[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⫬&AriNg;rewood—a load which oNly a Mtemali (ghost) could lift ; at aNother is a bed of coco—Nit froNds ' burNt-out ï⫬&AriNg;re 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 erotoNNimwibmbaNg 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 ï⫬‚uNg 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⫬&AriNg;deNt 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⫬&AriNg;gures 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
