firth a dart match in tikopia 1930

8/18/2019 Firth a Dart Match in Tikopia 1930

1/37

Oceania Publications, University of Sydney

A Dart Match in Tikopia: A Study in the Sociology of Primitive SportAuthor(s): Raymond FirthReviewed work(s):Source: Oceania, Vol. 1, No. 1 (Apr., 1930), pp. 64-96Published by: Oceania Publications, University of SydneyStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/40373035 .

Accessed: 07/11/2011 15:30

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2/37

A

DART

MATCH IN TIKOPIA1

A

STUDY

IN THE

SOCIOLOGY OF

PRIMITIVE

SPORT

By

RAYMOND

FIRTH

/COMPETITIVE

dart

hrowing

as

a

popular

port

n

old

Polynesia.

^"^

The

recordswhich

have

been

preserved

f the Maori

teka,

he

Samoan ika ndthe a-tikafNiue,as well as the irjgafFiji,2 how hat

despite

ariation

n details

hey

epresented

similar

ype

f

pastime,

ne

which

ppears

o

have drawn he

nterest

f

the whole

community

fter

the manner f

our modern

ootball

r cricket.

The

following

ccount

describes

he

game

as

played

with

nthusiasm

t

the

present

ay by

the

people

of

Tikopia,

a

society

f which

the

culture

has remained om-

paratively

ntouched

y

the

disintegrating

nfluence

f the

whiteman.

The

island

f

Tikopia,

ying

etween

heBanks

nd the

SantaCruz

groups,

about

120 miles south-east

f

Vanikoro,

s

a

small

isolated

crater eak,very ertile, easuring

bout

threemiles

ongby

two

wide,and inhabited

y

overtwelvehundred

eople.

They

are

Polynesians,

with ll

the

usual

pleasant

raits f their

ace.

A

good-tempered

olk,

fond

of

laughter

nd

not without

wit,

they

re endowed

with

much

curiosity

nd sufficient

ntelligence

o make conversation

iverting.

When

a dart

match

s in

progress

he scene

s

gay

and

animated.

Crowds

f

spectators

f

all

ages

assemble,

rom

he

naked

oddler

azing

wide-eyed

t the

unaccustomed

ight,

o the

grey-haired

eteran,

agely

discussing

he fine

points

of

the

game.

Women

and

girls,

who

also

attend,

re

almost s

keenly

nterested

s the

men. The

erect

arriage

of thesepeople,their ight-brown,mooth,well-mouldedimbs, heir

1

The

data which

form he basis of

this

rticle re taken

rom

he

results

f

my

expedition

o

Tikopia

1928-29,

made under

he

auspices

of

the

Australian

ational

Research

Council,

o

whom

my

cknowledgments

re

madeelsewhere

n this

number.

For

the

ccompanying

ketches

am

ndebted

o

my

brother,

r. Cedric

irth.

2

A

game

of similar

ype,

known

variously

s

cheda,

r

phyeda,

r

phyehda

n

some

villages,

nd

ika

n

others,

s

played

mong

he

Angami

Nagas

andon

the

lains

f

Assam,

(v.

J.

H. Hutton.

Man No.

112,

Sept.

1929.).


3/37

A

DART MATCH IN

TIKOPIA

65

easy

bearing

nd freedom

f

movement

ive

a

very

leasing mpression,

the

nterest

f

which s

heightenedy

the

flowing

manes f

hairof the

young

men, heir

eculiarpride,

which s often endered

olden

from

the liberal

use

of

lime. Flowers

or bunchesof scented eaves

n the

ears,

aromatic

necklets

nd

shell

arm-rings ive

a festive ir

to the

proceedings,

ince

t

is thecommon

ractice,

f

one is

not

n

mourning,

to

don ornaments

or

the

occasion.

The

primary

unction

f

the

sport

f dart

hrowing

s that f

public

diversion.

But as willbe shown

later,

t

is

very closely

connected

with

the

social

organization

nd

religious

elief

f

the

people,

nd

n

this

way

llustrates

ertain

spects

f

Polynesian

ociology.

_-£

-

-

Fig.

1.

MARAE

TIKA- DART

PITCH

[Length

bout

130

yards]

p

=

Path.

A

=

Mua

Tika.

T

=

Throwing

ase.

B

=

Sloping

Banks.

The

Tikopian

orm

f the

game

s

played

n a

long

narrow

tretch

of

ground,

arefully

enuded

f

vegetation,

ug

out and

evelled,

ather

like

an

over-developed

ricket

itch,

but hemmed n

by

sloping

banks

on

either

ide,

backed

by

a

green

wall

of

shrubs nd

trees

v.

Fig.

1

and

Plate

II.).

The

marae,

s

this s

called,

measures bout

130

yards

n

length

y

six

or

seven

n

total

width,

nd

at

each

end s

a

throwing

ase

(turatja)

f soft

and,

from

which

he

players

url heir

arts.

Immedi-

ately

ehind

his

gain

s

a

slight ip

in

the

ground,

whileon the

grass-

grown

pace

in

rear

he

players

eat

themselvesn a

rough

semi-circle

toawait heir urn othrowv. Plate .).

THE

DART

AND

TS

PROJECTION

The

tika

or

dart s

at first

ight

curiously

nwieldy

bject.

The

head

(fue

ika)

s

about

five

nches

ong,

and reminds

ne in

shape

of

a

thin

pinning-top,

eing

ircular

n

cross

ection

nd

curving ently

rom

E


4/37

66

A

DART MATCH

IN TIKOPIA

base to

point.

It

is

made of

toa

(Casuariná)

wood,

hard and

close-

grained,

nd is

polished

o smooth

with

oral

stone

puga)

s

to

give

t

the

ppearance

f

having

been turned n a lathe. The

object

s thus o

cause

t

to

slide

easily

ver the

ground

n

being

hrown. At the

base

of

the head s a

small

dowel-like

rojection,

tang

three-quarters

f an

inch n

length,

which

s

fitted

nto

the

socket f

a

reed haft

v.

Fig.

2).

>

1

Fig.

2. DART AND

PROJECTION

RING

The latter

te

kaso)

varies n

ength,

ut

usually

measures boutthree

eet.

The

tika is an awkward

mplement

or

the

novice to

handle,

s

its

balance

ies

decidedly

owards he

head,

and it

is

impossible

o make

good

cast with t

in

the

ordinary

ay

by

poising

t

in

the

hand. The

method s to

setthe

butt nd of the

reed

haft

gainst

he

ip

of thefore-

finger, rip

he

sides

of

the

shaftwith

hethumb

nd

middle

inger,

nd

support

t

by

lightly

levating

he

headofthe

dart

r

by

resting

t

on the

other

and.

Carrying

t

thus he

player

akes

short un o the

hrowing-

base

and

drawing

ack

his arm

hurls

he dart

with ll

his force. Thus

projectedtflies hroughhe airforupwards ffiftyards, ut s soon

drawn

own

by

the

weight

t the

point.

As it

strikes he

ground,

ow-

ever,

ts

career

s not

stopped,

or he

heavy,

moothly

olished

head,

guided

but not

impededby

the

light

shaft,

which

sways

to

and fro

behind

t

ike a

rudder,

kims

long

the

urface

f

the

marae or nother

seventy

r

eighty

ards,

o

come to

rest

near the

throwing

ase at

the

other

end. A

low

trajectory

s essential

o a

good

cast,

which

may

measure

p

to

150

yards,

r

even

more

n

exceptional

ases.

The

pressure

n

the

finger

s

fairly

evere

t

the

moment

f

pro-

jection..

