200 Appendix. , 
minor feasts held, before the main feast, while certain 
forms of Géra," or taboo, are exclusively practised in 
connection with the same. The most important ceremo- 
nial role of one of the smaller feasts is the erection of a 
small gallows, ornamented with a large white shell called 
by the natives Méte (Ovulum ovum: the “ so-called” 
white cowry). This is an indication that the Gév¢ dance 
(the most important and most sacred dance) will be per- 
formed at the J/adina. It is also a token that as many 
pigs are already pledged for the feast as there aye shells 
on the Géra, each shell representing one pig promised by 
a man of the A/adiina guébina (master of the feast). The 
association of this shell with pigs is remarkable and per- 
haps significant, when it is recalled that cowrfes are widely 
known as pig-shells. By the French they are called 
Porcellana, or “ pou-de-mer,” and by the Romans fore? 
and porculr.” 
Following this ceremony, according to Malinowski 
“comes the O//obo feast, apparently the most important 
preliminary event, which certainly contains the greatest 
amount of magico-religious element, and probably even 
more than the main feast. It marks the beginning of 
the fasting or UVdént period, and is held some two months 
before the main feast * * ®* This feast also is called 
Boréa evauré, Borda meaning mango, In the morning of 
the feast-day a dance called Lafge is performed in the 
village, both men and women taking part in it. The 
women hold * * /és™ in their hands, the men beat 
the drums and blow the conch-shells while dancing.” 
The later ceremonies take place in the afternoon, when 
the men go out into the bush, bringing back with them 
mango Saplings and creepers, which form part of the pig 
magic. “ They come in state, forming a procession, which 
is headed by a man blowing the conch (/egégt) made of 
a Triton-shell. He is followed on both sides by two men, 
also with conch shells.” The remainder of the procession 
"! Géra, in its broadest and most abstract meaning, means taboo, rule, 
prohibition ; it is distinctly the conception covering what we call law in our 
society, (Malinowski, p. 587). 
'® See also Chapter IV., p, 126, re this subject. 
'* Eldki: folded mats of pandanus leaves. 
'* Malinowski, of. c#/., p. 670. 
