[Note: this transcription was produced by an automatic OCR engine]
390 MALEKULA In the ceremonial of entrance to any Nalawan there are four principal performers ; these are, the man who is purchasing the rise in rank; the man to whom he pays pigs for the various objects acquired; some friend of this second man; and an old man of high Nalawan rank who pronounces the necessary formulae connected with the presentation of pigs, who takes the lead in the "stoning" or "shooting" of the Nalawan structures, and who ï¬Ånally gives the candidate his new title.‘ For all these men we may conveniently use the terms employed in describing the Nimangki rites of Seniang: the ï¬Årst is the “candidateâ€ù; the second is the “ introducerâ€ù; the third is the " introdu-:er’s assistant "; and the iourth is a "senior". The introducer and his assistant must always be members of the grade which the candidate is entering. In addition to these four principal performers, there is another old man of very high Nalan/an rank who plays the leading part in the litamale rite at the close oi the ceremonies. Although in the following accounts we shall describe what goes on in terms of a single candidate only, it must be remembered that frequently, and indeed in the lower grades usually, several men will be entering the same Nalan/an at the same time. Where this is the case, each one will have his own introducer and introducer's assistant, but it is probable that only one old man will be required tor pronouncing the formulae and for bestowing on each the title of his new rank, and that a single litamata rite serves for all. As with the Nimangki ceremonies, so with those of the Naluwan, a distinction is made between the " presentation pig â€ù which the introducer hands over to, or" throws at " (iomp), the candidate, and those which the candidate gives or “ pays " (ihu) to his introducer. The general principle seems to be that the introducer presents his candidate with one pig of high grade, that is of well-developed tuslccurvature, which is approximately equal in value to half the total value of all the pigs which the candidate pays to his introducer for the various objects and rights connected with the Nalawan which he is entering. Translating the transaction into terms of the white man's economics, Amanrantus said of the pig given by the introducer that 'it»was " like change in the store ". He added, estimating 1 It is not_%1ito clear whether these Dfï¬Åfï¬Å-5 he all performed by the same old man or not. . H. W4 ii ""1"" >. .< t al: .» ,l 1 t », l“ v ‘ l '- 1 W ft’ ;?~‘.
