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

254 MALEKULA '
with their eyes shut and sing in a faint mysterious manner.
It is dark. The candidates are led out and made to go up and
pull the huge penises, which wobble in a terrifying manner.
A fourth performance there is which can only be done on a
pitch black night when there is no moon or starlight, and no
ï¬Åre to pierce the gloom. Certain luminous mushrooms called
number are gathered and fastened all over the front of the body,
legs, and arms. Where there are gaps between the mushrooms
the skin is rubbed with them, so that in the dark the man is
not visible from the rear, but is luminous in front. When all
is ready the candidates are brought forth into the inky night
and seated just outside their house. Then the men who have
been decorated begin to dance backwards towards them, holding
their arms stiffly outstretched. Because they are dancing back-
wards they cannot be seen by the candidates, but the sound of
their feet can be heard. All of a sudden the dancers swing round,
presenting themselves front view, and revealing to their audience
awful shining ï¬Ågures advancingupon them. These then vanish
as suddenly as they appeared, when the men swing round once
more and begin dancing backwards again. Thus they continue
for some time, alternately revealing and hiding themselves as
they dance forwards and backwards, ever advancing, until the
candidates are hysterical with terror. In a. ï¬Åfth “ hoax â€ù the men
paint themselves and dress up just like women, with head-mats
on their heads, beads around their necks, and mat-skirts girding
their loins. They then make an object called now‘ from a
coco-nut frond, and taking muskets or bows and arrows, they
come dancing at dead of night, singing in a loud voice and ï¬Åring
oft their weapons at the trees in all directions. The words of their
song run as follows : " Usar wsliwel mm veem aa ai, mar weliwel
men veem." Finally they approach the terriï¬Åed boys, remove
the disguises, show them the mmr, and explain how it is made.
There are many other similar performances. Sometimes "a
man binds leaves round his legs and thighs to make them appear
huge, paints himself black and, when it is dark, dances up to the
house out of which the candidates are made to come and go up
and touch him. Or a man will fasten leaves under his penis so
‘ The usual meaning oi the word now is " prawn " ; presumably the object
made is supposed to look like or be a prawn, but in what way it is used for
frightening the candidates we are not told.—@. H. W. -
iii!