The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-07-25
THE F|J|s At THE FAIR
Representatives of Cannibal Tribes
Among the Attractions at
the Exposition.
Fine Specimens of Manhood, ana
not Afraid to Show
Their Points.
A Native ENTERTAINMENT, ConsistinT OF
sones and War Dances, Ending With
tho sinEinG OF America.

Special to Tho Independent.
CHICAGO. july 24.-Of the many foreign
elements brought together at she Worlas
fair, the Fiji Islanders arc among those VINO
attract the greatest attention. There arc IN
the com any twenty seven-twenty-two men
and five women, For the most part tho
men are natives Of tho Wallace ana Giloefs
islsnds. situatsd in thirseen degrees south
latitude. while the women are from samoa.
Ihev all belong to tribes which a compare
lively short time ago were cannibsls, bus
now are noninally civilized and are som
munioants Of the Catholic church. ihoss
now on exhibition At The Midway Plaisanoe
are remarkably fine specimens OF Phys'oAl
manhood, The men are large. muscular
fellows. strong, active, and do not seem to
be ashamed to show their dark brown skin,
tetooed as IL is In many places in blue INK.
Tho women are not quite so tall, but are
equally we'll built, and do not show any In
dicatiou Of being less rugged ana heeltny
than their male companions.
The hair OF the Fiji native is black.
bushy and ordinarily stands out from the
head in a great bushy shock, but in these
GASES 1t 10 short. curly and In several In
stances brown, with q reddish tendency.
The sho,tnsss OF their hair Is accounted for
from the fact that en- tho journey to this
country il caused 80 much from
Europeans who manifested so persistent a
desire to handle it and examine it closely
that one night the natives cut their hair
s!ose to their heads TO escape annoyance.
The reddish-brown color is produced by
making . paste Of lime and water and rub
bling il into tho hair. This method may
mot be as scientific as that employed by our
American ladies for bleaching the mar. out
IL has the virtue Of being both economical
and effective.
The costumes of these people are cheap,
simple and we'll adapted to hot weather.
The material Is composed entirely OF the
bark Of the mulberry and cocoa which tney
y spare in such . manner as to make II
verv soft and pliabls. The men wear loose
garments OF this fabric around their Waists
falling to thsir knees or a little below:
This garment, with armlets and anklets OF
similar material aud strings OF beads about
the neck, constitutes their Sunday dress
and it ia the costume in which they appear
on the stage In giving their songs and
dances 70 . house full Of curious spectators.
IA women are dressed in the same mate
rial. but tho garment extends from the
neck whore, however. 1t Is cut docollette.
Their stage performances are. to say the
least. unique. They give songs. dances.
war dances md usually close their enter
.snnns' 2u " singing Tsei In ri sina snR01 is
Weird sort Of chant, destitute
Of musical qualities. but rendered in
perfect time. Du' ing the singing
which they give sitting CROSS legged on the
floor or standing. they keep time by clapping
their hands and swsying the body, assisted
by the monotonous thum, shumminR o. sne
tom-toms. DurinR their war dance they
carry In their hands large va clubs which
arc SWING hither and thisher as though
thew vere about to dash out the brains OF
some imaginary victim. Their peculiar
songs, restless motions and savage war
dances are in keeping with their general
appearance and make up. but not 80 the
sweet strains Of America" coming from
such a source. The singing Of this familiar
melody was to the audience q surprise a.
unexpected AZ the falling OF q shower from
a clear sky or the sudden d%arkeninR OF the
sun at midday.
In the Fiji village are many articles illus
trative of their skill and patience. Their
huts are identical in material and arohi-
lecture to those used In their native sea
washed islands. They are round, con-
struoted of posts set in tho ground and
covered with a cone-shaped roof composed
of bamboo stalks firmly tied together and
aftesward covered thiokly with the leaves OF
cane. For stormy weather those huts are
., divided with bamboo and bark curtains
which may be hug around the sides, thus
forming an effective shelter TO those within.
These structures are light. airy. and their
cool shade not uniuvitinR when the mercury
is on the sunny side OF ninety and the sun
Is 30 lavish with his surplus sunshine.
A curious fact corrected with these
structures is that. though they are so firm
and durable. they are put up without the
use OF nails or other fastening than the
strings aud ropes made of the fiber of q
bark called sinnet.
There is also on exhibition q small native
war boat which is n curiosity. 1t is forty
feet long. weighs $40 pounds, Is symmet-
rical and graceful in form, remarkably
strong and waterproof. and yet there 10 not
q nail or screw used in It's construction nor
WAS any too! used save the native hatchet.
The boards were hewn out of the tree. a
species of mahogany, the sides and ends
dressed to match, snd the graceful bow
formed all with this one instrument. The
boards are held firmly in place by wooden
pegs aud sinnet strings, the holes for tho
pegs being made where needed by driving
boar teeth til, ouah the boards. 1t
of 40 perfect n model could DO
made By igno ant natives and that
too without saw, hammer or nails, yet it
was done. and when manned by twenty-five
brawny savaRes armed with weapons in tho
use OF which they ale so skilled. would
prove a formidable adversary in u close en-
counter.
He who visits the Fiji islanders theater
for the sake of entertainment will be sadly
disappointed, but If the object Of tho visit
is to study a strange ,eop'e. to learn mo Q
of the habits, manners and customs OF wild
tribes who were till recently blood tLi sty
cannibals, the visit will be one of absorb
ing interest and much profit.
Daudru4 forms when the glands of the
skins a 9 weakened, and. II neglected. bald
ness is sure to follow. Halrs Hair Remover
is the best preventive.
Low Rates via the Northern Pacific.