A series of festivals indulged in begins with a day called _Kewi-apa_. On this day, the people of M[=u]s clear a portion of the jungle in the interior, and decorate the spot with palm leaves, bringing from it _Síya_--the devil--to _Elpanam_. All the houses at _Elpanam_, and the space there, are decorated. The people of Arong (a neighbouring village) and M[=u]s then go there and take part in a performance lasting all night, for which they have practised during the past month. Other villages come as spectators and guests. The next morning there is a feast, at which special materials are pigs and jungle crabs. When it is over, a wrestling match closes the ceremony. On the third and following days, all the people, and those of the neighbouring villages, are engaged in preparing for the feast of _Kial_, to which many villages come as guests. The day preceding the feast of _Kial_ is called _Mu-nung-ren_, or "day of preparation." Poles are brought from the jungle, tied round the houses at _Elpanam_, and covered with tender palm leaves, while new cooking places are prepared below each house. The interior of the houses and the compounds are decorated. From sunrise till dark the women are busy preparing _kusuhu_, a confection of yams, green and ripe plantains, coconut, and oil; and meanwhile, the men sing songs in honour of the large canoes, which, kept for the past month in the interior, are brought to _Elpanam_, immersed in the sea, and decorated. Next day is the day of _Kial_, or "taking food." From morning till night the people are engaged in feasting their guests, in dining together in groups, and in sending to their friends and neighbours _kusuhu_, pork and fowls. At midday a cry of supplication is heard from each building--"Let our house be always supplied with abundance of food; let us have many edible gifts from other villages; let there come new women to our village; let us be happy." This day is one of much rejoicing, for the natives consider the _kusuhu_ one of their greatest delicacies. Next day is called _Anoi-ila_--day of rest for the people. Then, the eighth after _Kewi-apa_, comes the day _Ha-chu_, on which they take back the devil to the jungle with more ceremony. Having returned from this, they engage in a hunt, with the aid of dogs, for jungle pigs. The day following is _Anoi-ila_; on the next, a second pig hunt takes place; and finally, one more "day of rest" ends the festival. * * * * * _Maya_, or _Vani-el-kui_, means "top decoration," and for this, long green bamboos are brought from the jungle and encircled with leaves from top to bottom. They are then fixed round the graveyard at _Elpanam_, to the accompaniment of ceremonies led by the _tamiluanas_, with spirit exorcising paraphernalia.