As a

guard,

nd

still

more,

o

hold thedart

irm

nd so

give

t

greater

mpetus,

he

player

its o his

finger

he

akatoga,

little

ing

f

coconut

fibre

puru),

well

whipped,

with a

quaint

ornamental

hisker

left n

one

side.

For its

reception

he

shaft

s

notched

t

the butt

ike

that

of

an

arrow.

When a

player's

urn

omes to

throw

he

slips

the

ring

n to

his

fore-finger,

hich

t

fits

losely,

nd

a

small

ord

attached

to it

$

wound

round

he

finger

nd

made

fast.


5/37

A DART

MATCH

IN TIKOPIA

67

ORGANIZATION

OF

THE

GAME

The essential

rinciple

fthe

game

s the

competition

ftwo

sides,

each

comprising

dozen

to

twenty

layers.

The

composition

f

these

sides

s

of some

nterest

ince

t

s

largely

etermined

y

tradition,

aving

its

origin,

ccording

o the

Tikopians,

n

mythological

ntiquity,

ating

from

he time

whenmen

were

gods

and

gods

weremen.

The

game

s

sometimes

escribed

ndeed

s "te

ika takaro

rja

tua"

"the

dart

sport

of

the

gods."

On this

account certain

egree

of

tapu

sacredness)

belongs

o

it,

especially

n

ceremonial

ccasions,

when

ll

the

chiefs

nd

men

of

rank

are

present

nd

strive

gainst

one

another,

hrough

he

mediumftheir oung elatives, hoactas theirhrowers,or upremacy

and

honour

n

the

game.

On

such ceremonial

ays

the

gods

are

in

attendance

o

influence

he

fortunes f their

people.

For

this

reason,

combined

with

ts

supernaturalrigins,

he

dart-throwing

s

believed

o

promote

he

growth

f

crops,

nd

n

particular

o

cause he

mei

bread-fruit)

to

set

or

"

run,"

hough

he ssociation etween

hem s

not

very

learly

defined.

At

times, ndeed,

match

s

institutedor his

xpress

urpose,

the

object

being

o sakiri

manu i te

enua,

o seek

efficacy

or the

and

that

s,

in the direction

f

increasing

he

food

supply.3

On such an

occasion

t is

said

"

te

marae

a tika

tapu"

"

the

pitch

will be

'

darted'

sacred."

As

regards

he

disposition

f

the

sides,

one

is

termed

ja

Tamaroa

(the

Bachelors),

he other

a

Pure

the

Married

Men).

These

abels

are

purely

igurative

they

arry

o

differentiation

n the

ineswhich

heir

literal

meaning

onveys

some

married

men

make

their

hrows n

the

side

of

the

"

Bachelors,"

while

young

unmarried

en are

to be

found

equally

n

the side of the

Pure.

Actually

he

former

omprise

he

men

of

the

clan

kainayd)

f

Tafua,

with

few

dditions rom

amilies

n

other

clans,

while

heir

pponents

ome

primarily

rom

he

ranks

f

the

family

ofRaropuka, ith he lanKafika owhichtbelongs, ut nclude*lsothemembersfclan

Fangarere

nd the

majority

fclan

Taumako.4

In

point

3

This

word manu

s

the

equivalent

f

the

widely-known

ceanic

mana,

which

latter

erm s also

used in

Tikopia,

as

an

alternative,

hough

ess

frequently.

The

Tikopian

use

of

this

oncept

ppears

o lack that

more

mystical

ignificance

pparently

found

lsewhere.

n this

ommunity

t

represents

he

oncretedea

of success

r

efficacy

in

definite

ituations

s the ureof

sickness r the

production

f

crops

r fish.

4

For

a

short ccount f these

lans ee

Report

n

Tikopia

n

this

number.


6/37

68

A

DART MATCH

N

TIKOPIA

of

material

o draw

upon

the

Pure

re

perhaps

n a better

osition

han

the

Tamaroay

nasmuch s

they

have

three f

the

four

hiefs

n

their

ist,

anda morenumerous

ersonnel.

Deferenceo tradition,owever, re-

vents

ny

deas

arising

s to

the

unfairness

f

this

division,

nd

on

the

whole

he

ides

ppear

o be

very

venly

matched

n

point

f skill.

More-

over,

t s

through

he ndividual

rilliance

f ts

members

nd

not

hrough

their

verage

kill

hat side

holds

ts own.

Superficially,

he

division

of

the

sides

rests

on

the chance

allotment

f

clans

and

families.

In

reality,

owever,

t resolves

tself

argely

long

the ines

of

the

raditional

opposition

f

the

two

districts

f

the

sland,

Faea

and

Ravenga.

The

extra

amilies

ho

take

part

ontrary

o

their

lan

affiliations

ave some

specialover-ridingocal or ancestral ie of associationwiththe other

party.

Niumano

nd

Fatumaru,

or

nstance,

re enlisted

n

the

side of

Tafua

clan

and

the

"

Bachelors"

ince

their

ands

adjoin

in

Uta,

an

ancient

esidential

rea

of

the

people,

nd

in the

turbulent

ld

days

this

was

a

strong

ond

of

unity.

Hence

these

amilies

re

to

be

found

laying

against

heir

wn

chief

f Taumako.

Other

aito

family

roups)

n this

side,

who

play

against

heir wn

clans

are

Nga

Fiti,

sa

Torokinga,

a

Farekofe

nd Paito

i

Asanga.

The tika

s of

nterest

rom

he

act hat nlike

ther

ames

n

Tikopia

its

organization

s

of

a

rigid

haracter.

The

personnel

f

the

two sides

mayvaryfrom ne match o another,menattendingo playat some

and

being

bsent

rom

thers,

ut

a manremains

lways

member f the

same

side.

And,

as

has

been

pointed

ut,

this s

determined

or

him,

not

by

his

own

personal

hoice,

ut

by

his

membership

hrough

irth

fa

certain

inship roup.

Even

his clan

affiliationere

s not

the

primary

factor,

ut his

paito

family)

lone.

In the

old

"

Marae

asi" or

"

Great

Marae"

near he

village

f

Matautu,

ow

abandoned

or

he

newer

round

at

Ratia,

the two

ends

potu)

were

named

"

Vokisa"

and

"

Rangitisa,"

the

former

eing

hebase

for he

Pure,

he atter or

he

Tamaroa.

This

allocation

s

rooted

not

n the

merelyuperficialrganization

f

the

game,but in

religious

nd

mythological

deas of fundamentalnterest o the

natives.

METHOD

OF

SCORING

KASA,

RARI,

UKU

TE

KAI

The method

f

scoring

s

rather ifficult

or novice

o

grasp, speci-

ally

while

game

s in

progress.

The mmediate

bject

f

every

layer

s


7/37

A DART MATCH N TIKOPIA

69

to

sendhis dart

headof

all the

others,

he

only

position

n which t

has

much

hance f

scoring.

The dart

which eads

he

rest

when

ne

side

has

concludedtsthrow s termed hemua i a, thedart n front,nd the

other

ide

endeavours

o

conquer

t. If

they

ucceed hen t

is

said to

be

"

eaten"

by

theirdarts

if

not then

t

"

eats"

theirs.

"

Sise

kaina,

kai"

(Not

eaten,

ats)

s

the

rule.

One

dart

atches

nother nd

disposes

of it

(eats t)

if ts

head

comes

up

level

with

ny

part

of its

rival,

ven

the

butt of

the shaft.

There s no

scoring

n

the

part

of

individual

players,

ut the

eading

dart

cores

one

point

for

ts side. If

the

darts

next

n order

elong

o the ame

ide,

hen

hey

ncrease he

core

ccord-

ingly,

ounting

ne

for

each.

