| Description |
The Awiakay paddle upriver and into the smaller creeks to go fishing, or to their bushcamps to hunt or to process sago. A paddle is therefore used on a daily basis. While the Awiakay’s downriver neighbours, the Ambonwari, have differently shaped male and female paddles, the Awiakay do not make such a distinction either in naming paddles, nor in their shape. The only difference between Awiakay paddles is in their length; a shorter one is usually used by a woman who sits in the back of the canoe, whereas the man who steers the canoe is standing in the front, using a longer paddle. Awiakay paddles are not as exquisitely carved or decorated as are those of their downriver neighbours, the Karawari and the Sepik people, but are modestly carved at the top. However, along with killing a pig and making a clearing for a garden, making his own paddle used to be considered important for any young man who was about to get married.
While this string figure is called ’a paddle’ it actually represents the action of paddling. When the design is finished, the maker invariably starts ‘paddling’ with it, marking the function of this object.
Images:
02: Darja Munbaŋgoapik showing the final design of monaŋ ‘a paddle’
03: monaŋ ‘a paddle’
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