[Note: this transcription was produced by an automatic OCR engine]
THE NIMANGKI SOCIETY 277
lower ranks of the N alawzm Society. Naamel is the usual word
for the men's club-house. Tartar is a variety of tree with very
hard wood which is much used in the structures connected with
the Nimamgki ritual, and nimew means “ the feather "; we
may therefore translate Tartar N imew as “ The Feather Tree â€ù,
and we may surmise that this refers to one of the objects erected
bythé candidate when acquiring membership of this grade,
but what the meaning of Tortor Meremba may be we cannot
tell, since nothing has been recorded of this grade save its name.
The signiï¬Åcance of the titles Ambas and Akar Meremba is also
unknown. N oulas is another species of tree and in this rank
e have a further instance of the grade name and title being
rile same. M bat Ru is'an elision of the two words mbat meaning
" head â€ù and iru meaning â€ù two â€ù, and doubtless it refers to the
two faces carved on the wooden efï¬Ågies which each candidate
to this degree sets up. The title Alungk signiï¬Åes “ cripple â€ù,
but Why members should be called thus is not explained. Neither
is the meaning of M balmbal recorded, but lili in the title Mbalmbal
Lili is probably connected with li, the word used for the action
of pulling a pig with a rope. Nelizz/is is the name given to a
certain kind of leg-band or garter which the candidate purchases
when he becomes a member of this grade.‘ It is possible that
it corresponds to the rank Liwusi of Malo and Omba. Matelau,
the title of men of N eliwis, is the word for a sea-serpent. As has
already been mentioned, nimew means “ the feather â€ù ; in the
grade of this name it probably refers to the feather at the apex
of the basketry cone in which the candidates are carried round
the gongs. The meaning of Melanga Wiil is not known, but Pit
Namap is said to signify “ At the Zenith of Heaven " (mzmap =
“ the heaven "). Nimweil is the cycas, another plant much
used in Malekulan ritual. N evelvel means “ reproach â€ù or
“ reprimand â€ù ; though why this grade should bear this name
is not explained. Mulumm Sumbman can be translated literally
Y‘ Holy Ground on Top ", and miawlamp, in the name Naamel
Ndai/lamp, is the cleared space which is used for dancing, and
where the gongs are set up. The word tambap is apparently
connected with imbajr, which is used with reference to a man
1 Layard‘st_ates that naliwis is that part of the leg immediately below the
knee, but _th1S 1s maccurate ; the word refers to the ornament which is worn in
this position.--A. B. D.