads Of shell intermingled with black,
,ipe-like "bugles.n The men, who,
Ike all Sonth Sea communities, carry