"E

kai

rua"

"E

kai toru"

"

Eat

two,"

"

Eat three,"t is said,or whateverhenumber. Thiscount s stopped

by

the

eading

dart

of

the

other ide

thus f

the two

longest

hrows

on

the

pitch

re

thoseof

the

Tamaroa,

nd

all

others

re

"

eaten"

by

the

best

effortf

the

Pure,

which,

owever,

as not been

able to

cope

with

the

eading

air

of

ts

opponents,

hen

he

Tamaroa ill

score

wo.

All

otherdarts

f

either ide

which

have

come

to

rest

behind his

pair

do

not

count.

(The

inferior

ide

n

the throw

oes not

score.)

Thus f darts

,

3,

and

4

are theforemost

ika

of the

Tamaroa,

nd

1

the

best hrow f

the

Pure,

hen

"

eats"

2,

since t

has

come

evel

with

portion

f the

haft,

nd

3

and

4

remain o

score

for heTamaroa.But f 1 and2 arebothdarts f

the ure

nd

3

and

4

were

hrown

y

he

Tamaroa,

then

both

these

atter

re

"

eaten"

by

2,

and

neither

ide

has

any

score.

The

general

prin-

ciple

is

that

only

the dart

unbeaten

by

its

opponents

cores

for

ts side.

All others re

neglected.

The

score

of the

winning

ide

goes

on

round

fter

ound,

o

long

as

it

does not receive

*

3

i-,

Fig.

3.

METHOD

OF

SCORING

a check. Ifonce,however,heirpponents ain he ead, fbya superior

throw

he atter

re enabledto score t the

end

of round hen ll

the

previous

ains

f

hefirst

ide

are

wiped

out,

nd

the

opponents

egin

to

accumulate

oints

n

their

urn.

They

now

go

on

victoriously

ntil

they

re mastered

y

a

long

throw rom he first

arty

nd

so

their

core

too

is barred

monotid),

nd

the

others

egin

gain

from ero.

On some

days

one

side

is

clearly

uperior

r

in a

winning

mood,


8/37

7O

A

DART MATCH N TIKOPIA

and

proceeds

without

halt

to

a

sweeping

ictory,

ntouched

y

the

most

desperate

ffortsf their

pponents

o

retrieve

he

position.

At

other imes he sidesare veryevenlymatched,nd neithers able to

make score

f

any

ize before

ts

ead s

torn

way.

The initial core

of the

day

s

thefocus

of

the

greatest

nterest.

t

is termed

e

kai

potjipogi,

the

morning

win/'

If

one side

keeps

on

accumulating

oints

without

single

heck

rom

he

moment f

starting,

until t reaches he

totalof

ten,

hen rari

s

said to

have

been

reached.

This

firstount

ften

n

the

morning

s

termed

he

kasä,

nd s

regarded

s

a definite

ark f

the

uperiority

f

the

winners.

"

Tatou

u

kasä"

"

We

have been

kasä"

the osers

ay,

nd feelmuch

shamed.

For

one

single

unbeaten hrowon theirpartwouldhave dissipatedhe lead of their

opponents,

nd

no kasä

could

thenhave

been

obtained

hat

day.

After

thisfirst

tage

f

the

kasä

has

been

passed

without

indrance

hen

he

kai

of

each

succeeding

ound

core

for

the

winners

ne

point

ach

ndiffer-

ently,

o matter ow

many

nbeaten

arts

may

ie. Such

coring

s

termed

the

tuku e kai

(literally,

leave

remaining

in').

Thus

if

they

hould

have wo

darts

nbeaten

n

thenext

ound

his

ounts

ne

point

or

hem

they

ave one

tuku

ekai.

Should

hey

ave

two

or

three

winning

arts

in

the

succeeding

ound

hey

ain

another

oint

they

have

two

tuku

e

kai.

Another art

next ime

gives

them

further

oint

"Ku

toru

o

tuku ekai" ; they avethree,nd so on. It is thefact feachwin, nd

not

the ctualnumber f darts

nbeaten

hich

now scores

or

hem

ach

time.

Finally,

erhaps,

en tuku

e kai

have

been

accumulated

ver

and

above the

kasä of

the nitial

en

points.

It is

the

custom

fter

uch

an

event

for the

winners

o

go

off

o

their

rchards

nd

pluck

a

large

number

f

green

oconuts,

which

are

brought

ack

nd distributed

mong

he

osers.

Both ides

hen

it

down

to

drink,

at

and refresh

hemselves.

Here

t is

a case

of

"

the

winner

pays"

an inversion

f the well-known

ule which

has

a

very

definite

social

object.

For

after

uch

a

downrighteating

he osers

re

filled

with

reat

hame. Theirweakness asbeenmade

pparent

eforehe

yes

of a

large

rowd,

nd

by nightfall

he

full

details

f

thematch

will

have

been carried

hrough

ll the

villages

f the sland.

Such

people

will

say,

"

Tatou

u tikaia

akapariki"

We

have

been

out-darted

erribly."

t

is

recognized

n

every

hand

that

he

situation

s

unpleasant.

"

Te

kasä e

pariki,

faia

take

kautika

ku

rava"

"

The kasä s

bad,

because

heother


9/37

A DART

MATCH

IN

TIKOPIA

71

dart

ide

are

many"

i.e.,

their

core s

large).

Like all

Polynesians

he

Tikopian

s

verykeenly

ensitive o

publicopinion

nd

fears

othing

o

much sridicule, hilehe s

apt

o feel esentmentowardshosewhohave

exposed

him

to its

shafts.

Hence

the

provision

f

coconuts s

refresh-

ment

by

the

winners

nd

the

fraternization

hich

this

nvolves

s

of

distinct

ocial

utility.

t

helps

to

restore he

equilibrium

f the

osers,

to

take he

keen

dge

off heir itter

motions,

o

prevent

heir

efeat

rom

rankling,

nd

to

give

them ime

to assume

natural

manner

n

social

intercourse.

This s

explicit

n

the

view

of

the

ustom eld

by

the

natives

themselves.

ts

function

s summed

p

by

them n

the

vivid

phrase

fakamatamata

aui,

of

which he nearest

endering,

lmost iteral n

fact,

is in the dea of

c

recoveryf face'so dear to theOriental. The con*

nection

etween

xpression

f

countenance

nd

strength

f emotion

s

indicated,

ith

he

mplication

hat

ontrol f the one

means

ommand

of

the other.

A furthereferenceo

the

mental

ttitude

f

the

players

as determined

y

the

ocial

configuration

f

the

game

will

be

given

ater

in

this

rticle.

Native

opinion

s

not

altogether

nanimous

n the method

of

scoring.

Most

people

follow

hatdescribed

bove,

but some men

hold

that

he older

and more

orrect

ystem

s

to

designate

s

the kasã

only

the

complete

otal

of

the nitial

ari nd

the

tuku

e

kai

together. Apart

from he differencen terminology,heprocedures muchthe same,

since

n

this

case,

t

is

said,

coconutswould

be

plucked

for

the

losers

immediately

n the ttainment

f

the

kasã Still nother

ystem

f

coring

was

outlined

y

an

elderly

man,

former

xpert,

ho

maintainedhat n

the

kai

potjipotji

irst ame the

kasä,

then

rari,

hen

second

kasã,

then

another

ari,

nd

finally

he

tuku

e

kai

before he

absolute

oup

e

grâce

was

held

to have

been

administered.

his

extendedmode

of

scoring

is not followed

owadays.

