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THE DISTRIBUTION OF CULTURES 703
effects of white contact had made themselves felt, there were
close trade connections between this island and Santo and Omba,
and it is very probable that the wearing of the mat-skirt was one
of the culture traits which spread thence to Malckula. We
may conclude then that the mat—skirt and the malmal or nudity
are characteristic of the matrilineal regions, while the fringed-
skirt and the penis-sheath belong to the patrilineal.
Other elements oi culture show a similar distribution. Thus
incision or circumcision and the use of the upright slit-gongs are
only found in the patrilineal area ‘ ; on the other hand we ï¬Ånd that
in general kava. drinking,“ a decimal system of numeratlon, taro-
irrigation by means of terraces,’ and a mythology centring around
Tagaro, or a being of similar name, are in the mai.n restricted to
the matrilineal area, the only exceptions being that in North
Malekula and the Small Islands there is a decimal system, that
Tagaro is known in the Small Islands, and that kava is drunk
cerernunially and probably tarodrrigation practised by the Big
Nambas.‘
'l‘urni.ng for a moment to a consideration of physical types,
we notice that many of the people of Omba are very light-skinned
and distinctly Malayan in appearance. The natives of North-West
Santa are likewise light-skinned and it is reported that the dialects
oi this region and of the Ombans are mutually intelligible.‘ In
Macwo also this light pigmentation is found and the language
resembles Omban, Thus within the matrilineal area of the New
Hebrides there seems to be ~present u deï¬Ånite light-skinned type,
1 F. Speiser, 1923, pp. 2a7~e, 420 ii.
' lbidl, pp. 162-5. Spaiser iinribiizes kava-drinking indiscriminately to
the whole of migo.
= Irrigation is or was practised in North-West Santa, North-Ehsc Ombz,
North Raga, hhii Maewo. (A. B. De5!.C0l1, 1929, p. 497.)
I It must ho recognized, however, that tho l(H.VI. plant is oi ritual imporconoo
in other ohm oi Malekulh. The statement that terraces ior ta.ro»irrignt.lon Me
typical oi the matrilinex-1larca,sn.vc that they may be used hmoog the Big Nnmbns,
is curious, fer, is we have seen, Ducon himself describes two lncthods of irrigating
who gardens, one oi which closely resembles, ii it is not actually, termcing.
(See Chapter VlI.)4C. 1-1. W.
I There moi; to ho some contr:ldction hem between his notes. In one
place Deicoo states chhi it is the people oi Won orribo who are very light-
skinned with,oIten, ohliqiio eyes, but that it is those 01 the east. [End or the island
who areinclose cone»: witht enatives ofNorth-West Santo. '1'llesoEa.stOrnbhns
are oi two tygï¬Åfli One thick-sec, with woolly llair, broad nose, oho thick Lips ;
the other wit curly or cririipy hair, high-bridged oqiiilirlc noses, and cl-ho lips.
1: is, moreover, thme Eris: Ombans who chemo their women. £5» below.) The
malmal is apparently worn thruuihout the island. (A. . Deacon, 1925,
pp. 49677.) Io the notes from whic the analysis given hare is drawn no dis-
tlnction is made between the natives of East and West 0mbB.—Cl H. w.
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