A SCENE IN THE GRAVEVAUD 293 



a ceremony that impoverishes many of the hosts for years to 

 come. 



The following is an account of the ceremony of Anti/a, or 

 U/a Kopdh, as it was actually carried out in the village of 

 Lapdti on the east coast of Kar Nicobar. It was preceded by 

 the usual festival of Kana Awn. 



Of the takktnvis (polluted ones) who were engaged in digging 

 the graves, the men wore white loin cloths and the women petti- 

 coats of a similar colour. The graveyard was thickly screened by 

 coco-palm leaves. 



All the big houses in Elpanam, and the cooking huts in the 

 village, were so thickly covered with leaves that no breeze could 

 penetrate. A wall of palm leaves and four temporary huts were 

 erected in each corner, that the takkinvis might take refreshment. 

 Several pieces of white calico and Turkey red cloth were kept 

 in these houses for wrapping up the bones. Those graves to 

 be left untouched were covered with white cloth and neatly 

 decorated. 



Whilst each grave was being opened one of the tainiluanas 

 stood at the head and fanned it with a bunch of " devil-expelling " 

 leaves, and another man kept in readiness a palm-spathe and piece 

 of white calico. When the grave-digger took out the skull it was 

 cleaned by hand, carefully rolled in the calico, and placed in the 

 spathe ; all the other bones were then collected in the same spathe, 

 which was taken away and placed over large yams scattered below 

 the " deadhouse," where it was wrapped and bound with red and 

 white calico. About fifty graves were opened, and the bones 

 similarly treated. A few bundles were reinterred, but the others 

 were taken away to a place called Kofente (place of pollution), 

 where they were opened, the bones thrown away and the cloth 

 torn to rags. 



After this the grave-diggers went to the sea and washed their 

 hands and legs, and a few bathed entirely. 



The following is an account of the observance of Katap-hang^ 

 or lighting the Elpanam. 



