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THE NIMANGKI SOCIETY 285
badge of white and black beads made respectively of shell and
coco-nut shell, with geometrical designs.â€ù 1 This latter kind of
nimbinbm is generally several inches deep, the beads being
worked together by means of string. The background is usually
of the dark beads, while the designs are executed in white
(see Plate XXI). Of these designs, Deacon reports four main
types: norm mmbal (" the face of the hawk â€ù), which is
characteristic of all ranks from Nimbinbm to Nimweil (inclusive),
or perhaps more especially of Naliu/is, Nimew, and Nimweil ;
temes (" ghost â€ù), which belongs to Nevelvsl; nehen nimbuas
shared by Naamel Ewan, Muluwun Sumburan and Amel Ndaw
lamp ; and-naamb retan, which men of Numbou Timbamp and
Newt N ambar wear. But it seems that within these four groups
there are variations of design which mark off the m'mZn'nbm of
one grade from that of another. Thus, on the right arm of the
mmbaramp or effigy represented on P1. XX, Fig. 7, there is
one such pattern which is called nimbinben mwe1'l,' a token of
the Nimangki Nimweil, while on the left arm is one bearing
the speciï¬Åc name nimbinbm mahal, which belongs exclusively
to men of N etm Mwelip. It seems that a nimbinben is conferred
for the ï¬Årst time at entrance to the grade Nimbinbm, but owing
to the fragmentary nature of the data concerning these early
grades we cannot be sure of this.“
In addition to this armband, a pig's tusk bracelet (tilavar)
(see Plate XXI) is bought by the candidate at every rise in
rank from Nimbinbm onwards. The ritual of presentation is
regarded as of importance and always follows along the same
lines, which will be described later. When a man has_atta.ined
to the status of Nevelvel, a further decoration is bestowed upon
hirn—a turtle-shell armlet called mzmlm.â€ù His investiture with
this takes place at the same time that he receives the tilevar.
It is deï¬Ånitely regarded as the mark of a man of high rank and
yet, strangely enough, in one note whose reliability there is no
1 Layard, p. 187. '
‘ An account oi some of the varieties of designs on these armlets which
were observed by him is given by Layard (1928, p. rss, and pl. xviii, ï¬Åg. 2).
' Layard translates Mamba as a. "turbo-shell bracelet ", which he says is
purchased by men entering the grades Mbalmbal, Muluwun Sumlnmm, and
Naamal Ndarlamp (1915, PP- 189, 165, I71, 173). It is curious that he should
have made this mistake concerning the material of which the azmlet is made.
since in Seniang nnmlm is the generic term for the turtle. Two examples of such
tï¬Åcrtleiihell armleti are to be seen on the arms of the efï¬Ågy ï¬Ågured on Plate XXI.