A

complete

ictory

y

one

side s

not

often

btained. More com-

monly, uring neround r anotherhetemporarilyosing idesucceedsat last in

making

n effortnd

blocking

he score of its

opponents.

The

kasã or tuku ekai

s

then

bandoned,

nd

all

succeeding

oints

ount

only

owards

ari,

r

units f

ten,

more

prosaic

ffair. A further

on-

vention,

owever,

must

be

indicated

ere.

Suppose

one

side,

despite

its failure o

gain

the

kasã,

is

nevertheless

efinitely

he

stronger,

nd

continues o win

steadily

ithout

further

reak.

They

gain

the first


10/37

72

A

DART MATCH

IN TIKOPIA

rar/,

en

oints,

nd hen

roceed

o score

or

second ari.

For

this,

ow-

ever,

by

custom

hey

have

to secure

only

nine

points.

For the

third

rari hey avetogetonly ight, or hefourtheven nly recounteds a

rari,

nd

so

on,

until

o win

thetenth

ari

single oint

uffices,

nd

this

concludes

he

match.

In

ordinary

erminology

rari

ignifies

"

unit

f

ten,"

but this

deviceof

diminishingrogressively

he number

f

points

required

ach ime

means

hat he

en

rar/,

f

a

nominal alue

of one

hun-

dred,

epresent

he ttainment

f

only

ifty-five

oints

n the

game.

This

rather

ngenious

mode of

scoring

s

adopted

since

the evident

ver-

whelming

uperiority

f

the

one

side

renders t

unnecessary

nd

even

wearisome

o

prolong

he

match

nduly.

Of course

winning

hrow

y

theother idecanupset heposition tanymomentndplaceboth gain

at zero.

More

often han

not this s

the

fortune f

the

game,

nd

one

party

no

sooner

ttains

rari han

t is checked

y

the

other,

nd

sometimes

neither

s ableto

securemore

han

few

points

efore

eing

assed.

The

sides

re then aid

to

"

block

each other

p"

(femonokaki).

eople

who

have

not

attended

he

match re

always

ager

o hear he

result

nd ask

after

he news

as

soon as

they

have an

opportunity.

Se rari

ne

tau

"

"A

ten

was

counted "

"

O

siei

nokofemonokaki

uere"

"

Oh

no

kept

on

barring

ach

other

nly."

Such

s

a

frequent

orm

f

question

nd

answernthe tock hraseology.

JARGON

F

THE GAME

The tika

n facthas

a

jargon

f

ts

own,

wordswhich n addition o

their

normal

general

meaning

have

acquired

a

special

significance

n

this

ontext,

ndwhich

hereforeredifficult

o

translate

xcept

n

descrip-

tive

terms

f

the

game

tself.

Kasã,

used

as

substantive

r

verb,

s an

instance

lready

iscussed,

s also

kai. Another

xpression,

afi

e

kai

means

o

effect

win

with

dart,

where t is difficult

o

relate

af

to its

ordinary eaning

f "to

follow"

r "to

adopt."

If one tika

pproachescloseto

another,

utdoes not

actually

ap

and so secure

kai>

tis

said,

"

e

tautari

uere"

"

it

merely

ollows."

A

dart

which has attained

good

position

s

saidto have otoaui

fallen ell),

while f t meets

with o

success

t

s

said to to

ariki

fallbadly),

tpäpä

pariki

smack

adly),

he

latter

specially

f

it buries ts nose

in the

ground

nstead

f

shooting

along

themarae.

When

dart

by

reason f

a

high

rajectory

trikes

he


11/37

A DART MATCH

IN

TIKOPIA

73

ground

t too

steep

n

angle

nd

topples

verwith

ts

shaft

ying p

the

pitch,

t

s

said,

ku

tupau" it

has

drooped).

An

expert

t the

game

s

describeds tevave, the wiftne,"ortemoveròa

poorplayer

s te

ago,

"

the

slow one."

A

person

who from

lumsiness

ontinually

makes

awkward,

ad casts

s called

e

tjetje,

term

f

opprobrium

or

ghosts

nd

other

upernaturaleings,

nd of which fair

ranslation

ould

be

"

the

uncouth evil

"

To

throw he darthard s

described

y

the terms

fakamafa

r

mero,

hile swift

ast s likened

o

a

lightning

lash

so kifoi

kamo).

As

a rule the

experts,

men

who

are

relied

upon

to

uphold

the

reputation

f

their

ide,

hrow

owards

he

end

of

the

round,

where heir

cast will be

most

decisive. The last man

of

the

opening

ide

s termed

tautriti a follow art). Immediatelyt hisheels omes he irsthrower

of the

opposition.

He is said

to

tau

muri

akatotja,

ie

on thebutt

f the

shaft. Thus

spectators

ften sk

"

Muri

akatoga

u

taupe

iei

"

meaning

"

Has the

other

ide

begunyet

"

PROGRESS F

A

MATCH

The

general

rinciples

fthe

game

nd ts

erminology,ogether

ith

the

somewhat

eculiar

methodof

scoring

n

vogue,

have now

been

described,

o thatwe

may

roceed

o follow

ut

n

moredetail he

ypical

sequence

f

events

n a

match.

An

occasion n which he

full

ritual

s

performeds naturallyf thegreatestnterest,hough nfortunatelyuch

a scene

s not to be

witnessed

n

all its

pageantry

owadays,

he ntro-

duction f

Christianity

o theTafua lan

having

obbed

he

game

f

many

of

the

religious

eatures

ormerly

ractised

n

sacred ccasions.

Apart

from

hese,

however,

t

is still

arried n with

great

nthusiasm,

nd it

is

only

few

years

ince

hemore

soteric

etails

were bandoned.

For

completeness

ur

accountwill

nclude

hese

atter.

PRELIMINARY

VENTS

Thetika,ikemostTikopian astimesxcept ancing,spursuednly

spasmodically,

o that

from ime

o

time he

marae

ecomes

vergrown

withweeds.

When

t

has

been

decided o

play

a

game

then

he

first

procedure

s to

go

and

clear he

ground,

work n

which

he

nitiative

is taken

y

the

eldest

on of the

Ariki

Tafua,

who

by

ancient

rivilege

s

recognized

s

being

n

control f

the

marae

ndthe

port.

He

accordingly

makesknown

time,

nd the

young

men

ssemble,

nd

root

up

all

the


12/37

74

A DART

MATCH

IN 1TKOPIA

weeds

ndremove

ead

eaves

nd rubbish. A

day

r two s then

llowed

to

elapse

for

the

surface o

settle

own.

Meanwhile

he actual

day

of

the matchs fixed nd thenewssoon spreads hroughll thevillages.

The

interest

s keen.

In

every

house

the darts

re

takendown

from

where

hey

have been

thrust

n between

he

ayers

f

thatch

n the

roof,

their

eed hafts

re

examined,

he

heads

polished

p,

and new

projection

rings

re

made.

The

younger

oys

become

firedwith

excitement,

nd

practise

urling

heir arts

n the stretches

f

sand

along

the

sea

front,

while

even small

hildren

it

onus

hells

o

sago

leafribs

and

tikaafter

thefashion f

their lders.5

The

grown-ups

o

not

practise

t

all,

unless

he

occasion

s one

of

sacerdotalmportance. n this aseonthe vening efore hematchome

of

the

vavey

he

experts, o

to

the

marae

nd

try

ut their ika.

They

hurl

hem

nd mark

hecondition

f

the shafts.

Those which

re

good

are

taken ut and

laid aside

foruse

on the

morrow.

