288 CUSTOMS OF THE KAR NICOBARESE 



Meanwhile, the canoes are decorated, filled with many kinds 

 of provisions, and drawn up in front of the houses. 



All this is done with the help of friends from neighbouring 

 villages, who, neglecting their own affairs, willingly come and 

 assist, even bringing with them food sufficient for their needs 

 until the close of the festival. 



After all these preparations are completed, there commences 

 the preliminary ceremony called Vani pati (house decoration), 

 which takes place a day before the festival. The interiors of 

 the houses are decorated profusely with coco-palm leaves, goian 

 (Arum) plants, and flags. Bunches of tender coconuts, areca-nuts 

 and plantains are tied all about the posts of the house outside, that 

 the guests may partake at pleasure. Several pieces of chintz, 

 red cloth, and calico are hung from strings in the interior, and 

 beneath the house as well, and the merdhta, with the orna- 

 mented canoes, are placed on either side of the nd-kopdh. The 

 bamboo pig-pens are also decorated, and when all this is com- 

 pleted they kill a pig, sprinkle the blood over all as a sacrifice, and 

 dance and sing around the house, with their guests, for the first time. 



Now comes the first act. On the festival evening the people 

 bring, with songs, numbers of pigs from their jungle piggeries, 

 and placing them in the cages, dance before them. Those 

 animals put in the cage beneath the house are merely for 

 exhibition, as a proof of wealth, though, at the same time, they 

 are dedicated to a future festival. In the cages outside are left 

 those pigs that are to be slaughtered for the present occasion, 

 and there is yet another cage in which are confined those brought 

 to them by their friends as a festive gift. 



Kiriain Hetpat (dancing in bright light) is the second and 

 chief festival. By eight or nine in the evening, the village is 

 filled with almost the whole of the islanders ; a group of one 

 village in one house. The special and general guests assemble 

 in gangs in their respective quarters. 



The men are adorned with new loin-cloths of various kinds 

 and colours, with the td-chdkla^ or chaplet, and iasses — necklaces 

 made of silver coins. 



