The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-04-30
9omoans Worship Red Heads,

Samoans spend an extended length OF
time in fixing their hair while making
their toilet. Both sexes allow their hair
10 grow about three inches long and keep
l. beSmirchsd with Thitswash. Each
morning a quantity OF coral which is OF
q lime deposit, Is gathered. then finely
powdered and mixed with water until Il
is of the consistency OF whitewssh. This
they put on their heads allowing IL 20 re-
main a few hours until il Is dry. After
washing It of they again besmear the.r
heads with a bountiful quantity of CO.
coanut on. then their toilet. As far as head
dress is concerned, is complete.
The application OF lime on the Samoans'
heads answers two purposes Il keeps
vernIin out OF the hair and bleachss Il a
orick-dust red Samosns are passionate
y fond OF red-headed people. being under
the impression that IT IS q particular gift
Of Prudence 70 be red-headed. The writer
Of this article would advise all red-headed
young people Of this country 10 so 10
Samoa for there they would be fairy
worshiped and adored. and could forever
live without working. simply because OF
the color Of their locks.
CoCoanut OIL Is also used as a lotion or
their bodies. Each night before gong 10
sleep every member Of the family Is com
PEELED 10 battle himself with this nsuse-
atng oil. This also answers Two pUr-
poses Il keeps the mosquitoes away. Of
which there is q New ersey abundance.
and il makes the body slippery and shiny.
SamOans. Ike al the rest Of the South
Pacic Islanders, are addicted to the un-
slightly habit Of tattooiug; in fact. among
the Somcans Il IS compulsory under 1he
law 10 be tatto0ed. The inhabitants OK
the different islands Of the Pacific tattoo
each other II arious designs. and II IS
a very easy matter for the traveller OF the
Pacific 10 identity one of the natives by
noting the manner OF tattooins OF their
bodies.
In Samoa the height OF every boys am
bition IS TO have the proper amount of
tattooing on his body. Unless ne com
plies with this law he is not allowed %
vote nor TO take a wife. nor 20 so 20
war. In fact. \ man is not COnsiG N-ed a
man. nor allowed 70 enjoy a maus privi-
leges, until he IS 50 tattooed. IL mat
teTs not how young the boy IS. rs soon
as he is covered over the prescribed por-
tions Of the body, as defined by me law,
with the repuisive figures. he IS then
man. Invariably when a Traveller in Sa-
moa asks the boys selling fruit about
the beach 10 the Americans and Euro
peans what he intends doing with the
money thus derived he would state that
he was saving il 10 pay the official tat
tooer. The tattooing Of the SamOans eX-
tends from the middle Of the abdomen 20
the knees, completely covering that por-
ton Of the body with a network of lines
and figures that makes II appear from
distance as if they were wearing a black
sllken mantle around the body.
Tho women are not compelled % under
go such an Extensive operation. Il is not
INIT FeFr r-Fr res
that their ordeal begins As soon as
Samoan girl is married long black lines
are tattooed across both lips. six or seven
in number. and extending about one inch
above and below the lips. The suppose
ton Of the Samoans is that this has a
tendency 20 lessen their chatter as women
ar women the world over in that respect.
The roots Of different tropical plants are
used TO make the col0rs for tattOolng pur-
poses.
The Church Of England and the French
Catholics conduct the main missions
among the Samoons. The ormons. how
ever. have few expounders OF their
faith. The majority Of the Samoans afi.i-
ate themselves with one or more of the
above mentioned churches. ia join
ing one OF these denominations The fact
IS impressed upon them that they must
adopt a more civilized style OF dress. par
ticularly so among the feminine sex. As
soon as a Samoan woman joins church
they are compelled 10 wear Mother Hub
bard dresses. and such variety OF CO.0rs
and patterns they select il is a sight 20
behold. Ii is an easy matter To distinguish
a church member from uou-church
member by noting as far as the women
are concerned, whether they have
Mother Hubbard on or not.
Previous % joining church these wO-
men. a ; a rule, We're very proud IL they
had a big. handsome handkerchief 10
wear as a dress Often have they ben
seen wearing handkerchiefs with THden
and Hendricks pictures on them, which
some enterprising American imported ard
reaned q harvest of money from Nom.