Those

which re

weak

re

thrown

way,

s such

shaft

s liable

o break

t themoment

f

projection

nd

cause

the

tika

o

fall

gnominiously

ike

a

wounded ird

few

yards

rom he

hrowing

tand.

After

his

esting

f shaftss

finished

the oose

sand f

the

uratja

s

carefully

moothed

ver o

that o

footmarks

are

visible

o

mar

he

perfection

f

themarae or

he

opening

ites f the

morning.

This

is

a rule

of

esoteric

mportance.

Meanwhilereparationsrebeingmaden thehouseholdfeachchief

(ariki)

and

each

elder

pure)

o secure uccess n

the morrow

y

super-

natural

s well

as

by

purely hysical

means.

CEREMONIES O

OBTAINVICTORY

Since

the

occasion s one of some

sacredness

tapu)

heritual

f the

kava s

performed

o

invoke

he

aid

of the atua

deities)

f

each clan or

family

roup

oncerned.

Roi s

prepared,

special

kind ffood

which

s

placed

n

the

oven

n

the

evening,

eft

here ll

night,

nd

taken ut

hot

for

the

ceremonies f

the

next

morning.

When

this is made

readybefore

ightfall,

neoftheworkmenomes o the hief r

elder,

who is

seated

n

his

house,

and

says,

The

oven has

been

covered,"

Le.>

he

food

s

cooking

within.

"

Where

re the

crowdwho have

gone

to

fit

5

At

one

period

of

my stay

thriving

rade

was

established

etween

he

young

boys

of

Matautu

nd

those f

Rofaea,

he

former

btaining

onus

hells rom he latter

in

exchange

or

mpty

ins,

egged

rom

my

house.


13/37

A

DART MATCH

IN

TIKOPIA

75

reed hafts

"

asks

the

atter,

eferring

o the

experts

mentionedbove.

Soon

they eturn,

ach to

the

head

of his own

family,

nd

ashing

n

the

approved

eeds,hand himthe darts.

A

pile

of bark

loth,

ermed he

maro,

s

taken

up

by

the

pure

the

following

emarks

pply

qually

well to

chief

nd

elder

like),

unfolded,

and aid

as

an

offering

o his deitieswith he

formula

"

Kot u

ya

atua

Feturaki

e

kai

mo tatou

Ke

tafi

te

poyipotji

a marama

nei."

"

You

the

gods

Set

up

together

win

for us

To gainin themorningwhichwill be lighthere."

The

pure

hen

ours

oconut

il on his

hands,

akes

up

the

premier

art

{mua

ika)

and

rubs

ts head

all

over

so

that t is

thoroughly

nointed.

As

he does so

he

appeals

o hisdeities

gain

"

la

Tafuri

i

toumua

ika

Ki

se kai

mou

e

tafia

te

or/ipor/i

ei

Fakaseke

tou

ua ki

se kai mou."

"

There

Turn

o

your

oremost

art

To

a winfor

you

to

be

gained

n this

morning

Make

it slide

on

your

backfor

winfor

you."

Thisformulasrepeatednlyn he aseofthemuaika,he rincipalmple-

ment f

each

manof

rank,

egarded

s

being

under

he direct

ontrol

f

his

gods

n the

port,

nd so endowed

with

n

efficacy

ll its own.

This

is not to

be confused

with he

mua ika

n the

course

of

the

game,

he

dartwhich

happens

o

be in

the

ead

in

any

particular

ound,

nd

which

may

r

may

otbe

one of

the

acred

arts.

There

s

a connection

etween

them,

f

course,

n that

t

is

these

atter,

urled

by

experts,

hich

re

expected

o

carry

ff he

principal

onours.

The sacredmua

tika

are

part

f

he

eligious araphernalia

feach riki

nd

ure,

nd

receive

pecial

attention.Two of themndeedhavenames, hat ftheArikiTaumako

being

called

Ngau,"

while

hat

f theAriki

Kafika,

he

principal

hief

of

the

sland,

s known

s

"

Matangi

so."

These

special

darts

re

not

brought

ut

for

ordinary

matches,

nd

a

great

deal of

respect

s

shown

them.

The formula

ust uoted

s

that fthe

ure

f

Raropuka

amily,

ne of

themost

mportant

n the

game.

In it he

requests

is

deity

o cause

the


14/37

76

A

DART MATCH

N

TIKOPIA

dart

o

slide

on

his back

up

the

marae^

nd

so

pass

all

the

others.

The

deity

eferredo is

theone

commonly

nown

s

"

Te

Atua

Raropuka,"whose mbodimentstheblack izard

mo o)

o familiarnTikopian ouses.

The

idea is

that

n this

reptilian

haracter,

hough

nvisible,

he

god

will

bear

he

dart

long

on his

backand so

lend

t not

wings,

utfeet o

out-

strip

ts

rivals.

The

other

ika

of

the

household

re anointed

lso,

and

they

re all

stood

up

together

gainst

hewall for

he

night

hence

he

phrase

set

up

together

win

for s" recitedn

the

pening

ormula.

Care

s

taken

o

see

that

hey

re set

traight,

nd

notdisturbed

y

human

gency.

In the

morning

he

ure

omes

o

examine hem.

If

he

finds

hat

hey

re

ying

down,with heir eadsup to the hatchf thewall,he aughs ndelight,

for

he

knows

hathis

mua

ika

will

secure

win

that

day.

The

gods,

it

is

believed,

ave

made casts

with

hem

n

the

night,

n

token

f

their

coming

o-operation

n

the

sport.

In

the

morning

he darts re

given

second

rubbing

ith

oil,

with

a

repetition

f

the

formula

o increase

heir

hances

of

success.

The

oven

is

then

uncovered,

oon

after

unrise,

nd

the kava

ceremony

s

made.

Each ariki nd

pure

does

the

ame

n his

own

house,

heessential

feature

eing

he

nvocation

f

his

atua

n

terms

imilar

o

those

lready

given,

o

procure

or

him

a

winning

hrow

hat

day.

To securefurthergainst hepossibilityffailure n the human

element,

he

players,

ach

dignitary

mears

he

throwing

rmof

theman

who

is

going

to cast

his mua ikawith

oconut

il,

and

in addition ies

round

his

neck

a circlet

f twisted racaena

eaf.

Both

of

these

cts

are

performed

o

the recitation f

a formula

"

Mama

tou

kapakau

Ke

ta/

ko se

hat

ma

tau atua

I te

pogipotji

ei?*

"

Light

be

your

rm

To

gain

a

win

for

our

deityOn this

morning."

Such

are

common

ites

f

sacralisation

or man

who

has

to

carry

ut

some task

of

religious

mport

theirfundamental

bject

s to

secure

his

personal

welfare

nd

the success of

his

mission.

In

this

case

the

specific

urpose,

s

indicated

n the

formula,

s

to

give

suppleness

nd

vigour

o the thrower's rm.


15/37

A

DART

MATCH

N TIKOPIA

77

After his

he

players

nd

spectators

egin

o assemble

t

the

marae.

The chiefs

nd

their

lders o

not

ake

part

n

the ctual

port,

ut

hey

it

at theendsofthe

ground

nd watch he

game

with hekeenest

nterest,

more

specially

s

regards

he

fate

f

their

espective

ua

ika.

OPENINGOF

THE MATCH

The

match

pens

n a

very

ormal

manner.

The

four

hiefs re

eated

at

the

end

called

"

Rangitisa,"

heAriki

Tafua on one

side

of

the

pitch,

the other

hree

riki

his

opponents,

n the

other. A

kava

rite

s

first

performed

y

theArikiTafua o call

the

ttention

f

the

gods

n

general

to

the

game

and

appeal

fortheir nfluenceo

bring

welfare

o the

and

and ts

people

s the

result. When his s concluded

he

game

s

openedwithdue formality.

