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

144 MALEKULA
father died, though it could not have been before his birth, since
there is no suggestion that Amanrantus belongs to any other clan
but that of which Looremew is the principal village. Neverthe-
less, from. the fact that Ha’ile had no sister and that it was
Manbonggor who acted t.he part of a father at Amanrantus’
wedding, it seems almost certain that it web the latter and his
sister Luus Masing who arranged and enforced the match. That
is, Amanrantus‘ liie was controlled by his stepfather and step-
father’s sister who were not members of his own clan. It is, of
course, possible that this happened only because, as an Outcome
of the rapid depopulation of this region, there were no senior
men oi his father's clan who could have taken charge of the
boy, but his mother's clan was not extinct. Nevertheless, it was
his mother's husband who took over the responsibility of him
and, what is signiï¬Åcant, public opinion evidently demanded that
he should show this man and his sister the same obedience that
would have been expected in his relations with his real father
and father's sister.
Marriage Ceremonies ‘
Unfortunately little has been recorded of the approved
methods of courtship, or of the opportunities offered to young
men and girls for becoming acquainted with one another, and
oi exercising their powers of selection. Most usually a. man will
see a girl who takes his fancy at :1 dance. H0 will then inquire
from one of the onlookers concerning her father, and on returning
home will persuade his own father to go and bespeak the girl
for him. The father then pays a visit to her parents for the
purpose of ï¬Ånding out whether they are agreeable to the match,
and how many pigs they wish to receive in bride~weulth. It is
considered highly improper for a man to talk to a girl before
her parents have been consulted about the match.
Once the bride-wealth and the wedding day have been
determined upon it is very unusual for him to break oti the
engagement. The only “ honourable " cause for such a rupture
would be his inability to raise the pigs he had promised. It
sometimes happens, however, that when a boy is young, his
father or father's sister arrange a marriage for him that is not
to his liking. Amanrantus ran away from his village a number
E
l