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gumi


a raft made predominantly of inner tubes of cars or trucks (or large tractors, if you are lucky): When I was growing up in Wagga Wagga, I competed in the Gumi race down the Murrumbidgee.

Contributor's comments: The word "gumi" is also used in PNG "Tok Pisin" to refer to car tubes but also anything made of rubber or similar materials. Air hostesses on Air Niugini will often use the word in the safety demonstration to refer to the oxygen mask and hose. Flexibility of the material being described is important.

Contributor's comments: I came across this term in PNG and had assumed it was a pidgin word - 'gumi' refers to anything made of rubber, eg a tyre on the car or an inner tube to go 'gumi-ing' down the Asaro river on.

Contributor's comments: In pidgin english this word refers to a condom. In Goroka, Papua New Guinea, there is an annual gumi race, where various contraptions are built relying on inner rubber tubes for their buoyancy, at the end of the race the air is let out of these tubes and these craft must sink -if not they are disqualified from the race.

Contributor's comments: In pidgin english this word refers to a condom.

Contributor's comments: The word in question has been part of pidgin english in New Guinea since before the 2nd World War. It describes the complete wheel and tire assembly on a car or truck. It is of German origin. If a flat tire is experienced, the gumi has to be changed. eg, use the spare wheel.

Contributor's comments: We used this term when I was growing up in Papua New Guinea in the 70s when we went "gummying down the river". It means "rubber" in both French and Swedish (it's even spelt gummi in Swedish).

Contributor's comments: The gumi race was annual event in Wagga at least up until the late 80's. I would be astounded if it still wasn't going strong.