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Deacon A.B., 1934. Malekula: A Vanishing People in the New Hebrides / Deacon A.B., 1934. Malekula: A Vanishing People in the New Hebrides / Bernard A. Deacon / Vanuatu, Nouvelles-Hébrides, Malekula, South-West Bay
[Note: this transcription was produced by an automatic OCR engine]

./ _
680 MALEKULA
a man’s basket rope or other implement is known in Lambumbu
also, where it is termed resamber. Another way, nensunggur,‘
is to flick a small particle of " poison â€ù at a man or to touch
him with it at an opportune moment.
i Although the magical methods described above are not
identical with any of those recorded from Seniang, it is clear that
they all work on the same principal as the magic of~ this district.
The practices which are regarded as being native to Lambumbu
are somewhat different. One of these is called mbolzmggon Mmur.
The magician takes one of the bones of a man who has been
killed in battle, or died some other violent death, and muttels
a spell over it by means of which the spirit of the dead man is
concentrated in the bone. Then he hides in the undergrowth
beside a path along which his foe is walking. As the latter passes
by he makes a feint at him with the bone, or if it is night time
(sic) at his shadow, and says his name. At this the spirit in the
bone leaps forth and kills the victim. What particular type of
illness is 'mduced in this way we do not know, but the effect of
the magic is believed to be very potent. Superï¬Åcially, this
magical act resembles the injuring by means of a “ poisoned "
spear which has been described trom'Seiiiang, but the principle
upon which the magic works is different. In mbalonggon mimur
it is the spirit of the dead man whose bone is used which is the
agent of evil. The bone of a man who has died in his bed is not
employed, because those who have died violently are believed
to have more powerful (and perhaps more vindictive) spirits
than the former. Such a bone may be used many times ; the
magician who owns one will keep it in some “tabu place â€ù
(wut maul) where he charms it afresh every time he uses it.
The name of the enemy is spoken as the bone is pointed
at him to ensure that there shall be no mistakes. This is
important, for unlike most magical acts there is no counter-
magic to this; mistakes cannot be rectiï¬Åed; the hann done
is irremediable.
Another type of magic native to Lambumbu is called mvï¬Ågtm.
The sorcerer catches a' certain kind of eel (nemeri mbwa), cuts it
up, and puts the pieces into a hole in a mi-uop tree where rainwater
has accumulated. Here he leaves them for a long time to rot.
Then he takes them out and places them in a_ section of bamboo,
into which he also squeezes the sap from a certain leaf. The
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Hierarchy
Books and Archives on Malekula / Malicolo, Vanuatu [Collection(s) 38]
Deacon A.B., 1934. Malekula: A Vanishing People in the New Hebrides [Set(s) 833]
Links to other sets
Deacon 1934 - Cayrol v.1 1992 [Set(s) 1662]
Deacon 1934 - Cayrol v.2 1992 [Set(s) 1663]
Deacon 1934 - Cayrol v.3 1992 [Set(s) 1664]
Meta data
Object(s) ID 86783
Permanent URI https://www.odsas.net/object/86783
Title/DescriptionDeacon A.B., 1934. Malekula: A Vanishing People in the New Hebrides
Author(s)Bernard A. Deacon
Year/Period1934
LocationVanuatu, Nouvelles-Hébrides, Malekula, South-West Bay
Coordinateslat -17.72 / long 168.36
Language(s)English
Copyright Copying allowed for personal non-commercial use. Please quote ODSAS.
Rank 785 / 901
Filesize 475 Kb | 1041 x 1588 | 8 bits | image/jpeg
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Quote this document Deacon, Arthur Bernard 1934 [accessed: 2024/4/19]. "Deacon A.B., 1934. Malekula: A Vanishing People in the New Hebrides" (Object Id: 86783). In Deacon A.B., 1934. Malekula: A Vanishing People in the New Hebrides. ODSAS: https://www.odsas.net/object/86783.
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