[Mihalic] Baim lek bilong pikinini

John Burton john.burton at anu.edu.au
Thu Nov 10 14:04:35 EST 2005


I haven't particularly heard this but for South Wahgi, I did a diagram in
my thesis for the full sequence of possible marriage payments. An optional
payment after the birth of children was something like 'simb ngonmen'
(lit: 'legs they-give', but don't have the exact expression to hand). In
Tok Pisin this can be 'baim lek bilong pikinini'.

The status of 'baim lek bilong pikinini' is that it is more of an
explanation in Tok Pisin than a set phrase. Thus, if you said it to
someone who knew 'simb ngonmen', they would readily translate it in their
head and know exactly what you meant. As Mitio has said, it is a saying
specific to a location.

Nonetheles, if people say it and it's locally meaningful, it's a valid
utterance in Tok Pisin ...

John Burton

> 'Beksaitbun' is possibly a local variant on 'beksait'
> payments --- the 'lower back payments' given to a wife's
> group in some parts of the highlands in reciprocation for her
> services......
>
> mg







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