Explanation of Word Visisi’una

A.—First Informant.

1 1 Pela For isewo he learn wayugo, wayugo,
(the creeper magic) itatatuva he (it) tremble wowola body his matauna, this (man),   (who) isa’u (or isewo) he learn wayugo. wayugo.

2 2 “Nanakwa, “Quick, kugabu thou bake kusayki, thou give tomwaya old man
(magician) ivisisi’una he ritually eats, boge already itatatuva he tremble kana his bisila, pandanus streamer, kana his wayugo.” wayugo creeper.”

B.—Second Informant.

3 3 Tayta (If) one   (man) isewo he learn bisila, bisila, gala not bikam he might eat yena, fish, boge already itatuva he tremble wowola. body his.

Free Translation.

(A.) 1. The body of a man who has learned the wayuga spell, trembles, because he learned the spell. (Someone seeing him tremble, would tell someone of his household:)

2 “Quick, bake fish, give to the old man that he might ritually eat, his pandanus streamer trembles, his wayugo.”

(B.) 3 A man who learns the bisila magic and does not eat fish will tremble.

This text, with its foregoing short comments and with its two versions will give an inkling of how I was able to obtain from my native informants the definition of unknown and sometimes very involved expressions and how, in the act of doing it, I was given additional enlightenment on obscure details of belief and custom.

It will also be interesting to give another text referring to the gwara custom. I have given in Chapter XIV a native definition of this custom, and of the reception accorded to the Trobrianders in Dobu when there is a taboo on palms there. The statement was based on the following text, and on certain other additional notes.