Midi

Midi is one of the Kuanua words that had almost disappeared from the Kuanua vocabulary and was on the brink of extinction. The closest phrase that has some relationship to midi is nuk midimidi or nuk midamida. Nuk midimidi means feast in remembrance and honor of dead relatives.

Midi itself is a necklace made from a type of sea shell. From historical photographs it strongly appears that it is worn by males. Pur is the term that is still in use as the name for the necklace worn by people during ceremonies, including dances. Pur is made from tagete leaves and other natural fibres, while midi is made entirely from one type of sea shell except for the rope that is used to string the shells together. The general name for necklace is kurkurua.

This cultural piece (midi) is just beginning to be revived through study and research for a master’s thesis by Lisa Hilli. While doing her study she communicated with me and Gidoen Kakabin (New Guinea Island Historical Society) regarding her research and in one of her correspondences she wrote:

In a couple of weeks I will be for the first time publicly presenting some outcomes of my Masters research into Tolai Middi, through an exhibition in Brisbane, QLD. A key aim within my research is to repatriate back knowledge to the Tolai community, within PNG and Australia. This is an image of Pearson Vetuna, Tabunatip Clan, wearing the middi that I have made. Making this middi was a very special and profound experience and connected me to my cultural ancestry. I chose Uncle Pearson as he is a respected elder in the Tolai & PNG community here in Melbourne. I have gained A LOT from using this very special and unique group and thought it was time to give something back. Thank you Gideon for establishing this group - see facebook isn't such a bad thing is it? 

Photo by Lisa Hilli showing Pearson wearing a midi, 2015.

Tolai man wearing a midi c,1883
The photo is from R. Parkinson's records  that was recently shared by Gideon Kakabin in New Guinea Islands Historical Society's timeline on Facebook, 2016)

The time difference between these two photographs is from about 1883 to 2015. Fortunately the word midi was recorded by R, Parkinson in the form of a photo of a Tolai man wearing a midi. Over a hundred years later Lisa Hilli studied this cultural piece of jewelry and recreated the midi which is shown in the first photo.

Ornamental Plants

Some ornamental plants used for body decorations (minong ba marmar) in Rabaul during various traditional activities. Tagete is used frequently to make pendants (midal) and pur. The tigil and lomo are also used for other purposes such as in making ku.

Tagete (iki)

Tagete (iki)

Tigil (iki)

Labira (iki)

Lomo (iki)

Tagete (iki)

Vocabulary from Galip to Gugu

Galip to Gugu

galip 1. A tree that bears edible nuts. 2. galip nuts.
Like the coconut the galip has been a source of food for centuries and now a source of income for villagers who sell the nuts at Kokopo market. The long nut is known as gulum and there is another type whose outer soft skin is purple is called ngarikoko. The nut is also called galip.
Aina galip. A galip tree.

galipuna      Seedling; seedling of. var. midir; midirina
Seedlings from nuts are called galip or midir.
Nam a galipuna ma namo a dawaina. That is the seedling and over there is the tree.

galum   Kiss. galumia - Kiss him/her/it. wargalum; n. galgalum; pres. cont.

galume         Hold in the mouth. galgalume; pres. cont.
Koko u galume ra galip. Do not hold the galip nut in your mouth.

galowo         A plant whose leaves are used for food and general wrapping. There are various species of galowo that are used for food wrapping. A similar plant related to galowo is gaga and the leaves are also used for food wrapping.
Una kumit pa ta ura mapina galowo. Get two galowo leaves

gamata        A fruit tree. var. tagia (Raluana). Gamata is a fruit tree that bears juicy fruits. Like the coconut and galip, gamata is also one of the valuable trees for its fruit and wood. The fruit is commonly found at Kokopo market during season.

gami 1. A species of small black ant. 2. Spit at
A gami itupia tara mao na waiaka. There are plenty of black ants on the ripe waiaka banana.

gamul  1. Blunt; gamuluna; 2. Adult male without any facial hair (beard).
Taumana tutana aumana gamul. Some men do not have facial hair.

gap   blood; var. gapu (Boawa) gapi blood of. var. gapui; gapum Your blood;

gapugu  My blood gapuna His/her/its blood

gawul  1.Cloud. 2. Obscured.
A korong na gawul. Thick black cloud.

ge 1.brush; vb.  to clean. gege brush n. 2. Dry.

