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420 MALEKULA
in his right hand, and the stone nevtmln newt in his left, he takes
up his position close to the amel. The gangs beat mzai ms.
An old man of higher status than the introducer comes up, takes
the croton and stone from him, and then dances in front of the
candidate, crouching and with a threatening look. Presently he
and the candidate change places, and the performance is repeated.
When it is ï¬Ånished the candidate lays his wrist across the numbou
timbarap and is invested with the bracelet and armshell in the
usual way, the nevlltim newt being placed afterwards on the
top of the new nambar, The candidate then pays one pig to
his introducer for this. At night the torch dance and the mbwir-
mbu/1'1 ceremony are executed and in the morning everyone
retires as usual into the bush to decorate himselfi The old man
who is to shoot at the Nalawan structures is one of very high
rank. I-Ie is painted white all over, and a number of spider's web
head-dresses (nekambat). which are the " masks " characteristic
of this Nalawan, are put on his head. Over these is placed a napal
mask with four faces (Pl. XIIIB). Thus adorned he leads the party
up to the gongs. T here he faces the amzl and with his how and
arrow shoots at the ml/mbou timbarap and the new namban Thc
remaining rites—-the investing with the nambal feather, the slaying
of the pig, the assumption of the new name —follow in due order.
For the last rite the candidate stands between the numbau timbamp
and the newt mzmbar, and the old man calls out: “ Telmbwir
Timbarap.“ Then comes the crying of lilamate, and all is over.
Unfortunately there is no account of the rites oi entrance
into any grade of the Nalawan higher than Nwmbw Timbarap.
This is doubtless because such men as Amanrantus and Tota,
from whom most of the information was obtained, had themselves
never attained higher, nor been present when others had done so.
Nor is there any account of the ceremonies of the last Nalawan,
which a man takes, Naluwan Mbriilemiew, but we are iortunate
in having a description of the proceedings at entrance to Nalawan
Vinbamp, incomplete though it is.
Nalau/an Vinbnmp ‘
As has already been mentioned, Nalawan Vinbamp is an
exceptional Nalamm. There is no indication as to when it is
taken in Seniang and Wilemp, but in the list of grades on the
1 See also Appendix B.
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