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

THE NALAWAN SOCIETY 417
into the corners of each mouth two pig's tusks are inserted, as
is done in making nitevis of lower Nalawan grades! For this
carving and painting the candidate pays pigs to his introducer
as usual. Some days later barnboos are cut and the stretcher
m'm'1"at is made. This consists of an outer rectangular frame of
bamboo with a number of other bamboos laid transversely to
form the supporting bed of the stretcher. The men then cut
four nitmtor posts which are curved somewhat towards the
upper ends. These are planted near the gangs in such
a way that they resemble two pairs of ship's davits facing
each other. To each pair a transverse pole (naai tewlang)
is lashed, and on the top of each upright is placed the
skull of a man who had during his 1ife—time entered
Nivi/at. This structure is called naai var, and is used to
support the stretcher.
That night nimlmmbal is danced unaccompanied by the
gongs, and in the morning the candidate gives a pig for the_
dancers’ breakfast. The barnboos (nembm nembimg/2) are then
cut and planted alongside the naai var, and the ï¬Åfth day ahead is
ï¬Åxed for the celebration of the entrance rites. These follow the
normal course until the introducer has given his pig to the
candidate. Immediately after this the mbwirmbwir ceremony
is held while it is still day. The women keep within doors, and
the men go behind the amel and blow the temes naainggol as in
other N ulawan. When this is over, the nivifat, which all this
time had been kept inside the amel, is brought out and placed
on the naai 1101. On it there lies a large yam of the kind called
mbet mial, into one end of which a stick has been thrust. The
other end of this stick is inserted into the fvmmen magnum of
a skull which has been painted red. The yam is covered by a
mat, and the whole represents 2. dead man, or perhaps more
exactly, the corpse of the candidate stretched on his funeral
bier. When this m‘vz'/at has been placed beside the gongs, the
assumption by the candidate of the pig's tusk bracelet and turtle-
shell armlet takes place, and the next day there follow the usual
ceremonies of shooting at the m'1/ifat, killing the pig, receiving
the new name, and litamate.
‘ The name of these carved tree-ferns and the manner oi their use is not
mentioned. Probably they are set up round the mun‘ vow, as are the m'!sm's
round the fence in other Nalauum Nimbu/1lei.—-C. H. VV.
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