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

666 MALEKULA _
ï¬Årst. As an illustration of this duality and reciprocity we may
instance one of the mea.ns whereby a man protects his coco-nuts
from being stolen. This is called {tu nambur was mes, and its
eflect is to make the victim unable to get an erection of the
penis. There is a certain bush named nitambili /ear which has the
property of drooping during periods of intense heat. The ovmer
of the coco-nuts takes a branch of this and puts it in a moist,
hot place so that it wilts. In this condition he thrusts it intm
a section of e certain bamboo (nambfll or tunes) which he ï¬Åxes
in the branches of the tree which he wishes to guard. As he sets
it in place he says impressively: " Nimorot tinggelip nimata m
mmsun games," which may be translated: “ May the penis die
of the man who takes these coco-outs." Should anyone rashly
take the fruit of a tree thus protected he will become impotent.
Then he may go to the owner, acknowledge the theft, and
persuade him to restore his vigour. The counter-magic will now
be performed. A branch of the m'mi'i'en tree, which is very stark
and erect, is taken, and the pithgrated into another section of
nambrd or tomes. On to it the magician squeezes an infusion from
the leaf of the Mtambili kar, stirs it and gives it to the patient to
drink. The penis is now able to assume its normal function for,
it is said, the nimiizn tree has " killed " the nitambili km so that
it no longer affects the man.
It is of the greatest importance that a man who practices
any torm of malevolent magic should know the corresponding
counter-magic‘, tor he must have security for his own person
against the potent forces which he is setting in motion. Any
magic may very easily, by some slip or accident i.n its performance,
turn on the performer instead of falling upon the intended victim.
The incidence of these directive magics is a very delicate matter,
requiring considerable experience in manipulation. It is essential,
then, that the performer should have at hand a means of instantly
countering and nullifying an accidental misdirection of the magic
towards himself. It seems, however, that in the event of any
accident occurring, the counter-magic must be set in motion
before too long an interval has elapsed. This is illustrated by the
sad fate of Tivltis, of Rahulemp, who, at the time of Deacon's
visit, was conï¬Åned to his bed with ulcers and paralysis. Tivliis
was a man of importance in his village, the clan-magician, and
the possessor of great knowledge of private magic. A certain
l