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KINSHIP ORGANIZATION IN NORTH~WEST 107
terms for child, sister's child (m.s.), brother's child (w.s.), and
grandchild are extended in a similar way ; the reciprocal
term for all the people called " father ", “ mother ", and vave
being netungk, except for the husband’s sister’s son, who, because
he may one day marry the woman, is called " husband " ; the
reciprocal for all those addressed as bimbi being metela ; and for
bumbu " grandparent â€ù, being mmmbungk “ grandchild ".
An analysis of these anomalous groupings will show them to
be logically connected with the customary marriage of a man
with the widow of his maternal uncle, their " dependence â€ù on
this marriage being only more highly developed here than in the
other kinship systems described in Malekula.
As in Seniang the range of the kinship terminology is very
wide, and is such that every individual in the district applies a
classiï¬Åcatory term to every other. It follows, therefore,
that a man marrying within the district must alwaystake as
wife a woman whom he addresses as a' relative. The application
of a relationship term to anyone of the opposite sex being per se
a bar to marriage, an expiatory pig must be paid to “ wipe out â€ù
this relationship and make the union possible. The payment of
such a pig is here termed runsumsur nages, and is quite distinct
from the payment of pigs as bride-price for the woman.
Tna RIGHTS AND Du-rnas or RELAT!vES
The Mother's Brother
As elsewhere in Malekula, the mother's brother plays an
important part in the life of his sister’s son, and on certain
ceremonial occasions he is the recipient of gifts from the boy's
father. Thus, when the childis born the father gives the mother's
brother a pig, and informs him of the event; when it is old
enough the mother's brother gives the child its ï¬Årst drink, and
for this service receives a further pig. Yet another is given to
him on the occasion of his sister’s son ï¬Årst wearing the penis
sheath when he is secluded in the loghor, and while the boy is
here it is only his rnother’s brother who may come and
visit him ; were his father to do so the boy would die. These
duties and privileges are said to be those of the bimbi, and though