Connecticut western news., 1889-04-03
WOMEN OF SAMOA.
The Ceremonial of Dressing the
 Village Beauty.
Adorned With BarbariC Orna-
 mentS of the Bush.

The women still love to dress in the natural products of the native bush. Around their throats they wind neck laces formed of dry scarlet berry or shells sewed upon a strip of cloth. Sometimes a fringe made from the rib bones of a fish is attached to this neck lace, and often spiral boar's tusk forms handsome though barbaric ornament. Like their civilized sisters the Samoan bellies will endure any amount of pain and discomfort in order to be in the fashion, but, unlike them, they enjoy leap year privileges all the time and ex- ercise the right of choice, for time or for eternity, with perfect freedom from suspicion of unmaidenliness.
 The Samoan women, as rule, are good looking, but every village boasts its "beauty." "Tampo' is the Samoan name given to the vila queen. Gen orally she is the ruling chiefs own daughter, or one adopted by him. She is at all times girl of high rank in the place itself or in that of her parentage. From the first day of her installment to the day of her departure, marriage, elopement, or dethronement for bad be- havior (which in quite recent times was effected with club, she is virtually the queen of the place. It is she who receives strangers on arrival in her town, makes kava for them, and personally sees to their comfort and entertainment. Never, from ones years end to the other, is she permitted to be out of sight of her attendants. When abroad she is invari- ably accompanied by as many of her youthful companions as are available for the service. They follow her in single file wherever she goes. She heads all processions, and visits and takes the leading part in all "swas," or native dances.
 Her attire on gala days is of the gay est description that her town can afford, and everything is ungrudgingly sacrific- ed that can add to the glorifcation of her personal appearance. It is she, on these occasions, who has mainly to up- hold the prestige of the town. It is only when dressing for any ceremony that she appears to have no will of her own. On such occasions, long time before the commencement of the cere- monial, the oll women take entire pos SC sion of her. On them devolves the exercise of the mysteries of the Samoan boudoir. Everything is done for the proud damsel, who stands patiently suf- fering any amount of coercion, one tithe of which she would not permit for a sec ond were it not part of her duty as the beauty of the town. She is first taken il hand by two or three of her attend ants, who briskly shampoo her all over with sweet scented oil until her warm colorcd skin shines like satin. Another will energetically brush her jet black locks, and afterward plait or otherwise arrange them in the manner that the combined wisdom of the old people, as- sisted by the suggestions of twenty or thirty of her youthful companions, may dictate. She will then be ready to en- terta1n "the stranger" and prepare for him the kava.
 Above all things the native women excel in the art of dancing and postur- ing. The most popular dance among them is the ''Siva,'' which is performed by four or five maidens to the accom- panimcnt of a tuneless song and drum ming on the tom tom. It consists of posturing and movements of the body and hands, which are made in unison and in time with the music Some of the figures are executed while standing erect upon the feet, but in most of them the dancers sit cross-legged upon strip ips of mating spread upon the ground. The pastures are many and varied. Some times the right hand rests upon the neighbor's left shoulder, and left hand upon the dancers knee, and sometimes this motion is reversed. One posi- tion is with the right hand spread upon the ground in front, and the fingers of the left hand touching the biceps of the dancers right arm. Another is more thoughtful at titude. The right hand supports the left elbow, while the left cheek rests upon the index finger of the left hand. Of all the graceful Samoan dancers none can compare with the daughter of Patua, one of Metaafa's most prominent chief tains. Her movements are so exquisite ly graceful and full of such dreamlike motion that Europeans and natives alike have combined in naming her ''The nroor, Socrnmonto (rnZ\ Rpoo,.t