Argonauts of the Western Pacific

by Bronisław Malinowski

Wayugo spell

A. U’ULA (INITIAL PART)

1 Kala (His) bosisi’ula (ritual eating of fish), kala (his) bomwalela (tabooed inside).

2 Papapa (Flutter), silubida (betel plant), monagakalava (leaving behind).

3 Tubugu Kalabotawosi (Grandfather Kalabotawosi), Tubugu Kwaysa’i (grandfather Kwaysa’i), Tubugu Pulupolu (grandfather Pulupolu), Tubugu Semkuku (grandfather Semkuku), Tubugu Kabatuwayaga (grandfather Kabatuwayaga), Tubugu Ugwaboda (grandfather Ugwaboda), Tubugu Kitava (grandfather Kitava), Bulumava’u Nawabudoga (new spirit Nawabudoga), kaykapwapu (immediate predecessor), Mogilawota (Mogilawota).

4 Kusilase (You sit) onikota (on canoe slips), bukwa’u’i kambu’a (you chew your areca-nut).

5 Kwawoyse (You take) bisalena (his pandanus streamer) Kaykudayuri ( (of) Kaykudayuri) Kusaylase (you place (it)) odabana (on top) Teula ( (of) Teula).

6 Basivila (I might turn),basivilake’i (I might turn on) Kitava miTo’uru,(Kitava your Touru,) mimilaveta (your sea-arm) Pilolu (Pilolu).

7 Nagayne (To-day) isipukayse (they kindle) girina (festive fire) Kaykudayuri ( (of) Kaykudayuri).

8 Kumwam (Thou bind together) dabem (thy skirt) Siyaygana, (Siyaygana), bukuyova (thou fly).

9 Bakabima (I might clutch) kaykabila (the adze handle), bakipatuma (I might grip) yogwayogula (the component sticks).

10 Baterera (I might fly) odabana (on top (of)) Kuyawa (Kuyawa).

B. Tapwana (main part)

11 Odabana Kuyawa (On top (of) Kuyawa), odabana Kuyawa (on top (of) Kuyawa) (repeated several times) bayokokoba (I might become like smoke) odabana Kuyawa (on top (of) Kuyawa) bayowaysulu (I might become invisible) odabana Kuyawa (on top (of) Kuyawa); bayovivilu’a (I might become as a wind eddy), etc.; bayomwaleta (I might become alone), etc.; bayokarige, etc.; (I might become as dead, etc.); bayotamwa’u (I might disappear), etc.; bayogugwa’u (I might become like mist), etc.;

12 The verses 9, 10 and 11 are repeated, substituting Dikutuva for Kuyawa,

13 The verses 9, 10 and 11 are repeated, substituting La’u for Kuyawa. After this, the u’ula is repeated, an’d then a secondary tapwana follows.

14 Bakalatatava (I might heel over), bakalatatava (I might heel over)...; (repeated several times) ula sibu (my keel) bakalatatava (I might heel over); ulo koumwali (my canoe gunwale ); bakalatatava (I might heel over); uli sirota, (my canoe bottom), etc.; ulo katukulu (my prow), etc.; ulo gelu (my rib), etc.; ulo kaysuya (my threading stick), etc.; uli tabuyo (my prowboard), etc.; uli lagim (my transverse board), etc.; ulo kawaydala (my canoe side), etc.

The u’ula is repeated again and the spell is closed by the dogina (concluding part).

C. dogina (conclusion)

15 Kalubasisi (Untranslatable) kalubayo’u (flying(?) ); kuvaylise mayena (you hit his tongue), kuvaylise (you hit) bubuwala (his chest), kulakwoyse (you untie) kala (his) sibu (keel) waga (canoe).

16 Wagam (Canoe (thou art)) kousi (ghost), wagam (canoe, (thou art) ), vivilu’a (wind eddy), kuyokarige (thou vanish) Siyaygana (Siyaygana), bukuyova (thou fly).

17 Kwarisasa (Thou pierce) kamkarikeda (thy sea-passage) Kadimwatu (Kadimwatu); kwaripwo (thou break through) kabaluna (nose his) Saramwa (Saramwa); kwabadibadi (thou meet) Loma (Loma).

18 Kuyokarige (Thou become as dead), kuyotamwa’u (thou disappear), kuyovivilu’a (thou become as a wind eddy) kuyogugwa’u (thou become like mist).

19 Kusola (Thou mould) kammayamaya (the fine sand), kwotutine (thou cut) kamgulupeya (thy seaweed); kuna (thou go), kugoguna (thou put on) kambwoymatala (thy butia wreath).

We have here the native text, translated word for word, each expression and formative affix being rendered by its English equivalent. In obtaining such a verbatim translation and subsequently putting it into a free, intelligible English rendering, there are two main difficulties to be overcome. A considerable proportion of the words found in magic do not belong to ordinary speech, but are archaisms, mythical names and strange compounds, formed according to unusual linguistic rules. Thus the first task is to elucidate the obsolete expressions, the mythical references, and to find the present day equivalents of any archaic words. Even if we obtain a series of meanings corresponding to each term of the original text, there is often considerable difficulty in linking these meanings together. Magic is not built up in the narrative style; it does not serve to communicate ideas from one person to another; it does not purport to contain a consecutive, consistent meaning. It is an instrument serving special purposes, intended for the exercise of man’s specific power over things, and its meaning, giving this word a wider sense, can be understood only in correlation to this aim. It will not be therefore a meaning of logically or topically concatenated ideas, but of expressions fitting into one another and into the whole, according to what could be called a magical order of thinking, or perhaps more correctly, a magical order of expressing, of launching words towards their aim. It is clear that this magical order of verbal concatenations — I am purposely avoiding the expression „magical logic” for there is no logic in the case — must be known and familiar to anyone who wishes really to understand the spells. There is therefore a great initial difficulty in „reading” such documents, and only an acquaintance with a great number makes one more confident and more competent.