Puripuri

[Stephanie Garling]

Just a comment on puripuri. In the Tanga and Anir islands (New Ireland
Province) people talk about puripuri more specifically in terms of 'love
magic'
as opposed to other kinds of sorcery or 'poisen'. Can't help much on the
origin, but interestingly FLS Bell lists "puri-kuf" (in his Tanga-English
dictionary) as meaning "magical healing". "Puri" is the verb to steal,
which is
also kinda interesting in that a lot of 'poisen' cases involve what people
refer to as the stealing of one's 'dewel' by a masalai. 'Dewel' is used to
refer
to both the spirits of the dead and the living; if you can't get your dewel
back you'll most likely sicken and die. Hmmm.....

People (or just the younger generation?) on Tanga and Anir are also more
likely
to say 'mangi' rather than 'manki'.

Steph.