The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-08-22

stations. the rich that theirs could es-
pouse the great nobles and the chiefs
or kings. In the kanaka family every
one knows of the dance and most of
the women can dance it. They regard
it to-day as unconventional but not os
reprehensible. In a sitting room or
even in the fields where there is
party of girls together it is common
sport for one or two to present steps or
even parts of the famous dance.
While the Kanakas are brave as lions
and make heroic soldiers and superb
sailors, they do not seem to have as
strong life instinct or as strong n
regard for human life as the civilized
races. This mental attitude seems in
dependent of religion or civilization
and more or less racial in character l
have noticed the same thing among the
Japanese and the Filipinos, and among
the people of South China. in WHOSE
veins runs great deal of Malay
blood.
In former years it expressed itself in
murderous wars and wholesale massa-
ere; in the early part of the century
in infanticide and at the present Tina
in a disregard of sick and old people.
This attitude must not be confused
with inhumanity. 1t is simply differ
ent way of viewing human existence.
The same man who will go through fire
and flame and even incur terrible pain
in carrying out an idea, will fold his
arms and awaits death without strus-
gle the moment he is convinced of the
futility of further resistance.
Unlike savage races or races descend
| ed from saVages, the Kanakas display
| deep love for nature and it's beauties.
| In this respect they are unique. No
| redskin is recorded as having had
| flower garden and no Ashantee, Da-
| homeyman or Congo cannibal was ever
| known to make bouquets wreaths and
| garlands Every Kanaka has soft
| spot in his heart for flowers. When he
walks along the road he never lops off
| the heads of blossoms as does the
| Anglo-Saxon every time. On the con-
| trary, he is liable to stop and help a
flower or bush which has been beaten
| down by wind or rain. ] recall two
| stalwart Hawaiians who stopped one
| day upon the road and worked indus
triously in tying up some lilies and
| tube roses which had fallen or been
thrown to the ground. They got long
| sticks, drove them into the soil, raised
the stems and tied them with wisps of
straw or with strong vines to the pole.
| The wearing of strings of tube roses
| opopanaN roses and helotrope around
| the hat or like huge necklace around
| the neck and hanging down the shirt
| bosom is universal. More striking still
| is the use of feathers for decorative
| purposes. The commonest phase is seen
! in hat bands and vest ornaments, con-
! sisting of the eyes and the plumeS OF
! peacock's tails, about the most brilliant
combination of colors nature presents.
Other gaily tinted feathers are popu-
! lar for decorative purposes among both
| men and women. In front of every
| hotel are peddlers with strings of odor-
| Gus flowers and every steamer which
! goes out is crowded with the flower sell
| ers for two hours before the warning
| bell sounds. The old English custom
| of going aMaying Is general through
| out the islands. Women and children
! go into the fields and groves and there
| pick blossoms by hundreds. They fas-
| ten them into their hair, weave them
| into wreathes and festoons and tack
| them to their holokuS until each and all
| suggest the Goddess Flora in the zenith
| of her prosperity. Every Kanakas
| home is powered with bushes, vines and
| trees and their gardens are a maze or
! color and perfume. Hawaii might APP
| propriately be called the Land of Flow
| ers or the Kingdom of Flower Lovers.
! Physically the Kanaka is model. The
| men and women are built upon more
generous lines than other races. This
| is especially the case with the women,
who at IS suggest the Venus de Milo
| or the Olympian Juno rather than
| Diana ! do not remember ever seeing
an Hawaiian Diana. They pass from
plump childhood into massive woman
| hood without entering the stage SO COM
mon to our own race of graceful slen-