“If they (the Western Boyowans) would not make *mwasila*, they (the Western d’Entrecasteaux natives) would fight them. They are foolish men, the people of the Koya, not like people of Dobu, who are human beings. Those in the Koya are wild, eaters of man. If they (Kavataria and Kayleula) would make no *mwasila*, they would refuse them betel-nut, refuse them sago.”
The sailing is characterised by the priority enjoyed by the Kulutula clan, who, as we have seen in a previous chapter (Chapter IX, Division III) sail ahead and have the privilege of landing first on any beach, on which they stop. On arrival, they perform the beauty magic, and sailing towards the beach, the magic of “shaking the mountain” is also recited. In the Koya, the transactions resemble to a certain extent those of the Kula. As my informant said:
“When they anchor, first of all they give the *pari*; they give combs, lime pots, wooden dishes, lime spatulæ, plenty of *gugu’a* (objects of use). At the *talo’i* (farewell gifts) this will be repaid.”
The following transaction, the main trade, is carried on as gimwali. The natives of the Koya would bring the sago, or the betel-nut, put it on the beach near the canoes and say:
“I want a *beku* (ceremonial axe blade).” And here my informants were positive that real bargaining would take place. “If they give us an insufficient quantity, we expostulate, then they bring another portion. They would go to the village, fetch some more goods, return and give it to us. If it is enough, we give him the *beku*.”
Thus the barter would be carried on till the visitors had exhausted their stock in trade and received as much from the local natives as they could.
These expeditions are interesting in that we see the same type of magic and a number of similar customs, as in the Kula, associated with ordinary trading expeditions. I am not certain about the nature of partnership obtaining in these trading relations, except that Kavataria and Kayleula have their own districts each with whom they trade.
As said already, the main objects for which they make these distant trips are sago, betel-nut, pig; also the various feathers, especially those of the cassowary and the red parrot; rattan-cane belts; plaited fibre belts; obsidian; fine sand for polishing axe blades; red ochre; pumice stone; and other products of the jungle and of the volcanic mountains. For that, they exported to the Koya, to mention the most valuable first, armshells, the valuable axe blades, boars’ tusks and imitations; and, of lesser value, wooden dishes, combs, lime pots, armlets, baskets, wayugo creeper, mussel shells and lime spatulæ of ebony. Spondylus shell necklaces were not exported to the Koya.
IV
Another important activity of the two districts of Kavataria and Kayleula is their production of armshells. As Sinaketa and Vakuta are the only two places in the Trobriands where spondylus discs are made, so Kavataria and Kayleula are the only localities where the natives fished for the large Conus millepunctatus shell, and made out of it the ornaments so highly valued yet so seldom used. The main reason for the exclusive