Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1891-08-01
CARPETING THE GRAVE.
5ow the Fill Widow Was Sent After
Her Dead Husband.


Woman in FIJI theoretically occupied
o high position, being regarded as an
essential and integral part of her husband.
A man was not considered complete in
this world without his wife, nor could he
pass into the next unless she accompanied
him. Therefore, the death of man was
always closely followed by that of his
wife, and in the case of chief by that of
all his harem. If a married woman died
passport to the shades was furnished her
in the shape of .ler husbands beard,
which was cut off and placed under her
left armpit.
In case Of the death of an unmarried
youth of either sex the person was doomed
to wander about in an intermediate region
between heaven and earth until one of
the opposite gender came along to COM
plete the couple. When any one died a
whales tooth was placed in his or her
hand, to be thrown at the tree which
stands as guide post on the road to the
other world. If the ghost of the deceased
hit this tree with his or her missile ac-
ceptance with the deities of the unseen
was indicated. Beyond this tree sat
"Nangga- Nangga, guardian of the path,
who permitted no man to pass unless he
had his wife with him. This spirit was,
however, credulous and easily deceived,
and often grandmothers and maiden
aunts were palmed off on him as the
wives of chiefs who essayed to pass him.
The Fijians were always practical and
far seeing people, and where a man left
behind him a stout and buxom widow his
kinsfolk often voted it foolishness to fool
her away on a ghost. Accordingly, she
was appropriated by some man who was
strong enough to drag her away and
maintain his claim to her with the club,
and some tough and ancient female rela-
tive suffered the cord in her place. This
was not accomplished without terrible
row: the widow, as we'll as all her con-
nections, resisting him tooth and nail, for
it was considered etiquette for the rela-
tives of the deceased to resent as an in
suit proposal to marry the widow. OBJ
struction was not, however, carried too
far, and although the wooer might take
the marks of his courtship to the grave,
the opposition always drew off before he
was quite overpowered.
Widow strangling was carried out with
imposing ceremonies. All the relatives
of the deceased assembled in the hut
which he had occupied in life, and to
them the widow was brought in. Her
brother, if she had one, was the execu-
toner, and the instrument was his waist
cloth, which he unwound at her entrance
The victim was made to assume posi-
ton on hands and knees, and the long
cloth was given a turn about her neck
and held on either side by her brother and
another man. She was then instructed
to expel all the air from her lungs and
hold up her hand as a signal that all was
ready, which being done, the cloth was
drawn tight, and swift and nearly pain
less death ensued.
Where man had but one wife she was
laid side by side with him in the grave.
In the case of chiefs possessed of several
consorts, all their wives were strangled
and placed in the grave for him to lie
upon. This, in the direct and expressive
speech of FIJI, was called "carpeting the
grave. . Boston Journal.