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

5 I6 MALEKULA
men in a column four abreast stamped in a circle, anti=elockwise,
around the gongs. 5 the women divided themselves into two
groups, and stood facing towards the c1ub—house in two lines
at the village end of the dancing ground, separated from each
other by the paths which lead to the dwelling-houses. (v. Fig. 34),
Holding their reeds erect, they danced back and forth between
them, with a lilting, pit-a-pat step, swinging and swaying their
petticoats from side to side, so that they looked for all the world
like fluffy birds hopping about. Whenever the gongs burst into
a sudden crescendo, they all ran forward with quick little steps
as far as they could without letting go of their canes or moving
them from their base. As the crescendo died down again, they
fell back once more gradually to their original position. The
effect was very striking; it made it seem as though the gongs
were possessed of an irresistible magnetism which drew all the
women towards them at the exciting moments. There were some
lengthy forte passages on the gongs : 1 1 1 1 1 l 1 1 1 1 1 |
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1 1 5| -1 and during these the women not only ran forward in
the manner described, but while the men were on the far side of
the ground they changed places, threading through each other,
so that the women of one line crossed over and took up the
position held fonnerly by the women of the other line.
By this time the sun had set and ï¬Åres were lighted : one in
the midst of the gongs, one just outside the dancing ground
near the dwelling-houses for the women, and a third just inside
the dancing ground at the amel end, where the spectators were
sitting, for the men. The flames leapt up, throwing a red glow
over the gongs and lighting up momentarily the overhanging
branches of great trees. Silhouetted against the flames were the
dark bodies of the gong-beaters, tense and ecstatic, as they plied
their gong sticks, faster than any eye could follow, in the unending,
inexorable rhythm of tear. S0 from dusk to dawn, without respite,
the dance went on. As darkness gathered, torches of reeds were
thrust into the glowing embers and handed to the dancers, who,
holding them aloft, continued their circling. V
At some time during the ceremonies one or more pigs were
killed. Who supplied these pigs We do not know, but it was
probably the village for which the new gongs had been made
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