VII

Closely connected with the questions discussed in the preceding division, is the subject of the systems of magic and the distinction between ‘systematic’ and ‘independent’ magical rites and formulæ. As we saw in the beginning of this chapter, the whole body of magic naturally falls into several big divisions, each of them corresponding to a department of nature, such as wind or weather; to some activity of man, such as gardening, fishing, hunting or warfare; or to some real or imaginary force, such as artistic inspiration, witchcraft, personal charm or prowess.

There is, however, an important distinction to be made within each such division of magic; some of the rites and spells are isolated and independent, they can be used by themselves, whenever the need arises. Such are almost all the incantations of wind magic; some spells of individual garden magic; formulæ against toothache, and minor ailments; some spells of hunting and food collecting; a few rites of love magic and of the magic of carving. When a man, for instance, paddles along the Lagoon in his canoe and an unfavourable wind sets in, he will utter a spell to make it abate and change. The same spell would be recited in the village, when there arises a wind so strong as to be dangerous. The incantation is a free, individual act, which may be performed and is performed in any of the circumstances which require it.

It is quite another matter with the spells belonging to what I have called here systematic magic. Such magic consists of a connected and consecutive body of incantations and concomitant rites, no one of which can be torn out of its sequence and performed by itself. They have to be carried out one after the other in a determined order, and the more important of them, at least, can never be omitted, once the series has been started. Such a series is always closely connected with some activity, such as the building of a canoe or an overseas Kula voyage, a fishing expedition or the making and harvesting of a garden. It will not be difficult for us to realise the nature of systematic magic, for in this book almost all the rites and spells described belong to this class. In general, in the Trobriands, the independent uncorrelated rites and formulæ are quite an insignificant minority, both in number and in importance.

Let us consider one of the forms of systematic magic previously described, whether canoe magic or that of the Kula, whether the kayga’u formulæ, or the magical ritual of kaloma fishing. The first general fact to be noted here is, that we are in the presence of a type of enterprise or activity, which is never embarked upon without magic. No canoe will be built, no uvalaku started, no kaloma fished, without its magic ceremonial. This ceremonial will be scrupulously observed in its main features, that is, some of the most important formulæ will never be omitted, as some minor ones might be, a fact which has been previously noted. The association between the practical activity and its magical concomitant is very intimate. The stages and acts of the first, and the rites and spells of the latter, correspond to each other one by one. Certain rites have to be done in order to inaugurate certain activities; others have to be performed at the end of the practical work; others again are part and parcel of the activity. But each of the rites and spells is to the native mind, quite as indispensable for the success of the enterprise, as is the practical activity. Thus, the tokway has to be expelled, or the tree would be entirely unsuitable for a canoe; the adze, the lashing creeper, the caulking and the paint have to be charmed, or else the canoe would be heavy and unwieldy, and such an omission might even prove dangerous to life. Going mentally over the various cases quoted in the previous chapters, it can be easily seen, how this intimate association between enterprise and magic imparts to systematic magic its specific character. The consecutive progress of work and of magic are inseparable, just because, according to native ideas, work needs magic, and magic has only meaning as an indispensable ingredient of work.

Both work and magic are directed towards the same aim; to construct a swift and a stable canoe; to obtain a good Kula yield; to insure safety from drowning and so on. Thus we see that systematic magic consists in a body of rites and spells associated with one enterprise, directed towards one aim, and progressing in a consecutive series of performances which have to be carried out in their proper place. The point—the proper understanding of what is meant by systematic magic—is of the greatest theoretical importance because it reveals the nature of the relation between magical and practical activities, and shows how deeply the two are connected with one another. It is one of these points, also, which cannot be properly explained and grasped without the help of a Chart. In the appended “Table of Kula Magic and of the Corresponding Activities,” I have prepared such a Chart, in which has been summarised the substance of several of the foregoing Chapters. The Table allows of a rapid survey of the consecutive activities of the Kula in their relation to magic, beginning with the first act of canoe-building and finishing with the return home. It shows the salient features of systematic magic in general, and of the mwasila and canoe magic in particular. It shows the relation between magical, ritual and practical activities, the correlated sequence of the two, their rolling off, stage after stage, and side by side, towards one central aim—a successful Kula. The Table thus serves to illustrate the meaning of the expression ‘systematic magic,’ and it provides a firm outline of the essentials, magical, ceremonial and practical, of the Kula.

