d some of them are constructed in specific
ways, and have specific carved and painted decorations, some of which
are imitative of animals and objects held in veneration; and these
different types of club-house, which include one used only by elderly
bachelors and widowers, have specific names--all of which is quite
different from what is found in Mafulu. Among these club-houses Father
Egedi includes one built at feast times higher up the ridge, outside
the village, for guests' accommodation, which, though apparently
somewhat similar in purpose to the guests' houses at a Mafulu feast,
differs from them in form. Indeed, as regards building construction,
the only point of strong similarity between the Kuni and the Mafulu
which I can trace is the long fireplace extending from front to back
of the building, which with the Kuni is apparently very like that of
the Mafulu.

Father Egedi's statement as to Kuni cannibalism, that speaking
generally it appears to be confined to the bodies of people killed in
war or in private vendetta, and that, though other cases are recorded,
they are regarded as a violation of a custom and are detested, might be
equally well said of the Mafulu; though I did not actually hear of any
known record there of the other cases mentioned. Again his statement
that the actual killer must not share in the feast holds good with
the Mafulu; but I believe that this idea exists elsewhere also.

Concerning the Kuni implements I can only refer to Dr. Seligmann's
statement, [127] that they do not appear to use bows and
shields--which, if correct, is a point of difference between them and
the Mafulu--and to a few other things referred to by Father Egedi in
his articles. From his descriptions I should imagine that the Kuni
pig-bone implements and their bamboo cutting knives are similar, and
that their wooden vegetable dishes are somewhat similar to those of
the Mafulu. But the Kuni have cooking pots (which they get from the
coast), and use forks and spoons and various other implements and
utensils which are not found in Mafulu, and their mode of producing
fire is quite different from the Mafulu mode.

I recognise that the above comparative notes on Kuni culture are only
of a very fragmentary character; but Father Egedi expresses the general
opinion that, though the language of the Kuni people is Melanesian,
their habits and customs "may be considered as making one with those
of the Mafulu people."

On the whole