wan nem

[Martha Macintyre]

In the two areas I've worked having or being a namesake entailed special 
responsibilities and established a pattern of giving gifts.
On Tubetube in Milne Bay Prov.( no TP speaking there) the term is 
waliesa  (lit. call name) and once the older person's name is given to a 
child, then the older person 'loses' the name and is referred to as 
Waliesa. The two refer to each other as Waliesa but generally the younger 
person is called by the name when others are speaking to him/her.

On Lihir, both parties retain their name and can be addressed by it. The 
older person appears to be expected to have an indulgent relationship with 
the younger and to give small gifts. Thus, a child born when I was in the 
village was given my father's name, now every time I visit I am expected to 
bring a small present from my father, the child (now three or four) is 
instructed to ask about his namesake and this seen as something that has to 
be done each time I go to the village. No other child is summoned to speak 
with me on my arrival, so I assume this is some way of marking the 
relationship with my father.
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