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

DEATH AND DISPOSAL OF THE DEAD 519
Unfortunately there is no record as to what is done with the
remains of women and children}
In the funeral rites of a man, expression is given to every
bond between him and the various grades in the Nimangki and
Nalawan societies to which he belonged. There is, therefore,
a very great deal of variation in detail according to the ranks
to which he had attained. Thus a man who has not purchased
the Nalawom. grade of Nivifat is placed on a kind of stretcher
called nikambmt mban. This is made of four barnboos joined
together by lashings of sinnet to form a RECTANGULAR frame, the
length of which is from two and a half to three times the width.
On this a coco-nut frond is placed and fastened down by binding
the ends of the leaves to the long bamboos at the side, Over this
rough stretcher several mats (nimbwan) are placed and on these
the corpse is laid. But should the deceased havebeen a member
of Nivifat he is laid on a bier of more elaborate construction
which bears the same name as the grade and plays an important
role in the ritual of entrance thereto.“ Again, the standing of
a man in the Nalawan and ,Nimangki determines the size and
decorations of his effigy, the rambanmgia, and the care which is
expended in its construction. The ornaments which are placed
upon the corpse, the colour and manner in which it is painted ;
the gong-rhythms beaten to announce the man’s death and at
intervals throughout the funeral rites; the shrubs planted in
the dancing ground and the plants used for its adornment ; and
ï¬Ånally, very many of the ceremonies themselves, are all regulated
by the same consideration. The following account of the funeral
of Apwil Naandu of Loorveli, a man of very great prestige in
Wilemp and a member of the higher ranks of both the Nalawan
and the Nimangki, will give some indication of the complexity
of the ceremonial for one who had purchased membership of
many grades in both societies. It was given by Amanrantus,
who was himself an eye-witness of the proceedings.
1 Although Deacon made notes concerning the obsequies of men only, we
are fortunate in having a brief account of the burial of at child recorded by Layard
(p. 205). This shows that very young children were buried upright inside the
house, and that at their funeral only one distribution of food took place, that
which corresponds to the important presentation of a. pig to some man who
was " not friends â€ù with the deceased, which occurs during tlie funeral rites of
1 dult al
an a ID e.
1 For an account of the way in which a m'1/'ir’at is made, see the description
of the ceremony of purchasing membership of the Nalawun Nivifat.