478 PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION E. ~ 
good-bye, and “tapula” (made blind) for death, &c. 
Niggardliness is a great sin in both places. ‘O le tagata 
lelei’’ (a good man) in Samoan literally means a liberal 
man, and to eat in secret so as not to share with others 
was a shameful offence; and we find that in Melanesia a 
niggardly fellow (‘“ pom,” in: Duke of York) is a con- 
temptible man, and one for whom a special punishment 
in the other world has been provided. Mutilations for the 
sick were common in Tonga, and are still offered in many 
parts of Melanesia. 
The peculiar institution of “Tama fafine” in Samoa, 
“Tama ha” in Tonga, and “ Vasu”’ in Fiji, may, I think, 
be traced to the class relationship which still exists in 
Melanesian groups As is well known, the sister of one or 
more brothers, together with her chidren, occupy a peculiar 
semi-sacred position with regard toher brothersand to their 
children. The child of a sister is “‘ tama fafine’”’ in Samoa, 
and “vasu’’ in Fiji, to all the families of, the mother’s 
brothers ; and as such, possesses certain rights and privileges 
over personal property belonging to them, and is treated 
by his or her relatives with peculiar respect and deference. 
In a Melanesian group, the people are all divided into two 
ot more exogamous classes; the members of which can 
oniy marry with those of the opposite class to their own. 
In Duke of York, these are called Pikalaba and Maramara. 
Hach of these has a separate totem, that of the former being 
the “kam” (‘“ mantis,” religious), and that of the latter 
an insect called “‘ko gila le” (leaf of the horse-chestnut), 
because it resembles it. in shape. A Maramara can only 
marry a Pikalaba, and vice versa. ; 
All children are of the mother’s class. Now suppose— 
Kaplen, a Maramara Nelig (his sister), Maramara 
marries marries 
Nekibil, a Pikalaba To lig, Pikalaba 
| 
Topam, Pikalaba Ana, Maramara 
Here Kaplen (Maramara) is afraid of or pays respect to Ana 
(Maramara), his sister’s child, because she is of the same 
class as himself, and so specially forbidden to him, but he 
would not be so afraid of his brother’s child, because she 
would necessarily be of another class, and so one with 
whom he was in theory, if not in fact, free to marry. 
In Melanesia there would be nothing to prevent Tapam 
(Pikalaba) from marrying Ana (Maramara) his cousin, 
except the aversion of the natives to such marriages, but 
