DOI article:
Marecek, Thomas M.: Shifting cultivation among the Duna of Papua New Guinea
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.49000#0087
SHIFTING CULTIVATION
81
Fig. 3. Clearing undergrowth with a machete
(May, 1975).
Das Unterholz wird mit einer Machete geschnitten.
ground looking for tubers. Fence-building is
the hardest work men perform in the gardens:
they must take long hikes into the forest look-
ing for cane and vine for lashings; they must
cut literally hundreds of poles from the proper
wood (one that does not rot quickly in the
subtropical weather); and they must sharpen
each pole at one end, thrust it firmly into the
ground, and tightly lash it to other poles to
make a strong fence. Men save themselves
from much of this work by building a com-
mon fence around contiguous gardens and by
using poles from fences of gardens that have
already gone fallow.
The Duna build two types of fence. One
type is constructed by placing sections of tree
trunks, 3-4.5 m long by 10-20 cm in diameter,
horizontally, on top of one another, to a
height of about 1.5 m. Vertical poles are placed
along the length of the tree trunks on each side
of the fence. The vertical poles are lashed to
each other and to the tree trunks while other
poles are planted into the ground and wedged
Fig. 4. Cutting a tree with a steel axe. Most of the
undergrowth has been cut and is already drying
(June, 1975).
Ein Baum wird mit einer stahlernen Axt gefallt.
Der Grohteil des Unterholzes wurde bereits ge-
schnitten und liegt zum Trocknen da (June 1975).
against the outside vertical poles to act as
braces (fig. 6).
The other type offence requires more work
and skill to construct. Large trees are carefully
split into small boards, each one about 1.5 m
long, 15-25 cm wide and 2-5 cm thick. The
boards are sharpened at one or both ends, and
one end is thrust firmly into the ground.
Other boards are tightly lashed horizontally
to the vertical poles making a sturdy picket
fence (fig. 7).
By the end of July, the cut vegetation has
usually dried sufficiently to be burned. Burn-
ing provides the soil with mineral nutrients,
which in turn means better yields. It is also a
fast and efficient way to rid the land of un-
wanted vegetation (fig. 8). The Duna do not
seem to take advantage of the mineral nutri-
ents as much as they could. Women burn the
debris from the undergrowth and trees in
numerous small piles scattered throughout the
81
Fig. 3. Clearing undergrowth with a machete
(May, 1975).
Das Unterholz wird mit einer Machete geschnitten.
ground looking for tubers. Fence-building is
the hardest work men perform in the gardens:
they must take long hikes into the forest look-
ing for cane and vine for lashings; they must
cut literally hundreds of poles from the proper
wood (one that does not rot quickly in the
subtropical weather); and they must sharpen
each pole at one end, thrust it firmly into the
ground, and tightly lash it to other poles to
make a strong fence. Men save themselves
from much of this work by building a com-
mon fence around contiguous gardens and by
using poles from fences of gardens that have
already gone fallow.
The Duna build two types of fence. One
type is constructed by placing sections of tree
trunks, 3-4.5 m long by 10-20 cm in diameter,
horizontally, on top of one another, to a
height of about 1.5 m. Vertical poles are placed
along the length of the tree trunks on each side
of the fence. The vertical poles are lashed to
each other and to the tree trunks while other
poles are planted into the ground and wedged
Fig. 4. Cutting a tree with a steel axe. Most of the
undergrowth has been cut and is already drying
(June, 1975).
Ein Baum wird mit einer stahlernen Axt gefallt.
Der Grohteil des Unterholzes wurde bereits ge-
schnitten und liegt zum Trocknen da (June 1975).
against the outside vertical poles to act as
braces (fig. 6).
The other type offence requires more work
and skill to construct. Large trees are carefully
split into small boards, each one about 1.5 m
long, 15-25 cm wide and 2-5 cm thick. The
boards are sharpened at one or both ends, and
one end is thrust firmly into the ground.
Other boards are tightly lashed horizontally
to the vertical poles making a sturdy picket
fence (fig. 7).
By the end of July, the cut vegetation has
usually dried sufficiently to be burned. Burn-
ing provides the soil with mineral nutrients,
which in turn means better yields. It is also a
fast and efficient way to rid the land of un-
wanted vegetation (fig. 8). The Duna do not
seem to take advantage of the mineral nutri-
ents as much as they could. Women burn the
debris from the undergrowth and trees in
numerous small piles scattered throughout the