Primitive Time-reckoning: A study in the origins and first development of the art of counting time among the primitive and early culture peoplesNilsson, Martin P. (Martin Persson)
History
Primitive Time-reckoning: A study in the origins and first development of the art of counting time among the primitive and early culture peoples
Nilsson, Martin P. (Martin Persson)
Chronology
By way of supplement two or three curious exceptional cases may be
noted. A completely isolated instance is offered by the Bangala of
the Upper Congo, who count in lunar months, and, since there is no
dry season, reckon for longer periods by the rise of the rivers[341].
In the monsoon districts however it is frequently a peculiarity to
distinguish the seasons by the winds. Of Sumatra it is reported:--The
principal seasons are named after the quarters of the heavens from
which the wind blows. At the time when we were in Taluk, April to
mid-June, the south monsoon was blowing; the east, the west, and
the north monsoons also come under consideration for the seasons.
Moreover the people also distinguish a dry and a rainy period. The
seasons 4. _tahun djin_, 5. _tahun wou_, 6. _tahun sai_ were regarded
as falling within the rainy period, while the dry season set in
with 1. _t. ali_, and continued with 2. _t. dal awal_, and 3. _t.
dal akhir_. In the two seasons 7. _t. ha_ and 8. _t. ‘am_ dry and
wet weather alternate[342]. In New Britain (Bismarck Archipelago),
between the two greater seasons of the south-east and the north-west
monsoons, each consisting of 5 months, there were two smaller
intermediate seasons of one month each, the period of variable winds
and the period of calm[343]. In Songa (Vellalavella), one of the
Solomon Islands, various seasons are distinguished according to the
direction of the wind:--the time of the west wind, _nanano_; the
time of the almond-ripening, _tovarauru_ (the time of the north
wind); _rari_, the time of the south wind--during this period calm
prevails at night but there is wind in the day-time; _sassa nanamo_,
time of the east wind; _mbule_, time of calm, lasting about a
month. After _mbule_ follow _tovaruru_, lasting about 2 months, and
_sassa nanamo_, one month. In Lambutjo the matter is still further
complicated. The following winds are distinguished:--south wind,
west wind, good wind at the time of almond-ripening, lasting about
one month. Further the east wind, strong or quite weak with squalls,
not good. Three months afterwards comes the west wind, lasting about
2-3 months. After the east wind a south-west wind, very strong, at
that time one cannot sail on the sea: it often comes 5 months after
the east wind. After the south-west wind a SE wind, lasting only 1-2
weeks. Then strong E wind, lasting 1-2 months, during which time
navigation in canoes is impossible. Then again a time of ‘clear
water’, i. e. calm, lasting two months. After this, S wind, NW wind,
and NE wind. Each of these lasts only a short time, altogether they
occupy 3-4 months. Then begins a lighter E wind, lasting 3-4 weeks.
Then about one month of light W wind, then again stronger E wind for
1-2 months. Afterwards S wind for 1½-2 months, lighter SE wind for
1-2 weeks, and then again stronger E wind for 2-3 months. At the time
of the west wind there is much rain, at the time of the east wind
much sunshine[344].
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