String Figures of the Kauwerawec (West New Guinea)

Bulletin of FIGURES the International String Figure Association, Vol. 30, 51-92, 2023 STRING OF THE KAUWERAWEC 51 String Figures of the Kauwerawec (West New Guinea) Collected by E (1904-1958) J S Presented and annotated by C , Best, Netherlands ABSTRACT This paper presents 29 different string figures from the Kauwerawec, a group of people living along the Otken river, a tributary to the Mamberamo river, in western New Guinea. The string figures were recorded by Jan van Eechoud in 1939 in Pionierbivak in 36 black and white photographs, which are reproduced in this paper. Seven of the figures have probably not been seen before, and one figure is only known from another photograph. Four of the figures carry two different names. I. INTRODUCTION For several years the International String Figure Association has been aware of the string figure information and photographs that appear in a Dutch study by Jan van Eechoud on the Kauwerawec, an ethnic group living in the northeastern part of West New Guinea (Eechoud 1962)1. Yet, while working on Jan 1 Throughout history the island of New Guinea and its parts have been given different names. In the present paper we refer to the whole of the island as New Guinea. To the western half of the island, consisting of the current Indonesia provinces Papua and West Papua, we refer collectively as West Papua. With Papua New Guinea (PNG) we mean the eastern half of the island, the present-day State of Papua New Guinea. 51 52 J. VAN EECHOUD & S. CLAASSEN Pouwer’s collection of string figures from the Kamoro (Pouwer & Claassen 2022), considerably more information on Kauwerawec string figures came in our possession. Sjoerd Jaarsma, of the Papua Heritage Foundation2, remembered that he had scanned several string figure photographs that were added to the typewritten then mimeographed original report of Jan van Eechoud’s expedition, of which the 1962 publication was just an excerpt. Jaarsma kindly supplied us with the relevant volume of the report3, which serves as the basis for the present paper. Fig. 1 - “Outline of the territory of the Kauwerawec tribe” The location of Pionierbivak has been marked. Reproduced with modifications from Le Roux 1926. 2 www.papuaerfgoed.nl, accessed 23th of March 2023. Verslag van de Exploratie naar Centraal Nieuw Guinea, begonnen op 3 Mei 1939, afgebroken wegens het uitbreken van den oorlog op 10 Mei 1940, onder leiding van den Commissaris van politie 2e klasse J.P.K. van Eechoud. Derde boek. This third volume contains chapters 8-13. We refer to this document as Typescript. A version of this report, but without the photographs, can be found in some libraries in the Netherlands (Eechoud n.d.). 3 STRING FIGURES OF THE KAUWERAWEC 53 Fig. 2 - Map of the basin of the Mamberamo river The territory on the map of fig. 1 is indicated by the black-lined square. Reproduced with modifications from Eechoud 1953. The Kauwerawec The Kauwerawec4 are an ethnic group living in the basin of the Namoenoe river (also called Otken river), close to present-day Kasonaweja, West Papua, 4 Van Eechoud spells the name as Kaowerawédj. Other names that were used to denote this group are Kawera, Kauwera, Kabera, Koassa and Tekutameso (Takoetamesso). In the present paper we use the name and spelling Kauwerawec. 54 J. VAN EECHOUD & S. CLAASSEN Indonesia (fig. 1 & 2). Their language, which is named after them, belongs to the family of Dani-Kwerba languages and has approximately 400 speakers (in 1987; see Silzer & Clouse 1991:54). Prior to Van Eechoud and his expedition, the area was visited by Hendrik Bijlmer, a Dutch doctor, who on the 1920 Central New-Guinea-Expedition passed through the area and stayed for some time at Pionierbivak (Bijlmer 1923:10-16). Bijlmer briefly mentions ethnic groups living in the neighborhood of Pionierbivak: the Takoetamesso, the Boromesso and the Sabèri. The Takoetamesso live in the Otken river territory. Dutch anthropologist Charles Le Roux, during the Dutch and American New Guinea Expedition of 1926 (with Matthew Stirling), spent time in Albatrosbivak, at the Mamberamo river just opposite Pionierbivak5. He writes that the Takoetamesso (a name that, according to Le Roux, was given to them by bird hunters) call themselves Kauwerawet [sic], which he interprets as a kangaroo species (1926:455-456)6. Jan van Eechoud and his stay among the Kauwerawec Jan van Eechoud is born on the 10th of August 1904 in Horst, in the south of the Netherlands, as son of a, then, successful dairy manufacturer. After attending boarding schools in the cities of Eindhoven and Nijmegen he starts working at the office of his father’s company. Due to difficult times the family moves to The Hague in 1925/26, where Van Eechoud in 1929 finds a job at Hagemeijer en Co, a trading company exporting Dutch goods to the (then) Dutch East Indies. In July 1929 he leaves the Netherlands by ship, heading to the East Indies. After approximately two years working there, the company concludes that he is not suited for the job and he gets fired. Van Eechoud then applies at the Police School at Soekaboemi in Western Java. After his education he starts at the police corps of Batavia (present-day Jakarta, Indonesia). In 1936 Van Eechoud becomes police commissionary of the field police of the whole north-coast of Dutch New-Guinea, and is stationed at Manokwari (a larger settlement at the north-east coast