The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1895-05-11
The WOMEN OF TONGA,
Beautiful Bellies of an Island In the West.
ern Pacific.

| Beautiful Bellies of an Island In the West.
ern Pacific.
In none of the countless islands OF
the western Pacifc-the Coral Edens"
of poor +. L. Stevenson-has n transi
ton from 4 condition of ferocious sav
| agery to at least the appearance of fin
de-siecle civilization been more rapid,
or more complete, than in Tonga, a
beautiful island group In the western
Pacific, formerly known as the Friend
" islands, and lying some distance
south of the Fijian and Samoan archi-
| pelagoes.
The Tongans were long known as a
restless. ambitious and INSCRIPTIONS
people. always at wal with neighbor-
ing islanders, and of cannibal propensi-
ties, acquired from frequent inter-
course with the long pig" eaters of
FIJI. Now the Tongans possess all the
machinery of a monarchical govern
ment, based upon European models,
including a king, parliament and a
long train of public officials, many of
whom are well educated, dress and live
in European fashion and have their
meals prepared for them by Chinese
cooks. There is a regular code of laws,
with a governor for each of the larger
islands, judges, magistrates, police con-
stables, customs officers, and so forth,
together with an elaborate system of
public instruction.
This remarkable change in the man
ners and habits of a whole people is
largely the result of missionary inlu-
ence. There Is. however, some reason
to doubt whether it is real or merely
superficial. 1t has certainly been ac-
companied by a marked improvement
in the status of the Tongan women,
who are, for the first time, placed upon
terms of equality, in many respects,
with the native men, and enjoy an
amount of freedom unknown in most
of the island communities.
The beneficial influence of a settled
government and a regular system Of
laws is shown in the generally pros
perous condition of the islands, the
larger one being intersected by we'll
made roads, and covered with highly
cultivated farms, luxuriant orchards
and beautiful gardens; want and beg
gary are unknown; and if the condi-
lions of earthly happiness are to be
found anywhere, surely it must be in
Tonga. 1t is the real land of the lotus
eater-a country of sunshine and flow
ers. Unlike most of the P~olynesian
peoples, the Tongans are of a delicate
light-brown color, the men having a
Muscular, well-fed appearance, while
the women are famous far and wide
for the seductive expression of their
beautiful eyes. rivaling in softness and
significance those of the Andalusian
bellies, especially when accompanied
by a coquettish use of the palm-leaf
fan.
The skin of the Tongan woman gen.
orally has a silky appearance. the re-
suit of a plentiful application of palm
oil, well rubbed in after q preliminary
dip in some shady lagoon. This treat
ment leaves a highly polished surface,
free from the least trace of greasiness.
Their dress is not picturesque. Itgen-
orally consists of a cloth fastened
round the waist, Ornamented at times
with long hanging tufts of dried
grasses; the head, shoulders, bust, arms,
knees and feet remaining uncovered,
although a kind of ribbon is sometimes
worn round the neck and across the
breasts. One of their great grievances
is that the native costume finds no
tavor with the powers that be- and is
not allowed TO be worn in public, being
considered immodest, although it is a
decided improvement on the mar
row %circlet which in the early days
of Polynesian exploration. consti-
tuted the sole attire of the female
portion of the population. Most of
the Tongan women prefer to go about
bare-headed, or, like their Samoan sis
tiers, bedecked with flowers; but the
authorities, with grandmotherly care,
condemn this practice, and prohibit
the women from entering Il church or
chapel unless wearing the orthodox
European hat or bonnet. The attempts
to evade this unpopular edict frequent
~ lead to amusing incidents.
The principal occupation of the
women, when not engaged with their
domestic duties. consists in the man
ufRcture of 4 kind of cloth from the
inner bark of the white mulberry, the
bark being soaked IN water and beaten
into shape with a rude wooden mallet.
The process is long and laborious. but
the women generally enliven it by in
cessant chatter or laughing. They are
wonderfully expert in catching fish
Chicago TimeS-Herald.