Ge ra palangiam. Brush your teeth.

gege crooked; not straight gegene;; bent object. var. potok; potokina

gegelul         Seesaw; swing. var. gogolil

geo n.   Rope used for tying an animal, especially a pig, so that it does not wander off. Geo is also used as a verb.

gi      vb.Cut into small pieces. ginigi   n.Cuttings

gigi   1. Lemon grass. 2. Cut into small pieces. 3. Clear: clear off twigs and logs from an area prepared for gardening.

gigie Crush; crush between the palms. gigigie; present continuous
Una gigie ra kuburi ra guava.You crush the young guava leaves.

gilaur  Sea weed.

gilu   1. Out of tune. 2. A species of reef fish that inhabits areas where see weeds are found.

ginigira        1. Impression. 2. Vision , dream.

gire   see. giregire      pres. cont. gigira   the act of seeing, viewing.

go     1. Spear; to spear. 2. sharp pointed. 3. this. var. gono, gon

gori today; now. var. ieri (Raluana)

ToBata na pot gori. Mr Bata will arrive today.

gogol   1. Rainbow. 2. Singe; burn

gogor  1. to strip. 2. young palm leaf

gol    vb. sprout. ginol n. ; goagol pres. cont

golom Wood cut, peeled, and dried in preparation to be used in building a house. Also refers to secondary growth comprising mostly of wood.

gomgom   Clean; free from impurity. gomgomuna   Clean one. var. gomgomina. wagomgom vb. warwagomgom n; advb

gu     Merry. gugu happy gugu leke overjoyed.

guan Rock to and fro; shake; guane  To shake; guaguane pres.cont

gugu Happy. Gugu mat. Very happy. Gugu leke. Over joy.

Vocabulary from Galip to Gugu

Galip to Gugu

galip 1. A tree that bears edible nuts. 2. galip nuts.

galipuna      Seedling; seedling of

galum   Kiss

galume         Hold in the mouth.

galowo         A plant whose leaves are used for food and general wrapping.

gamata        A fruit tree. var. tagia (Raluana)

gami A species of small black ant.

gamul  1. Blunt; 2. Adult male without any facial hair, e.g. beard.

gap   blood;; var. gapu (Boawa)

gapi blood of. var. gapui

gapum         Your blood

gapugu        My blood

gapuna        His/her/its blood

gawul  1.Cloud. 2. Obscured.

ge     1.brush; vb.  to clean. 2. Dry

gege brush n.

gege crooked; not straight; bent.

gegelul         Seesaw; swing. var. gogolil

geo   Rope used for tying an animal, especially a pig.

gi      vb.Cut into small pieces

gigi   1. Lemon grass. 2. Cut into small pieces. 3. Clear: clear off twigs and logs from an area prepared for gardening.

gigie Crunch; crunch between the palms

gilaur  Sea weed.

gilu   1. Out of tune. 2. A species of reef fish that inhabits areas where see weeds are found.

ginigi   n.Cuttings

ginigira        1. Impression. 2. Vision , dream.

gire   see

giregire        Pres. cont. of gire

gigira   the act of seeing

go     1. Spear; to spear. 2. sharp pointed. 3. this. var. gono, gon

gori today; now. var. ieri (Raluana)

gogol   1. Rainbow. 2. Singe; burn

gogor  1. to strip. 2. young palm leaf

gol    vb. sprout. n. ginol; pres. cont. goagol

golom Wood cut, peeled, and dried in preparation to be used in building a house. Also refers to secondary growth comprising mostly of wood.

gomgom                  Clean; free from impurity.

gomgomuna   Clean one var. gomgomina

gu     Merry

guan Rock to and fro; shake

guane  To shake

gugu Happy. Gugu mat. Very happy. Gugu leke. Over joy.