Entry record from Voorhoeve (nd c): Asmat Flamingo Bay
ayit
• n. k.o. game children play when the moon is full.(eng).
Encyclopedic info: The game starts with one of the children lying on the ground on his belly "asleep" - he is the ayit. The others shake him till he is "awake" saying to him: "macmis cemen n.es-mem un" -they say that you've been making love all night long!" The ayit , still lying face down, now asks: "o ca atawor? who told you that?" The others then say: "Morwot enerim Tamnam Morwot and Tamnam (mythical duck-women who are always chasing men)". Now Ayit jumps up and tries to catch one of the others, who run away singing teasingly: ayitè, pifa mino! ayitè, pifa mino! Ayit,shortie! ayit, shortie! (pifa mino are the short quills on the wings of a cassowary) . When the ayit has caught one of the children he pretends to devour its navel. That child now has become an ayit too and starts helping the first ayit chasing the others. So it goes on till only one child is left