Ted Schwartz and Alan Lomax discuss the Manus of Papua New Guinea

Note: Discussion of Manus cultural continuity, psychology, fishing, and song style. Despite changes, there is continuity in Manus' view of how they communicate with the world and with supernatural reality that they see underlying empirical reality. They see surface meanings as concealing layers of hidden meanings. In keeping with Melanesian pattern of suspicion, Manus distrust sensory impressions. In politics they assume that discourse goes on at various levels. Manus displace anxiety onto dead and onto Europeans. Schwartz believes that that in their music this element is found chiefly in the texts, which are characterized by allusion and metaphor. Alan Lomax sees deliberate indefiniteness, giving an impression of lack of confidence in Manus musical style. They sing in low voices with many hesitations| lack a clear rhythmic pattern alternates with sporadic pattern. Schwartz thinks the impression of vagueness is absolutely wrong. Manus like to be extremely precise. They are very interested in litigation and formalism. Their kinship system is highly formal. In music they strive for absolute synchronicity. No harmony. Verbally they use intentional concealment, i.e., coding not vagueness. They have an unparalleled mastery of spatial relationships and use memorized patterns (tattoos) not rhythms, which is why their music seems unrhythmic to us. Traditional Manus society was one of constant warfare and witchcraft. There was treachery and ambush rather than open conflict. They might wait ten years to gain confidence of an enemy before ambushing him. There is trust only between brothers of same lineage. Manus kinship system is one of dispersed networks of marital exchange. Primary relationship is that of brother and sister. Wife might be a spy for her clan. Woman marries out of clan and is isolated at first. She retains secondary fishing rights (for her children) in her own clan. Avoidance conventions result in relationships where all interaction is taboo and also in ?joking? relationships between cross cousins. Greater number of relationships mean greater prestige. Fishing: Manus have a different technology for every kind of fish, different social organization, different material culture. Some schools spawn in rivers, some in coral reefs. Some are speared, others caught with hooks. Spear fishing is done with lineage mates, cross-cousins who work well together. Action is coordinated but without formal planning. Focus of the social system is mourning ritual where two kinds of relationship come together. Song for Manus commemorates. Prototype of composer is an old woman but there are men who are commissioned to compose endrelangs Singing requires planning, precise memorization, and rehearsal. Singers sometimes hesitate because they forget. Other hesitations indicated stylized sobbing. They do sing softly, but begin with loud ?Yayeh, yaheh? wails expressing real grief, especially if they knew the deceased. Most songs sung with support and there is a simple analogy of social relationship of leader and supporter. Manus are distrustful, but individual men and women possess great confidence. Can do in minutes spatial puzzle that takes Europeans hours to do. No learning curve because they do it well the first time. Manus are very detail oriented and intellectual. Schwartz disagrees with Lomax that Manus singing style is hesitant, but agrees that they are depressive. Also notes they have a great fear of being blocked. Mothers stuff premasticated food into infant?s mouth. Manus are afraid of illness and also constipation, which can be fatal among them. They are compulsive and depression prone, they start mourning long before sick person dies. They now sing modern acculturated music with ukelele and guitar, but endrelangs are still being sung. Ballads are sung by two women together, in old days they would be sisters, now they could be friends, a new relationship.