of the Bird’s Head Peninsula). Van Eechoud, convinced of the need to know his country better, asks his policemen to assist in the exploration of unknown or hardly known territories, besides their regular job of walking patrol and accompanying government officials. At the request of the resident of the Moluccas, Van Eechoud is in 1937 and 1938 involved in the establishment of a government post at the Wissel-Lakes (also called Paniai Lakes) and the exploration of the surrounding areas. Only just returned from this task, he receives new orders in April 1939 to organize a patrol to the basin of the Tariku River (also called Rouffaer River), and to con5 Detailed information on this expedition, including filmic material, can be accessed at https://www.sil.si.edu/expeditions/1926/ 6 Van Eechoud expresses his doubts about this explanation (1962:23-24) . STRING FIGURES OF THE KAUWERAWEC 55 tinue from there to the central mountains, trying to reach the expedition of Dutch ethnologist Charles Le Roux to the western parts of the highlands of New Guinea. It proves difficult to obtain the sufficient number of local helpers, but Van Eechoud wants his expedition to take off, and thus from the first of June 1939 onward, with a group of 20 police officers, he already starts bringing up the necessary equipment up the Mamberamo river by boat, first to Mansoeboe, and from there to Pionierbivak (“Pioneer bivouac”), which was a former Dutch military encampment area on the northern side where the Namoenoe-River (also known as Otken-River) flows into the Mamberamo river. From there he intends to continue further upstream the Mamberamo. Due to a combination of illnesses, heavy rainfall, problems with radio systems and the difficulty of finding suitable expedition helpers, Van Eechoud is stuck there, in Pionierbivak, for several weeks. To use his time well until the expedition is fully equipped, he starts an ethnological research of the Kauwerawec, a group of people living in the area around Pionierbivak7. The editors of the posthumously published summary of Van Eechoud’s field report write that Van Eechoud based his research on Notes and Queries on Anthropology (Leeden 1962:9; Postel-Coster 1962:10). This is a document (of book size), devised by the British Anthropological Institute, to enable those who are not professional anthropologists to gather accurate anthropological information on their field missions and travels. The Notes and Queries contain descriptions of the various fields of ethnography, topics to explore and questions to be asked. Part of the field of Arts and Sciences is the subject Games and Amusements, in which there is a chapter on String Figures and Tricks. Van Eechoud probably used its fifth edition of 1929 (British Association for the Advancement of Science 1929), in which string figures and tricks are treated on pages 232-237, where a (shortened) description of the terminology of Rivers and Haddon (1902) is presented, followed by the instructions for making two string figures from Torres Straits. It is likely that because of the inclusion of string figures in the Notes and Queries, Van Eechoud investigated them. For his ethnological research Van Eechoud invites local people to serve as informants to the local cantina, and he interviews them there. Conversations take place in a mixture of Malay with some basic words in the local language (Eechoud 1953:179-181). To persuade people to co-operate, he grants access to free cigarettes for the duration of the interview and gives a free portion of rice to any participator. This makes it sometimes difficult to have the informant give up their place to someone else. Afraid to insult his informants, Van Eechoud devises methods to facilitate this (among which is the use of an empty petroleum drum as a seat, which could be electrically charged using a motor; 7 Van Eechoud also initiates an investigation of the surrounding forests and their trees (Eechoud 1953:199-201). 56 J. VAN EECHOUD & S. CLAASSEN this is a phenomenon the local people probably did not know then; see Rutherford 2015:39-40). There is some uncertainty about the exact number of Kauwerawec at the time. Le Roux estimated them in 1926 as consisting of 369 people, divided over 12 villages (1926:459). According to Van Eechoud there are 180 Kauwerawec in 1939 (1962:13), whereas Van Eechoud’s biographer Jan Derix writes that the group consists of “hardly 500 souls” (1987:97)8. It is only in December 1939 Van Eechoud is able to continue his expedition; with his group he leaves Pionierbivak to move up the Mamberamo river. This means his ethnographical research on the Kauwerawec comes to an end. By the end of December the expedition is at the Edi falls. The radio now works, and the expedition can continue even further to the Batavia falls. But on the 10th of May 1940 they hear by radio about the German invasion of the Netherlands. Some days later the Resident of the Moluccas on the 14th of May orders them to halt the expedition. Van Eechoud and his men immediately start with the return and in June 1940 Van Eechoud is back on the island of Ambon. The Dutch government in exile settles in London, and it wants things for its colonies to continue as normally as possible; Van Eechoud is thus asked to take up the original expedition again (Derix 1987:109). In July 1941 he leaves Ambon. Within a couple of weeks the team is back at Pionierbivak, and they continue from there