[Note: this transcription was produced by an automatic OCR engine]
TOTEMISM 609 .The Nogho Nemugut performed hy Melpmes and Lokhtcmis- mokh differs from the other nogho in that it is concerned with "making" man and not only a foodstuff. It is differentiated frdm the other mzgho by the people of Mewun themselves, and will therefore be considered separately in a later chapter. I I The nogho are celebrated in the sacred place or 'logho 1 of each clan by a clan fertility-magician, the nemugut nogha (" the man of hagho ") whose oflioe, ‘like that of the nimbatin nuwn/of‘Seniang passeslrom father to son. The loghowcorresponds closely to the nembrmlrrkon of Seniang, for it is the clan cl-iarnel-house and, so far as is known, is always associated with a stone which is the residence oi a tomes, from whom it derives‘ its ‘potency. Fragmentary as are our data concerning the ordinary noghu of Mewun, we are fortunate in having an account of the closing rites of the N ogha N dam or yam nogho of Venebubu. This is a festival at which representatives of all the yam nngho groups are present assisting. On the occasion when it was held at Venebubii, a great gathering took place after the clan magician had performed the clan magic in the logho of the yam. The Venepitipnditm and Luunowei’ party wete the ï¬Årst to arrive. They appeared as a procession in which the ï¬Årst ‘arid last man each held a long sugar cane which they used as a staff to walk with. In the middle of the procession went'the yam magician bearing on his shoulders a yam with~a twig of the nimumwmgk thrust through it. All the men. were mats slung diagonally across the body, as a woman slings one for carrying a baby (the yams appear to be regarded as babies), and anklets of shredded banana bark,‘ like very diminutive women's ï¬Åbre- skirts, dyed yellow. The penultimate man carried a pig. The procession arrived at the ground‘, dancing to the rhythm which the members beat with sticks on nautilus shells held up" in front oi them. Two men of Venebubu awaited it by’the‘duor'o‘i their village clubhouse, and relieved‘ it of the sugar-canes, yam, and pig as it danced up to the house.‘ V ‘ In one fragmentary note, however, it iesmeo that earthquaiies are caused by clan magicians, who "beer prayers :- to Kiertain stones in certain. 101,10. This may nut have anything to do with the nogha rites, but on the other hand it may indicate that in Mewun, as in Seniang/,the control oi the elements as well as oi food-stuï¬Åe is to some extent within the sphere nI,clan. magic.—C. H. W. ‘ In the language of Mewim 11- is a substantive] preï¬Åx; l- is s. iucative preï¬Åx. Thus probably logha and noglw are the same word.—A. B. D. I Luannwei is classed with Venepitipndam; it is possible um it is a daughter village oi the latter.—C. ll. W. :' ‘ .“ R r /‘.._ iii p. l‘l -l M‘ ll zl 3 1
