[PapuanLanguages] ID of a bird called 'mukumuku' in Tok Pisin

[Darja Hoenigman]

Dear all,

Has anyone heard of a bird called *mukumuku* in Tok Pisin?

There's an Awiakay myth about the bird of paradise and *embay* (TP
*mukumuku*), who went washing in the river and took off their
'grass-skirts'. But the bird of paradise quickly went out of the water,
saying it needed to go to poo, and stole *embay*'s beautiful grass skirt.
Now he's happily dancing around in it, while *embay* is walking around,
crying for his beautiful plumage, so that his eyes are all red.

All I know for sure about *embay* (*mukumuku*) is that it is a dark bird
with red eyes and distinctive calls. No photos, no recordings of its calls,
just a Tok Pisin translation.

I've checked the Aviabase for East Sepik, and there could be a few
candidates there, but I can't be sure about any of them.

BTW, this myth seems to be widely spread all over New Guinea (with some
variation), but while the bird of paradise is a constant, the other bird
varies...

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

With best wishes,
Darja

--

Darja Hoenigman

Visiting Research Fellow

School of Culture, History and Language /

ARC Centre of Excellence for the Dynamics of Language

College of Asia and the Pacific *| *The Australian National University