First

manof the

Kafika lan

rises,

oes

over

to

where

he

mua

ika

has

been aid

in

a

piece

of bark loth

t

the

head of

the

mat

whereon

is

ariki

s

seated

the

position

f

honour. He crouches

own,

takes

the

dart,

nd

backs

away respectfully

s custom

demands,

hen

rises

to

his

feet

nd

begins

o

walk

downthe

ength

f

the

marae,

olding

he

dart

almost

pright

o

that t

leans

against

is

shoulder,

nd

looking

neither

to

right

or

eft.

When

he has

gone

a

few

yards

man

of

the

Taumako

clan

rises

n

his

turn,

akes

he

mua

ika

of his

ariki

n similar

ashion,

nd

follows. Whenhe, too,has reached is distance manofFangarerelan

rises

ndfollows

uit,

nd the hree

march

n

single

ile own

he

entre

f

the

marae

o the

Vokisa"end.

Arrived,

hey

o

to

one

side

nd it

down,

each

binding

he

fakatotja

ing

n

his

finger.

They

re the

eading

epre-

sentatives

f

he

ideof

he

ure.6

The man fTafua

whose

unction

t s

to

open

themarae n

behalf

f

the Tamaroa ises

ast,

goes

to

the

eating-

mat

f his

chief,

akes

he

mua ika nd walks

down he

marae,

utting

he

fakatofja

n

his

finger

s he

goes.

At the

far

nd

of

the

pitch

he

wheels

round,

akes short

un nd hurls he

dart.

This,

he

opening

hrow,

s

known

s

"

teruakivero

Marae"

or

"

te

matakivero

Marae"

For

this

he

mua ika snotthrown ard sise akamafa),ut s castgentlyndwith s

correct

im as

possible

hat

t

may

glide

truly

own

the

centre

f the

marae.

This is

an

important

recaution,

ecause

the

other

arts

f the

6

The

term

ure

means

iterally

married

man,"

and is

also used

as

the

name

for

one

of

the ides n

the

dart

ame.

As

such

t

should e

distinguished

rom

ts

homonym

meaning

n Elder

or

Councillor f

a

chief. The latter

as also

theforms

matapure,

nd

pure

m tua.

(Cf.

Tongan

m t

bulei)


16/37

78

A

DART MATCH

IN TIKOPIA

side,

t

s

believed,

will

follow

hedirection f their

eader,

he

mua

ika

if

t

diverges

ne

way

or

another,

hey

will

do the

ame.

By

reason

f

the

modeof

throwing

his

endency

or hetika o

fly

ff o one side of the

pitch

s

a

very

eal ne

hence he

are aken

o establish

good precedent,

which

may

xercise

sympathetic

nfluence.

Following

he nitial

astof

the

man

from afua

come

the

throwers

f

themua ika

of

Niumano

nd

Fatumaru,

oth f Taumako

lan,

nd

next

n order hose rom

usi,

Sao,

Korokoro

and

Notau

respectively,

ll

pure

families

f Tafua; Then

follow

he

ordinary

layers

f

the remainderf

the

side

of the

Tamaroa.

When

they

have

completed

heir

hrow

t is the turn f the

Pure,

heir

opponents,

nd

now

all look

anxiously

o

see

if a

hai

will

be

registered

and who,if anyone, an surpass he dartsof thefirst ide.

THE APPEAL

TO THE

DEITIES

The chiefs

nd heir

lders,

ho

re

usually

men f

years

nd

dignified,

have

put

heirmua ika

n

charge

f

younger

elatives

ho

arefitted

y

heir

skill

o

uphold

worthily

he

reputation

f their

roup.

Meanwhile

ach

man

of

rank its

withbent

head,

waiting

or he urn f

his

dart

o

come,

not

daring

o

look

up,

"

praying

ard"

as one

might

ay,

murmuring

formulae

o

his

ancestors nd

other

deities

o

vouchsafe

o him

a

win.

The

natives

hemselves

re

quite

fond

of

dilating

n the

anxiety

nd

suspense fthemoment.

"

Kotou

tja

atua

Turaki

fakamaroi

te

pot/ipotji

ei

Ki

se

hai

motou

e

taf

Na kae

fakaturu

matou"

mutters

he old

man.

"

You

the

deities

Stand

firm n this

morning

For

a

win for

you

to

be

gained

Lest we bow our heads."

The

psychological

mplications

f thisare of interest. n the recital

the

ure

makes

double

ppeal

o his tua

o

cause

his

dart o

be successful

for

heir

wn

sakes

a tactful

eference

and lso

to

save

him rom

aving

to

sit

with

owered

ead

from hame.

If such

n

elder,

itting

istening

anxiously,

ears

houts

f

"

Ku

kai,

ku

kai" which

roclaim

is

success,

then

he

ifts is

head,

nd with

whoop

of

"

lefu

"

the

orua,

ives

vent


17/37

A

DART

MATCH

IN TIKOPIA

79

to his

pleasure.

"

Lift

his

head,

yell,

as

ooked t the

and,

has

ightened

his

body,"

s

the

graphicescription

f

this

moment

ivenby

oneof

them.

The

sign

hat dart as

passed

ll the therss

given

romhe ar nd

of

the

marae

ywaving

f

branchesnd

reed

hafts

p

and

down.

From

this

"

flagging"

he

spectators

nd

the

thrower now

that he

dart

has

"

eaten,"

nd shouts

espond.

But

f

no

cries

reet

is

ears,

hen

he

hief

r the

lder

its

with

ead

downcast

n

confusion

t thefailure f

his

mua

ika.

It

is not

thathe

is

merely

exed t

his ack of

success

n the

game

his

keener motion

f

shame

rises rom

he act

hat is

pride

n his

family

as

not

been

ustained,

and his deities

ave

shown

hat

hey

ack

power

or

energy

o

assist

him.

He has been let down"bybothmen ndgods, nd n the ight f llthe

people.

He

may

it

there

nd brave

ut

the

situation,

r rise nd

go

to

his

house

n shame. Or

else

he

may

bend

down

nd

n a

whisper

emon-

strate

with

his

deities.

"

Kaia

totou ava

e

fai

atu

nei

Se

t

juri

ki

ei

Sise

atja

ki

tekava

Kae

aya

kotou

na ki

a

uruao "

"

Look

here

your

kava which

s

made

here

Why

not

turn

o

it

You don't ook at thekava,

But

you

here

re

facing

o

the

woods

?

"

The

touchof

sarcasm

n

the

ast

phrase

s

meant

o

bring

hometo

the

erring

tua

heir

esponsibilities,

hich

hey

re

apparently

ither

hirking

or

dreamily

ailing

o

realize.

Are

they,

nstead

f

attending

o

the

itual,

gazing

way

ver

he

andscape

This

s

one

of

the

rare ormulae

n

which

any

reproof

s

offered

o the

upernatural

eings

who in

Tikopian

belief

rule

n absolute

ashion

he

destinies f

men. But

one

can

quite

ee

how

in

the rritation

f

the moment

little

harper

ote

thanusual

ends

o

creepnto henormallyespectfulppeal

A

point

f nterests that he nitial

hrowing

fthemarae

early

nthe

day,

s

the

time

when

the

atua

are

believed o

exert

heir

nfluence

n

behalf

f

their

rotégés.

