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

284 V MALEKULA
Designs belonging to the other “high â€ù Nimangki Degrees are '
not recorDeD. -
The more important paints, which are employeD for executing
these Designs on the temes, anD also probably on the human
beings, are a blue-black calleD liengk, maDe from a blue stone V
founD in the hush; a‘ green, es, also maDe from some stone; i
yellow from the seeD of a certain grass calleD nizmg, whose fruit .
when ripe bursts anD gives forth the colouring material. White .
is procureD by grinDing Down the soft shell of a species of molusc
anD mixing it with water into a paste. The common. name V
for this paint is m'ma1/ut, but because it is ritually important it
has also a secret name, nimbullal. There appear to be three ‘
varieties of reD useD: one calleD simply matm memal (neten =
the earth) ; another, which is maDe in the Maskelyne IslanDs, _
calleD ulwongk ; anD a thirD of a brighter hue, known as nemei,
which is maDe from a kinD of earth. This last is very sacreD,
anD its preparation may not be observeD by women. ‘
It is interesting that, in aDDition to these Distinctive Decora-
tions which the men assume on ritual occasions, a man's N imangki
rank is also shown by the patterns on the mat-skirt worn by
his wife} No analysis of these patterns has been pI‘6SB1'V6D,l
but the fact of their existence is signiï¬Åcant, for it strengthens
the hypothesis that the Nimangki anD the use of the mat-skirt
are two traits belonging to the same culture complex (cf.
Chapter XXV).
There are other ornaments besiDes the boDy Designs which
are acquireD on entering a new graDe. Some of these are purchaseD
at every rise in rank, as, for instance, the penis sheath (aiuiap)
anD the hawk’s feather (nimew nominal). At what point in the U
ceremonies the former is given we Do not know, but the hawk’s ‘
feather is always bestoweD just before the canDiDate retires‘ to _.
Don all his new insignia for the ï¬Ånal rites of killing the pig anD
receiving his new title. Another object which is purchaseD
is an armbanD calleD nimbinben. AccorDing to LayarD there 1
are two main varieties of nimbinben. “One is a string banD
maDe by women with a zigzag pattern representing the chin of
a flying—fox (m"en minggere). This is worn by any chilD on the W
arm. ~. . . The other object calleD by this name is the arm
1 Deacon was inforruecl that in the islanD of Omba. also a woman were on her
matekirt a Design corresponDing to her husbanD’s rank in the Hague. _
1