Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-09-02
A SAMOAN DANCE.

The girls having announced that
they would give a dance that night,
after a short interval of rest, spent
the remainder of the afternoon WeaV-
ing wreatAs of flowers and dressing
their hair. When night came the
gUest-house was lighted with two or
three lamps placed upon the floor, and
a screen was arranged at the far end,
behind which the girls retired to make
their preparations. Four musicians
seated themselves on one side, and
preceded to beat sort of wooden
drum, at the sound of which the
guests began to assemble. Neither the
chief nor the old men showed them
selves, as the ''siva" is looked upon
With great disfavor by the missionaries
and the elders doubtless thought it
would not be 0CcerOus of them to be
present, though htey gave me to under
stand that they had no objection to
the dance taking place. The house
was soon filled with the young men
and girls, who sat chatting, laughing,
and smoking, and facing a clear place
left in the center for the performers.
The musicians beat a sharp tattoo
on the drums, and, at a great round of
applause and clapping of hands, the
four girls appear from behind the
screen and take their places in the open
space. Their handsome brown bodies
glisten with cocoanut oil, their hair is
decorated with shells and white and
scarlet flowers, and each is clad in
very short lava lava" of about the
size of a large pocket-handkerchief.
Over this is a fringed and tasselled cir
die made of pandanus fibre and dyed
il brilliant cOlOrs, and each wears
rCuRu the neck and falling over the
brcaats 2 wreath of strongly scented
flowers.
The lamps are now placed upon the
edge of the mats, and the girls seat
themselves in q line facing them.
One begins singing in a shrill high
pitched voice, and the others in turn
take UP the strain, the four voices
blending in a weird sort of harmony, to
the drums and the deep bass voices of
the musicians make an effective accom-
paniment. As the girls sing, their
bodies sway from side to side, the arms
wave gracefully in perfect time, while
the music, which commences slowly
gradually Quickens, until arms, bodies,
and voices are going at lightning speed;
then they gradually slow down again,
and the song dies away in a soft ten
Ger whisper.
After more applause, and loud
shouts Of ''Lelei! lelei!" (good! good!!)
the girls stand up, the music starts
again, and they begin to dance the real
Samoan "siva," the anathema maran-
atha of the missionary, and the chief
delight of the pleasure-loving island
er. The brown bodies, glistening in
the fitful light, sway from the hips, in
dreamy, dangerous motion, while the |
arms are waved from side to side, |
Iuivering, rising, and falling like the |
ripping of water when the breeze kiss !
es its surface; the air is heavy with !
the sensuous odor of the Wreaths and I
the scented oil with which their bodies
are anointed; the limpid, brown eyes
gleam with strange light, and are veil
ed again by the dropping lids. Again
he music quickens, and is inter-
mingled with quaint barbaric discordsi /
he drums give forth a louder, harsher
lote, and the voluptuous swaying mo-
ion gives place to quick leaps high
Il the air, wild gestures, and tempest
lous tossing Of the limbs; the wreaths
snd girdles whirl and twist, the eyes
ha+ were so soft and dreamy now
sleam and sparkle like burning Goals;
ouder still sounds the shouting and
he drums, quicker speeds the dance,
i'll at length with one wild cry it ceas-
IS, and the girls sink on the mats, pant
ng and quivering with excitement
nd exhaustion-JohnH Harrison Wag-
Ter in Harper's Magazine.