Sturgis advertiser. (Sturgis, Dakota [S.D.]) 1887-1???, 1889-03-27
THE SAMOAN ISLANDS.
INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT A SIN
GULAR PEOPLE.

Their Habits of Life, Personal Character
istics, and Modes of Dress-Language of
the Samoans The Chief Commercial
Port.
Lying in the Pacific Ocean, about
5000 miles southwest of San Francis
co, are the Samoan islands, which.
through German intrigue and neglect
of other interested powers, have for a
year past suffered the woes OF civil war
and misrule. The natives are hardly
more than semi-ciyilized, but are tract
able and intelligent, and if properly
treated could be easily and happily
governed. They are singular people,
and have many odd customs. In APP
pearance they resemble the Malay
race, of which they are a branch. For
the most part, they are Of fine phys
ique, straight, and broad-shouldered,
and have powerful muscular develop
ment. Their color is light-brown. Many
of the women are handsome, and all
are fine-looking. One thing which de-
tracts from their appearance is the way
in which they wear their hair. This is
worn in huge bushy mass, having
reddish tinge. This, however, is not
natural, their hair by nature being
fine, black, and straight. With strange
perversity of taste, the natives cover it
with kind of lime until it is rendered
harsh and stiff, and the color is
changed from black to reddish brown.
Their habits of life ara simple, hunt
ing and fishing and little tilling of
the soil being their chief occupations.
They raise few pigs and fowl, but
I en~ ~ ao1rf art 6n.
pending chiefly for their food supply
on what nature so abundantly furnishes
them with in the shape of bread fruit,
cocoanuts, bananas, oranges, pineap-
Piles, and other tropical fruit. This
simplicity of living extends to their
houses and the furnishing Of them.
Their villages are mere collections of
huts, though in the main these huts
axe neat and comfortable, Not much
regard is paid to the laying out of
streets, the houses seeming to be
thrown together almost at random, in
some places huddled together in
groups of two or three, but usually
standing detached, with oftentimes
little pebbled yard in front.
The house is mere framework of
poles, covered with roof of thatch
made from long grasses and from the
leaf Of the coeoanut palm. The roof
is imperyious to rain, and nothing more
is required. The sides of the house
may be drawn up or let down at will,
being composed of o number of cur
tains made from plated grass. In fine
weather these curtains, which are very
pliable and durable, are kept raised
during the day, but at night and during
the rainy season they are drawn closely
down, making very snug interior.
The dress Of the natives consists, at
most, Of two pieces-the "Iaya-laya'
and the atupuka." Before the coming
OF the missionaries and calico alava-
lava" sufficed. This is sometimes made 1
from reeds and grasses, sometimes
from .tapas cloth, and sometimes from
calico. It is nothing more than
sheet wrapped around the loins, with
one end tucked in to secure it, and
reaches to the knee or ankle, according
to the taste of the wearer.
Since the advent Of missionaries they
have become extremely religious. They
are earnest in their religion and a
great majority Of them are protested
Christians. Nightly IN their rude huts
they read their native Bibles and cling