Show queer beliefs in papua among the most curious super sti tlona of the people of papua is the belief in fial says a recent sojourner in the region of new guinea fial is supposed to be a spirit always in visible but occasionally audible it Is considered a bringer of both good and bad luab but no attempt is made to propitiate it the cult Is absurd says the detroit news tribune that the wonder Is that the people believe in it at all yet il though there is apparently noth ing supernatural on the face of it the papuans are willing to credit its man when a tribe wishes to know its luck and whether hostile attack Is im eminent rites of fial are celebrated this is always done at the tribe gathers round the fire and one girl Is told off to be the medium of fial she Is chosen because she Is supposed to possess some peculiar occult power fitting her especially tor this office she retires to some cor nep near at hand where she is not seen and from there she whistles in different keys the assembled savages on hearing the sound immediately exclaim that tin has come and judge by the whistles whether the omens are favorable or not the priestess Is not above the delphic trick of framing her oracles to suit political necessity or her own inclinations and likings one would think that a people of such general common sense as the papuans would see the possibility of deception but they have implicit faith in fiat man ite stations certain insects were alan regarded as fial when one species of firefly entered the house at night bad uck or immediate attack and ex termination by hostile tribes would be predicted this is perhaps the most ludicrous phase in the beliefs of this fascinating and on the whole amiable people |