The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-10-17


THE VILLAGE MAID AND HER ATTENDANTS
could not look. And now" he said. az
must do it myself. I must, though hate
It, and my heart turns sick at the thought
The news of the battle fought at Vaitele
has little interest for you, away off there
In the world, where you have SO much r.
see and hear and think of. But with us
the scenes are close at hand. Along the
quiet, palm shaded street of Apia strange
professions have passed. Wounded bodies
In mats and plated leaves tied to poles and
borne by strong men were carried to the
mission house in the care of good Miss
Large. Heads were paraded, some held by
the hair and some by the CORY necks. with
dwarfed testers screaming and dancing in
front. There was another solemn sight tc
European eyes i'll a band of men carrying
the headless body of Mataafa' S son, wrapped
In mats, through which stiff and bloody
hand protruded. In front a man walked
with the young chiefs head wrapped in
fine mat
Fatuleau, wife of the high chief of Apia
Seumanu-tafa, which means bird catcher
on going out TO look at tho heads found
those OF her three brothers, and her grief
has been heartrending She, the wife of
Laupepa's greatest chief, had relatives on
the other side, and she has gone i'm a boat
to Savaii with the heads of her brothers &c
mourn with the women, for there are nc
men left of her clan. Even the taupo-sa
(village maid) killed was this poor WON
ans niece.
One warrior, bringing home head that
he had taken with his own hand washed
Oil the warpaint before he carried it to the
king and discovered in the dead face the
features of his brother. 1t was CHASTITY
sight TO see this man kissing the head and
crying aloud and praying.
Ont on Mulinuu the king sat on the We.
randa of the presidents house and, nc
cording to the old Samoan custom. the
heads were placed before him. From the
words of royal commentator, Mali Ton -
employed OH such occasions, comes tn.
royal name. 1t is said that the king was
Mortified at finding girls heads and or.
dered them Mt once to be returned to the
enemy. But it Is always customary tc
send back the enemies heads after they
have been laid ut the feet of the victorious
chief.
The women of Samoa will avenge their
murdered sisters. These women have great
influence and biting tongues, and thei,
weapon is ridicule | think l see now the
pretty girls pretending TO hold their heads
on MS they pass any relative, however dis
tant, OF these men. There will be ieerinp
names for them that will go down in their
families and shame their descendants.
There are many stories of the women in
this battle of Naitele One pulled her bus.
band from n hole where he was hiding and
shamcd him to fight. One rushed in when
she saw her father fall, and snatching his
gun fought over his body to save his head
and succeeded i'll dragging him away
The most distinguished taupo or village
maid on Iaupepa's side was Suega (pro.
nonnced Suanga), n tall, fine girl, who nc.
companied Seumanu, the high chief OF
Apia, into battle, carrying his gun and AK.
She was a great favorite with the Ameri.
can naval officers who were in exile here
for so many weary months after the terri
BILE hurricane that wrecked the Trenton
and Nandalin four Years ago, and Seu.
manu. her uncle, was the gallant old man
who headed the rescuing chain of natives
when they risked their lives again and
again by daring ventures into the angry
seas in the hope of rescuing some moor
sailor who might be washed from the
wrecks with Il breath Of life in him. His
heroiSm on that memorable occasion was
rewarded by the United States govern.
ment with present of n handsome whale.
boat, and Suega was loaded with trinkets
iroHl Ihc sailors in appreciation of her
many acts Of kindness
What makes the crime still more revolt.
ing is that one of these women was n taupc.
sa-a name respected by all islanders. Ev.
cry village has one, elected by the women
for the old fashioned qualities of beauty
and virtue. She is surrounded by duennas.
has dwarf to dance before her in her state
PROFESSIONS and is waited upon by the pref
iiesu maids of the village. Her duties are
TO entertain the head chiefs guests, lead
the silva dances, make the ava-a native
beverage made and drank with considerable
ceremony-and conduct herself blameless.
ly. She is not only looked after by the du
ennas, but by the jealous eyes of the rival
beauty. who will step into her place should
anything be proved against her.
They dress in fine mats, with necklaces
OF scarlet berries, sharks teeth and shells,
and wear gorgeous headdress of human
hair and shells that look very fantastic
and barbarously regal
hope it is not true that one girl was be-
headed when alive. The story is that she
was wounded and fell, ciinging to small
tree or sapling, and that she begged for her
life, crying II am woman" But She
was not spared. and her head was carried
into Mulinuu.