Gebusi Notes
Anthro Gebusi Notes:
Part 1:
* N (Narrator) and Eileen are from University of Michigan—traveled on government funds to research inexistent people (the Kramo) in New Guinea * They ended up in Honibo land, where they were wanted to stay but bad misquitos, weather, etc. drove them to go to their carrior’s land * Yuway: couldn’t communicate well but was strong and helped them on their voyage, most patient, insightful, and pleasant helper to N learning the language * Gono: never spoke much, always alert * Hawi: nominal interpreter, socially and physically agile * Swamin: older, muscular, funny, spirit medium, held séances on regular basis * Found themselves near Yibihilu (“place of deeps waters) with the Gebusi people * Gebusi became independent in 1975 * Gebusi’s greatest gift was their starchy bananas * Everybody had “exchange names” for each other based on gifts they had given or received from the other person * When they first arrived, N and Eileen accepted feast of bananas and then motioned to share with everyone, leading to more acceptance * Australians had visited yearly before N and Eileen arrived, taking the census—also provided outside goods—Austrailians stopped coming so when N and Eileen showed up every village they visited wanted them to live there * Gebusi neighbors, the Bedamini, were larger and attacked—Australians protected the Gebusi from their attacks * Men accepted N more and women spend time with Eileen * Kogwayay: refers to customs that make Gebusi different from others, dominated by men * Kog: togetherness, friendship, and similarity * Wa: to talk * Yay: to cheer, yell, joke, cry out loudly and happily, etc, vital assertion of collective life * At night, men would speak loudly on porch, women quietly indoors * Much male dominance in all celebrations and séances * Gebusi built N and Eileen a house * Gebusi only had numerical system of
Part 1:
* N (Narrator) and Eileen are from University of Michigan—traveled on government funds to research inexistent people (the Kramo) in New Guinea * They ended up in Honibo land, where they were wanted to stay but bad misquitos, weather, etc. drove them to go to their carrior’s land * Yuway: couldn’t communicate well but was strong and helped them on their voyage, most patient, insightful, and pleasant helper to N learning the language * Gono: never spoke much, always alert * Hawi: nominal interpreter, socially and physically agile * Swamin: older, muscular, funny, spirit medium, held séances on regular basis * Found themselves near Yibihilu (“place of deeps waters) with the Gebusi people * Gebusi became independent in 1975 * Gebusi’s greatest gift was their starchy bananas * Everybody had “exchange names” for each other based on gifts they had given or received from the other person * When they first arrived, N and Eileen accepted feast of bananas and then motioned to share with everyone, leading to more acceptance * Australians had visited yearly before N and Eileen arrived, taking the census—also provided outside goods—Austrailians stopped coming so when N and Eileen showed up every village they visited wanted them to live there * Gebusi neighbors, the Bedamini, were larger and attacked—Australians protected the Gebusi from their attacks * Men accepted N more and women spend time with Eileen * Kogwayay: refers to customs that make Gebusi different from others, dominated by men * Kog: togetherness, friendship, and similarity * Wa: to talk * Yay: to cheer, yell, joke, cry out loudly and happily, etc, vital assertion of collective life * At night, men would speak loudly on porch, women quietly indoors * Much male dominance in all celebrations and séances * Gebusi built N and Eileen a house * Gebusi only had numerical system of