73 would have would be to return his wife Furthermore, he pointed out, since the wife of the man demanding
payment belonged to David A’s. clan, by the same token, the man should be required to pay a bride price to his clan
The second purpose of the clan system is to define land ownership. Land ownership in relation to the clan system goes back to the worship of the eternal, primary spirit of the Rotokas people, called Pauto. This
benevolent spirit existed before all others, clan totems and spirit beings included, therefore he was the original tokipato administrator of all the land.
In the past, feasts were given near Pauto’s dwelling place, i.e., a large, predominant kasava tree, a stone, a spring of water, etc. It was in such areas that the remains of the cremated dead were buried. A plate tauo
was made by cutting and folding a limbum leaf sheath; this was used for an offering of pieces of food. The limbum used for this is a large type that grows at higher elevations. The word tauo also means “an offering.”
This chief spirit would gather the ghosts of the dead clansmen at the time of the offering and would then stay in this place. The spirit was instrumental in teaching the people to plant gardens and helped to establish
staple crops still grown by the Rotokas people today.
6.2 Names of Totems and the Distribution of the Clans
During a survey of the Rotokas language area in 1966, Rotokas companions and I recorded the clan groups given below, according to village. Abbreviations are explained immediately following the distribution chart.
The clans are designated on the chart and elsewhere by their totems.
Distribution of Rotokas Clans
Ovu Tai
Kur Sur
Ura Oro
Sis Kak
Sik Vik
Utu Kuv
Ait Mat
Ker Clan:
Village: Bulistoro
• •
Etesopaia •
• Ibu
• •
• •
Kakaropaia •
• •
• •
Koribori •
• •
Kusi •
• •
• •
Mapiaro •
• •
Okowapaia •
• •
Ruruvu •
• •
• Sirioripaia
• •
• •
Sisivi •
• •
• Teakon
• •
• Togarao
• •
• •
Tokai •
• •
• Tsubiai
incomplete info •
Tutupaia •
• Vuravuratokoru
•
74
Totems of Rotokas Clans
The abbreviations in the foregoing chart stand for the following totems: Ovu = ovuveo The
hornbill Tai = taisuiri The
hornbill Kur = kurue The
dove Sur = suriketo
The sunbird also sureko Ura = urakava The
sunbird Oro = orokui
Black bird which builds a hanging nest Sis = sisorui
Black bird which builds a hanging nest Kak = kakata The
cockatoo Sik = sikopio The
honeyeater siikui?
Vik = vikuroi The crow
Utu = utuuko The owl
Kuv = kuuvato The all-green
parrot Ait = aita The
crow Mat = matova also
vatova Ker = kerakera
The Brahminy kite ? It should be mentioned that the Ovuveo and Orokui clans are primary to the clan system two moieties.
Kakata is a subclan of Ovuveo and Suriketo a subclan of Orokui. The Suriketo clan must ask permission from the Orokui before organizing activities, or using property, etc. It is obvious from the number of clan totems
recorded on the chart that there are many subclans in the Rotokas area. I do not know, however, to which of the two primary clans these subclans belong.
Unfortunately, at the time of our visit in each village, there was not always a knowledgeable adult present who could name all the clans represented by people living there.
Some clans and their totems are as follows: a Clan Name—Usore vara, Totem—Ovuveo
b Clan Name—Sisoo vara, Totem—Orokui c Clan Name—Vuirao vara, Totem—Suriketo
d Clan Name—Vai vara, Totem—Kakata Most of the clan names describe different types of grass.
Members of the last clan listed, Vai vara, are still considered outsiders in Togarao village, therefore, it is not proper for them to organize mourning feasts and their Upe initiates cannot take part in the village’s
singsings.
6.3 Taboos within the Clan
