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

_._.- _ . _ _ _.. _ _
316 MALEKULA '
lines. One man holds a coco-nut. The candidate brings a number
of conches and a pig which he fastens to a stick. Then the two
lines of men run round the gongs in opposite directions, and
after a time form into a single long ï¬Åle, of which the last man
is the candidate and the leader is he who earrics the coconut,
which he holds aloft. When everyone is ready, he throws it over
his head to the man behind him, who in turn throws it to the
next, and so it passes from one to another down the whole length
of the line until it is ï¬Ånally caught by the candidate. (If there
are several candidates then there will be a corresponding number
of eoeo-nuts treated thus.) What is done with the pig and the
conches and what the meaning of this rite may be we are
not told.
Of the various lemes which were set up during the Neliwis
rites, the two in the amel are burnt in a ritual ï¬Åre in which food
is cooked, food which is afterwards eaten by members oi Neliwis.
The other two small temss which are standing in the dancing
ground and the large temes naaim are left to rot away.
An interesting feature of the ceremonies of this grade is the
rule that only when a man has performed them is he allowed
to attend Nimangki festivities in neighbouring villages. Another
privilege possessed by members of Neliwis is the right to make
the langalang cry during a certain episode in the obsequies of a
man of importance (see Chapter XIV).
M but Ru
Immediately preceding Nzliu/is is the grade M balmbal which,
as we have seen, belongs with Navel and Nani Mimbarap to a
distinct group. Immediately below M balmbal is M baa Ru (“ Two
Heads ") whose rites are clearly akin to those of Neliu/is.
Four small tame: are cut, carved, and set up in the amel,
and, as before, they are joined together with a cord so as to
make a small rectangular enclosure. From this cord the coco-nut
nawm ndinduel is hung at one side, while on the other three the
decorated sticks, nerei mevcls, are planted. This whole structure
is the numbul similar i.n almost every detail to the numbul
prepared for Neliv/is. As for this grade too, so for Mbal Ru,
a yarn is carved with a human face, its two ends are painted
black, the central portion red, leaving the nostrils of the carving
white. We are not told where it is planed, but we may probably
,_@ _7 _ _
r
<.
r
‘
1
it