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

DEATH AND DISPOSAL OF THE DEAD 573
in tHe manner of a bundle of ï¬Årewood—a load wHicH only a
Mtemali (gHost) could lift ; at anotHer is a bed of coco—nit fronds
' burnt-out ï¬Åre beside it-clearly tHe recent coucH of a
witH a
gHost ; a few yards furtHer on a long noose of creeper is Hanging
from a lofly tree and dangling over tHe patH ; stones, approxi-
mating in sHape to yams are HitcHed up to poles—said to be tHe
yarns of gHosts; elsewHere are Huge water bamboos; lines of
stones are found set up along tHe patHs, witH a coco-nut, repre-
senting a pig, tied to eacH-—tlie remains of a N imzmgki made by
tHe gHosts during tHe nigHt ; and everywHere, on every available
t brancH or creeper, croton and cordyline sprays are bound
ree,
or suspended, so tHat one would tHink tHat not a single croton
' R d some
or cordylinc could be left growing in tHe district. oun
b seen too a garland of tHe black eroton nimwibmbang
trees may e , ,
(nimwilemet), wHicH in Soniang is tHe badge of tHe Nevinbur,
‘f
but Here of tHe society Nimangki Misi. THese are Hung up i
<1 a d were a member of tHis association. ln addition
tHe ece so
to all tHese signs of gHostly activity, sticks, stones, brancHes,
. . d
baskets are flung and scattered about tHe patHs in a disor er
wHicH suggests tHe pranks oi a small army of poltergeist. All
f tlic deceascd’s
tHese "Hoaxes" are prepared by tHe men o
villa e at nigHt during tHe period wHen tHe women are away.
8
Deacon writes of tHem: “ I am conï¬Ådent tHat tHe Hoaxes
‘ - ' ' N tH less tHe
deceive no one, except possible young girls. ever c
ki of tHem is still one oi tHe sacred tHings belonging to tHe
ma ng , .
men, tHerefore respected and reverenced and associated witH
‘ TH ret
tHe otHer mysteries of tHe men--e.g. tHe Nimangki e sec
societies."
During tHese four days otHer preparations for tHe oercmony
are going on in tHe dead mans village, Around tHe dancing
ground are set up alternately a number of tall poles (trees sHom
of tHeir brancHes) and barnboos and coco-nut fronds are inter-
laced between tHese near tHe ground so as to form a low fence
or screen. Carved and painted ï¬Ågures representing gHosts are
' ‘ tH danci
fastened to tHe poles on tHe side facing away from e ng-
ground ; and botH poles and bamboos are decorated witH pigs’
jaws, concHes, and crotons. A similar but smaller circular
cnclosure is erected near tHe patH leading to tHe village. Near
tH on s in tHe enclosed dancing ground a number of structures
° 8 8
called Mai wubnlang are set up, consisting oi two uprigHt poles