Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1882-04-26

time came | looked at the liquid some
time before | could make up my mind
to drink it, but | thought | must see
the feast through, SO | drank, but L
almost repented my rash act, tor the
beverage was not as palatable as it
might have been. 1t had q bitter
taste, somewhat resembling quinine,
and. for a minute or two after drinking
it, | felt little sick. Finally every
body was served with "kava" and we
had the pleasureable satisfaction OF
seeing it carried away The Marshal
then announced the feast ready and
invited US TO seat ourselves at the
table Samoa fashion," that is, squat
ted on the floor with legs crossed. We
got down til, best we could and then
the servants began to carve the meat.
In the way Of meat, we had roast
fowls. pigs, and turtles with lobsters,
crabs and small shell fish, then there
was taro, vans, plantains, bananas,
bread fruit, cocoanuts, cabbage, and
quite number of native dishes, the
names of which | failed to learn. There
was no seasoning in any of the food
and the only beverage at the meal was
cocoanut milk, but Notwithstanding
the absence of seasoning, knives, forks
and dishes, we had a very good meal
and every one of us enjoyed the feast
immensely For plates, we had banana
leaves, and in lieu of knives and forks
we used our teeth and fingers. All
during the entertainment the hut was
surrounded by two or three hundred
natives, and when the guests inside
had satisfied themselves and risen from
the table, servants came in and carried
the remains to the anxious mob with
out, by whom the remnants were de
voured with avidity.
When the house had been cleared o
!, all signs of the feast the mats were
spread and preparations were made
for the finale, which was to be native
dance called the siva The music fol
this part of the entertainment was
furnished or extracted from ma
stretched around two empty beer bot
ties held about foot apart, the ma
being hammered with a small stick
|. The dancing was to be done by fv'
: girls, who were decorated and oiled TO
the occasion. Their decorations con
sisted of wreaths of flowers, red pep
pers and other highly colored vege
!. tables, and in addition to this flora
decoration they were fairly reeking
in cocoanut oil.
These girls were seated at the lowe
end of the hut, where the foot of tn
,, table had rested, and the middle on'
was the leader while the two on eacl
side of her were assistants and wen
through the same motions. The frs
:, part consisted simply in motions wit
: the hands, arms, heads and body, tn
actors remaining seated, and all me
tions were in time to their singing an
drumming on the mat. The singin
|, was wild and monotonous, and the fey
who sang had coarse voices. In fac
none of the girls or women have mas
cal voices. The singing lasted for owe
half ar hour and was becoming nor
otonous when the sameness was reliev
ed BY the girls getting up and dancing
!, They did not waltz, polka, or shotticht
!, but simply went through contortlon
: CT the body and face. at the same tim
moving their feet in manner some
: what resembling recruit marchin
,, time. The native portion of the aud
ience seemed to be the more pleased
the uglier the performers could max
| Al Il in nCfi in
= to the actors, that they succeeded i
,, pleasing their natiye friends, for g
. times the contortions of their faces wer'
repulsive. The feast ended here an
: we were told that there would be
dance, "siva;n or "hulu-hulup at th
same place in the evening. AS | ha
, watch that evening from 8 to IL | di
not remain for it, but came off to tn
ship in time for dinner.