Mūs, therefore, was ordered to offer sacrifice, and accordingly the people contributed spoons, forks, clothes, and silver wire, besides killing pigs and preparing meals in each house.
After the sacrifice (Gnunota) had been made the tamiluanas gave out that all the souls were satisfied with the meals and other things, but that "Davy Jones," the leader of the unfortunate party, was displeased with the offering!
Feasts are partaken of, and sacrifices made in the graveyard, in honour of deceased ancestors, whose spirits sometimes reveal themselves to the tamiluanas. These occasions are called Ma-la-hal.
A series of festivals indulged in begins with a day called Kewi-apa. On this day, the people of Mūs 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 Mūs 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.