Description
When the dugong is pregnant it is called Kazil Ay. When it produces a calf it is called Nanayg. She now mothers the calf by teaching it how to swim and dive during the time the calf drinks milk from his mother’s milk duct. The mother and the calf swim together all the time in pairs and are called Apukaz.
The moment a female dugong becomes pregnant, their swimming habit breaks. This time they now swim or feed one after the other. The hunter can tell the position of the dugongs in the water. He knows two dugongs together in line are pregnant mother in front and husband following close behind. This time both dugongs are very fat. The husband is now called Barakuthaw Garka. When the female, who is now Kazil Ay gives birth, her husband keeps following but keeps his distance.
To a hunter the pack of dugong gives him a pattern he uses to identifiy them. The greatest danger to dugong are shark, becoming easy prey. When the Barakuthaw Garka leaves his wife to the grown up calf, she is called Perker, a small virgin female dugong. It is during this time that the male dugong challenges another male to become Thuawlayg, a leader of the pack. It is forbidden to capture the Thuawlayg who is regarded as most dangerous. If harpooned, it will take a while to capture, since it will not give in easily. When a whistler is harpooned it will take the boat to the deepest part of the ocean and sometimes attacks to sink the boat.
He hunter is called (1) Zogowaw Garka (Harpoon Man) and (2) Amuw Garka (Rope Man). No. (3) and (4) is called Kabaw Garka (Paddle Man) and the (5) hunter is called Kuliw Garka (Steep Man).
