Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1891-08-07
WIDOW STRANGLlNG IN FIJI.
A Horrible Rite That Was Carried Out
With Great Ceremony.

a Horrible Rite That was Carried Out
With Great Ceremony.
Women in FIJI theoretically occupied
high position, being regarded as an es-
sential and integral part of her husband.
A man was DOT considered complete in
this world without his wife, nor could
he pass into the next unless she accom-
panied him. Therefore, the death of a
man was always closely followed by
that of his wife, and in the
case of chief by that of all
his harem. If married woman
died, passport to the shades was fur
nished her in the shape of her hus-
bands 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 inter-
mediate region between heaven and
earth until one of the opposite gender
came along to complete 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 acceptance of the
u.
Beyond this tree sat "Nangga- Manga"
guardian of the path, who permitted NC
man to pass unless he had his wife with
him. This spirit was. however, credu-
lous and easily deceived, and often had
grandmothers and maiden aunts palmed
off on him as the wives of chiefs who es-
sayed to pass him.
The FlJians were always a practical
and far-seeing people, and where man
left behind him stout and buxom widow
his kinsfolk often voted it foolishness to
fool her away on ghost. Accordingly,
she was appropriated by some man who
was strong enough to drag her away
aud maintain his claim to her with the
club, and some tough and ancient fe-
male relative suffered the cord in her
place. This was not accomplished
without terrible row; the widow, as
we'll as all her connections, resisting
him tooth and nail, for it was consid-
cred etiquette for the relatives of the
deceased TO resent as an insult a pro-
posal to marry the widow. Obstruc-
ton 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 rel
stives 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
executioner, and the instrument was his
waist cloth, which he unwound at her
entrance. The victim was made to as
sumo position on hands and knees.
the long cloth was given a turn about
her neck and held on either side bv her
brother and another man. She was
then instructed to expel all the air from
her lungs and hold up her hand as
signal that all was ready, which, being
done, the cloth was drawn tight and
swift and nearly painless 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 expressive speech of Fiji,
was called "carpeting the grave
Boston Journal.