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

256 MALEKULA ‘
candidates gather round the tree from which hangs the coco-nute
leaf basket and shoot arrows into it from all sides. Finally the
guardians lead their charges away to a secluded spot, and there
show them the bullroarers and teach them how they are swung.‘
This is the last of the incision rites. There is apparently no
triumphal procession home to the village.
A boy who has passed through these rites is now permitted
to wear a penis sheath and this is added to the nisit tlel (sacred
objects) which he can purchase when “ buying a Nimwmgki ".
The ï¬Årst penis sheath which he puts on is made for him by his
mother-it is within the women’s province to make these
garments—in recognition of which his father pays the boy's
maternal uncle a pig.
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, The Incision Rites of Lamvat
It has already been pointed out that the miwei nambiig rites
of North Lambumbu were derived from the incision rites or
mzwen bwiigh of Laravat. There are nevertheless some small
variations in these Laravat ceremonies which are worth noting.
As in Lambumbu, so here, the period of seclusion lasts for thirty
days, ten before the operation and twenty after. The candidates‘
are called mmh ‘vel ; their guardians mfombat or mawmgmmg.
At the time when the amel for the candidates is to be built,
justbefore the work is begun, a general ï¬Åght takes place between
the ntombai. They are divided into pairs, and ï¬Årst one man
beats his vis-ti-vis, then in turn receives a beating from him.
After this the “ chief â€ù man in the rites, presumably the “ master
of the ceremonies â€ù; thrashes all the ‘candidates. The actual
operation of incision seems to be performed in the same way
as in Lamhumbu, and is followed immediately by the beating
of the candidates and the whirling of the bullroarers. These are
called miemes khonsa, and the lads are told that they will slit
their ears. For ï¬Åve days after the incision the murh val are not
allowed to drink any water; and, as in Lambumbu, various
“ hoaxes " are played on them, many of which are the same as
those already described. One new one is mentioned called
imbarmbar wunswuns. Apnumber of coco-nuts are split’ in half
and then, when the amel is dark, the men inside clap one halt
against the other, making a noise which is said to resemble that
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