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

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406 MALEKULA
are planted, similar to those in between the posts of the naainggal.
A stake called navan mbalia is now cut and thrust through the
vertical wall of the n£sa1r|4§ in such a way that it lies parallel
to the sloping wall, the upper end projecting outside the building.
To this end a coco-nut is fastened while croton and mbwing-
mbu/ingamb leaves are used to decorate what is visible of the
shaft. For this the candidate gives his introducer two pigs, one
for the decorated bamboos and one for the mzuzm mbatia. Finally,
the nitevis and tevsim mbaai are carried out of the amel and
planted in the dancing ground. Everything is now ready for
the m'sam_1> ceremonies themselves, and a. time is ï¬Åxed for them,
an interval of three days being generally allowed, during which
the introducer and his friends return home.
At sunset on the third day the rhythms naai ms and aisum;$-
ndew are given out on the gongs, and in the morning the guests
arrive and dance nimbumbal. From now on, down to the con-
ferring cf the new name, the rites are identical with those of the
Nalau/an Naainggul. One small variant there is, for in the
Nisump ceremonies the candidates themselves take part in the
blowing of the temes naainggol during the celebration of mbzm'V-
mlzwir. The designs with which the men paint themselves for the
ceremony of " stoning " the Nalawan structure (in this instance
the nisamp) are the same as those used for the earlier grade:
the candidate wears the Nalawan mask, the temes mbahnbal,
which after the "stoning" is ï¬Ånished he lays on the gongs.
Unlike the Nalawan Naainggal, however, for N ulawan Nimmp
the ceremony called lilamale is performed. When the candidate
has received his new title, Telmbwir wi.iru,1 a distant calling is
heard from the bush. Gradually it approaches and is distinguish-
able as the high-pitched voice of an old man, who, as he nears
the village, stops at intervals and calls aloud an invocation to
the Iemzs, the ghosts, bidding them be at peace: “Litamat
—e—e—n' J Lt'tamzt—e—e—n' I L1'tamat—e-—e—ei I " (“ Peace !
Peace! Peace! "). The voice rises unexpectedly on the last
syllable and holds it, then drops suddenly out of fatigue and
exhaustion of breath.‘ If an impression can be trusted, this
1 It will be remembered that according to some iXlfOrmantS the Hlamalc
rite follows upon the purchase of the hawk’: feather, and precedes the pig»
killing she conferring oi the new na|J.e,—C. I-I. w.
grim invocation flf the Innis by the old man is called itirrvp 1iilemAs,—
A. . D.
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