To Pacific peoples, the coconut palm is the Tree of Life; and life itself often depends on
its presence. This versatile and ubiquitous tree still keeps to itself the mystery of its
geographical origins. Scientists may have theories, but most Pacific islanders believe that the
Line coconut palm is of supernatural origin. Stray palms on uninhabited islets or in remote island
(5) valleys may appear wild and neglected to strangers, but chances are that some local family is
watching and using them. On the other hand, the material culture of the islands is based on
forest products in general, not just the coconut. Melanesian craftsmen fashion their goods from
bark, fiber, wood, and other plant parts. Stone, shell, and bone are found in great variety;
feathers and shell are seen as ornaments. But it is the plants which form the structural materials
(10) of architecture and artifacts. Among Melanesia’s varied cultures, that of New Guinea’s Sepik
River area is one of the richest in artifacts. An important source is the annual festival marking
the harvest of the yam crop, a hill-country staple. Yams of special size and character represent
Spirits of the dead, and the quality of man’s yam crop is a measure of his prestige and his
virility. A man and his family may not eat their own produce but must give k to a family of
(15) a non-related clan. Each phase of the growing cycle of the yam is marked with ceremonies and
festivities culminating in the great harvest festival when the village square is filled with piles
of yams. Many of the finest specimens are adorned with painted masks, feather headdresses,
and jewelry. Each man of the tribe, similarly adorned, extols the virtues of his yams in
extravagant oratory, climaxing his presentation by pronouncing the name of the family who is
to receive his crop.