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

DEATH AND DISPOSAL OF THE DEAD 573
in the manner of a bundle of ï¬Årewood—a load which only a
Mtemali (ghost) could lift ; at another is a bed of coco—nit fronds
' burnt-out ï¬Åre beside it-clearly the recent couch of a
with a
ghost ; a few yards further on a long noose of creeper is hanging
from a lofly tree and dangling over the path ; stones, approxi-
mating in shape to yams are hitched up to poles—said to be the
yarns of ghosts; elsewhere are huge water bamboos; lines of
stones are found set up along the paths, with a coco-nut, repre-
senting a pig, tied to each-—tlie remains of a N imzmgki made by
the ghosts during the night ; and everywhere, on every available
t branch or creeper, croton and cordyline sprays are bound
ree,
or suspended, so that one would think that not a single croton
' R d some
or cordylinc could be left growing in the district. oun
b seen too a garland of the black eroton nimwibmbang
trees may e , ,
(nimwilemet), which in Soniang is the badge of the Nevinbur,
‘f
but here of the society Nimangki Misi. These are hung up i
<1 a d were a member of this association. ln addition
the ece so
to all these signs of ghostly activity, sticks, stones, branches,
. . d
baskets are flung and scattered about the paths in a disor er
which suggests the pranks oi a small army of poltergeist. All
f tlic deceascd’s
these "hoaxes" are prepared by the men o
villa e at night during the period when the women are away.
8
Deacon writes of them: “ I am conï¬Ådent that the hoaxes
‘ - ' ' N th less the
deceive no one, except possible young girls. ever c
ki of them is still one oi the sacred things belonging to the
ma ng , .
men, therefore respected and reverenced and associated with
‘ TH ret
the other mysteries of the men--e.g. the Nimangki e sec
societies."
During these four days other preparations for the oercmony
are going on in the dead mans village, Around the dancing
ground are set up alternately a number of tall poles (trees shom
of their branches) and barnboos and coco-nut fronds are inter-
laced between these near the ground so as to form a low fence
or screen. Carved and painted ï¬Ågures representing ghosts are
' ‘ th danci
fastened to the poles on the side facing away from e ng-
ground ; and both poles and bamboos are decorated with pigs’
jaws, conches, and crotons. A similar but smaller circular
cnclosure is erected near the path leading to the village. Near
th on s in the enclosed dancing ground a number of structures
° 8 8
called Mai wubnlang are set up, consisting oi two upright poles