further up the Mamberamo. But due to the outbreak of the war in this part of the world (the Japanese attack Pearl Harbor in December 1941), the expedition is again halted. During the further war years Van Eechoud is engaged in military intelligence work in Australia. After the war he becomes acting resident in New Guinea (although this function has never been officially ratified (Derix 1987:149)). During these years a war for independence rages in the Dutch eastern colonies, which leads to the recognition in 1949 of the independent Republic of Indonesia. Dutch New Guinea remains part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (until 1962). Van Eechoud hopes to be appointed its governor, but this never happens. Disappointed, he leaves for the Netherlands in 1950. He starts writing books, and becomes renowned and active as an expert on New Guinea and its government. On a trip back to his beloved New Guinea in 1958, Van Eechoud dies there on the 7th of September. 8 It is unclear on which information he bases this estimation. STRING FIGURES OF THE KAUWERAWEC 57 II. KAUWERAWEC STRING FIGURE COLLECTION Jan van Eechoud’s collection of Kauwerawec string figures consists of 36 black and white photographs, numbered from 1 to 34. They represent a total of 29 different string figures9. He gives names, translations, and in some cases additional remarks on the figures. Construction methods have not been recorded10. Four of the photographs (nrs 14, 20, 22 and 23) have already been published (Eechoud 1962, Plate 26). At least four different informants can be identified in Van Eechoud’s photographs: two boys and two elder men (Table 1). The boys are difficult to distinguish from each other from the photographs alone, and it is therefore to some extent unclear which boy makes which string figure. All informants are men. Table 2 gives an overview of those string figures that are made by different informants and then have different names. Table 1. Informants and the photographs on which they can be seen Informant Photograph # 1 & 2 (boys) 3 (older man) One of them each on 1-13; both make the twoplayer figure on 33. 14-16, 20-22, 26-30 4 (man with head band) 17-19, 23-25, 32, 34 <unknown> 31 Table 2. Identical string figures with different names Photograph # Name by informant 1/2 Name by informant 3 2/21 Tatabahorem Edies 5/14 Manekawetj Maries 8/22 Poedjerie Boeti 13/15 Tjabietja Soboek 9 Photograph number 10 is subdivided into 10a, 10b and 10c. Photographs 29 and 30 show two stages of the same string figure. Four string figures on the photographs appear to be identical to other string figures in the same collection, but have different names and are made by different informants (see Table 1). 10 Typescript, pages 262-264. 58 J. VAN EECHOUD & S. CLAASSEN After an English translation of the general information on Kauwerawec string figures that Van Eechoud provides, we give all photographs with the attached information in the collection, again in English translation. The original text in Dutch can be found in Appendix I. The original orthography of Kauwerawec words as it appears in the Dutch original has been preserved throughout. This means that these words are to be pronounced as by a native speaker of Dutch11. Underlining of vowels apparently indicates word stress12. We have tried to identify each Kauwerawec figure in the photographs in the collection of Philip Noble (1979), which is the largest published collection of string figures from New Guinea; if a figure does not occur there, we try to give another published collection in which it can be found. We also try to refer for each figure to a publication where comparative details can be found. Where no such publication is available, we offer short comparative notes ourselves. Van Eechoud: “String figures are generally known, among the young and old. From the dexterity it seems that one performs this game often, because also very complicated figures are quickly finished, even by adolescent boys. By the way, one shouldn’t consider this a children’s game; the elder perform it at least as much as the youngsters. All figures have a name, which most of the time has a meaning, and known as such to the Kaowerawédj. Usually the resemblance is not apparent to us, although at times it is striking. Furthermore, there are also several figures with which one performs movements that resemble something, and others that have to be accompanied by a story. Due to a lack of time I haven’t been able to trace these stories and meanings. I also didn’t have sufficient time to record the phases in the construction of the figures. Therefore only the name and its meaning is given. The general name for string figures is “tatoebjén”.”13 After this introduction, Van Eechoud gives his photographs of the various figures along with their names and some comments. The photographs (black and white) are all shot outside, possibly in Pionierbivak. 11 It is important to note that “j” is in Dutch pronounced as “y” in English “young”, not as “j” in English “jar”. Dutch “oe” is more or less pronounced as “u” in English “put”. 12 Although this is not explicitly stated in the material we had access to, this can be deduced from the pronounciation guide on page 336 of the Typescript. 