The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1889-06-27
The Beverage of Samoa.

From a series of articles on Samoa
In the Century we quote the following:
hospitality is part of the Samoan
religion, politeness one of their chief
characteristics, and dishonest act the
exception. Food and shelter are vouch-
safed to every one entering their homes
| or villages, and The stranger has but
! to consult his own wishes when he is
ready to depart. Attached to every
village is F'ale-tale, or guest-house,
set apart for the reception, lodging,
ahd entertainment of visitors. Gener-
allythis is situated in the middle of
the village, and is also used as coun-
cll-house> on occasions when the chief
| and the people assemble to discuss
! SUBJECTS OF %mportance. Foreigners
| and visitors from other villages are at
once conducted tO>S4is house set apart
for their occupation, asiaurney of con-
siderable distance often t,oino made
especially to meet them, when ~ri.~x
are received by the chief of the town
| and the maid whose duty it is to look
after the welfare of the guests. Dur
ing the preliminary conversation, in
which the compliments of the day are
| exchanged with "A lavish expenditure
of personal fatterv, the kava-bowl is
change of compliments continues. the
bewitching nut-brown maid, with the
assistance of her dusky attendants, be-
gins to masticate the seductive root
In the meantime the villagers, being
advised of the arrival of the visitors,
have assembled in another part of the
village, collected articles of food, and
begun to sing and march in procession
towards the Fdte-tGLe. Bows and girls,
young and old, making a festive dis
play, their parsons anointed with CO.
coanut oil and arrayed in scanty toilets
of leaves and flowers, join in demon
stration of songs of praise and well
come. The music of their well-attuned
voices. first heard family in the dis
tance and increasing in sweetness and
volume as they approach nearer and
nearer, produces charming effect,
the impression of which is long re-
tanned by strangers. In the meantime
the guests. who have remained seated
and silent, as if unconscious of what
is going on. preserve wonderful so-
lemnity of countenanee as each donor
IN turn modestlv places his offering at
the feet of the most houOred one, with
salutations inimitable in gracefuIness.
mo occasion of ceremony or i'm
portance takes place without the use
of kaya, root of the pepper family.
and all exchanges of sociability are
conducted under its influence. The
cencoctiOn of the seductive beverage
made from this root is attended with
SO many ceremonious observanees and
acclamations of approval that an
account of the customs of these Deo-
pie would be incomplete without ref
erence to the manner il which the
drink is prepared.
"a wooden bowl. cocoanut cup,
and stralner are the implements used
in making the brew. That parsonage
of the chief social importancei in Samoa,
the maid of the village is invariably
called upon to brew the beverage,
which ceremony, with her attendants,
she conducts with becoming dignity.
After carefully washing out her mouth
in the presence of all assembled, she
seats herself upon the matted floor
with the bowl in front of her, and with
resigned manner and preoccupied
countenance begins to masticate the
bits of root handed her by the attend
ants. Piece after piece is chewed un-
til the mouth is full and the cheeks
bulging, when the mass is elected into
the palm of her hand and with grace
full swing deposited in the bowl. This
operation is repeated until the proper
quantity of the root is secured. Then
her hands are washed scrupulously
clean. and an attendant having poured
the required amount of water into the
bowl, the maid proceeds with the COM
pounding. With a graceful rolling
and twisting movement of the hands
she mixes all the undissolved portions
of the root in the 'fou,' or strainer,
which, after wringing. is shaken out.
and The straining repeated until the
brew is finished y