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

466 MALEKULA
appointed for the second part of the Nzvinbuf performance.
A large, deep hole (nimbwilirl) is dug inside the enclosed dancing
ground, a little to one side of and behind the gongs. Into this,
it seems, a number of the tame: are put in such a way that they
do not project above the level of the ground. The hole is then
covered over with the large plank-like buttresses of the nanm
tree} On- the day arranged, the spectators, including the Women
and uninitiated men, assemble in front of the houses facing
the enclosure. The members and candidates of the Nevinbur
enter the fenced-in ground, where they begin the dance called
naarauim, which is the special dance of this society, corresponding
to the tour of the Nimzmgki and nimbumbal of the Nalau/an.
Some of the men beat the gongs, and others dance on the namu
planks which cover the hole, thus producing a booming sound
which is supposed to represent to the uninitiated outside the
voices of the tomes. All the newly-made tame: are brought out
of the amel and are carried by the dancers. During the
performance the latter spring high into the air from time to
time, in such a way that their heads are momentarily visible to the
spectators outside the enclosure. Despite the great sanctityiof the
proceedings it was said that such a fleeting vision was permissible,
since although the bodies of the performers were ileo, their heads
were not so, and might therefore be seen by the uninitiated."
When the dance is over, a pudding of taro is prepared and
thoroughly soaked in salt water. Then two of the tomes, those
which bear the names Awus Nambangk and Ambwir Mhuas, are
raised up from within the enclosure so that they can be seen
over its top. These two temes are made more elaborately than
the others, for they have arms and hands and ï¬Ångers, which can
be manipulated from behind like those of puppets. The pudding
is carried out of the enclosure, round to where these two temes
are set up, and handed to them. Here, in full view of the public,
they take it and putting it into their mouths appear to eat it.
When this part of the performance is over, an infusion is
made of a leaf called ningginggia, which produces a liquid of
1 This is a tree which has enormous roots growing out some six feet above
the ground, with parallel, plane, vertical sides. —A. B. D.
= A less complete and probably less accurate account oi the Nauinbur rims
slates that only the new candidates to uia society " dance rlmaa the dnims
making birdrlilre movements with the hands The statement that the bodies
but not the heads of the erformers were ilau is strange since in Melanesia as
r whole the head is of peuuï¬Åar sanctity. (cf. Rivers, vol, i, pp. 42-4.)_c. H. W.