Table of Kula Magic and of the Corresponding Activities

I—First Stage of Canoe-Building (Chapter V, Division II)

Season and approximate duration	Place	Activity		Magic
Beginning: June—August.	Raybwag.	Felling of tree, (done by the builder and helpers);	inaugurated by	The Vabusi Tokway (offering and spell) aiming at the expulsion of the wood-sprite from the tree (performed by owner or builder).
Immediately afterwards.	Same place.	Trimming of the log-canoe (done by builder with helpers).		No magic.
A few days later.	Road.	Pulling the log (done by all villagers);	Helped out by	double rite of lightness (Kaymomwa’u and Kaygagabile).
On morning after arrival at village.	Main place in the village.	The log is left as it is;	until	The magical act (Kapitunena Duhu) ceremonially inaugurating the work over the canoe.
Evening of the same day.	Main place in the village.	Working out of the outside of the log.		No magic accompanying it.
Several days or weeks following.	Main place.	Scooping out of the inside of the canoe;	inaugurated by	Ligogu spell, over the havilali, the adze with the moveable handle.
Towards the end of the foregoing period.	In the village before builder’s house.	Other parts of canoe made ready by builder and helpers.		No magic.
After all work is over.				Concluding rite: Kapitunena Nanola Waga.

All the magic of this stage is canoe magic. It is performed only when a new canoe is built and not when an old one is renovated. The spells are uttered by the builder and not by the owner, except the first one. Work at this stage is done by one man mainly, the builder and carver, with the help of a few men; except for the pulling of the log, in which many men assist.

II—The Second Stage of Canoe Building (Chapter V, Division III)

Time	Place	Activity		Magic
First day of work.	On the sea-front of a Lagoon village, or on a beach of one of the Eastern villages.	Fixing the prow-boards;	inaugurated by	Katuliliva Tabuyo rite, performed over the ornamental prow-boards by the toliwaga. It belongs to the mwasila (Kula magic).
		The following activities are	inaugurated by	Vakakaya rite. A magical, ceremonial cleansing of the canoe, performed by the owner or builder to remove all evil influence and thus to make the canoe fast.
(At times, the lashing cannot be done in one day and has to be continued into another session.)		Lashing of the canoe;	associated with	The Wayugo spell (lashing creeper) rite; the most important of the magical performances in the second stage. Done by builder or owner to make canoe swifter and stronger.
Second sitting: during this the caulking is done and the three exorcisms performed afterwards.	On the sea-front of a Lagoon village or on a beach of one of the Eastern villages.	Caulking of the canoe;	associated with	Kaybasi (caulking) magic; spell uttered over caulking by builder or owner to make canoe safe. Vakasulu, an exorcism. Vaguri, an exorcism. Kaytapena waga, an exorcism.
		Painting of the canoe;	associated with	Magic of; Kayhoulo (black paint) Malakava (red paint). Pwaka (white paint).

III—The Ceremonial Launching of a Canoe (Chapter VI, Division I)

Activity		Magic
The launching and trial run	inaugurated by	Kaytalula wadola waga rite, belonging to the mwasila cycle of magic.

After this, there comes the interval, filled out by the Kabigidoya (ceremonial visiting,) by the preliminary trade and other preparations for the expedition overseas.

IV—The Magic During, and Preparations before the Departure (Chapter VII)

Time: some three to seven days before setting sail.

Activity		Magic
Preparing the canoe for sailing (placing of the mats on the platform, and of the frames in the body);	inaugurated by	Yawarapu rite over the coco-palm leaves, done by the toliwaga to ensure success in the Kula. Kayikuna sulumwoya rite over the aromatic mint. Kaymwaloyo rite over the mint boiled in coco-nut oil, performed by the toliwaga.
Packing of the trade goods;	associated with	Gebobo rite (called also: Kipwo’i sikwabu), made over four coco-nuts by a friend or relative in law of the toliwaga, to make all the food last (the spell expresses only the desire for a good Kula.)

All this magic belongs to the mwasila, and it has to be performed by the toliwaga, with the exception of the last spell.

V—Canoe Magic, Performed at the Final Start on Overseas Voyage (Chapter VIII, Division III)

The series of rites starts at the moment when the canoes are ready to set sail on the long voyage on Pilolu. They are not associated with a progressive series of acts; they all refer to one aim: canoe speed and reliability. They are all performed by the toliwaga.

Activity: overseas sailing, inaugurated by a Series of Magical Rites.

Time: morning of the second day of the expedition.

Kadumiyala, ritual rubbing or cleansing of the canoe with leaves charmed over.

Bisila magic; pandanus streamers, previously chanted over are tied to the mast and rigging.

Kayikunaveva; swaying the sheet rope uttering an incantation.

Vabusi momwa’u; “expelling the heaviness” out of a canoe by means of a stale potato.

Bisiboda patile; a rite of evil magic to make other canoes slow and thus achieve relative speed.

Place: the beach of Muwa.

Aim of Magic: imparting of speed to canoe.

Performer of the Rites: the toliwaga.

VI—The Mwasila, Performed on Arrival at the Final Destination

(A) Beauty Magic (Chapter XIII, Division I)

Activity: washing, anointing and painting.

