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

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302 MALEKULA
nimetu) is placed, leaning up against it. The men now go to
the gongs and beat out the rhythms of all the Nimangki grades
from Naamb T ilea up to and including Nevelvel in the order
in which they are entered. When these are ended the candidate
brings forward a number of his pigs and makes a pile of food
comprising taro, “strong " yams (nuwes), yams, bananas, and
other vegetables. This pile is for all the men of N21/elvel rank
who are present; the pigs are to be paid for certain speciï¬Åc
objects. One of the seniors is asked to perform the pig~giving
ceremony. He takes the rope of each animal in turn and, speaking
over each the prescribed formula, hands them over to the
introducer. The ï¬Årst is given for “ the opening of the door â€ù
(resisewm), the second for the navan mbatia, the third for the
stone circle (nonggob), and the fourth for the malamir bush}
Immediately after the ï¬Årst pig has been paid, the coco-nut leaf
at the foot of the navan mbatia is uprooted and cast away to
symbolize the opening of the door of the amxl. In the ceremonial
of this degree the stone circle represents the amel, the nawm
mbatia represents the door of the amel, and the coco-nut frond at
its foot is the fastening or lock of the door. Thus as soon ‘as,
the candidate has paid the necessary pig for the “ opening "‘
of the door of the nonggob, the coco-nut frond fastening is thrown
away and his right of entry thus acknowledged.
The ï¬Årst stage in the preparations is now completed. The
next is concerned with the making of the temes. On a day
previously determined upon, the introducer comes from his
village bringing with him some young men (not, it seems, his
mates) to help him in his work. The candidate joins them and
the little band goes into the bush, cuts two tree-fern posts and
brings them back to the village of the candidate. (Two posts
only are cut, irrespective of the number of candidates to this
grade.) Here inside the club-house they are carved with
human faces and painted in the style already described as
characteristic of this degree. When these tame: are ready a day
1 The formulae run as follows: For the ï¬Årst pig, “Muluunm nimbuns
resisawan ran mmggnb timmgk etangk "; for the second, " Muluwun, nimbuas
it/zus in mu/an mbatia tinmzgk ztangk "; for the third, "Muh¢w1m, nimbua:
nimu/n'I £1/ivul in nanggob Iinunglz stangk "; and for the fourth, " Muluwun,
nimbuus iveus in malamir limmgk etangk ". The Muluvnm is the introducer;
the nimwail referred to in the third ion-nula is the candidate, this being the
title which he holds in virtue of his membership 01 the grade Nimwsil, which
is pre-requisite for entrance to N.w.sluaI.—C. H. W.

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