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

mi
ll
it
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F
iii
It
-ii
,‘
61 8 MALEKULA '
for the word is sometimes used in the singular, sometimes in the‘
plural. Thus, in saying of an object "the Amlzat made this "ii
the native is using the word as a singular noun, but questioning‘
will reveal that the Ambat were ï¬Åve brothers named Ambat, Y
Awikintuas (or Awikikintuas), Awisantwuhlu, Awi.nggotnggot_ ;
and Awirara} When the word is used in the singular, as in the 1
above sentence, it is not necessarily the eldest brother who is '
indicated. The word is used in an almost precisely parallel way as 4
the word " God " is used by a Christian who when he says " .‘
made this " does not indicate any one member of the T1inityj'.% y
Of the ï¬Åve brothers, the two most important are the eldest "
and the youngest. Arnbat is notable for his wisdom, foresighh, -
inventiveness, and dignity of character, while Awirara is repr’ef- i
sentéd as a cunning and unscrupulous man who tries to outwit ‘
his eldest brother and by his influence over the others in the V
end generally brings disaster upon all. Their home is usually I
said to be Iumoran on Tomman Island. This is now the most sacred place in the whole of the Southern District, and here still
stands the stone “ the penis olthe Ambat ". M ;
There are several tales concerning Ambat and his brothers, V
or it might be more accurate to say that there are several versions V
of one or two tales conccming his capturing of the giant clam, §
his quarrels with his brothers over his wife (these two themes ‘
sometimes form one story, but they also exist separately), and l
how he rescued his brothers who had been kidnapped by an 1
ngress. These stories are important to the study of the cultures
of Seniang and Mewun, and a brief outline of them _must therefore I
be given. J
Ambat and the Giant Clam '
It is told that at ï¬Årst Ambal and his brothers lived at Batn- =
briingk in Seniang. There was a giant clam in the sea which
' The ï¬Åve ï¬Ångers 0! the hand are called after these five br0there~the thumb s
i= the eldest. the little fmgï¬Ål the youngest.
' It is noteworthy in this connection thlt the Roman Catholic missionary. _
who is an iiooomo observer, regards Ambnt as the 1131116 of eiio natives‘ ~ S1pfl3l1!§
being Probably the ward means "head": A >—I|-hfl pS'ISO)‘lll preï¬Åx;
Mlmm -_ my head ; Moon» = his iieiia._i. Bo D4
Where it is possible from the notes to distinguish clearly between these
ii tn ' ' 111 b 1 ed e d ii te the iiiioiii t" ted sens!
trceuscs. e‘Ambnt'w eempoy o co EIEIIIB
of the word and roi this class ol beings in the mythology; " Ambit " for uio ,
eldest bXOU|Bl' ; and '- the Arnbat b!'O.llB'l'! " for the group or fl!!! who are iiomod
ab0veo—C. H. w. ,
, 1
X