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

THE NIMANGKI AND NELEMEW 377
(6) Bwilhon. Thirteen pigs. Bwila, a short ï¬Ågure of wood,
painted in scrolls of red, white, and blue, with boar's tusks irom
the jaws to the ears. There is hair on the top of the head.
('5) Vilvilbon. Thirteen pigs. A large fern tree ï¬Ågure called
vilm .
(8) Balias. Ten pigs. Short ï¬Ågure painted in red perpendicular
ï¬År'
s ipes.
(9) Meleun. Ten pigs. A ï¬Ågure about seven feet high painted
in red and black perpendicular stripes. It is placed under a thatched
roof. Behind it is a small circle of flat upright stones.
(10) Amat (high chief). I could see no image but was told
that it was a long carved pole. On another island I was shown a
small stone image as the symbol of this rank. I am doubtful if
this is so. For this rank ten boar pigs are distributed and three
killed. I have no doubt that there is a corresponding division in
each M angle: . . . but I had omitted to inquire at the time.
“There is an extra Mangke called Tan meleu for which three
pigs are killed. The image is along pole carved of hardwood with
human ï¬Ågures and faces.
“ The colours employed in olden times were coral lime, yellow
ochre, a mineral green, and charcoal. Civilisation through the
trader has supplanted the green and yellow with laundry blue and
red lead. . . . Although the images are rude in design and out
oi all proportion, they are real attempts at portraying the human
ï¬Ågure. Every part is carelullyput in. . . . There are no female ï¬Ågures,
although there are some on North Malekula. The Natcmate are
set up round the Amel [the village dancing ground] in np particular
order that I could see. When set up reeds and ornamental shrubs
are planted round them, but only the highest were covered over."
It is clear that the words recorded by Watt Legatt as being
the names of the grades are the titles borne by the members of
the grades, while the names which he gives for the efï¬Ågies are
the true grade-names. Thus a comparison of his list with that
recorded from Seniang shows that both regions have certain
degree names and titles in common. For instance, Batam and
Alunk are clearly the same as Mba! ru and Alungk at South-
West Bay; similarly, Lnvwis and Matalau are the same as
Neliwis and Metelau; Melemz is certainly the Mulmmm of
Seniang, and Tan M elev is the same as N eten Mwelip. Further,
it seems more than probable that Bwila is the Maskelyne form
of Mu/eil, and that Vilvil equates with N avelvel. Amat, although
not known as a grade name or title in Seniang, is found in
Worvulu where members of Amal Lamp (Seniang Naanwl
miarlamp) are called by it. Thus there are only three grades
in the Maskelynes whose names are not paralleled in the westem
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W -_ es. 77 _*_.i_ 1—