13 Typescript, page 262 STRING FIGURES OF THE KAUWERAWEC 59 Photograph 1. Tjontanierietj Van Eechoud: Meaning unknown. Informant: 1 or 2. Fig. 3 - Photograph 1. Tjontanierietj The figure in the photograph (fig. 3) is similar to a figure in Philip Noble’s collection (1979:177-178, nr. 122 Boy Meets Girl), but the above photograph suggests a slightly different construction method that is related to a recording from the North Fly district starting with Opening A (Noble & Claassen 2012:156-158, North Fly 5 Two Men Fighting); the little finger then takes over the role of the thumb during the construction. Photograph 2. Tatabahorem Van Eechoud: This is the name for small darts, which one uses in some procedure to shoot soewangi to an enemy. Informant: 1 or 2. The figure in the photograph (fig. 4) is identical to the figure in photograph 21, where it is made by informant 3 and is called Edies (“rain”). Soewangi is a Malay word, used here by Van Eechoud as a technical term, meaning “night spirit” or “evil spirit” (Pijnappel 1875:36). The Kauwerawec word for this is tsjiedabétj and it refers to the ability to kill a person from a distance by mysterious means, and sometimes also to allow accidents to happen to him (Eechoud 1962:116). 60 J. VAN EECHOUD & S. CLAASSEN Fig. 4 - Photograph 2. Tatabahorem The figure is in Philip Noble’s 1979 collection (1979:74-75, nr. 40 Fight of small birds (?)); comparative notes are given in Jan Pouwer’s Kamoro collection (Pouwer & Claassen 2022:147-149, Kamoro 4 Mbòò (<bird species>)). When one quickly straightens 2345 and releases the 1 loop the figure disappears (as described in Noble’s recording, movement 8). Perhaps this is done with Van Eechoud’s figure also, as if shooting the darts. Photograph 3. Karar Van Eechoud: The name of a scaffold for a deceased person. Informant: 1 or 2. We have not been able to identify this 3D figure (fig. 5). It shows some resemblance to a figure that is common in PNG (recorded by Philip Noble (1979:127, nr. 73 Well for Cooking Fat)). Photograph 4. Piejetekwomarahienje Van Eechoud: “Piejet” is the fruit of the pinang oetan. “Kwomaharienje” is the same as “ieniesoesoej”. “kán” = vagina. Informant: 1 or 2. The pinang is the betel nut (Le Roux 1948-1950:II.1024). We have not been able to identify the figure in this photograph (fig. 6) in other collections. STRING FIGURES OF THE KAUWERAWEC Fig. 5 - Photograph 3. Karar Fig. 6 - Photograph 4. Piejetekwomarahienje 61 62 J. VAN EECHOUD & S. CLAASSEN Photograph 5. Mariekawetj Van Eechoud: “Maries” = crown pigeon, “kawetj” is in general a sharp breast of a bird. Informant: 1 or 2. Fig. 7 - Photograph 5. Mariekawetj The figure in the photograph (fig. 7) is identical to the figure in photograph 14 made by informant 3, where it is called simply Maries. A similar or identical figure is part of the series “crocodile” from Cape Vogel (Noguchi & Shishido 2003). Photograph 6. Oeboebja Van Eechoud: “Oeboebja” is a bird’s species. Informant: 1 or 2. The figure in the photograph (fig. 8) is in the collection of Philip Noble (1979:35-36, nr. 16 Sasa (“white cockatoo”)). Comparative remarks can be found in Jan Pouwer’s Kamoro collection (Pouwer & Claassen 2022:156-157, Kamoro 12 Omani (“combat stone”)). Photograph 7. Tjarow Van Eechoud: Meaning unknown. Informant: 1 or 2. STRING FIGURES OF THE KAUWERAWEC 63 Fig. 8 - Photograph 6. Oeboebja Fig. 9 - Photograph 7. Tjarow We have not been able to identify the figure in this photograph (fig. 9) in other collections. 64 J. VAN EECHOUD & S. CLAASSEN Photograph 8. Poedjierie Van Eechoud: “Poedjierie” is a species of water insect. Informant: 1 or 2. Fig. 10 - Photograph 8. Poedjierie The photograph (fig. 10) shows the same figure as that in photograph 22, where it is made by informant 3 with a doubled string, and where it obtains the name Boetie (a species of insect). It is in the collection of Philip Noble (1979:41-42, nr. 21 Zissoci (“scissors”)). Comparative remarks can be found in a collection from the Trobriand Islands (Claassen & D’Antoni 2010:117-120, nr. 14 Tokopu Kutu (“lice-catcher”)). Photograph 9. Kwomaharienje Van Eechoud: “Kwomaharienje” is: vagina. A small story is connected to this figure, about a father and his two daughters, which he lost in succession to suitors. Consecutively lozenges are pulled from the figure, after which in the end the father remains on his own. Informant: 1 or 2. A similar or identical figure to the one shown in this photograph (fig. 11) has been recorded by Darja Hoenigman among the Awiakay (Hoenigman <to be published>, nr. 25 Kuna pasa (“The front fringe of a grass skirt”)). We have not been able to identify this figure in other collections. STRING FIGURES OF THE KAUWERAWEC 65 Fig. 11 - Photograph 9. Kwomaharienje Photographs 10a-c: Namoeradje Van Eechoud: The meaning of the word “namoeradje” remains unknown. And remarks on this figure have not been obtained. Fig. 12 - Photograph 10a. Kwomaharienje. Exposition 66 J. VAN EECHOUD & S. CLAASSEN Fig. 13 - Photograph 10b. Kwomaharienje. Movement: below Fig. 14 - Photograph 10c. Kwomaharienje. Movement: above STRING FIGURES OF THE KAUWERAWEC 67 Informant: 1 or 2. Van Eechoud presents the figure and its movement in three photographs with corresponding captions (fig. 12-14) The figure is not in Philip Noble’s collection, but it is found among the Wampar (Beer & Claassen 2014:39-45, Wampar 12 Wampeadz (<proper name of a man>)), where further comparative notes can be found. Photograph 11. Sokwangar Van Eechoud: Meaning unknown. Informant: 1 or 2. Fig. 15 - Photograph 11. Sokwangar The same figure as in the photograph (fig. 15) is found in the collection of Philip Noble (1979:28, nr. 11 Tiabe (“bush hen”)). It could be the same figure as four-diamond figure in photograph 31 below (where the string crossings are not clearly visible). Based on the string crossings, the figure can not be a continuation of the string figure in photograph 16. Comparative notes can be found in Hans Fischer’s collection of Watut string figures (Claassen 2012:85, Watut 1, where it is the first figure). 