Gwara in Dobu and the Ka’ubana’i Magic
Project Gutenberg EPUB3 edition
Malinowski, Bronislaw
11TamaWe come (to)DobuDobu,ikarigava’u—he die anew—gwara:gwara:bu’aarecabilalavahe might ripenusibananabimwanogu,he might ripen,nuyacoco-nutbibabaysethey might spikeka’istickkayketoki.small stick.
22GalaNoka’ubana’i,ka’ubana’i,takokola:we fright:ikawoysethey take (put on)bowawar paintskayyala,spear,kema;axe;isisusethey sitbiginaydathey might look at us.
33BatanaWe goovaluin villagetasakaulo,we run,galanotanounowe walk.batawawe might arrivetamwoynewe (i.d.) climbbu’a.areca.
44Idou:He cries“E!“E!GalaNobukumwoynethou mightst climbbu’a.”areca.”
55BogweAlreadyika’uhe takekayyala,spear,mwadamayhapbiwoyda.he might hit us.
66TapulaWe ritually spitnayyawild ginger rootka’ubana’i:ka’ubana’i:ika’itahe returnima,he comeigigilahe laugh,iluwaymohe throwkayyala,spear,kema.axe.
77TapulaWe ritually spitValuvillagekumaydona,all,bogealreadyitamwa’uhe vanishninasimind theirs’,ilukwaydasi:they tell us:
88“Bweyna,“Good,kumwoynasiyou climbkamiyourbu’a,areca,nuya,coco-nut (palms)kamiyourusibananakuta’isi.”you cut.”
In comment added:
99GalaNoikarigehe dieveyolakinsman his,ninasimind theirbweyna.well.
1010VivilaWomankayyalaspear herikawo,she takepelafortokamsita’u.cannibals.
Free Translation
1 We come to Dobu, (there) someone has recently died—there is a gwala: the areca nut will ripen, the bananas will ripen, they will stick up coco-nuts on small spikes.
2 If there is no ka’ubana’i charm made—we are afraid: they (sc. the Dobuans) put on war paint, take up spear and axe, they sit (waiting) and look at us.
3 We go into the village running, not walking; we arrive and climb the areca palm.
4 He (the Dobuan) shouts: “Don’t climb the areca palm!”
5 Already he takes the spear, so as to hit us.
6 We ritually spit about wild ginger root charmed with the ka’ubana’i spell—he returns, comes to us, laughs, he throws away spear and axe.
7 We ritually bespit the whole village, already their intention vanishes, they tell us:
8 “Well, climb your areca palm and your coco-nut, cut your banana.”
9 If no kinsman had died, their intentions are good.
10 A woman would also take up a spear, as they (the Dobuans) are cannibals.
These three texts will be quite sufficient to give an idea of the method of dealing with linguistic evidence, and of the documentary value of immediately recorded native opinions. They will also make clear what I have said before, that only a good, working knowledge of a native language on the one hand, and a familiarity with their social organisation and tribal life on the other, would make it possible to read all the full significance into these texts.