648 PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION G. 



One hardly expects to discover "dinner" in Jhia, "spade " 

 in Siipeha, " I'unclj " in P'mis, or " snider" in vairus. 



Tanna is divided into a number of districts, each of which 

 has a name, reminding one of familiar tribal divisions of the 

 Holy Land. The people of these districts are wrongly called 

 tribes. The names of distiiets, so far as I know, are descrip- 

 tive of the district to which it is given, or of some feature in 

 it. The people living in such a district are called by the 

 name of the district, whatever the origin of the people. The 

 people here are the Numaragusimini, the people in the 

 district south of us are called the Numakasarumini, Numa 

 is about equal to the open field ; gusi and kasarii are the 

 descriptive parts of the above names ; mini is probably a 

 plural termination. In such a district famihes are to be 

 found who claim a spot in far distant districts as their native 

 place. Still the people in a district are in a strict sense, and 

 according to native idea, one people, though they have no 

 common chief. In such a district there are smaller divisions 

 indicated by the proximity of villages, or in a still smaller 

 division by the proximity of families. The distinguishing- 

 feature of these smaller divisions is the use of a common 

 Imeium, or pubHc square, the ayopa of the Greeks, the 

 forum of the Romans, the gate and street of the Old Testa- 

 ment, the )>m?-/;e^ 2^ ^^-^^^ of the JNew, our own Assembly or 

 Town Hall. Literally the name means club-house, probably 

 from the ])ast custom of keeping clubs there for use or 

 emergencies. There are scores of Imeiums in a single 

 district, many of which are now never or seldom used. At 

 the Imeium, the men genei'ally eat their evening meal ; there 

 always they drink their kava unseen by females ; there the 

 councils are held and festivals celebrated. Where there is an 

 Imeium for a people, they have a chief. 



There are two great divisions of the people which, to a large 

 extent, are geographical. These are known as the Num- 

 rlhwtnimin and the Kauyameramin. The people living on 

 the south end and along part of the east coast of Tanna are 

 the Nrimrikwennimin. The Kauyameramin occupy the 

 opposite side of Tanna. Kauyamera is the name of a very 

 small black bird (possibly a humming bird) with bright 

 scarlet breast and long slender curved beak. It is connected 

 with the myth about Teramsumus and Matiktiki, The 

 explanation given of this name in connection with the division 

 of the people is, that the Kauyameramin decorate their faces 

 and bodies with red paint. The Numrikwen are not 



