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

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260 MALEKULA
rites are thus brought to an end and the boys are henceforth
regarded as men. _
It will be noticed that in this account no mention is made
of bullroarers. Nevertheless, on the strength of the statement
that the rites of South Lambumbu are very much like those of
nï¬Åwei mzmbï¬Åg, it is probably safe to assume that the hullroarer
is used in naavavien, but that the informant, being more interested
i.n the differences between the two sets of ceremonies than in
their resemblances, omitted to mention it. This may be true
also with reference to the physical trials of the candidates which
form so prominent a part of the celebrations in the north, but
which are not mentioned in the account of naavavim.
We have no record at all of the incision rites of Lagalag,
but there is good reason for supposing that they followed the
lines of nï¬Åwei nambï¬Åg. The panpipes are known in this district
as M35141’ and, as in Lambumbu, they are taught to boys during
their seclusion, and are tabu to all women and unincised males.
Circumcision arming the Big Nambas
Unlike the other districts of Malekula, the Big Nambas
practise circumcision and not incision. The ceremonies connected
therewith are called collectively Iiagho, while the act of circum-
cision is termed ivi bagha (“ he makes bagho "). In many respects
there is a close similarity between these rites and those of Northern
Lambumbu and Laravat, particularly in the physical ordeals
which the candidates have to undergo and the " hoaxes â€ù which
are played upon them during their thirty days’ seclusion. In
other respects, notably in the elaborate development of homo-
sexual practices and in the diiierence of the operation performed,
the bagho ceremonies are unique as regards this island.
When it has been decided to hold the circumcision rites, the
father of each candidate seeks out someone who will act as
guardian to his boy during the period of seclusion. For this
service the guardian will, on the completion of the rites, receive
a very considerable payment of pigs from his charges father.
Such a guardian is called dubut; the novice or candidate is
usually called mugh vel.1 The relation between these two is,
1 According to another note, the novices are called bau and the guardians
nembtdremb. These are probably alternatives for the other more commonly
used terms mug/i wl and dubwt.-—C. H. W, ' >
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