A sourced illustration has not yet been added. This gap is included in the coverage record.

Overview

The account places a sea-filled tree at Modaua, east of Wamira. Aurana workers cut its trunk while Lavarata prepare food. During the Aurana meal, the others secretly finish felling it. Released waters become the sea, and the falling tree rolls the Aurana people into the flood. They become the Kuvokuvoe and Buabuaga, sea-folk dwelling among floating flying-fish spawn.

The tale specifically says the Kuvokuvoe seize people sleeping in their canoes while gathering spawn and drag them underwater. Offshore lights and voices at night are also attributed to the sea-folk. The text names both groups but does not separately describe Buabuaga anatomy or a distinct attack sequence. The transformed population is kept together here; ordinary flying fish and the workers’ prior human identities are contextual parts of the same sea-origin narrative.

Sea-folk transformationFlying-fish spawn associationOffshore lights and voicesPredation on sleeping fishers
01

Origins & earliest records

Annie Ker, Papuan Fairy Tales (London: Macmillan, 1910), How the Flying Fish lived first in a Tree, pp. 25–29. Individual narrator unnamed.

02

Records & interpretation

Complete selected tale read in digitized transcription; bodily and narrative claims limited to that witness.

In the literature

“drag him into the depths of the sea”
Annie Ker, collector and English reteller; selected narrator unnamed · Papuan Fairy Tales
How the Flying Fish lived first in a Tree, sea-folk danger paragraph after the Aurana transformation

The named Kuvokuvoe drown a person sleeping in a canoe.

Selected bibliography

Documented works and useful reading. This is not a list of every appearance.

  1. 01

    Papuan Fairy Tales: How the Flying Fish lived first in a Tree, pp. 25–29

    Annie Ker, collector and English reteller · 1910

    Full selected narrative inspected.

  2. 02

    Papuan Fairy Tales — How the Flying Fish lived first in a Tree

    Annie Ker, collector and English reteller; selected narrator unnamed · 1910

    Annie Ker, London:Macmillan1910, title/contents/introduction already independently read. Missionary English collection chiefly from an unnamed northeast-coast village; named individual narrator not supplied for selected chapter. Chapter text currently inspected through public reader after direct localHTTP403; no bypass or new printed-page-pixel claim.

Family & connections

A source-supported family tree or inspiration record has not yet been compiled for this profile. Related reading below indicates a connection in subject matter, not a proven lineage or creative influence.

Located primary passages

Specific passages supporting details in this entry, grouped by their published witness.

Papuan Fairy Tales: How the Flying Fish lived first in a Tree, pp. 25–29

Annie Ker, London:Macmillan1910, title/contents/introduction already independently read. Missionary English collection chiefly from an unnamed northeast-coast village; named individual narrator not supplied for selected chapter. Chapter text currently inspected through public reader after direct localHTTP403; no bypass or new printed-page-pixel claim.

  1. A hunter finds his dog eating flying fish washed from a tree containing the sea. He tests the food on his old wife Kemiana; her enjoyment and deep sleep encourage others. Aurana cutters rest while Lavarata secretly finish felling the tree. Released waters form the sea, and the fallen tree drives Aurana into it; they become Kuvokuvoe and Buabuaga among flying-fish spawn.

    How the Flying Fish lived first in a Tree, Kemiana test, sea-tree cutting and Aurana transformation

  2. The account specifically assigns sleeping canoeists’ drowning to Kuvokuvoe and identifies nocturnal offshore lights and voices with the sea-folk. Tree scrapings change the red sea’s colour and salinity. Flying fish remain in shore swamps until an elder drives them offshore with coral, explaining their seasonal availability and markings.

    How the Flying Fish lived first in a Tree, sea-folk danger, sea colour and flying-fish removal ending

The husband’s age-based willingness to expose Kemiana is retained as source conduct, not endorsed. The two named sea-folk groups are not given invented distinct anatomies. No separate Buabuaga attack is narrated. Sea salinity, fish marks and fishing conditions remain the source’s etiologies; the elder’s imperative formula is not copied.

References

Sources supporting this profile. Linked pages have their own scope and editorial standards.

  1. Primary collected textKer 1910: How the Flying Fish lived first in a Tree, pp. 25–29Research access: 2026-10-05

Image credits

A sourced illustration has not yet been added. This gap is included in the coverage record.

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