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

‘r
TOTEMISM 6X5
districts mentioned above. It is reported that fertility rites
exist similar to the nogharo of Lamhumhu, but called nilian,
and that even in this part of the country prehistoric pottery is
found which, again as in Lambumbu, is used in connection
with the nilian mmbet, the fertility ceremony for bread-fruit.
There is no mention, however, oi any special clan-magicians in
this district. Among the Big Nambas nothing is recorded of any
fertility rites, but it is clear that many oi the clan villages believe
themselves to be descended from and have a respect for certain
animals or plant species. Thus the ï¬Årst two men of Mawci‘
were brought forth by the pigeon mbilig, and this bird is to~day
neither killed nor injured by members of this village. Again,
a creeper vimil gave birth to ï¬Åve men and one woman. The
latter was handed over to the people of Tevter village, and in
exchange one of the sons of the vimil married a Tevter woman.
From this couple are descended the people of Batarmul. By
them the vimil is described as " all same mamma belong all ",
and it is forbidden to cut this creeper in the vicinity of their
village. Another plant, the nive, bore the men of Botvovwu.
Whether all of this species are respected is not recorded, but the
original plant is still to he seen in this village : the men's house
has been built over it, and the skulls of the dead are put up in
its branches. The men of Tenamet are likewise descended from
a sow, uorip, but here again no deï¬Ånite ritual attitude towards
sows in geneml is recorded; a tahu on men eating sows exists
throughout the district, as it does in other parts of Malekula,
in virtue oi the creatures’ sex.’
Quite apart from these clan-fertility rites for the increase
oi food, however, there is another important ceremony akin to
them which provides a further cultural bond between the
districts of the south-west and the north. This is the very
sacred ceremony of “ Making Man ". The name by which it
1 This village his DOW merged with Batu Malin.-—A. E. D.
I NO DI“! who mas le Pow T!tteVlD'l hruhih OD the people oi South Raga
(1922:) can mi {D be impressed by the simllaritiw between the totemic system
bi these natives and that described by Deacon from South-West Malekula. Nb
account 01 tctemism has yet been recorded il'Om Ambrym, lib!‘ from East lfld
South-East Malel(ula,but in view of the rm that the names Di the graded society
in South Raga are clearly akin to those hi East Mnlekula, and 01 the many other
cubtural similarities between South Raga and Mfllékuia. (among which must be
noted the similarit of the dialects) (see rmevih, 1925 and 1921;, it seems very
probable um in rim Malekula (him nnt impossibly in Arnbrym 21190) the local
patrilineal clans are totemic, as they MB ih the Sljfliill flfld went.-£4 H. w.