Chapter 12, Patriarch of the Tumdu Summary and Analysis

The author describes a successful wild boar hunt by Hato in the opening of this chapter. After butchering the pig on the spot, Hato wraps the meat and bones into three packs. He loads one pack on his back and leaves the rest for his sons to fetch later. The author then describes the necessary tasks of jungle survival, as performed by members of Hato's family.

Two of Hato's wives, Sirowi and Imati, sift sago flour from freshly harvested plants. A new baby lays nearby, protected from insects by another sibling. A young boy watches from a high tree for any enemies that may approach. Meanwhile, an older boy fishes in shallow pools with a bow and arrow. He clouds the water with poisonous bark and waits for the suffocating fish to surface...