Show SAVAGE ceremonies peculiar customs obtaining among the natives native of now new britain the most peculiar ceremony practiced by the natives has rarely been witnessed bya by a whiteman white man eisaw I 1 saw one last year and I 1 will endeavor to describe the incidents of the performance and its mcanin meanings k S the duk dak duk is supposed to be a spirit which makes its appearance anceal at the daybreak day break of 0 the day on which the new moon appears it invariably comes from the sea and as it is daylight 0 two or three canoes with a platform upon them are arc seen been coming to the shore the entire male com eunity of the village awaits the com n ng on the beach seated in silence on tile platform are two men leaping and shouting and crying out in ill shrill tones they iv wear ar a loose robe of leaves woven t together og ether ind and reaching to the knees on are conical shaped hats some six feet iii high ii from the rims of which are hung bung 0 masks entirely concealing ng the features the masks have horrible horng looking faces painted upon them tile the lower portions of the legs are alone visible As tile the dress is supposed to represent a cassowary or new guinea ostrich with willi a human lead head the figures upon landing execute a series of hopping pill 0 steps in imitation of the bird meanwhile the tit natives appear to be frightened the duk duk is to stay in in tile village villac villa C a bortni fortnight lit and during durin that period lie is at liberty to do whatever lie he pc plea ocies ies cs no woman is allowed to look at him in fact as soon as the I 1 canoe anoe was sighted the women all ran away to the bush after dancing a time the duk duk drik goes goes into the jungle and the natives move move off slowly to their homes in the evening immense quantities of cocoanuts cocoa nuts yams bams taro and other food I 1 ire are piled in ill the center of the village square As cacti man mail brings his contribution trib ution the ank duk dances around him if 11 satisfied lie utters a shrill cry if displeased tile the individual receives a tremendous blow with a club after these food offerings 04 are concluded the ceremonies begin bearin 0 A large bundle of canes about si six x feet long and as thick is as onas little finger were brought baroug alil five or six young men jumped up tip and holding their li lini ands ils high above their heads received heavy blows from this bundle of canes which were wielded by the thedus duk duk the canes curled round the bodies and at each cacti stroke drew blood other young men took their places sometimes the duk duk would vary the performance by striking with his club the ceremonies were repeated forten for ten days and then the duk duks driks took i their departure I 1 belf believe ie to the ori origin I 1 n and meaning mealing of these peculiar ceremonies monies are that the hie old natives told hold power over the young men the duk I 1 dukis always said to belong ko to some old man who summons it out ont of the sea no one knows who is actually dancing in disguise but they do know that if ti the to old men have bare ordered the duk duk to kill any individual the command will be obeyed without interference from any one again the old men having baring become d decrepit can not work in ti their gardens and the pit piles es of food offered joffere d to the spirit comes into their possession although althou ii cannibalism is reported by missionaries to have lied out adoll among 0 the islands in ill the south seas it is far more common than generally imagined in new ireland I 1 saw a big fight between two villa villages e and after the battle the bodies of those who had fallen were eaten the bodies after being beier scalded in hot lot water atar are arc scraped with a bamboo knife by old romeu an old man cuts up tip the bodies taking care to keep the h and shin bones which are used for spearheads spear heads after being wrapped in ill leaves the dismembered d ca davers ar are c placed in ill ovens dug ill in the ground and in four days lay are ready for eating the natives made no concealment of th their eirdis disgusting ustin ra meal and during R the feast they held wild dancing and orgies the p reparation preparation of sag sago go cocoanut coco anut and i human brains is called and is in great demand among the women the females seemed to be more brutal and savage savage V than tile the men during 42 the cannibal banquet with rea regard a rd to the adaptability of these islands to white colonization there is no reason why such a scheme should not succeed there biere is rich soil fine climate and plenty of water although the natives are savage td and suspicious they can be easily managed by firmness and consideration none of the men are over five and a half feet in stature while the alie women are much shorter they make good servants but must be held in check and never allowed any familiar familiarity iky san sais francisco chronicle |