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

CHAPTER XIV
THE NIMANGKI TLEL AND THE NELAN SOCIETIES
Tm; Nimangki Tlel or LAMBUMBU
Besides the Nimzmgki Taghah, or “ Profane Nimangki ",
which in Lambumbu is a purely secular association, there exists
in this district the genuinely secret society called Nimangki
Tlel, malning the " Sacred Nimangki ". It is found throughout
the district of Lambumbu and in the villages to the south, such
as Vuliembet, Vanetaghol, and Hut Mi.nbu1. How far it extends
into the mountainous interior is not known, but it is probably
present in Nesan and Mindu. This society seems to be practically
independent of the Nimangki Taghah, and the informants were
questioned several times as to why it should be called a Nimangki
at all, for as will be seen, it is very different from the ordinary
Nimangki. The answers given show that both institutions were
classed together because in both the man entering the association
buys certain sacred things, nisil tlel. But while in the Nimangki
Taghah these may be scan and inspected and even worked by
non—membcrs (the women make the n'cn’s girdles and penis
wrappers) in the N imnmgki T lel their manufacture and nature are
closely guarded secrets. It seems, then, that there is in the
native mind an idea that the Nimangki Taghah and the Nimangki
Tlzl are connected in that both centre round objects which are
holy or tlel.
At ï¬Årst sight the Nimanglzi Tlel appears to be divided into
four grades: Nimangki Misi, Naai Rirmzp, Nani Morï¬Åh, and
N611/n‘ Tavï¬Åt. A closer examination shows, however, that the
names of the ï¬Årst two are used almost interchangeably, that
they share a common ceremonial and have sacred objects of the
same type. This is also true of the Nani M [M711 and Ndwzi Tar/6t.
Between the sc two pairs, on the other hand, there is a profound
ditierence, and we ï¬Ånd indeed that the Nimangki Tlel is regarded
as being fundamentally constituted of two societies which are
in opposition to one another, and in theory at least mutually
exclusive. Nimangki Miei and Nam‘ Rivrap are really variations
436
vzeaaiasezsxaa .7$§“1'1*%fl€§§5:9

Z
K
1