The Book of Puka-Puka by Robert Dean Frisbie

Author:Robert Dean Frisbie [Robert Dean Frisbie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781780601663
Publisher: Eland Publishing
Published: 2019-04-14T16:00:00+00:00

Teiake te pirip’u o te ropa,

Ya kanapanapa pe te io o te turama,

Na makeke pe te kiri o te mango‚

Na mumura pe te reva o Viggo

Ya wakatere ki te ekeonga a Yato.

Here are the trousers for the bridegroom,

Bright like a lamp chimney,

Strong like a shark’s skin,

Red like Viggo’s flag

When he rounds the Leeward Point.

from ‘Mako no te Akamaata’ (Chant to the bridegroom)

14

Wail-of-Woe’s Marriage

WHEN I FIRST CAME TO PUKA-PUKA the house on the west side of the trading station was occupied by old man Breadfruit (Kuru), his wife and family. One of his children was a tall thin lad named Wail-of-Woe (Tangi). He was given this name because at the time of his birth neighbours were wailing over the body of a dead baby. Thus most native names are acquired. A man may be called Sickness (Maki) – a common name – because of some illness in the family at the time of his birth. Likewise he may be called Blind Eyes (Mata-Po) in memory of a blind relative; Many Fish (Eikarai) in honour of a father or an uncle who had lately brought in a record catch of albacore. Little Sea got her name from her mother, who, being born aboard a schooner, was called Great Sea (Moana-rai). When they named Desire there must have been a presentiment as to the bewitching little creature she was to become.

As I have said, Wail-of-Woe was thin. He coughed frequently, and I soon realised that he was consumptive – in other words, doomed, for I have never known a Puka-Pukan to survive tuberculosis. Two thirds of the deaths on the islands are caused by this terrible disease.

Nevertheless, Wail-of-Woe attended the love fests and soon found the girl of his heart, one Sun-Eater (Kaira), the unwieldy daughter of a Gilbert Islander, Rock Grouper (Tarau) by name.

My first intimation of the match was when Rock Grouper came into the store to spend a carefully hoarded bag of money on trousers, shirt, armbands, red necktie, green hat-ribbon, a bottle of scent and Boston garters for his intended son-in-law. It is the island custom for the bride’s relatives to clothe the groom, while the latter’s relatives dress the bride.

Later in the day Breadfruit came into the store with some of his kin and purchased a great quantity of finery for Sun-Eater: ribbons, calico, Jap lace, Swiss embroidery, and yards and yards of white muslin.

On the day of the wedding Little Sea came to me in a great flurry of excitement. Wail-of-Woe and Sun-Eater were going to the church and she wanted me to see them pass. Wail-of-Woe walked ahead, very stiff and self-conscious in all his new clothes and some borrowed ones as well. His red necktie and the green ribbon wound many times around George’s bowler hat were very conspicuous – almost as much so as his Boston garters, which had been attached outside the legs of his trousers, and as there were no socks to support, the ends flapped rhythmically against his bony legs. He had also borrowed Abel’s squeaking shoes for the occasion.

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