[Mihalic] sik muruk

[Bryant Allen]

I heard this at Tumam (Dreikikir, East Sepik) in 1971-72, where there were 
two male maternal cousins (mothers were sisters) who had severe epilepsy to 
the point where they were badly burned and severely brain damaged. At first 
I thought it was a reference to a 'spirit' cassowary who was causing the 
fit doing bad things deep in the forest, but later I realized it is used 
because the fit is similar to what a cassowary does when it is hit with an 
arrow and thrashes about as it dies. I have not heard "sik muruk" used 
anywhere else, but then I have not had too many conversations about 
epilepsy either.
B


At 12:05 PM 18/10/2006 +1000, you wrote:
>    1. sik muruk = epilepsy (Robin Hide)

Dr Bryant Allen
Senior Fellow
Land Management Group
Department of Human Geography
Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies
The Australian National University
ACT 0200 Australia

ANU CRICOS Provider Number is 00120C