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

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THE NALAWAN SOCIETY 401
by thrusting it into the glowing embers of a ï¬Åre, and hands to
his assistant. These two men then dance nimbumbal round the
gangs, the assistant holding the torch aloft as he does so. Mean-
while the candidate goes to his house and brings thence a pig,
which he drags up to the naainggal. When the introducer and
assistant have ï¬Ånished dancing, they come up to where the
eandidate is standing and the latter gives the pig to the introducer,
an old man pronouncing as usual the appropriate formula. It is
now the candidate's turn to take the torch and dance round the
gangs, while the introducer, his assistant, and the onlookers sit
round in the dark and watch. As the torch burns down the
candidate takcontinues dancing thus for some time.‘
Hitherto the Naainggul rites have been almost identical
with those described for Nimangki Nevelvel, but at this point
the Nalawam ceremonies become rather different. When the
torch dance is over, the candidate, the intreducer, and many
other men retire behind the amel in preparation for the important
rite called mbu>1irmb1m'r. It will be remembered that behind the
umel is the most sacred place in the whole village‘ Hither the
wooden cylinders, the temes naainggul, are brought; two for
producing the sound termed nemen singgzw, and six or seven
for making that called mmem. At the same time at banana
(mzsur) is planted at the side of the path where it enters the
village, that is at the matanhal, and round about it are set crotons
of all kinds.’ Tho candidate now kills a pig- which he presents
to his introducer as payment for the mbwirmbwir, the gift-giving
formula being pronounced as usual by an old man. This being
done, a number of members of the Nalawan take the tzmzs
muzinggol and blow them in a slow, mournful, alternation of two
1 When there are several candidates entering BC the some time, we Ilo not
lmuw whether they all dance together or ringly. The ceremony {allowing upon
the torch dance is performed zmco only irrespective of the number or candidates.-
c. H. w.
* Thero is Sbmé doubt as to the site whore the banana and erotons are
planted and as to Where the mm mzlzinggol are brought. This is due to the tact
that Deacon constant-ly refers to the malaflhal as though it were the ï¬ÅB.Ci'Gd
spot behind the amel, and not, as Lnynro states (p. 207) and as Deazon himself
elsewhere implies, the place where the bush-path enters the village. From
the account of the mbrrimbrnir ceremony as it is carried out at entrance to
Nalau/an Lllaflgvlual zvimbnilri‘ Trmggnr it Seems probable that the lamzs nminggnz
were taken behind the rim! on this occasion nnrl whenever the mbwimbwrr
ceremony was to be peflormed, while the banana. tree and crutons were set up
at the mahmhnl as described ebove.—C. 1-1. W.
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