68 J. VAN EECHOUD & S. CLAASSEN Photograph 12. Sobies Van Eechoud: A species of snake. Informant: 1 and 2. Fig. 16 - Photograph 12. Sobies The boys both make the figure showing symmetrically equivalent versions (one version with L and R exchanged during its construction) (fig. 16). The figures in the photograph (fig. 16) are in the collection of Philip Noble (1979:40-41, nr 20 Maha (“pig”)). Comparative remarks can be found in a collection from the West New Guinea highlands (Camps & Claassen 2010:174 -175, Hele-Mule 4). Photograph 13. Tjabiejetja Van Eechoud: A sort of “soewangi” as the Namoenawédj practice it. Informant: 1 or 2. The Namoenawédj are a group of people that live east of the Kauwerawec, and with which the Kauwerawec are not on a friendly basis (see Eechoud n.d.: II:3). For the term soewangi see remarks at Photograph 2 above. The figure in the photograph (fig. 17) appears to be identical to the figure shown in photograph 15, made by informant 3, where it is named Soboek (<species of opossum>). We have not been able to identify this figure in other collections. STRING FIGURES OF THE KAUWERAWEC Fig. 17 - Photograph 13. Sobies Fig. 18 - Photograph 14. Maries Photograph 14. Maries Van Eechoud: “Maries” is a crown pigeon. Informant: 3 69 70 J. VAN EECHOUD & S. CLAASSEN The figure in the photograph (fig. 18) is the same as that in photograph 5 above, made by informant 1 or 2, with an almost identical name (mariekawetj). See there for further notes. Photograph 15. Soboek Van Eechoud: This is a species of opossum. Informant: 3 The figure in the photograph (fig. 19) appears to be the same as that in photograph 13 (Tjabiejetja), which was made by informant 1 or 2. See there for further notes. Fig. 19 - Photograph 15. Soboek Photograph 16. Polies Van Eechoud: “Polies” is banana, or banana tree. Informant: 3 The figure in the photograph (fig. 20) can be found in the collection of Philip Noble (1979:132-135, nr. 79 Omara (“red pandanus fruit”)). Comparative notes can be found in Jan Pouwer’s Kamoro collection (Pouwer & Claassen 2022:157-158, Pouwer 13 Monè (“sugar cane”)). STRING FIGURES OF THE KAUWERAWEC 71 Fig. 20 - Photograph 16. Polies Photograph 17. Tjiebietj Van Eechoud: This represents a pig; the small lozenges close to the index fingers are the tusks. Informant: 4 Fig. 21 - Photograph 17. Tjiebietj 72 J. VAN EECHOUD & S. CLAASSEN The figure in the photograph (fig. 21) occurs as an intermediate figure in a collection filmed by Wolfgang Laade on Saibai Island (see Claassen 2014:180184, Wame 19 (Gul (“canoe”), after movement 10), where comparative notes can be found. Photograph 18. Moek Van Eechoud: This is a yearbird. Informant: 4 The figure in the photograph (fig. 22) is in the collection of Philip Noble (1979:69-71, nr. 38 Masurah (“nose paint”)). It was also found in the highlands area of PNG (Shishido & Noguchi 1987:57-58, nr. 19 A Working in Forest (first figure)) and on the Trobriand Islands (Vandendriessche 2015, supplementary material nr. 26 Vivi). Fig. 22 - Photograph 18. Moek Photograph 19. Wetjai Van Eechoud: The “wetjai” is a species of tree. Informant: 4 We have not been able to find the three-dimensional figure of photograph 19 (fig. 23) in other collections. STRING FIGURES OF THE KAUWERAWEC 73 Fig. 23 - Photograph 19. Wetjai Photograph 20. Eratje Van Eechoud: Represents a coconut. Informant: 3 We have not been able to locate the figure in the photograph (fig. 24) in collections that contain construction methods. The figure was, however, photographed in 1976 by Christian Adler among the Yali (northeast of Wamena); its name there has not been preserved (see Appendix II, Yali 1). Photograph 21. Edies Van Eechoud: The word for rain. And indeed rain is intended, as was made clear to me. Informant: 3 The figure in the photograph (fig. 25) is the same as that in photograph 2, where it was made by informant 1 or 2. See there for further notes. 74 J. VAN EECHOUD & S. CLAASSEN Fig. 24 - Photograph 20. Eratje Fig. 25 - Photograph 21. Edies STRING FIGURES OF THE KAUWERAWEC 75 Photograph 22. Boeti Van Eechoud: The name of a species of insect. Informant: 3 The figure in the photograph (fig. 26) is made with a doubled string loop. It is the same figure as that in photograph 8 above, where it is made with a single string loop by informant 1 or 2. See there for further notes. Fig. 26 - Photograph 22. Boeti Photograph 23. Adjiet Van Eechoud: A species of bird. Informant: 4 The figure in the photograph (fig. 27) appears to be almost identical to that in photograph 28 below, which is made by informant 3, but a close view of the structure of the figure and the string crossings in the marked areas (fig. 28) shows that it must be a different figure. We have not been able to identify this figure in other collections. 