Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1899-04-19
SAMOAN HEADQUARTERS.
WAY IN WHICH NATIVES MEASURE
THEIR VICTORIES.

Head-hunting, although about the
only English word for the thing, is O
decided misnomer when applied to the
Samoan procedure. The Samouns are
not at all head-huhters in the samc
sense as the Dyaks of the Malay seas,
who set out on expeditions of which
the distinct aim is to gather heads,
and carefully dry the heads they have
taken by suspending them III smoke
until sufficiently preserved to orna-
ment the family rooftree.
The Samoans take heads incidental
ly, merely to serve temporary end
as a measure of victory: After the
heads have served this purpose they
are never dried and hung iip for na-
ment, but may be had on application
by the next of kin of the former own
ers. 1t is q very ancient custom OF the
Samoans,i if one may repose confidence
in the tellers of stories; but as the
custom is not found among the other
Polynesians Of the Pacific there seems
reason to believe that it has sprung up
among the Samoans since The period
of their great dispersion six or eight
centuries ago. Be that rs it may, the
custom certainly antedates tile first
coming of the white men, for, living
in Ignorance of metals, the islanders
fashioned a peculiar type of club which
their experience proved possessed dis
tinct advantages for purposes OF de
capitation. The heading clubs had
thin but deep blade and were made of
very dense wood, which would take
nm edge and not easily chip through
the common accident of its use for
this particular operation. An essen
tial feature of the type was a sharp
and rather long hook or spine recury-
ing from the tip of the blade along its
back. This was designed for carry
ing the severed head and gave this
class of clubs the name info oti,
'the tooth of death. Since white
men brought forges to the islands
the specialized club has been replaced
by a long-handled knife or hanger
very much like the familiar machete
with the addition of the hook at the
end, which is an essential. The old
name still clings to the steal heading
knives, which between wars serve as
dancing favors or toys for the official
maid and the official beau, who are
part of the social state in every Sa-
moan village. At the dances and the
frequent parades and professions OF
Samoan life village maids and village
dandies take conspicuous part. IN
Juggling these long and dangerous
looking implements of n special pur-
pose in war.
Samoan battles scarcely deserve
classification rs O hazardous risk.
They are fought for the most part at
rather long range and with uncertain
nim. Not many warriors are wounded
and still fewer are killed. If too many
on any one side are found to be get
ting hurt that side scampers away out
of danger. Whenever possible the
vanquished try to remove their dead
from the field. The wounded may be
left behind with perfect confidence.
They will be in no danger of violence
at the hands of the conquerers. But the
slain represents different aspect OF bat
| tie. It is no shame to Samoan fighting
man to run away, but the victor will
lose all his pride in victory unless he
| has good tale of heads to show for
| it. No Samoan would attempt decapl-
tation of living and objecting per-
son; but as soon as it appears that the
enemy is wavering in battle and is
likely to retreat, then furious attack
is made, both to turn the signs OF
wavering into rout aid so to annoy
the fugitive army that it will be pre-
vented from carrying away its dead.
AS soon as the victors find themselves
securely established on the field OF
battle they hunt for the enemy's dead
and promptly chop their heads Oh.
The severed heads are carried about
the camp with ostentatious parade, and
finally laid before the leader of the war
party which has taken them. After
serving as the visible proof of victory,
which they can do in n high degree,
inasmuch as every head is perfectly
we'll known by all who see it, the
severed heads have no further use.
AS soon as night has fallen a
stream of women from the camp OF the
vanouished begins to arrive, and their
errand is to reclaim the heads of the
slain. They are cordially received
and entertained, for Samoan warfare
is only skin deep, after all; they have
no difficulty in securing the heads
which they come after, and unmolested
they set out for the camp of their
party, carrying the heads in cocoanut
baskets. The heads are assorted ont
to the bodies with which they were
formerly associated, and both are
buried in some convenient spot. which
after the return of peace will be
marked by cairn of rock decorated
with bottles turned bottom up.
There is a law of the Samoan gov
ernment providing dire penalties upon
those who chop heads in war. The
Samoan government is very docile,
under the prompting of the white Of
fcials in Apia or of others whom it de-
sires to encourage. The parliament
of native chiefs will pass any law
suggested to it and will assign Dra-
CONAN penalties for each and every
infraction, but it should be understood
that these and all other laws of Samoa
are to be taken in purely Pickwick-
ian sense and are not intended for
use.
There is one thing as to which the
Samoan is set to the last edge of OBJ
stinacy. That is the Samoan custom.
That is never open to argument,
debate or alteration. Samoan fashion
is good enough for all Samoans. If it
is absurd they will grant the absurd
ity, but they will continue the prac-