They are believed
to have Papuan or Papuo-Melanesian blood in their veins. But, even
if they also have another distinct and more primitive ancestry of
their own, not associated with the Papuo-Melanesian types, or even
with the pure Papuan types, found on the coast and in the plains,
one would imagine that contact with these types would have caused
the Mafulu people to learn something of the more advanced art which
these other peoples display and that we should not have to record
a sudden drop from artistic designs embodying curves and natural
imitative art to a system confined to straight lines, zig-zags,
and spots. This contact with the coast and plain people, or at all
events with the latter, has certainly existed for some time back;
for, though the mutual fear and antagonism between coast and mountain
natives, which is usually found among savage peoples, has doubtless
existed in this case, and is even now not altogether eradicated, [91]
direct or indirect trading relationship, including in particular the
interchange of the stone implements and feathers of the mountains for
the shell decorations of the coast, is not a mere recent development
of the last few years only. It seems to me that the existence of this
decorative hiatus points to a rather small inherent sense of design in
the Mafulu mind. It may be, however, that the absence of imitative art,
to which I have already referred in connection with totemism and clan
badges, is partly due to the absence of totemism and of the imitative
stimulus, which, as Dr. Haddon has more than once pointed out, [92]
arises from it.

CHAPTER XIV

Music and Singing, Dancing and Toys and Games

Music and Singing.

The Mafulu people are naturally musical and have good musical
ears--much more so than is the case in Mekeo and on the coast,
thus conforming to what I believe to be a general rule that music is
usually more indigenous in hill country than it is in the plains. Their
instruments are the drum, the jew's-harp and a small flute; but the
flute is not a true Mafulu instrument, and has probably been acquired
from Mekeo.

The drum (Plate 75, Fig. 3) is like the Mekeo drum, but smaller,
and its open end is cut in deep indentations. The wooden body of the
drum is made from various trees. A pine tree is the favourite one;
but others are used, including a tree the native name of which is
_arive_, which word is also the native word for a drum. The membrane
is made of