Folk Tales of Papua New Guinea continues with thirteen more tales of the Kiwai Papuans of the Fly River, British New Guinea (now the Western Province of Papua New Guinea), collected by Gunnar Landtman, who lived with the Kiwai in 1910–1912 and recorded them from named narrators, published in his The Folk-Tales of the Kiwai Papuans (Helsingfors, 1917). They are read here in Landtman's English text, as printed, by Scratch.
Disclosure: this performance is narrated by AI-generated voices.
In Tübe of Háemüba, told by Sáibu of Mawáta, a snake-being teaches garden "medicine" in dreams. Sivágu of Áugaromüba, told by Námai of Mawáta, the hawk-master brings "medicine" in a snake's mouth. Básai and Káibáni of Páho, told by Námai of Mawáta, a hollow under the stone beats as a drum. Gúbo and Móiso of Gímini, told by Námai of Mawáta, two brothers receive the turtle-egg offerings. How Móiso Was Carried to Adíri by a Fish, told by Gibüma of Mawáta, Móiso is dragged by his fish to the land of the dead. Erumía of Mawáta, told by Námai of Mawáta, a giant jelly-fish rules the Téremüba reef. Soréa, the Snake of Daváre, told by Obíra of Iása, the people come to kill the snake — and live beside her instead. The Cat-Fish of Kübání-Kikáva, told by Námai of Mawáta, spined Pairío, who breaks canoes, was once a woman fleeing butterflies. The Haunted Place Where a Man Had Been Drowned, told by Dábu of Mawáta, Matáre swims after the canoes, and drowns. Gibüma's Toothache and the Frog, told by Gibüma of Mawáta, a dream-being prescribes a frog for a toothache. The Snake-Man Who Came to Gibüma, told by Gibüma of Mawáta, a snake offers his shape to whoever dares take hold. Dábu's Dream of the Winged Iguana, told by Dábu of Mawáta, a winged iguana teaches food laws and a talking star-fish fence. Samári and the Pig's Tail, told by Samári of Mawáta, a mud-painted stranger brings a dream-medicine for a rich crop.
A note on the tales as written. Spearing fish, turtle and dugong for food runs through the accounts. Tübe's medicine is said, in a clause, to kill its thief — none dies. Sivágu's hawk is read for war omens; no fight is told. Adíri's men first want to kill Móiso, then make him their brother — renounced, not done; the book's other version, a Mábuiag telling (Torres Strait), is not read. Erumía can sting a man to death, it is said; no one is stung. Soréa's people refuse to kill her — "Me fellow no kill him." A drowning is told in a clause, and a bow drawn in a dream Gibüma wakes from unharmed. Dábu's food laws carry a clause of deaths; dream-medicines there and in Samári's can wreck a garden with pigs. The dream-songs are sung as printed.
Chapters
0:53 Tübe of Háemüba
4:55 Sivágu of Áugaromüba
8:13 Básai and Káibáni of Páho
9:39 Gúbo and Móiso of Gímini
10:26 How Móiso Was Carried to Adíri by a Fish
12:50 Erumía of Mawáta
14:32 Soréa, the Snake of Daváre
15:40 The Cat-Fish of Kübání-Kikáva
16:51 The Haunted Place Where a Man Had Been Drowned
17:52 Gibüma's Toothache and the Frog
19:06 The Snake-Man Who Came to Gibüma
20:33 Dábu's Dream of the Winged Iguana
21:48 Samári and the Pig's Tail
From The Folk-Tales of the Kiwai Papuans (1917) by Gunnar Landtman — public domain. Music: gentle instrumental bed under the narration.
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