"

The

time

f

the

gods

s in the

morning

nly,

but arrived

t

midday,

t

is

finished,"

ay

the

natives. It is

only

for he

first

ew

rounds

hat

hey

ake

control,

nd

deity

trives

gainst eity,

s

man

gainst

man,

or

mastery.

This

view

s

quite xplicable.

It

is

in the


18/37

8o

A

DART MATCH

N

TIKOPIA

early

oursof

the

game,

specially

n the

opening

ounds,

when

nterest

is fresh nd

expectation

t its

highest itch,

s the result

f

the

ong

preparations,

hathuman elief,

ope

andanxiety

ring

he upernatural

to

their id. But

towards

midday,

henarms

re

tiring

nd

nerves

re

jaded,

when

hefirst

nthusiasm

as ost ts

edge

and therelative

trength

of

the

ides s

clearly

een,

here s

every

asisfor

hinking

hat he

gods

have retired rom

he

cene. Thus

t

s

said,

"

The

man

who

whoops

n

the

early

morning

or

a

win of

his

dart,

hat

s

a

weighty

matter but

by

thetime he

sun stands

p

above,

when

omeone

yells

Oh there's

nothing

n it."

Some elders

re not

given

o

modesty

n

the

scoreof

their

uccess

in these ignificantarly tages fthegame. Thusthe ure fRaropuka,

for

nstance,

aid "Our

family

ere

does

not

fall behind

initial

ast,

win"

a

rather

ypical

statement.

This

confidence,

which

is

often

justified

n

the case

of

the most

prominent

amily

roups,

s

the

one

mentioned,

s

based

partly

n

the

acknowledged

kill

of

the vave

mong

their

members ut more

so,

as

is clear from

he

data

given,

on

their

belief n the

power

of

the tua

enlisted

y

theariki

r

pure

o

assist

him.

Each

mua

tika

has

its

own

atua,

generally

ne

of

the

principal

eities

of he

hief r elderwhose

dart

t

s. The

supernatural

eing

who

controls

thedestinies

f

themua ika f

sa

Tafua s

"

Tinirau,"

who

nhabits

or

he

occasionthethrowingtandof " Rangitisa," t the southend of the

marae.

"

Varo,"

a son of

"

Tinirau,"

s

the

atua

of

"

Matangi

so" the

mua ika f sa

Kafika.

He went

from

Tafua,

.e.,

ja

Tamaroa,

o be the

deity

f

ga

Pure,

o

the

story

oes.

Sa

Taumako nd

sa

Fangarere

ave

as

respective ods

for

heir

ika

Te Atua

te

tai"

Pusiuraura)

mbodied

in the

grey

el of the

reef,

who

is

in

charge

f

the dart

Ngau,"

and

"

Te Atua

te

ava"

(Tupuafiti)

mbodied

n another

anded

eel.

The

various

lders

ppeal

mostly

o

Semoana,

sea

deity,

nder

variety

f

names.

A notable

exception

s the

pure

of

Raropuka,

who

invokes

his

principal

tua

"

Te

Amafakaro"

eing

his

name

for

this

particularfunctionand s rathercornfulf his

colleagues

or all

pulling

tthe

same

deity,

ulled

by

one,

pulled

by

another." Under

hese

onflicting

appeals

how

can

the

tua

possibly

ssist

hem

ll to

victory

Morechance

of

success,

heold

sage

argues,

n

having

deity

o

oneself Two

other

pure,

f

Torokinga

nd Ratia

families,

ddress

heir

ormulae

o

Feke,

god

of

the

un,

whosemore

mundane mbodiment

s the

octopus.


19/37

A

DART

MATCH

IN TIKOPIA

81

To

these

tua,

n

addition o

appeals

or

he

uccess ftheir

wn

darts,

the

ompeting

hiefs

nd elders

rofferequest

hat he

hances fthe

iha

oftheir

pponentsmay

be

spoiled.

Thus to his

deity,

whose

dwelling

for

he

occasion s in the

throwing

tand

t

"

Vokisa,"

the

north

nd of

the

maraey

ht

ure

f

Raropuka

ays

"

Settaa

he

Te

Amafakaro

Pi

ke

ki

se

kai

mou"

"

Be

glanced

side

by you,

Te

Amafakaro

Block

it

for

a

win

for

yourself.".

The

god

is

requested

o divert he dartsof the

opposition

nd

retard

them

hathis own

may

ie secure headand win.

Moreover,

f a

youth

of thisfamilyomes as a novice tama ou new son) to throw n the

marae,

he

ure

oes

hisbest o

assist

im o

gain

he

much

oveted

eading

position.

He

addresses

he

atua

"

Te

Amafakaro

Pi se kai

mou

ki

tau tama

ou"

"

Te Amafakaro

Block a

win

for

you,

for

your

new

son."

The

form

f

expression

s

somewhat

ondensed;

t

mplies,

f

course,

hat

it

s

thedarts f

the

opponents

hich

re to be

hindered.

TECHNIQUEAND PROCEDURE

The actual

rocedure

f

he

game

s carried

hrough

ith

reat

mooth-

ness

and

ease.

This s due to

the

familiarity

f the

players

ith

he

on-

ditions,

ut is

also

assisted

y

the care

and

oversight

xercised

y

each

"chief of

the dart

group."

Of

these there re

two,

termed

riki

te

kau

tika,

nd

their unctions

re

essentially

hose

of

captains

f

the

sides.

The

office

s one

of standard

rivilege,

he

sameman

retaining

t

year

fter

ear

until

hrough ge

or

disability

e

retires rom

he

game.

None

butan

expert,

f

course,

will

hold

the

position.

It

tends

o

run

n

certain amiliesfrank, hough

ot

actually

ested

n

them

ytradition.The

appointment

s made

by

electiontthe nstance fthe hiefs ndmen

of

authority

n the

ide,

hough

n

the bsence

f thereal

captain

sub-

stitute

may

be

chosen

by

the

players

o act as

their

eaderfor

the

day.

The

ariki

f

the ide

s

responsible

or heorder n

which

his

men

hrow

this

e

signifies

o them

y

word

r ook

as

they

ll

sit

waiting

heir

urn.

It is he also

who

must

udge

thefortunesf

the

game,

nd

at

a

critical

F


20/37

82

A

DART MATCH

IN TIKOPI

A

momentelect

s

thrower manwho

may

e

ableto

retrieve

bad

position

or

to restore

he hatteredonfidence

f he ide.

Usually

he

poorplayersmaketheir astfirst, hiletheexperts ring p the rear. If, however,

the

foremost art

f his

opponents

as

ain

unbeaten or

everal

ounds,

and

they

ave

again

made

series f

good

casts,

he

captain

may

everse

the

procedure.

He

says

quietly

o

a vave

Tau

ton

muri

akatoga"

n

order

o

him o lead off

n

the

ttempt

o

surpass

heir dversaries.

The

man

binds

n his

throwing

ing

without

word,

ises

nd hurls is dart.

If

he should

be unsuccessful

he

captain

rders nother

layer

o

follow,

and

so

on,

until he

oremost

art f

the

pposition

as been

beaten,

r the

vave f

his side

are exhausted.

A

superior

hrowmade

t

the

opportune

momentan havegreat ffectn the ide,where o muchdepends n the

confidence

f

the

players.

When

side

has beenwell

beaten n the

preceding

match,

nd excite-

ment

s

keen,

he ariki

f the

kau

tika

gives

the

command,

Not

a

man

may

tand

p

we

shall hrow

ouching

he

ground

nly"

Siei

e

tarjata

ke

tu

rut)

;

tatou

a tika

o

kere

uere).