76 J. VAN EECHOUD & S. CLAASSEN Fig. 27 - Photograph 23. Adjiet Fig. 28 - Photograph 23. Adjiet, detail with areas marked where crossings differ from the figure in photograph 28 Photograph 24. Tamies Van Eechoud: The bread-fruit tree. Informant: 4 The figure in the photograph (fig. 29) is probably part of a longer series of figures. It is in the collection of Philip Noble (1979:47-49, nr. 25 Tia Koro Koro (meaning unclear), figure after movement 9). Comparative notes can be found in the Wampar string figure collection (Beer & Claassen 2014:52-57, Wampar 22, Warir, figure after movement 15). STRING FIGURES OF THE KAUWERAWEC Fig. 29 - Photograph 24. Tamies Photograph 25. Serakwar Van Eechoud: “Kwár” or “serakwár” is a canoe. Informant: 4 Fig. 30 - Photograph 25. Serakwar 77 78 J. VAN EECHOUD & S. CLAASSEN The figure in the photograph (fig. 30) is in the collection of Philip Noble (1979:176-177, nr. 121 Flowering Tree). It was also found in the Buna District (Rosser & Hornell 1932:47-48, nr. 16 Beramo) and on the Trobriand Islands (Vandendriessche 2015, supplementary material nr. 31 Totuwana kala niya kuliyava). Photograph 26. Panew Van Eechoud: “Panew” is the cornet-shaped storage location of sago, as is shown on plate XLIII. Informant: 3 We did not manage to obtain access to Plate XLIII which Van Eechoud mentions. The figure in the photograph (fig. 31) is very common in PNG. It is in Philip Noble’s collection (1979:153, nr. 100 Gutting the cassowwary). Comparative notes can be found in a publication on the Wampar string figure repertoire (Beer & Claassen 2014:61-63, Wampar 25 Mpo Ntsif (“water hole”)) Photograph 27. Piesamoek Van Eechoud: This is a species of snake. Informant: 3 The figure in the photograph (fig. 32) is in Philip Noble’s collection (1979:182-184, nr. 130 Shrimp). Comparative notes can be found in a publication on string figures from the North Fly District (Noble & Claassen 2012:173-174, North Fly 14). Photograph 28. Pierietj Van Eechoud: This is a small bucket of leavessheath. Informant: 3 Fig. 31 - Photograph 26. Panew STRING FIGURES OF THE KAUWERAWEC Fig. 32 - Photograph 27. Piesamoek Fig. 33 - Photograph 28. Pierietj 79 80 J. VAN EECHOUD & S. CLAASSEN The figure in the photograph (fig. 33) looks similar to the figure in photograph 23 above (made by informant 4), but it is actually different. It is in the collection of Philip Noble (1979:145-146, nr. 90 Pig; 1979188-189, nr. 139 Scraping coconut). It was also seen on Goodenough Island (Jenness 1920:304, nr. VI The Knee (Goodenough Island), in the Port Moresby area (Rosser & Hornell 1932:43, nr. VII Cassowary), at the mouth of Fly River (Landtman 1914:225 a Large Shell) and in the PNG Highlands area (Shishido & Noguchi 1987:49, nr. 11 Banana). Figures with closely related construction methods, but not using the knee are also known from the mouth of Fly River (Haddon 1930:81-82, nr. 21 A Banana Plant), from southwest PNG (Haddon 1942:31, nr. 20 A Melon Shell) and from the New Britain Province (Harbison & Reichelt 1985:22, Crab). Photographs 29 & 30. Berie-berie Van Eechoud: After the figure is finished one performs the hand movements shown, while saying “berie-berie”. Meaning unknown. Possibly it represents the Jew’s harp, but this was not confirmed. Informant: 3 The photographs (fig. 34 and 35) show two stages of the movement (Van Eechoud gives as captions “Movement: 1” and “Movement: 2”. The figure is in Philip Noble’s collection (1979:24-28, nr. 10 Ichura (“Tree rat”)). Comparative notes can be found in the publication on the string figures of the Wampar (Beer & Claassen 96-99, Wampar 50 Sefa (“lightning”)). Fig. 34 - Photograph 29. Berie-berie. Movement: 1 STRING FIGURES OF THE KAUWERAWEC 81 Fig. 35 - Photograph 30. Berie-berie. Movement: 2 Photograph 31. <no name> Van Eechoud: Name not recorded. Informant: <not clear> The string crossings of the figure are not clearly visible in the photograph (fig. 36) and the figure itself appears to be slightly distorted, which makes identification difficult. It could be the same figure (a four-diamond shape) as that in photograph 1 above (which was made by informant 1 or 2). Photograph 32. Ekak Van Eechoud: “Ekak” is hip-bone. Informant: 4 The figure in the photograph (fig. 37) is in the collection of Philip Noble (1979:54-55, nr. 29 Cuscus). Comparative notes can be found in a publication on the string figures of the Watut (Claassen 2012:99-101, Watut 47 Gunti (“tapa-beater made of stone”)). 82 J. VAN EECHOUD & S. CLAASSEN Fig. 36 - Photograph 31. <no name> Fig. 37 - Photograph 32. Ekak STRING FIGURES OF THE KAUWERAWEC 83 Photograph 33. Otj Eechoud: Meaning unknown. Informant: 1 & 2. The two-player figure in this photograph (fig. 38) is common in PNG and Oceania. It is in the collection of Philip Noble (1979:51-52, nr. 27 Eel). Comparative notes can be found in a publication on Wampar string figures (Beer & Claassen 2014:57-61, Wampar 23 Mpi (“pig”)). Fig. 38 - Photograph 33. Otj Photograph 34. Asar Eechoud: The “asar” is the sacred flute. Informant: 4 We have not been able to identify the figure in the photograph (fig. 39) in other collections. 