Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-05-15
SAMOAN BEAUTIES.
Tho Village Queens, Their Attire and
 Their Graceful Dances.

The women still love to dress a la mother Eve, in nothing but the natural products of the native bush. Around their throats, says the San Francisco Report, they wind necklaces formed of a dry scarlet berry or shells aewed upon a strip of cloth. Some times fringe made from the rib bones of a fish Is attached to this necklace, and often spiral boar's tusk forms a handsome though barbaric ornament. Like their civilized sisters the Samoan belles will endure any amount of pain and discomfort in order to be in the fashion, but unlike them, they en- joy leap year privileges all the time and ex- erclse the right of choice, for time or for eternity, with perfect freedom from a sus- picion of unmaldenliness.
 The Samoan women, as q rule, are good looking, but every village boasts its beau ty" "Tampo" is the Samoan name given to the village queen. Generally she is the ruling chiefs own daughter, or one adopted by him. She is at all times asgirl of high rank in the place itself, or in that of her patronage. From the first day of her in- stallment to the day of her departure, mar riage, elopement or dethronement for bad behavior (which i'll quite recent times was effected with a 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 thelr comfort and entertainment. Never, from one years end to the other, is she permitted to be out of sight of her attendants. When abroad she is invariably accompanied by as many of her youthful companions as are available for the service. They follow her ln 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 gayest description that her town can afford, and every thing is ungrudgingly sacrificed that can add to the glorifcation of her personal appearance. It is she, on these occasions, who has mainly to uphold 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, a long time before the commencement of the cere- monlal, the old women take entire posses sion of her. On them devolves the exercise of the mysteries of the Samoan boudoir Every thing Is done for the proud damsel who stands patiently suffering any amount of coercion, one tithe of which she would not permit for a second were it not part of her duty as the beauty of the town. She is first taken in hand by tw6 or three of her attendants, who briskly shampoo her all over with sweet-scented oil until her warm colored skin shines like satin. Another will energetically brush her jetblack locks, and afterward plait or otherwise arrange them in the manner that the combined wisdom of the old people, assisted by the suggestions of twenty or thirty of her youthful com panions, may dictate. She will then be ready to entertain "the stranger" and prepare him for the kava.
 Above all things the native women ex- eel in the art of dancing and posturing. The most popular dance among them is the "Siva," which is performed by four or five maidens to the accompaniment of tune- less song and drumming on the tOm-tom It consists of posturing and movements of the body and hands which are made in uni son 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 strips of mating spread upon the ground. The post ures are many and varied Sometimes tho shoulder, and left hand upon the dancers knee, and sometimes this motion is re- versed. One position is with the right hand spread upon the ground in front, and the fingers of the left hand touching tho biceps of the dancers right arm. Another is a more thoughtful attitude. 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 Mataafa's most prominent chleftains Her movements are so exquisite ly graceful and full of such dreamlike mo- ton that Europeans and natives alike have combined in namin 2 her ''The Dream"