The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-09-14
F1JIANs ARE SENSITIVE.
Visitors Are Requested Not to Ask
Them if They Are Cannibals.
From the Baltimore American.

From the Baltimore American.
Chicago, Sept 9.-"Visitors will greatly
oblige the management if they will
kindly refrain from asking these people
any questions concerning cannihalism, as
it is very annoying to them" Such is the
admonition which greets the visitor
upon entering the South Sea Island
or Samoan village. If you should
happen to meet one of these South
Sea Islanders in a lonely spot at night, you
would discuss neither cannbaliSm nor
anything else which you would suppose
would annoy him. They are the most
muscular and finely formed people on the
pIaisance or or the fair grounds. They
are of a light gold bronze color, and the
women as well as the men, are str0pg
and healthy-looking. Whilst it is not
proposed to annoy the creatures by talk
ing to them of the delightful feast Of can
uibalism, which has been common to the
Fiji Islands, yet it must be said that they
are beautiful specimens of manhood, and
it would be of great interest to learn
something of the family history of this
set-that is, whether or not their imme-
date ancestors ate human flesh, and if
they did how long since they ceased the
practice and to what extent did that del
icacy serve as their subsistence. The as
sistant manager states that the villagers
are not cannibals, but that their ances-
tors were
The village and the songs and dances
of the natives are novel, but the interest
of the visitor who is looking for some
thing real Darbaric, is apt to become
leSsened when he sees them playing cards
lust as civilized people do; hears some of
them talkEngish and intelligently at that,
and what is more and 10 the greater dis
appointment of the seekers for caunibals,
when he LEARNS from placard Conspicu-
ouslY posted that the natives OF the
islands from which these people come are
all Christians Somewhat discouraged
he makes an inspection of the village, that
most attractive feature of which is the
picturesquences of the people them
selves. Their physical authority in
generally admired, and the manager
states that they are very tractable not
withstanding their wild appearance
while doing a song and dance act There
xlre about dozen in the party, but only two
are natives of Samoa, the others being
Fiji Islanders and from the canniDal race
on Gilbert Islands. Two native houses, CON
sisting simply of uprights and matched
roof cocoanut fiber and a floor of ocean
beach pebbles. make up the village exclu-
sive of the stands for the sale of what are
said to be South Sea island articles
The only articles approaching "furni sh-
ings' in the houses of huts are mats upon
which the natives sleep and lie down
Their cooking utensils are few and very
primitive. Their bodies are partially
nude, the nakedness being most notice
able when within the thcater VIII en-
they are performing the wanderer along
the locality where the village is located
is generally made aware of the fact by
the loud chanting in a minor KEY, to
which is added the noise of their wild
gyration and a stamping upon the stage,
and the beating on a rude wooden drum
They carry war clubs and other rude inn
PIGMENTS, which, at a short range or in a
hand-to-hand fight, are as effective as the
most modern weapon.
DANCE OF THE FIJIANs
The dance is said to be of Fiiian origin
and is supposed to represent war party
returning from a maraudlng excursion to
neigh boring islands, where a battle has
been fought. The SURGEONS, form ing
circle before the natives who remained at
home, select one of their number to tell
the story of their expedition. The story
is told in a low, waling recitative canto
with an occasional chorus. The gestures,
movements of the bodies and the dancing
is in accord with the canto, sometimes
slow, then rapid, furious and wild, or
mournful or sac, according
but as it is the story of a lost
cause, it necessarily has vein of melan-
choly. They also have cheerful dances
and songs, and have been taught to sing
several national airs. A native canoe,
known as taumaulua, is an object of spe-
cial interest to visitors. The material is
wholly Of wood, no iron or nails entering
into its construction. 1t will seat forty
persons, and it is stated that two are re-
quires to man it. The boat exhibited, it
is announced, has been in active service
in Samoan waters. The warrior. when
the boat is in action, seats himself in the
prov, armed with an AK, which he can
handle very dexterously, throwing it some
distance ahead and catching it without
difficulty
The village is under the management of
Henry J. Moors, native American, but
resident of Samoa for about twenty
years. Mr.. Moors claims to own two