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

.
i THE NALAWAN SOCIETY 429
are frightened when it appears from the matamhal. It is possible
that the hat-mask called temes malau is actually the mzpal hat,
and that the face represented on it is that of Temes Malau himself.‘
This being is a mythical old man with_a large beard who lives
underground beneath a stone on a small island called Nour
Tomboi off the coast near the village of Benaur. From time to
time he comes out of the ground and goes to take part in dances
i.n some distant place. When pigs are killed one is given to
him, but he does not eat it. In what way he is specially associated
with the N alawan Nimbwilei there is no recorded myth to tell us,
but at entrance to these grades a croton with red leaves is planted
and the masks temes malau are tied to it at some distance above
the ground ; round this a smaller circle of crotons is set within
which the pigs for the N alazmm are killed. Of the higher N alawan
grades we know that Numbou, Timbamgb has a spider’s-web head-
dress, but there is no account of its method of manufacture.
The highest grade of all the ordinary Nalawan, Atim Bwitian,
has a mask which is called after the giant ogress Nevinmbumbaau.
This is a true mask and not only a hat, for the upper part covers
the entire head of the wearer, and attached to it is a flowing
cloak of tree-fern bark, which hides the rest of his body.
. The insignia of the very high grades to which only men of
exceptional wealth ever attain are unknown. The aim hat of
Nalau/an Vinbamj) has already been described; though larger
than most, it appears to be similar in style to other temes
mbalmbal.
THE Nalawan IN OTHER DISTRICTS or MALEKULA
Although the information about the Nalawz/m was obtained
in Seniang and Wilemp districts, Deacon was able to satisfy
himself that the institution had a much wider distribution, both
in Malekula and in the neighbouring island of Ambryrn. From
the south coast of Malekula, to the east of Milip, he collected a
list of the Nalawom grades, and as will be seen, several of the
1 It is recorded that the masks behind which the candidates to Naluwan
Vinbamp sit during the ceremony which releases them from their seclusion are
similar to, but considerably smaller than, the mask temes mrzlau. Whether this
refers to the hat or to the wooden disguise of this name is not clear, but from
the fact that they are called nitauis, and that, though much smaller than the
temes malau, these Nalawan vinbamp masks completely cover the faces of the
candidates, it is very possible that it is to the wooden disguises that Deacon
was likening them.-—C. H. W. ‘
vl
2
1
.
1 .
_. _ 4 r
in
l i