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RITUAL LIFE OF Vi/OMEN 495
lower are entitled Léghil; those of the higher Lisevsep. The
rites at entrance to each are probably the same. Unfortunately
the description of these is not very clear, but the proceedings
seem to be as follows. Seven days before the principal ceremony
of purchasing membership, a house called mbat miokh is built
in the village, but at a spot far removed from the ghamal. Unlike
the ordinary houses of this district, the roof is not made of the
leaves oi the ivy-nut palm (mat) but of plaited coco»nut fronds.
It is only a very small hut, consisting indeed only of a roof set
on the ground without walls and open back and front, but high
enough to enable people to stand upright inside. On the night
that it is completed a dance is held which both men and women
attend. Some of the people go inside to dance, while others climb
on top of the roof taking with them snakes, earth, and bamboo
vessels containing water. They force holes through the roof of
the house and pour down the water and other objects on to the
men and women within. Tho latter go on dancing and singing,
shaking the building with their efforts, and they continue thus
until all those on the roof have exhausted their missiles and the
bamboos are empty of water. Then all the men who have been
taking part either on the root or inside as dancers go down to the
river or sea to bathe and thus rid themselves from the pollution
which arises from contact with the sacred things of women. just
as in Seniang things connected with the Lupus are igah and
antipathetical to men, so in Lagalag everything connected with
the Llmgambas is ungas, and men must free themselves from this
infection. It seems that this singing and dancing are continued
every day for the next six days, though it is not clear whether
the women partaking in the ceremonies arc secluded in this but
for the whole time or only rcpair thither every evening for the
purpose of dancing.
Some time during these six days, possibly on the second,
they begin to make an object called nikamb, which is said to have
the virtue of making men and pigs fruitful. They grate a coco~nut
put the flesh into a neuav leaf and hang it up inside the mbat
ndokh. Nearby they light a ï¬Åre, so that this leaf and its contents
become thoroughly smoked.‘
I It is said that at the celebration of a men's nshmaw an object called
naansmlggur, which has this same virtue oi causing fertility, is sometimes put
on the village gongs. It consists of the tooth, hm, or some other part oi a. man
who, when lie was alive, knew hoyv to cause ‘pigs to multiply. This ween or hail’
15 Wrapped lfl leaves uua smoked HI the same manner as IS e = mknmh.4). H, w.
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