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MAGIC 671
exposed ; when rain, the black side is put outwards to attract
the clouds.‘
It is said, too, that in this North-West district all hurricane
magic belongs to Lembelag, and that in this same village there
is also a special rain magic controlled by a rain-magician. In the
sacred place of Lembelag lies one of those cylindrical, prehistoric
pots, which in Seniang are connected with the Amlmt and used
in the ceremonies for the fertility of the pigs. This pot the
magician ï¬Ålls with water when rain is needed, and empties again
to bring back the dry weather. This sacred pottery, wherever
it is found in Malekula, appears always to be associated with
public magic, and it is most probable, therefore, that the Lembelag
rain»maglcian, like the sun-magician, is a public ofï¬Åcial.
The fertility and general well-being of human beings were
ensured by the ceremonies of the " Making of Man â€ù as carried
out formerly by the clan-magicians of Iumoran, Melpmes, and
Lembelag. In the event of some particular woman being barren,
however, her husband would resort to private magical means
to cure her, such as those described in the passages dealing with
birth,
The other branch of mwelnggil is that concerned with the
attraction of members of the opposite sex. For the most part
it is used by men to induce a woman to corne to them, but women
also have their ways of winning a man's love. The name of this
women's love-magic is nimbwirip. Nothing has been recorded
of its methods, but it is said to have the effect oi making a man
conceive a. passion for a woman so that he follows her about
everywhere like a dog. Men have several different ways of
attracting women by magic, but unfortunately the information
about them is not very full. It seems that this magic is never
used for obtaining a wife—that is a matter in which social and
economic considerations rather than physical passions dictate-
but it is used>tor winning the attentions of girls and inclining
them towards illicit relations. It must he remembered that in
these affairs the woman generally takes the initiative of suggesting
a meeting. The magic therefore is to induce her to take this STEP.
1 Another note mentions what may be a. third sun- and rain-stone. It is
called Limbwornal, and belongs to an unidentiï¬Åed place named Ulali ,It is
' used in the same way as the two described in the text. Since there is no record
of this village, and since all villages have, apparently, secret as well as public
names, it is possible that Ulal may be a second name for either Lembelag or
the village Of Sesaii—-C. H. W- ‘
1