[Note: this transcription was produced by an automatic OCR engine]
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416 MALEKULA '
planted in turn barnhoos (nembrï¬Å nemlumgk), the nitevis, posts of
tree-fern (naai im), and a kind of white fungus called svilwak
which grows on trees, in such a way that the circle is composed of
them arranged in the following order : bamboo, nitevis, svilwak,
bamboo, nitemls, mun’ im, and so on continuously until all the
holes are ï¬Ålled. When the time comes to invest the candidate
with his new pig's tusk bracelet and turtle-shell arrnlet, he holds
his wrist against one of these nitzvis.
The ritual of entrance follows along the usual lines. On the
evening when the torch dance is performed, lelengvdal is also
danced if the candidate is a member of one of the Nalau/an of
that name. One slight variation in the normal procedure is
that after the performance of mbwirmbwir a pig is killed in the
bush and given to the introducer, this being called “ mbwirmin/2/£1
ran nemen le1;'at â€ù (= apparently " the ‘bird of the night "). No
explanation was given for this. For the ceremony of shooting
at the Nalawzm structure the old man of high rank who leads
the way is decorated with the same design as he is at entrance
to Lelengvdal Nimbzwilei Tzmggor. When all the men are
assembled in the dancing ground, the candidate mounts the
numbou ai mbamp, and the old man and others who hlave
purchased the right to do so, shoot at him and it with bow and
arrow. The remainder of the ceremonies is similar to that
described for earlier grades. There is no account of'the mask
worn by members of Numbou ai M bang‘), nor is it certain what
title these men bear, but it is probable that, like those who
belong to other " Nalawan of the Gongs â€ù, they -are called
Telmbwir Mbile.
» Nivifat
Thisigrade, like Numbou ai Mbamp and Amber lea, is a
Nalawan Nimbwilei. Its distinctive structure is the funeral bier
m'vi*r'at, which rests on a frame called naai var. The candidate
having arranged with someone to act as his i.ntroducer,1 goes
with his friends into the bush to cut six tree-ferns. These are
carved with faces which are painted black, red, and white, and
‘ In the notes the introducer is referred to no longer as Telmbwir but as
Matelen, as is also the intr0ducer's assistant. As has already been pointed out,
this is the title of a man of Naliwis grade in the Nimanghi. Probably it is used
here to indicate that the introduce: must be a man of high position in this society.
-—C. H. W. i