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

Overview

Suqe-matua accompanies Tagaro on Maewo and opposes his preference for well-being. Creation is described through their contrasting results: what Tagaro catches after it is tossed into the air becomes useful food. Araga’s Suqe has a forked head, explained within the narrative as the reason he holds two thoughts. His contrary proposals include six nights to a day and planting the wrong part of a yam. Tagaro sends him to an inland bottomless chasm, where he governs departed ghosts.

In a telling from the side of Omba nearest Araga, the pair disagree about the design of human life. Suqe proposes movement like pigs and sleeping inside sago palms; Tagaro establishes upright walking, work and houses. Their trees also contrast edible and bitter fruit. Codrington reports the companion unevenly across the islands, so the Araga bodily feature and afterlife role are not automatically assigned to every Maewo version.

Forked head in Araga tellingOpposes Tagaro’s designsRules ghosts at an inland chasm
01

Origins & earliest records

R. H. Codrington, The Melanesians: Studies in their Anthropology and Folk-lore (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1891), Chapter X, printed pp. 167–171. The selected historical account dates this collected witness; it does not establish the beginning of the tradition.

02

Records & interpretation

The complete relevant primary narrative was read in the public transcription, with printed-page markers checked. The original page images have not been visually collated in this pass. Local account and collector interpretation remain distinct.

In the literature

“his head was forked”
R. H. Codrington; selected underlying contributor unnamed · The Melanesians: Studies in their Anthropology and Folk-lore
Chapter X, p.169; Araga account · R. H. Codrington

Araga Suqe belongs to earth and has a forked head which the collector explains as two thoughts. He disagrees over five-day death, six nights to one day and yam planting. Tagaro sends him to an inland bottomless chasm to rule the ghosts. This ruling role belongs to this island account.

Selected bibliography

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

  1. 01

    The Melanesians, Chapter X, pp. 167–171

    R. H. Codrington (collector and English presenter; Edward Wogale named for the main Qat cycle) · 1891

    Specific island variants and named narrative provenance retained. Colonial and missionary judgments are not adopted as present community consensus.

  2. 02

    The Melanesians: Studies in their Anthropology and Folk-lore

    R. H. Codrington; selected underlying contributors unnamed · 1891

    R. H. Codrington, The Melanesians: Studies in their Anthropology and Folk-lore, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1891; selected University of Toronto scan/OCR. Complete final Chapter X Maewo, Araga and Omba accounts plus complete Chapter XIX III.16–17 independently read; different island versions and separately headed deaths not combined into a continuous biography.

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.

The Melanesians: Studies in their Anthropology and Folk-lore

R. H. Codrington, The Melanesians: Studies in their Anthropology and Folk-lore, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1891; selected University of Toronto scan/OCR. Complete final Chapter X Maewo, Araga and Omba accounts plus complete Chapter XIX III.16–17 independently read; different island versions and separately headed deaths not combined into a continuous biography.

  1. Suqe-matua is Tagaro’s companion, opposing his desire for good things and freedom from pain. Food quality is decided by what Tagaro catches when either throws creations upwards. The narrator supplies this as the Maewo account, without a biological sibling assertion for Suqe-matua.

    Chapter X, Maewo account, p.168

  2. Araga Suqe belongs to earth and has a forked head which the collector explains as two thoughts. He disagrees over five-day death, six nights to one day and yam planting. Tagaro sends him to an inland bottomless chasm to rule the ghosts. This ruling role belongs to this island account.

    Chapter X, Araga account, p.169

  3. The collaborators disagree over edible tree fruit, upright human walking versus pig-like movement, houses versus sleeping in sago trunks. Tagaro’s proposals prevail. Codrington says Suqe is not known in all parts of Omba and suggests Big Tagaro may occupy a corresponding role; that suggested correspondence is not treated as demonstrated identity.

    Chapter X, Lepers’ Island side nearest Araga, p.171

Island-specific accounts and variant deaths distinguished; generic Chapter X Qat-cycle attribution to Edward Wogale not extended to unidentified Tagaro contributors. No prayers or ceremonial formulas excerpted; facsimile not visually checked in this batch.

References

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

  1. Primary textCodrington 1891, Chapter X: SpiritsResearch 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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