The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1886-01-12
THE SAMOAN ISLANDS.
THE SAMOAN ISLANDS. THE MARQUIS
OF TEANO.
PART III.

THE SAMOAN IsLANDs.--BY THE MARQUIS
OF TEANo.
PART III.
Caste is cstoehcd fundamental basis of
society, but with gradatiohs in family, Lered-
itary and gaining in pride and power, with
each succeeding generation. To stranger
there are no outward evidence of caste except
in stature and physical beauty The house
and household appointments of the common
man differ but little from those of the chiefs.
There is a reverence felt for and attached TO
the greatest family names, and the poorest
man in Samoa knows the hereditary pres
tiCe of such name. Formerly there were
kings of districts with the generic appelation
''Tui," as "Tui Atua, 'Tui Manua," "Tui
Aano," though great family names, without
position or governing power, were and still are
held in great reverence. OF such are "Mali-
etoa," and the female branch of the family
"Tooa," the names Of which are associated
with the history and traditions of Samoa. The
Island Of Tutula has but one great name or
family "Leatau," though it has number Of
petty chiefs, the island being tributary TO the
district Of "Atua, in Upolu, where the family
is powerful.
The Samoan is especially polite. In meet
ings and councils much is consumed in
acts Of courtesy and in the interchange
of compliments. When chief a
distinguished stranger goes through vii
lage all noises cease. Travelling parties
(Malanga) are Hospitality received and enter
tanned. In their general intercourse, violence
or even ruduncss is unknown. Women are
equals Of men except in government. The
father carries the child as well as the mother,
and Joins in the preparation of food and in
cooking. Labor is generally divided between
thea exeepiing outdoor work. A woman
carries a burden or paddles a boat only from
choice, and her hardest labor is the manufac.
ture Of native cloth ("Tapa"O. In time of
war women are emissaries, going from fort TO
far unmolested Her person is always sacred,
as also are children. a chiefs daughter is Of
len the maid Of the village. She Is rever-
cnced by her people, though not governing
them aud occupies a most prominent position.
Poligamy is common on the part Of mon, never
on the part of women though two wives seldom
live in the same house. A plurality of wives
is common, q husband usually sending wife
to her people when he takes to himself new
one. Virtue in Samoa is predominant. II is
"a creed more powerful than caste, and was re-
lgiously observed before the introduction of
Christianity In the higher castles it is
held more sacrudly than among the lower Ii
is in their night dances that the Samoans
most assiIniate in character to the other isl
ands Often they are lascivious exhibitions,
hut are no proofs Of practical lccntiousness.
The primitiSe dress OF the people consists
of a girdle Of ti-leaves, now replaced by cot
ton cloth and native .Siapo." though on fes-
tive occasions the women dress in long trains
Of "Siapo' with bodices Of fine mats The hair
is oiled, abuunds in wreaths aud flowers. The
disposition To assume the dress of the whites |
is growing, and in their efforts TO don the new |
costume many laughabie scenes are presented |
The men wear foreign clothing only on special |
occasions, and flis consists Of army and navy
uniforms, which certain chiefs have acquired |
from foreign vessels, and which they are proud |
of displaying
Tattooing is universal in the islands, but does
not mark distinction among the people, as with |
tho Mauris in New Zealand; the design is iden- |
iical with all persons. The face is never
marked. Women do not tattoo. The process
is long and very painful; the subject is often |
compelled to have long intervals Of rest. The |
instruments are rows OF needles, fastened upon |
a stick about six inches in length, which is |
held lightly by the operator and beaten with |
small hammer. The pigment, og coloring mat |
ter is lampblacl, from the candle-nut which |
gives bluv-black color, the marking extends |
from a point on each side of the knee upward |
to the "umbilic.' This part Of the body is |
marked without break, the lumbar vertebra |
is not marked. Two lines complete the pro-
cess, and the operator must receive his pay |
before the last one is completed.
In war the Samoan is patient, earnest and |
easily controlled by his leaders. While cruel |
TO their enemies, they are never treacherous; |
covenants and truces are religiously adhered |
to; neutral ground is sacred; prisoners are /
never taken; the importance Of victory is |
measured by the number of heads taken. The /
head is publicly exposed and reviled but never
mutilated. At the proper time, the women |
from the enemy's camp come for the bodies,
which, with the heads, are rolled in white |
cloth and borne away tor burial. Like the
Maori, Of New Zealand, the Samoan digs
bitches, throws up earthworks, with facines
and parapets, builds forts and palisades. and
constructs large, double war canoes (alia) ca
pable Of carrying two hundred warriors. When
a fort on tln beach is to be assaulted, the ca
noes with heavy barricadcs buli on them, are
pushed up abreast the fort, 10y the men, who
take 10 the water on coming TO close quarters,
upon the opposite side OF the craft, for shelter
and where they rcmainawating the proper mo-
ment far attack. The rational courtesy of the
people and the general family relationship ex-
isting between them do much to ameliorate the
horrors OF their civil strives. At night, or un-
der a flag of truce, enemies will meet and ex-
change powder and lead, or food, with perfect
luunCenCc, tellluE each Olnef lnat they are
are wanting such things for the morrow's work.
The natives weapons are spears, clubs,
knives and slings; though they have begun
recently to adopt firearms, in the last war us
sing cannon, muskets, pistols. and now pos
sessing some improved breech loading rifles.
Though wars among the Samoans themselves
have been very fierce and destructive, vet one
hundred disciplined white soldiers would
easily preserve peace among them.
The industries OF the people are confined to
the building OF houses, stone fences, canoes,
cultivation Of yam aud taro manufacturing
native cloth and iine mats fishing and collect
ihg food. Houses are generally built of the
wood Of the bread-fruit tree. circle of posts
surrounds the central pillar which supports
longitudinal beams Upon these the frame
work Of the roof is built, consisting Of light
sticks nicely spliced making succession of
circles. These circles are again crossed at
right angles by other sticks and the whole is
sewed together with sennet, the roof making
semicircle OF inverted bowl, covered with a
thatch Of sugar cane leaves, and Il, the space
between the outer circles OF posts are left
open, though supplied with mating for walls
which are raised aud lowered at pleasure OF
the occupant. The floor is slightly raised
above the ground, covered with pebbles, upon
which mats are spread. La the center is /
small stone Fireplace, though but little used,
as cooking is done IN ovens or houses built
for the purpose The houses are neat and
- "a t-o..t "A