Kaykakaya—ritual washing and rubbing with charmed leaves.

Luya (coco-nut) spell—over the scraped coco-nut used for anointing.

Sinata (comb) spell—over the comb.

Sayyaku—aromatic black paint.

Bowa—ordinary charcoal blacking.

Talo—red paint of crushed areca-nut.

Place: the beach, on or near which the party rest before starting on the last stage (on the way to Dobu; Sarubwoyna beach. On the way to Sinaketa: Kaykuyawa).

Performers: the spells are uttered usually by the toliwaga, sometimes by an elder member of the crew.

(B) Magic of the Final Approach (Chapter XIII, Division II)

Activity: the fleet are paddling (on the approach to Dobu) or punting (to Sinaketa) in a body.

Ta’uya—the ritual blowing of the conch shell, which has been charmed over before.

Kayihuna-tabuyo—the swaying of the front prow-board while the spell is being uttered.

Kavalikuliku—the spell by the toliwaga.

Kaytavilena mwoynawaga—the incantation uttered at the stern towards the Koya.

Performers: in each canoe, simultaneously, the toliwaga and two members of the crew.

Aim: to “shake the mountain,” to produce an impression on the partners awaiting on the beach.

(C) Magic of Safety (Chapter XIII, Division III)

Activity	Magic
Entering the Dobuan village (This magic is performed only when Boyowans come to the Koya).	Ka’ubana’i, charm uttered over ginger, which is then ritually spat over the Dobuan village and the partners, and makes their hearts soft.

(D) Magic of Persuasion (Chapter XIV, Division III)

Activity	Magic
The wooing in Kula (wawoyla) of the of the overseas partner by the visitor.	Kwoygapani—a spell uttered over a piece of areca-nut, given subsequently to the partner.

VII—A Canoe Spell, Uttered on the Departure Home (Chapter XIV, Division III)

Activity	Magic
Loading of the canoe with the its gifts received from overseas partners, with the trade gain, and with the provisions for the home journey.	Kaylupa—a spell to make the canoe lighter, to “lift” it out of the water.

Within each department of systematic magic, there are again various systems of magic. Thus we saw that, although the type of rite and formula is the same in all villages, the actual details, let us say, of the wayugo magic, are not identical, but vary according to the system with which a given reciter is acquainted. The differences are, as a rule, less pronounced in the rites, which are generally very simple in the Trobriand magic, and are identical in all the systems, but the formulæ differ completely in their wording. Thus, in the wayugo magic (Chapter V, Division III) we found only a slight difference in the rite, but one or two wayugo spells, which I have also recorded, differ essentially from the one given in the text.

Each system of magic has a more or less developed mythological pedigree, and in connection with it a local character, a point which has been elaborated in the previous Division. The wayugo spell given in Chapter V, and all the spells of canoe-building quoted in this book belong to the Kaykudayuri system of canoe magic. This system is believed to have been known and recited by the mythical builder of the flying canoe, and to have been handed down to his descendants, that is, as we know, in an incomplete form. As has been said in the previous Division, the knowledge and the use of this magic and of other systems does not abide strictly within the original clan, but it spreads outside of it, and it becomes known to many people who are connected with the original owner by a sort of magical filiation.

According to native belief, all these people know identical formulæ. In fact, in the course of years and of repeated transmission, considerable differences have been introduced, and nowadays many of the ‘real Kudayuri’ spells differ from one another completely.

A system of magic is therefore a number of magical formulæ, forming one consecutive series. The main system of canoe magic is that of the Kaykudayuri, which is associated with the place of the same name in Kitava. This system comprises the whole series of canoe-building spells, from the expelling of the tokway to the final exorcisms. Another comprehensive system is called Kaykapayouko, and is localised in the island of Kayleula. An important system called Ilumte’ulo is nowadays claimed by Sinaketa, but probably hails from Dobu. The mythological data of some of these systems are not known to me, and some of them seem to be exceedingly rudimentary, not going beyond the assertion that such and such a system originated at such and such a place, and was originally the property of such and such a clan. Of the systems of mwasila, the best known in South Boyowa is that called Monikiniki, to which belong the majority of the formulæ here quoted. This system is sometimes loosely associated with the myth of Tokosikuna, who is sometimes said to have been the original owner of the system. According to another version, Monikiniki is the name of the original owner. The Dobuan mwasila is called Kasabwaybwayreta, and is ascribed to that hero. From Muyuwa, hails the Momroveta system of Kula magic, while in Kiriwina the system of Monikiniki is usually recited, and only a few formulæ are inserted into it, belonging to a local magic, called Kwoygapani (a name not to be confused with the name in a formula quoted in Chapter XIV). In the light of these remarks, the many references to ‘magical systems’ given in the text, will become clear, so there is no need to add more here.