[Note: this transcription was produced by an automatic OCR engine]

8 MALEKULA
coast. On the north, this district adjoins the eastern coastal
district around Tautau Point, on which STANDS the village of
Tembotipf. This has a dialect distinct from that of the adjacent
areas, resembling, it is said, the dialect of Norsup and Uripiv
Islands.
South of Marakus is the district oi Lagalag which stretches
from the east coast across the “ isthmus â€ù of Malekula nearly to
Lambumbu Harbour. On the east it occupies the coast between
the mouth of the stream which flows down from Karrinbon Hill
and Suwan island, and includes the coastal villages Linslins
[or Letchletch) and Lugur which lie opposite Taitaka Island.
This district is closely allied in culture and dialect with Lumbumbu
and Laravat. Intermarriage between them occurs from time
to time, and the men of one sometimes visit those of the other
on the occasion of a big festival.
South-east from Banggor and south of Sharp Peak, is the
bush district called Bangasa. To the south of’ this again lies
Uerik (Warik), and still farther south, in the area around Mt. Penot,
is situated the district already referred to under the name
Laanmhuei, where live the people called Naan Bugoi. Very
little is known of these bush-peoples, but in certain respects
their culture appears to resemble that of the people of Mewun
rather than of any other of their neighbours.
In addition to the Naan Bugoi, there is a group of people of
small stature referred to variously as Mavur, Maur, and Mawughke}
who, it seems, formerly occupied the land to the south of these
bush men. These Mavur are the so-called “pygmiesâ€ù of
Malekula, It is questionable whether the present tense should
be employed in speaking of them, for whether they are still
extant is not certain.â€ù Of their culture and language nothing
' Another note says that these pygmy people were known to the inhabitants
of Seniang as Namwint. The names Mavur, Maur, and ‘Mawnghke are probably
those used by the people of Mewun or Laus,~—C, H. W.
5 Deacon wrote concerning these people : " Mr. Boyd, the missionary,
says that in the years immediately after his arrival (thirty-one years ago),
men of remarkably short stature, rnany oi them scarcely more than 4 ft. 6in.
high, used to oomc down at rare intervals to the coast, For many years now he
has not seen them, and bush men from Laus have told him that they have all
died. Nothing appears to be known about the culture of these Namwint. One
iniorrnant told rne that his brother once went up to Laanmbuei from Laus,
and iound that the dances in Laanmbuei were all different-wornen dancing with
men—unlike anything in the other districts. However, this cannot be accepted
as entirely reliable information. The complete ignorance of, for instance, Mewun
people about this district is astonishing."