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

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MARRIAGE AND RELATIONS OF SEXES r45
of times because these relatives wanted him to marry Levesig,
a union that was distasteful to hirn, but in the end he was forced
to comply with their wishes, and this seems to be the usual fate
of young men who try to oppose their relatives in these matters.
On this occasion it was settled that the bride-wealth should
comprise two pigs, one of mbong mevtls, the other of nitauu grade.‘
Amanrantus, being young at the time, was not himself rich
enough to provide these pigs, and his elder half-brother, therefore,
gave them in his stead.
A necessary preliminary to marriage for a girl of Seniang is
that- she should have undergone the ritual of having her incisor
teeth knocked out. If this has not been done, then before ï¬Åxing
the day of the wedding, the suitor goes to the mother's brother
of his would-be bride and gives him pigs to have the operation
performed on hcr. After this has been done, the day is ï¬Åxed
for the marriage ceremony. The bride’s father gocs and clears
a space at some point along the road between the villages of the
bride and bridegroom, but noticeably nearer to that of the
bride. This clearing, at which the whole marriage ritual is
perfomred, is necessary because in Seniang and Wilemp it is
tabu to make payment for a bride inside a house, and this is
one of the most noticeable differences between the rites of Seniang
and Mewun. At this clearing he erects a rough platform, and
on this are heaped taro, yams, “ strong â€ù yams (nuwes), bananas,
and nisang. '
On the appointed day the father, mother, mother's brother,
all four grandparents, mother's brother's wife, father's sister,
and other unspeciï¬Åed relatives of the girl come with her to the
clearing, while from the opposite direction comes the bridegroom
with his father, mother, mother's brother, and other kinsfolk
and friends. The bride’s father new erects four poles on his
side.of the ground, and suspends a large basket between them.
Together with the girl's mother, brothers, and sisters he ï¬Ålls this
basket with taro, "strong" yams, bananas, and yams, which
are placed in it in this order. The bride's mother's brothers do
not assist in this, but sit about waiting. When the big basket
is ï¬Ålled to bursting, another small basket is ï¬Ålled with food for
the bride, and placed on the ground beside the large one which
is hanging up. The girl's mother now rasps a eoco~nut, puts the
I For an account of the diflcront grades oi pig see below, Chap. vrr.
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