This means hat o lend

greater

impetus

o

his cast

every

manmust hrow

hewhole

weight

f his

body

behind

t¿

o

that fter

rojecting

hedart

e oseshis

balance

nd

s

forced

to

put

his

hands o

the

ground

o save

himself,

r

may

ven

fall

ight

ver.

(See

Plates

I

and

II.)

The course f hematchs a regularne. Theopeninghrowsmade

as

described

bove,

and

the

rest

of the

players

make heir

asts n

turn.

All

who havenot

yet

hrown

n the

round

quat

n

a

semi-circlen

rear f

the

hrowing

tand,

nd

behind

hem

gain

re the

spectators

if a

chief

or

man

of rank

s

present

lane s left

hrough

he

crowd or

him

o see

down

the

ength

f the

marae^

nd observe

he

progress

f

the

game.

Women

re

nearly

s

numerouss

men,

hough

hey

ake

no

active

art.

As

the

urn

f

each

player

omeshe

fits

he

throwing

ing

n

to

his

finger

nd

makes

t

fast,

hen

rises o

his feet.

Holding

he

tika

cross

his

body,

he

butt

n his

right and,

with ts

end

pressed

ard

gainst

he

tip

ofhis

fore-finger,

nd

supporting

heheadwithhis

eft,

e advances

with

graceful

waying

motion

the

oriori

looking

traight

n

front

f

him,

his

face

erious,

with rather

elf-conscious

ir.

Thenhe

quickens

his

pace

and

covers he ast

few

yards

n a

sudden

print,

he

muscles

f

his

calves

tanding

ut

noticeably

ith

he

ffort.Atthe

ame ime

e

releases

his

eft

and nd

swings

he

ika

round,

oising

t

n the

ir

and

drawing


21/37

A

DART MATCH N TIKOPIA

83

back his

right

rm

to the full

as he does so.

Reaching

he

throwing

stand,

with

his

eyesfirmly

ixed

n his

goal,

he

checks or

n

instant

nd

hurls hedartforwardn a round-arm ovement, ith ll his

strength

and

no little

race.

The arm s not bent

t the

elbow

at the

moment f

projection,

ut

wung

rom

he

houlder,

hile t the ame ime n added

impetus

s

given

by

twisting

he

body way

nd

down to

the eft s the

shaft

eaves

the

finger.

An

energetic

layer

will

always

hrowhimself

off is

balance

y

he

ffort,

nd t

the

ompletion

f he

ast e

on his

hands

and

kneesor even

prone

on the

ground.

The

motion

mparted

o the

dart

s

partly

angential,

hich

means that

any

mis-timing

n

release

causes

t

to

fly

o

one

side

of the

pitch

r

even

hurtle

ffnto hebushes.

Inaccurateelease eems o be delayed atherhan nticipatory,.e.,most

of

thewide

throws end

o

go

off o

the

eft.

As willbe

realised,

slight

variation

n the

ngle

of

projection

s

not difficult

n

such

method,

nd

makes

considerable

ifference

o theresult

t the

nd

of

a

hundred

ards

or

o.

Minor

ariations

re orrectedo some

xtent

y

he

lightly

ollow

formation

f the

marae,

ith

ts

sloping

anks n either

ide.

This s

not

sufficient

owever,

o

affect

aterially

hecourse f thedart. The

marae

again,

s

not a

perfect itch,

nd a skilled

layer

an

assist

his throw

y

taking

dvantage

fa hard

atch

f

ground

n

one

side.

There

re

many

oints

n

the

echnique

f

throwing

hich ave

o be

masteredyonewhowishes o be considerednexpert. It should otbe

said

of

his

dart,

or

nstance,

e même"

it

sleeps).

This means hat he

tika

n

leaving

he

hand

flies

traight

hrough

he ir

horizontally.

uch

a

throw

s not

good,

since he

head

gradually

inks own

nd on

striking

digs

nto

the earth nd is slowed

up.

A

high

throw

gain

s

almost

certain

o

meet

with

failure,

ince the

steepness

f

the

descending

rc

makes

t almost nevitable

hat heheadwill heck n

striking

nd

not

lide

freely

long.

The ideal s

for

hehand

t the

nstant f

actual

elease

o

give

a

slight

downward

erk

thus

depressing

he

shaft

nd

elevating

the

head

ofthe

dart

o that t

flies

long

t firstt an

angle

o the

horizontal

plane.

Gradually

he

head,

with ts

greater eight,

owers

gain

to the

level

of

the

shaft,

he dart

flattens

ut,

and in

that

position

trikes

he

ground

nd

glides

away

with

minimum

oss of

momentum.

Of

such

a

throw

t s

said

"Ku

totoaui"

(It

hasfallen

well.)

The

above

remarks

indicate

he

native

heory

f

casting

he

dart.

They

reveal n

empirical

knowledge

f some

at least

of the

elementary

rinciples

f

dynamics


22/37

84

A

DART MATCH

IN TIKOPIA

and the

presence

f an

intelligentapacity

o

apply

hese o

problems

f

social

interest.

Accidentso thedart re notuncommon. A weak shaftnaps s it

leaves

he

finger,

nd

the

ika

falls

miserably,

r

a

poor

ashing ives

way

atthemomentf

mpact

ith

he

ground,

nd

he

head olls ree.

Mishaps

of

this

ype,

owever,

re

soon

remedied

s thehard-wood eaddoes not

suffer,

xcept

rom ontactwith

rare

tone,

nd

spare

hafts re

easily

obtainable. In

the Marae

asi

there

s

a definite

bstacle

n the

course,

a

large

rock ome

four eet cross he

top,projecting

few nches

bove

the

ground

n

the

eaward

ide.

It

iesnear

he

pot

where

he

darts

itch

after heir

light,

nd

s a constant

ource

f

annoyance

ince hehead of

anytikawhich andson it is almost ertaino be ruined. Efforts ave

been

made

t

various

imes o

dig

down

nd

remove

t,

but

ts

base

ppears

to

be

veryarge. Report

s therefore

hat ts oots

go

down

o

the

gods,"

and

are immovable.

The boulder s

called

"

Matariki,"

he same name

as is

applied

o

the

Pleiades,

nd

t s

thought

hat

here

may

e some

vague

connection etween

hem.

Beyond

he

fact

hat both are female

nd

therefore

pparently

ot

too

well

disposed

o

men,

ittle

eems to be

known

on this

point.

Each

man after

making

is throw

prings

o

his

feet,

akes

look

down the marae o

see how his

dart

has

gone,

nd

thenwalksoff

own

thepathwhich uns hroughhebushes long he ide o the ar nd. On

the

way

he

picks

up

his

tikay

f t

has

fallen

arbehind

r flown ff

nto

the

undergrowth,

nd

oins

his

companions

o await

henext

hrow. If

as sometimes

appens,

dart

omes

to

restwith

ts shaft

ying

thwart

the

pitch,

here s a

shout

of

"Foi kaso\"

A

reed )

from

layers

nd

spectators,

nd

someone

ear

hastens

o

lay

t

straight

r

remove t.

The round f

casts s made

from

lternatends of the

marae,

nd s

so

arranged

hat

ach side throws ast from ts own base. Thus

if

the

opening

hrow s

made from

henorth

nd,

the

base

of the

Purey

he

Tamaroa

ead off nd

the

Pure

ollow. All

then

o

to

the

other

nd

of the

ground

the earlier hrowers re

already

eated there--nd thistime

the

Pure

begin

nd

the

Tamaroa ollow.

Each

side thus

hrows

wice

n

succession,

irst

oncluding

he round

firth a dart match in tikopia 1930

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