The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1889-02-21
SAMOA AND THE sAMoANs.

style savages-is that of the true brown
Polynesians from New Zealand in the
South Pacific to Hawaii in the North,
or from the Lqnguues in the Central
Pacific to Easter Island. Throughout
all of this vast expanse OF waters, oc-
cupying an area roughly equal to that of
the North American continent, that
charming barbarian is almost the only
aboriginal inhabitant. Twelve groups
Of islands are is home e-Hiwiaii, TOke-
lau, the Elfce Islands, the Pt onix Is
lands, and the outlying mot the maiD)
portion of the F j group, New Zealand.
Tonga. Tahiti, the Marquesas, the Har'
vey, Paumotu, and Samoa; besides a
number of separate islands, like Easter
Islands, famous for its great prehistoric
statues of stone. Among all the groups
the Samoan claim at once the immedi-
at interest of being the scene of the
latest pan -Germanic effort at spoliation
in the Pacific Ocean, and the older dis
tinction of having been the center of
dispersion whence the brown POlynes
ians set out upon their miEratlons from
archipelago to archipelago. at some re-
mote period of which we are not able to
determine the date.
The Somoan group received the name
by which it was long known, that of tue
Navigators' Island, from Bougainville,
who discovered the island in the year
1888 and named them, probably on ac-
count of the superior construction of the
canoes of the natives and of their sur
prising dexterity in the water" The
group lies in the South Pacific, about
two thirds of the way from the coasts
of Central Peru to those of Northern
Australia, Islands. There are ten inhab'-
ted islands, entirely of volcanic origin,
with peaks some 4 1000 feet high, aud an
area of about 1000 square miles, or
about third more than tnat ofthe Safe
of Rhode Island. 1t his population of
about 80 900, all of them aboriginal ma
tives except three or four hundred
whites.
Whence did the aboriginal people,
in common with the other brown Poly
nesian, originate? That they came into
Polynesia from some point in the Malay
Archipelago is pretty clear from the
evidence of language; that they were
an early offshoot of the ancient Aryan
stock before they reached Malaysia IS
probable, both from the evidence of their
language and of their physi ;al and men
tai traits. In the Hawariin dialect OF
the language which prevails, without
an essential difference, in ali the groups
just named, the first four cardinal num-
Der, dkdhi, ellLd, dkOlu, aha, are thought
by compel ent scholars to be identified
with the corresponding numbers in Eng
lish, Latin, Sanscrit and the other lndo-
European lanRu The argument
from physical likeness is a less concu-
sive one; yet Keaue, an impartial stu
dent on the subject, gives it much
weight.
They are handsome race. At the
G, injury Club in this city, few years
ago, a tall, dark skinned young man
was the object of much notice. His
hair was fine and waving, and of soft
lustrous black; his eyes were dark and
expressive; his teeth were of the brill
fancy of mother-of-pearl, and the only
fault in his features, at least according
to our standards, was that his nose WAS
slightly hattened. But what natural
grace there was in his movements, what
distinction in his bearing! 1t was a
young prince of the Samoan Islands,
visiting New York in the course of his
travels, and he was perfect specimen
of the POlynesian of the chefiish caste.
tbe chiefs throughout Polynesia, it
should be remem Sered, attain finer pro-
portions and higher degree of physical
beauty than the commOneTs; this is the
natural result of the better conditions of
their physical life. The Samoan men,.
like their kindred of the allied groups,
are tall of stature, averaging about five
feet ten inces-the second-highest aver
age of stature, after that of the E istern
Patagonians, that has been anywhere ac-
Icurately measured. Their complexion
is light brown, grading toward yellow
the color of cafe an ldit. The women
are handsomely aud even voluptuou ly
formed, but are much smaller and shor
ter than the men, and while some of
them are really pretty, their looks are
injured by the flattening Of the nose to
which their fond mothers subject them
from infancy, But | must add, in fair
ness, that the Samoans look upon our
aquline noses as a sad deGOrmity." "What
pity" said Samoan woman to one of
the earlier missionaries, THAT you white
people insist upon pulling the noses of
your babies until they get to be so long
and peaked! Perhaps the Samoan m tn
cd of atfectionate sautation is partly
responsible for the f4tness of their noses
Instead of kissing, which the PoIynesiln
regard as "A mere waste of valuable OPP
portunity, he presses his face firmly
upon that of the beloved obi ,ct, and
then rubs noses. Only in this way, he
contends, can true affection be express
sed.
What sort of a character goes with
this not unpeasing exterior? The Sa-
moans, so far as they have not been
changed by foreign influence, are of
mild, cheerful AMI generous nature,
while they still retain good deal of The
old warike spirit which made them,
after the New Zealanders, the most war
like of all the brown Polynesians. The
recent accounts of their resistance to
the Germans shows noble bravery in
the defense of their country. They are
remarkable for their generosity, giving
up their houses and homes to their guestr.
Some of their old usages of hospitality
are still kept up, as, for instance, that OF
the "kava" treat upon the arrival of the
guests. This root, which produces the
favorite tipple of many Polynesians
other than the Samoans. is first chewed
by scantily clad young girls;theT, mixed
! with water in a calabash, the brew is
handed around among the guests, and
even white visitors are expected to take
a complimentary sip When chiefs are
presented, as on the reception of distin
gulshed guests, they appear in war cos
tune and perform fea:s of dexterity
with their clubs, axes and knives, and
the night is passed in feasting and
revelry,
Whence comes the light .heartedness
of the Samoan 1t ia in large part due
to the easy conditions of living which
he enjoys. The banana, the bread fruit,
the yam and the cocoanut grow wild,
in most other Pacific Islandf; and TIE
tarO, which he prefers to any other
vegetable, is cultivated with little diff
Guilty. Besides these the islanders grow
sugar, cotton, corn and rice, in the main
| for exportation. One of the staple pro-
ducts of the country is dried meat Of
the cocoaDut, called copra. OF this and
Of other islands products they export
some $1.800,00 worth yearly, import
ing about as much in value. Among
the imports the item of German beer
appears a little oddly; but the world
moves, even for the ingenious Samoans.
and doubtless the German beer ia better
for their health than that frey kava.
STILL il is with a certain regret that one
turns to the DESCRIPTION of tie Sam Jan
life, written some fifty years ago,by that
excellent man and mis- lonary, the Rev.
John Williams: The light-hesrted Sa
moan can work or play, rove about or
stay home, dance or sleep, with the as
surance that the beautiful grove of bread
fruit trees in which his cottage is EN-.
powered will afford him an abundant
supply: aud, IL these should prove INSULT