Fróðskaparrit - 01.01.1963, Page 55

Føroysk og japansk fuglastong
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Tó er tað ikki vist, at nakað samband er teirra millum,
tí fuglastongin í Japan og tann føroyska kunnu í fornum
tíðum vera tilevnaðar, uppfunnar, bæði har og her, uttan
at hvør hevur vitað av øðrum. — Tann møguleiki kanska
er eisini, at fuglastongin av fyrstan tíð er tikin til nýtslu
á øðrum staði enn í Føroyum ella Japan.
SUMMARY
For centuries the Faroese »fuglastong« (an instrument used in bird-
catching) has been of vital importance to the Faroese population. We
do not know how long it has been used in the Faroe Islands. Several
place-names bear witness of this fowling method in the Faroe Islands
(Matras 1933), and 300 years ago the »fuglastong« is mentionned in
Tarnovius (1669). — As far as we know the »fuglastong« has not been
used by other coastal populations round the Atlantic Ocean than the
Faroese, until 1875 when it was introduced into Iceland (Johnson 1946)
from the Faroe Islands.
The above article draws a comparison between the Faroese and the
Japanese »fuglastong«. — Fig. 1 and 2 show the Faroese »fuglastong«
and fig. 3 and 4 the Japanese. The drawing of the latter dates from
1897 (Machpherson 1897). — For at least 300 years the shape of the
Faroese »fuglastong« has been practically unchanged.
All the main components of the Faroese and the Japanese »fuglastong«
are identical. They are (see fig. 2): a handle (stangartræið VIII), a pair
of ash supports or arms (stangararmarnir III), a so*called horn (hornið
VI), (the Japanese »fuglastong« has a crossbar that serves the same
purpose), a net (netið II), a cord drawn through the meshes of the net
and connecting the front ends of the arms (fyritráðurin I), a cord drown
through the meshes nearest to the horn and fastened to it (kósarbandið
IV), a cord with which the arms are bound to the handle (vavið or
íbindið VII).
It has been held that the »fuglastong« was of Faroese invention and
only to be found in the Faroe Islands until it came to Iceland from
here. The fact that an almost identical instrument is also used in Japan,
raises the question whether there is any connection between these two
instruments or whether the very great similiarily of the Faroese and
the Japanese »fuglastong« is a mere coincidence.
The present writer would appreciate every information that might
throw light on this question. (Adress: Klaksvík, the Faroe Islands).