Wives and Wanderers in a New Guinea Highlands Society: Women’s lives in the Wahgi Valley

Abstract

2 I put it this way to re-capture something of the tenor of the time. This was also how she recollected it herself, years later, a point I return to below. 3 From her statement to the Gender Relations Research Group that she convened along with Roger Keesing and Michael Young in 1983-84 at The Australian National University (the group's project was called 'Gender relations in the southwestern Pacific: ideology, politics and production'). What of my own recollections of Marie Reay may have coloured this Introduction date both from this period, and from earlier periods of residence in Canberra (1969-72 and 1965).'I talked to the girl myself,' Defecating In-Law said. 'I told her that if she married Head he would send her away.' 'One old man,' said Raggiana obliquely, not looking at Vain Tears, 'stood up and talked about eating pork. He said nothing about marriage payments. We are not cross with him.' Big Insect spoke to Song: 'Your father came to get you. Do you want to stay or go back? Have we kept you here against your will?' 'I want to stay,' Song declared.Defecating In-Law said that Head had been silent all this time.'What do you want me to say?' Head asked him. 'If you want to wash her with grease, that is all right. If you want her to stay, that is all right.' 'At first,' Big Insect said, 'we wanted to wash her with grease, and we prepared some valuables to give her brothers. But Song said that she wanted to stay. That is all right; she can stay.' 'Head is an attractive young man,' You Ate said without malice. 'The Konumbuga girl House Tongue wants to marry him, but she can't because she is already betrothed to another man. Another Konumbuga girl has carried leg with Head, and if she comes to him later we'll keep her.' 'We're not talking about later,' Vain Tears objected. 'I want to take Song back now. The Kugika have to dance at Konmil tomorrow, and you will all have to be in good breath. We can't stay here talking all the time, but we shall stay until you give us the girl.' Konangil and Tail, both age-mates of Head, were whispering together. They agreed that if the Ngeniga tried again to seize Song they would hold her and help her to escape.'We want to go,' Vain Tears resumed. 'We shall go as soon as Song is ready to come with us.' 'We have talked enough,' said Tail's father. 'The girl is adamant in wanting to stay. It is a matter for her.' 'The first time Song visited the Kugika,' Vain Tears remembered, 'she came to a courting ceremony. Later, she came with the dancers for the Pig Ceremonial. Then she came with us when we brought plumes and shells