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

2
n
l.
n
E
li
l3
if
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smsaomw-¢=<..m~ma»-v,»-.m-=
MARRIAGE AND RELATIONS OF SEXES I47
The man who had carried the mat from the bridegroom's side
now returns thither, takes up the other mat, and the previous
ceremonial is repeated, the only variation being that this time
he says: " Nimbu/an pill etzmgk â€ù (“ Here is the mat for
sexual intercourse ").‘
The girl's paternal grandfather then takes in his left hand
the two leaves which she has been holding and givm them to
the bridegroom. The latter touches them and then returns
them to the girl's grandfather who takes them this time in his
right hand. He then goes back to his granddaughter and hands
back the leaves to her, which she once more holds over her head.
The paternal grandfather, father, or brother of the bridegroom,
now takes a pig which is called nimbuas naai, and gives it to
the girl's father who in return gives him a small stick (mu/ii),
apparently as a sort of receipt. The remaining pigs are then
paid for the girl, beginning with those of lowest value and ending
with those of highest: thus, nitavu, mbzmgmemis, and so on up
to tisimbw. While these men have been thus engaged, the
women, standing to the bridegroom in the relation of " mothers "
and " sisters â€ù and also other women of his village who are his
female friends, have made on their side of the ground two heaps
(niwo) of mat-skirts (niismbat) such as are worn by women, and
the bridegr0om’s male relations and clansmen have made a heap
of food.
. Throughout all these proceedings the bridegroom himself
‘been keeping out of sight, behind the trees at the back of
end~of the clearing. After the payment of the pigs, he takes
his"c1ub' (riaaj 13hbr1Iiambn2),‘ his bow and arrows (nerevw hamnggm)
and his ‘quiver (niwumgai or m'mbo on tawingk) which is decorated
with f0wls' feathers ; the club is slung over the right shoulder,
the bow and arrow are held in the left hand. He takes hold of
one end of a rnat (nimbwan) and a girl of his own village, a
" classiï¬Åcatory " sister, a “ friend “ of his, takes the other end.
Another girl of his village, who may be his real sister, walks in
front of him carrying a pig (mbuas mos) over her shoulder. These
three now go across the clearing to where the bride is standing
' "Actually 11121 is used for a dog and a bitch coming together, and has,
I think, a slightly Rabelaisian flavour about it; la is the normal verb used
my human beings."—A. B. 1:-.
’ Only this kind of club is carried, not others such as nemam ni, etc. (A. B. D,).
For the diï¬Åerent varieties of club see Chap. VIII.