The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-01-26
rEE SAMOANS.
mors and Manners Products
7H of the Islands.
~ Ne,r York Tribune.

~ +ba Pacific Ocean, about 5000
yine Invest from San Francisco, are
n'''S samoan islands, the rich and 1erule
D0 ~ which, through German intrigue
c'uu .to neglect of other interested Powers,
sDa 'ro yoar past suffered the woes of
bs7e lol I'd nisrule. The natives are
civil wa oTe than semi-clviliZed, but are
bsr1l and intelligent, and If properly
trseIa44'Ic onld be easily and happily gov
trsa'su They are a singular people and
eTleI' ,onv odd customs. In appearance
hs'e -anlenible the Malay race OF when, IN
t1ey ,bev are a branch. For the most
iac.' +bey are of fine physique, straight
I@lY broad shouldered, and have powerful
anu VI Ior development. Their color is light
museliA Many of the women are very hand
bTo"Dht ,tb in form and feature, and almost
some fna looking. One thing which de-
OIL ale rom from their appearance is the way in
tacGs +ba Greater portion of them wear
WnicI As q rule, this is worn in huge
tDen LAS lass having a reddish tinge. This,
buSnl us 10 not natural. their hair by nat
bs"T avn fine. black and straight. With
ure po'N5 5arver,ltv of taste, the natives
suanNT With kind of lime until it is rem
coss s4 harsh and stiff, and the color is
a DID from black to reddish brown.
cn, Shs habits of life are simple. hunting
- fsbing and a little tilling of the soil
auu ,' their chief occupations. They raise
ps tIs ,igs and fowl, but for the most part
a.. ,0T ibd6ent, depending chiefly for their
s sIe, snnnIv on what nature so ahundantly
h,rnisbes them in the shape OF bread fruit,
l1.aann+s bananas, oranges, pineapples
oye 1 "tner tropical fruit This simplicity Of
, az extends to their houses and the fur
naiIS of them. Their villages are mere
un1ioc+7ons Of huts though in the main these
I,ts are neat and comfortable. Not much
lard is paid to the laying out of streets,
.Se bouses seeming to be thrown together
oIwost At random, in some places huddled
.oTether in groups of two or three, but
r,SslIv standing detached, with oftentimes
oItttIs pe5bed yard in front.
NATIVE ARCHITECTURE AND FURNITURE.
The house is a mere framework of poles
oovared with roof of thatch, made from
i long grasses and from the leaf of the cocoa
4 mt n9m. The roof is impervious to rain
/ snd nothing more is required. The sides
4 ~ the house may be drawn up or let down
4 Of will being composed of a number of
curtains made of plated glass. In fine
Weather these curtains, which are very
nabe and durable are kept raised during
tbe dav. but at night and during the rainy
soason thew are drawn closely down, max
inc q yerv snug interior. The furnishing
Of the house corresponds in simplicity with
tbe house itself 1t consists chiefly of mats
On which to lie, little blocks Of wood
with four short legs stuck in them for pill
lows or rests for the head, and hole in the
earth. lined with rocks, used as a stove or
Mace to cook. Thus they are provided
Il with eating and sleeping accommodations,
and beyond this they care for little. In all
the nuts living round about may be seen war
clubs, spears, etc. rude nets and fishing i'm
PIGMENTS, drinking gourds and rough
II wooden bowls of various forms and sizes
and occasionally an old fowling- piece, which
q some white man has given them. Their war
clubs are very handsome and much orna-
mented. They are made from hard wood
beautifully carved, sometimes in regular
A and sometimes in odd and fantastic designs,
and their shapes are as numer-
ous as their carvings. When
finished they are soaked in cocoanut
4 oil, which in time turns them black, so that
the older clubs have the appearance OF
4 being made from ebony. On the mats de-
! pend their Claims to birth and lineage. Old
4 mats handed down from generation to
4 generation are cherished as ancient and
4 valuable heirlooms These are not the mats
/ huts for everyday use. The Old and valu-
able ones, which are preserved very care
fully, are plated very fine, sometimes from
4 grass and sometimes from some wood fibre.
Those for use, however. are for the most
/ part coarsely plated aud lack the elaborate
finish OF the old ones. They are generally
about feet long and 3 or feet wide.
FEATURES OF THE NATIVE DRESS.
The dress of the natives consists, at most.
Of two pieces-the "lava-lava" and the stu
puks.' Before the coming of the mission
aries and calico the lava-lava sufficed. This
sometimes made from reeds and grasses,
sometimes from 'tapan cloth and some
times from calico. 1t is nothing more than
aSaeet wrapped around the loins, with one
eul tucked In to secure it, and reaches to
ne Knee Or ankle, according to the taste of
Tie wearer. The more primitive are made
rom reeds and grasses, forming a fringe,
as IL we're from lOin to knee, are fastened
WIN a wooden pin. Many are made
HoLn 'tapa cloth. This is a native cloth.
maze III RON saplings of some peculiar wood
me bark Is removed and the wood is
Osalen to pulp. This pulp is then rolled
Ol' INTO Sheets and when dry the sheets are
sluod iogether, forming large pieces of any
toaieu S;le. IL IS trim and strong in tex
'lie, and resembles tough wood-pulp paper
" parchment more than it does cloth. al
tlough it becomes quite soft and nliabie nv
Use Iley paint this cloth in fantastic de-
Nssn', In coIors black or dark brown.
me paint being made from clays
So s,1oo with fish or cocoanut oil.
"lCe the Islands have been opened
W sale calico has taken the place of native
w ~ Wa great extent. The other article
ot atess' tne "tupuka," consists Of a piece
" ;1, coIn about Is inches wide and of vary
,us .eagth, with hole in the middle large
Slousu 70 put the head through. This they
t,Tis over over their shoulders. the ends
Tbi.u GOWN over the back and breast.
m.r ' almost an exclusively feminine gar
h, No"adays, however, it is not rare
prrs w. "9'n oy the women calico dresses,
lsr '''S IAe advent of missionaries they
are o.s DsCone extremely religious They
DsiS., teey III their religion, and the great
Ngbtiv' ~; vi 1hem are professed christians.
rsuI'y IN their rude huts thew read their
dsii d. \, PiOes and sing hymns. and in their
If ne p9 t,hey live well up to the teachings
NJ r pIoie No more chaste or honest sat
Tie T Vople can be found. All this applies TO
vI1Dpe as they appear in their nativ q
Under ~ on W! 9oes not apply to Apia, where,
man tboj. 0lYiIizlng influence Of the white
usncs 49, morals have degenerated. In
iowerir,. Ho"eVer, 1t must be said that this
totbso'esO VI .he standard of morality is due
sees moS, Ass Of white men that the native
sad low 1ot VI In Apia. namely, rough sailors
TIE DANCE AND THE TATTOO.
"siye,5E a au occasions. native dances called
thew ,va. s great feature. In the old DAYS
been m"oE very immoral, but they have
The mls. rCn toned down since the coming of
Tie p5selr'ftOnarles, and do not occur often,
girls S rinefs in the danca YpoetIv ,,r,,ra,