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

422 MALEKULA
thrust slantwise into the amel, one through the door and the
other three through the remaining three walls, in such a way
that the branches and leaves project outside, while the roots of
all four come together in the middle of the floor. An old man
now takes a tomes naainggol, the bone of a dead man, and the
fruit or leaves of a tree called mbnbumbal, and puts the bone and
fruit inside the tamer. Dry sticks are then packed into it, and it
is placed in the space between the four tree~roots on the floor of
the amel. The dry sticks are set alight, and this is the naamb
mbatamlmt, the " eternal ï¬Åre ". During the whole of this time ‘
the candidates inside the amel have been fasting, but now big
yams are brought and roasted on the ï¬Åre which has just been
kindled, and which is kept going by the addition of fresh fuel.
On these yams the candidates feast and when they have ï¬Ånished
the old man (who seems to play the part of a master of the
oeremonies) appoints the ï¬Åfth day after this for the candidates
to come to his village. When that time arrives they set forth,
and, to warn the women and children to keep out of their way,
they blow on a large black banyan leaf put between the lips.
The sound thus formed is apparently called nalau/an I111!/1.9171167!/1171:‘
The women, hearing the sound, avoid the paths whence it comes,
for during the whole of their seclusion the candidates may not
be seen by women. It is said that should this tabu not be
observed properly, and a woman set eyes on a. candidate during
this period, he would cut himself on the arms to counteract the
evil effects of such a misadventure, or, as the informant said, so
that “ bad blood he nm out ". When they have arrived at the
old man's village they are entertained to a small feast, after
which they return home again, blowing as before on their banyan
leaves. The seclusion in the umel now begins in earnest. The
candidates are painted black all over with charcoal, and, although
they are allowed to leave the house and wander within its precincts,
they must always blow upon a banyan leaf in warning of their
whereabouts. Thus they are wholly cut oft from the normal
life of the community."
1 The length of the fast is not aw. It may have lasted ever since the
ï¬Åve pigs were brought to the cmdidatewthough we are not told that they ate
theso—or since they were ted several days before on the uncooked bananas
llld dry c0|:o~I-llflis. It niny, however, only mean that they have not yet eaten
on this day when the {our 1:20 trees were upr00ted.»—C. 1-1. w,
I According to one note, the Old women used to believe that the buys were
going to be kept in the mu, hiic they hie in fact let Ollli again, this being e deceit
whnhwnimp) on the pert Of the mnn.4. H. w.
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