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Category:

Hunting(1)

Topic:

Traps

Consultant:

Poar

Fai = Spring trap

This trap is used for catching wild pigs, and one on a smaller scale is used for trapping wild fowl. The pig trap has a pa or wall around it to bring the pig across the noose to the bait.

First a strong pliable branch of wood like orange is set bowed in the ground near the tree which is to be the spring. The branch is set with both ends firmly dug in the ground. Then the post to hold the trigger is set between it and the tree. The tree is bent down, a strong piece of sinnet is tied around this supple tree and a knot made in the line just where it passes the bowed branch. Through this knot is passed a stick which is caught under the branch to hold the tree bent down. Another strung stick is set against the smaller stick to keep it from slipping and this is braced against the post which has been set just the right distance away to hold it.

This stick between the trigger and the post is low to the ground so that the pig must step over it or kick it. The pa is made around the trap so that the pig must come in opposite the stick near the ground, and not come near the other parts. The bait of coconuts cut open is placed on the other side of the stick so that the pig will come in the entrance walk across the stick to the food. The noose is set around this stick and when the pig kicks it, the trigger stick is released and the tree snaps up pulling the sinet tied to its end and catching the pig by a leg in the noose.

Snares were set in trees with the same principle of the fai. Noose laid on branch--not explained further.

Gum of the breadfruit? was smeared over branches where game birds were seen to roost and they were stuck until the hunter came to take them.

A sketch is included in the original notes

Category:

Hunting(2)

Topic:

Traps

Consultant:

Aisake

Traps for wild fowl were laid by setting up a coconut with the top lopped off and only a little meat left on the bottom. Two nooses were left over the opening of the coconut just the same circumference and then secured to nearby trees. The fowl would perch on the nut husk and stick its neck down the opening to get the meat on the bottom. When it pulled its neck up its feathers would pick up the nooses or one and if it continued pecking at the coconut meat would usually get both nooses around its neck. Then when it flew away, it would snare itself and be held by the tied nooses.

Category:

Hunting(3)

Topic:

Wild pigs

Consultant:

Timote

Dogs set on pigs and chased them down the runs where a man with spears would be waiting to kill them as they passed.

Trap
Supple trees bent over and sinnet tied to one end and then left in loop on the ground. Coconut split open and laid as bait. When pig eats bait, it will loose catch sticks and the tree will spring up and catch pig with loop by leg.

Gods called on before hunting.

Enclosure traps with doors. Both these and spring traps used for snaring birds. Enclosure trap would have roof. Rotuman did not care for birds, did not trap much.

Category:

Hunting(4)

Topic:

Rats

Consultant:

Rosiama

Rotumans in the old times used to go to Tonga, but she could not remember any of their names. The Rotumans who went are supposed to have taught the Tongans how to eat rats, while the Tongans introduced the pigs to the Rotumans.

Rats were trapped on the food trays in coconuts. The top of the coconut would be cut off and all the meat except that at the bottom would be cut out. The nut would be hung under the suspending rope of the tray so that the rat would climb down into the nut. The rat was trapped in some way not explained by the informant.

Neither she nor C. Jacobsen knew of rats being shot by the chiefs with bows and arrows, as a sport. The bow was called loloki.

See next note.

Category:

Hunting(5)

Topic:

Rat shooting

Consultant:

Cornish

It was a sport in the old days for the chiefs, each armed with a bow and arrow to walk single file through the bush. The one in front was to shoot every rat, and upon failing had to return to the end of the line, and allow the next to shoot.

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