| ![Deacon A.B., 1934. Malekula: A Vanishing People in the New Hebrides / Deacon A.B., 1934. Malekula: A Vanishing People in the New Hebrides / Bernard A. Deacon / Vanuatu, Nouvelles-Hébrides, Malekula, South-West Bay](/images_dynamic/thumbnails2.php?path=1295850-833&max_height=610&max_width=410&rotate=0&bw=0&lighter=100&darker=100&negative=0&flop=0)
[Note: this transcription was produced by an automatic OCR engine]
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|l;| 1 ll 1‘, ll‘ It H Ii; it ii V,‘ Jil ilsi Eli 3 I4 MALEKULA nerei mev/iis and another mbuas Mos for the swinging coco-nut. After this there is a few days’ pause in the proceedings. The next thing to be done is to erect the lemes in the dancing ground. Two holes are dug close to the gongs and two of the four lemes in the ameL—those carved with a face only—-are brought out and planted, one in each hole. With fliem are put the branch of a coral tree (Erythrina), a variety of cordyline (naari mlmas), and a numm mbatia post is erected between them, with, as usual, a coco-nut frond leaning against its foot,‘ but no stone circle or monolith are set up. This planting of the tame: is spoken of as naai tez/m,‘ and for it the candidate pays a nitnvu pig ; a further lohzmkzfamn pig is given for the mzvan mlmtia, and as usual a pig for " the opening oi the door“ of the umel, which rite is performed as already described in the ceremonies of Nu/elvel and Nimweil. Another few days’ interval ensues, and then the principal lemzs is cut. This is much larger than the other four. The candidate and introducer fell a Large tree-tern, and drag it up to the gongs, where the introducer sets about carving and decorating it. Only one face is carved, and this, it seems, is left unpainted, but the eyes are apparently treated in some special way (i.mm' nimete m'temes),* and a nose-stick (ngungunu) is put into the nose. Four days later tam is danced throughout the night and at dawn the performers are regaled with a pig. Another yam, called nimbaai temes mbarmbep, is now fastened to the back of the new tames and the candidate pays a l0honko'0ran pig for the carving of the face on the tzmes. During the next ï¬Åve days no further public rites are perfonned, but the introducer comes daily to visit the candidate, who on each occasion presents him with a pig. On the third day the temes is set up and decorated. A hole is dug half way between the gongs and the amel, and here it is planted with two varieties of wrdyline (mmri mbuas and naari tamut). A nerivivw (P umbrella palm) leaf is fastened to its foot and a great number of mbwingmbwingamb leaves are thrust into its mouth so that it shall appear wholly red. On 1 Term: = m meet, used of two people meeting along a. road. Nani mm signiï¬Åes " the trees mm " and 5661115 to ruler to the " mmihg " Of the Imus and tom me branch which are planted in the same hole.-»A. B. D, 1 "The meaning ul mm‘ ii not known, but perhaps it signiï¬Åes ‘he smooths ' ".—A. B, D. Layard incei-pm.-i this payment as being for " brushing down the image after carving and C8,"! it Simply mm" mama (P. 163j— c. 1-1. w. I
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