84 J. VAN EECHOUD & S. CLAASSEN Fig. 39 - Photograph 34. Asar III. CONCLUDING REMARKS Seven out of the twenty-nine different figures (in photographs 3, 4, 7, 13/15, 19, 23 and 34) have probably not been seen before, and one figure is only known from another New Guinea photograph. One figure (in photograph 31) is difficult to identify because it appears to be distorted. Four figures (listed in Table 2 above) are made by two different informants and then receive different names. There is insufficient contextual information on the collection to account for this. It is probable that the informants are from different settlements where the string figures are given different interpretations and names. If this is the case, it is striking, as the Kauwerawec are a small group, consisting of less than 200 people. The persons making the string figures in the photographs were all male. Two of them were boys, the two others were adults. To what extent this is representative for the Kauwerawec string figure tradition is unknown. STRING FIGURES OF THE KAUWERAWEC 85 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We would like to thank the following people for their contribution to and help with this paper: • The Kauwerawec people who shared their string figure tradition with Jan van Eechoud in 1939. • Jan van Eechoud, for making photographs and collecting contextual information on the Kauwerawec string figures. • Sjoerd Jaarsma from Papua Heritage Foundation for pointing us to and providing us with a copy of Jan van Eechoud’s expedition report that contains his photographs. • Philip Noble for his help with identifying the string figures in the photographs. • Mark Sherman for improving the quality of the photographs and for providing additional information on the collection. • Christian Adler for providing us with the four Yali photographs and allowing us to publish them. LITERATURE CITED Beer, B. and Claassen, S. (2014) “The Wampar String Figure Repertoire in Comparative Perspective: Social change and interethnic relations in Papua New Guinea.” Bulletin of the International String Figure Association 21:15-141. Bijlmer, H.J.T (1923) Met de Centraal Nieuw-Guinee-Expeditie Ao 1920, naar een onbekenden Volksstam in het Hooggebergte. Overgedrukt uit “De Aarde en haar Volken” 1923, Nos 5-9. British Association for the Advancement of Science (1929) Notes and Queries on Anthropology. Fifth Edition. London: The Royal Anthropological Institute. Camps, J. & Claassen, S. (2010) “String figures from the highlands of West New Guinea.” Bulletin of the International String Figure Association 17:129-204. Claassen, S. (2012) “Hans Fischer’s Watut String Figure Collection Revisited.” Bulletin of the International String Figure Association 19:70-140. Claassen, S. (2014) “Wame: String Figure Chants and Stories from Saibai Island, Torres Strait; Wolfgang Laade’s 1966 film revisited.” Bulletin of the International String Figure Association 21:142-243. Claassen, S. & D’Antoni, J. (2010) “Some Trobriand Islands string figures.” Bulletin of the International String Figure Association 17:72-128. Derix, J. (1987) Baba Papoea. Jan P.K. van Eechoud, een biografie. Venlo: Uitgeverij Van Spijk B.V. Eechoud, J.P. van (n.d.) Verslag van de Exploratietocht naar Centraal Nieuw Guinea, begonnen op 3 Mei 1939, afgebroken wegens het uitbreken van den oorlog op 10 Mei 1940, onder leiding van den Commissaris van politie 2e klasse J.P.K. van Eechoud. [3 Vols, typescript] <https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=MMKB31:026629000:pdf>, accessed 18th of March 2023. Eechoud, J. van (1953) Met kapmes en kompas door Nieuw-Guinea. Amsterdam: Uitgeverij V/H C. de Boer Jr. 86 J. VAN EECHOUD & S. CLAASSEN Eechoud, J.P.K. van (1962). Etnografie van de Kaowerawédj (Centraal Nieuw-Guinea). Verhandelingen van het Koninklijk Instituut voor Taal-, Land- en Volkenkunde, Deel 37. ’s Gravenhage: Martinus Nijhoff. Haddon, K. (1930) Artists in String. String Figures: Their Regional Distribution and Social Significance. London: Methuen & Co. Haddon, K. (1942) String Games for Beginners. 2nd Edition. Cambridge: Heffer. Harbison, R. and Reichelt, R. (1985) “Some String Figures from Papua New Guinea.” Bulletin of String Figures Association 11:18-27. Jenness, D. (1920) “Papuan cat’s cradles.” Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute 50:299-326. Landtman, G. (1914) “Cat’s cradles of the Kiwai Papuans, British New-Guinea.” Anthropos 9:221-232. Leeden, A.C. van der (1962) Voorwoord. II. In: Etnografie van de Kaowerawédj (Centraal Nieuw-Guinea), pp. 9-11. Le Roux, C. (1926) “Expeditie naar het Nassau-Gebergte in Centraal Noord Nieuw Guinea.” Tijdschrift voor Indische Taal-, Land- en Volkenkunde LXVI:447-513. Le Roux, C. (1948-1950) De Bergpapoea’s van Nieuw-Guinea en hun woongebied. (3 volumes). Leiden: E.J. Brill. Noble, P.D. (1979) String figures of Papua New Guinea. Boroko: Institute of Papua New Guinea Studies. Noble, P.D. & Claassen, S. (2012) “Some North Fly District String Figures.” Bulletin of the International String Figure Association 19:141-183. Noguchi, H. & Shishido, Y. (2003) “Crocodile: A string figure series from Papua New Guinea.” Bulletin of the International String Figure Association 10:256-262. Pijnappel, J. (1875) Maleisch-Hollandsch Woordenboek. Tweede, geheel nieuwe uitgaaf. Haarlem: Joh. Enschedé en Zonen. <https://archive.org/details/ ahy2565.0001.001.umich.edu>, accessed 18th of March 2023. Postel-Coster, E. (1962) “Inleiding.” In: Etnografie van de Kaowerawédj (Centraal Nieuw-Guinea), pp. 10-12. Pouwer, J. & Claassen, S. (2022) “String Figures of the Kamoro (West New Guinea).” Bulletin of the International String Figure Association 29:138-195. Rivers, W.H.R. & Haddon, A.C. (1902) “A method of recording string figures and tricks.” Man 2:146-53. Rosser, W.E. & Hornell, J. (1932) “String figures from British New Guinea.” Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute 62:39-50. Rutherford, D. (2015) “Demonstrating the Stone-Age in Dutch New Guinea.” In: From ‘Stone-Age’ to ‘Real-Time’. Exploring Papuan Temporalities, Mobilities and Religiosities. Canberra: ANU Press. Shishido, Y. & Noguchi, H. (1987) “Some string figures of highland people in Papua New Guinea.” Bulletin of String Figures Association 14:38-69. Silzer, P.J. and Clouse, H.H. (1991) Index of Irian Jaya Languages. Second Edition. A Special Publication of Irian, Bulletin of Irian Jaya. Jayapura: SIL. Vandendriessche, E. (2015) String Figures as Mathematics?: An Anthropological Approach to String Figure-making in Oral Tradition Societies. London: Springer. STRING FIGURES OF THE KAUWERAWEC 87 APPENDIX I. VAN EECHOUD’S ORIGINAL DUTCH TEXT De touwtjesfiguren zijn algemeen bekend, bij klein en groot. Blijkens de vaardigheid schijnt men dit spel vaak te beoefenen, want ook zeer ingewikkelde figuren worden vlot afgewerkt, zelfs door opgeschoten jongens. Overigens beschouwe men dit niet als een kinderspel: de ouderen doen het zeker zooveel als de jongeren. Alle figuren hebben een naam en de meeste ook een woordbeteekenis, bij den Kaowerawédj ook als zoodanig bekend. Meestal is die gelijkenis voor ons niet zichtbaar, doch soms is zij wel opvallend. Voorts zijn er meerdere figuren bij, waarmee men bewegingen uitvoert, die iets moeten voorstellen, terwijl andere weer vergezeld dienen te gaan van een verhaal. Bij gebrek aan tijd heb ik die verhalen en beteekenissen niet kunnen achterhalen, terwijl eveneens de tijd heeft ontbroken om den opbouw van de figuur in phasen vast te leggen. Volstaan dient dan ook te worden met het noemen van den naam en de woordbeteekenis. De verzamelnaam voor touwfiguren is: “tatoebjén”. fig. 1. Tjontanierietj. Geen woordbetekenis bekend. fig. 2. Tatabahorem. Dit is de naam voor de kleine pijltjes, welke men in een of ander procede gebruikt om soewangi te schieten naar een vijand. fig. 3. Karar. De naam voor de doodenstellage. fig. 4. Piejetekwomarahienje. “Piejet” is de vrucht van de pinang oetan. “Kwomaharienje” is hetzelfde als “ieniesoesoeje” = “kán” = vagina. fig. 5. Mariekawetj. “Maries” = kroonduif, “Kawetj” is in het algemeen een spitse vogelborst. fig. 6. Oeboebja. “Oeboebja” is een vogelsoort. fig. 7. Tjarow. Geen woordbeteekenis bekend. fig. 8. Poedjierie. “Poedjierie” is een soort waterinsect. fig. 9. Kwomaharienje. “Kwomaharienje” is: vagina. Aan deze figuur is een verhaaltje verbonden van een vader en zijn twee dochters, die hij successievelijk aan pretendenten kwijtraakte. Opvolgend worden er lussen uit de figuur getrokken, waarna uiteindelijk de vader alleen achterblijft. 88 J. VAN EECHOUD & S. CLAASSEN figuren 10 a/c. Namoeradje. De beteekenis van het woord “namoeradje” werd niet bekend. Een toelichting op de figuur werd ook niet verkregen. fig. 11. Sokwangar. Woordbeteekenis onbekend. fig. 12. Sobies. Een soort slang. fig. 13. Tjabiejetja. Een soort “soewangi” zooals de Namoenawédj die bedrijven. fig. 14. Maries. “Maries” is een kroonduif. fig. 15. Soboek. Dit is een soort buidelrat. fig. 16. Polies. “Polies” is: pisang, of pisangboom. fig. 17. Tjiebietj. Dit stelt een varken voor; de kleine lusjes bij de wijsvingers zijn de slagtanden. fig. 18. Moek. Dit is een jaarvogel. fig. 19. Wetjai. De “wetjai” is een boomsoort. fig. 20. Eratje. Stelt een klapper voor. fig. 21. Edies. Het woord voor “regen” men bedoelt ook inderdaad de regen, naar men duidelijk toelichtte. fig. 22. Boetie. De naam van een soort insect. fig. 23. Adjiet. Een vogelsoort. fig. 24. Tamies. De broodboom. fig. 25. Serakwar. “Kwár” of “serakwár” is een prauw. fig. 26. Panew. “Panew” is de puntzakvormige bewaarplaats voor sago, zoals afgebeeld op Plaat XLIII. fig. 27. Piesamoek. Dit is een soort slang. fig. 28. Pierietj. Dit is een emmertje van bladscheede. STRING FIGURES OF THE KAUWERAWEC 89 fig. 29 en 30. Berie-berie. Nadat de figuur gereed is, maakt men de afgebeelde handbewegingen, daarbij zeggend: “berie-berie”. Beteekenis onbekend. Mogelijk is het een voorstelling van de mondharp, doch dit werd niet bevestigd. fig. 31. Naam niet genoteerd. fig. 32. Ekak. “Ekak is: heupbeen. fig. 33. Otj. Beteekenis onbekend. fig. 34. Asar. De “asar” is de heilige fluit. 90 J. VAN EECHOUD & S. CLAASSEN APPENDIX II. FOUR PHOTOGRAPHS OF STRING FIGURES OF THE YALI German ethnologist Christian Adler, on a trip to the Meq people, photographed four string figures which were made by women of the Yali (living northeast of Wamena, New Guinea) in 1976. He did not record contextual information on these figures. Yali 1. This photograph (fig. a1) shows the same figure as in Photograph 20 in the Kauwerawec collection. Its construction method is unknown. Fig. a1 - Yali 1 Yali 2. The photograph (fig. a2) shows the same figure as Photograph 6 in the Kauwerawec collection above. STRING FIGURES OF THE KAUWERAWEC 91 Fig. a2 - Yali 2 Yali 3. The figure in the photograph (fig. a3) is in Philip Noble’s collection (1979:149 -150, nr 95 Mount Hagen Axe). Comparative notes can be found in a collection Fig. a3 - Yali 3 92 J. VAN EECHOUD & S. CLAASSEN of string figures from the Trobriand Islands (Claassen & D’Antoni 2010:101105, nr. 11 Kalipudou (bird species), figure after movement 9). Yali 4. Exact string crossings of the figure are difficult to discern in the photograph (fig. a4). The figure seems to be related to a figure in Philip Noble’s collection (1979:59-60, nr. 59 House). Fig. a4 - Yali 4