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

234 MALEKULA
THE BIRTH Rir!<:s'
The birth rites of Seniang and Lambumhu, though they
are alike in their general outline, show a number of signiï¬Åcant
differences, and it will be as well, therefore, to'describe them
separately. Of the ceremonies in Mewun very little has been
recorded save a few of the tabus observed by the child's parents,
which will be noted in the description of the Seniang rites.
Seniang and M swam
In Seniang, as soon as a woman discovers that she
is with child, her husband must refrain from all sexual
connection with her, but apart from this, for the ï¬Årst few
months neither he nor she appear to observe any other tabus.
She continues to live in the village and receives frequent visits
from her brother, who comes bringing presents of coco-nuts, ï¬Åsh,
yams, and other foodstuffs. Once a month, too, her mother,
n-iother’s mother, and all other female relatives who have borne
children themselves, assemble to eat a certain pudding which she
cooks for them. This is called naiew nin ah ; taro is wrapped in
the leaves of a plant called mihwus newmgk and this bundle is
again enveloped in other leaves and baked in an oven. The
expectant mother also partakes of this dish, but whether she
eats a separate pudding rnade specially for her, or shares that
cooked for her women relatives, is not clear,
As his wife's time draws near, a man will take certain pre-
cautions against any mishap. He will not go out of doors, will
not do any hard work, and he will observe that body of food
and drink tabus which are included uncler the general term
mbelian and are a regular accompaniment to any important
event in a man's life. In Mewun he does not make a ï¬Åre, does
not scrape coco-nuts, does not walk about or exert himself in
any way lest he should kill his child in the womb.‘ _
When a woman is in labour she continues to remain in her
hut, but no man may be present. Should the husband wake up
at night and hear his wife crying out with the ï¬Årst pains, he
rushes out of the house and does not return until all is over.,
1 A note adds that a man will not make puddings for his wife immediately
prior to her giving birth. The meaning of this is not clear, ior normally a man
does not ever cook food except for himself and his iriends in the club-house.
—C. H. W. '
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