[Note: this transcription was produced by an automatic OCR engine]
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2» RITUAL LIFE OF WOMEN 491 apparently much the same purpose. Whether it is in any way connected with the lughlughian and on what occasions it is celebrated is not recorded. Our only knowledge of it is derived from the incident which took place during the purchase of Nimangki honours by Filin Mal of Vevenah for himself and his two sons, and even the report of this is fragmentary. Filin Mal had two daughters, quite young girls, whom he wished to honour by investing them with new names, The ceremony took place one evening during an interval in the Nimangki celebrations. At about ten o'clock the two girls were decorated and their faces painted in the manner suited to the occasion; one line was drawn from the region of the car, above the eyebrows and glabella to the ear on the other side, a second line passed from ear to ear across the upper lip; and a third reached irom the ears and under the point of the chin. On their heads bunches of nildvu leaves were ï¬Åxed. These had just been cut by some boys who were dispatched to the bush for the purpose. When the girls were fully adorned the gongrhythm mbat mew was beaten and the women lined up ready for the dance. This gong-rhythm is one of GREAT complexity and requires GREAT skill in rendering. On this occasion a man had been invited to perform it from a neighbouring village since nonc of Vevenah were able to do so correctly. He took up his position between the two large upright gongs, so that he could play on both at once standing with his hack to them and striking on them backwards. The men of the home-village manned the smaller gongs which served as accom- paniment to the large ones. The women were arranged in a double ï¬Åle along the path leading to the dancing ground, each ï¬Åle being led by a man bearing a torch who was immediately followed by one of Filin Mal’s young daughters.‘ It is probably during this dance or at its close that the new names are bestowed on the two girls. These names were purchased from two older women who in their youth had acquired thcm in like manner. Lagalag We see, then, that in Lambumbu there is no association really comparable to the Lupus of Seniang ; in Lagalag, however, it reappears as a flourishing institution under the name Langambas, I The description of this dance breaks oï¬Å almost at Once, and although a rough diagram of the ï¬Ågures is preserved this nu no key and is thcreior: not intolligible.—C. 1-1. w.
