Preface

This is the fifth and last of a series 1 of papers on the culture of the Arapesh people of the Sepik-Aitape District of New Guinea. These people were intensively studied by Dr. R. F. Fortune and myself from December to August, 1931–1932. My part of the investigation was undertaken in regular pursuit of my duties in the American Museum. Therefore, I owe particular thanks to the American Museum of Natural History, and especially to the late Dr. Clark Wissler, for the opportunity to make this two-year expedition to New Guinea.