| caption: |
stone axes come from the sky |
| text: |
Now we went to Ahon's house where at first I treated his hands and legs for some superficial infections. Then the conversation turned to stone axes which are firmly believed here to have come from the sky and brought down by lightning. When a tree is hit by lightning no one may go near it until the owner and an old man have held a genna. When they go out to do it they carry green leaves in their hands so that no one may speak to them. On that day the entire village stays at home. When they reach the place where the lightning has hit they approach the tree with a big banana leaf which they carry in front of them while bowing several times. Then they set up a fence around the tree, (187) kill a chicken and put head and feet onto the trellis. When they return they first stay for half an hour in the drum house, next they go to the morung, and only then home. |
