The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-09-10
views OF eERMAKY'S CONSUL
GENERAL ON PEOPLE OF SAMOA
fAsydops Habits Of The Hves-9ubEc haters Occupy kueb
Of Their Tipe-sAnoa's King Kouarb IN HApe Dolly.

he has usually had . strong opposition
from some Y1vai quarter.
The Samoan kingship. which II about to
be abolished. could not be considered
monarchy Ia any sense. The eo-co!led kinG
OF Samoa had no absolute power ~ all
He was In every respect dependent upon
the consent OF the body OF the ''faipute''
trIlers). These were the representative
sent from the districts TO stay with the
king and act under and with him as the
Samoan government The number OF the
rulers was at times large, amounting at
the time Of the late King MaIietoa Ieu-
pepa, who died In August. 1889. to ninety
four.
Preparations Of Kavs.
Generally speaking the 6amoans are very
eersmon.ous especially In their political
meetings. n most peculiar custom " the
drinking of the xo-calicd 'kava." This
drinking invariably takes place before the
consideration Of any public question. The
preparation OF the drink 10 most peculiar.
1t u prepared out OF the dried kaya shrub.
grown In all parts OF the Samoan Islands.
II In great honor 20 prepare this drink
for q meeting OF chiefs, and u In always
done by the daughter OF a high chief, as
sisted I'm the task by two other girls. All
the girls are very prettily dressed. and are
richly adorned with flowers and green
IeASSf- ne roof Is cut III BUsail pirCsS. anu
the pieces are chewed by the girls. Then
after being sufficiently masticated It II put
in . mace for further preparation. The
chewing OF the kava by the girls In grad
uaiiy dropping out since the Samoans have
come more and more in contact with for
eigners. as the latter do not always relish
a drink prepared In this way. but prefer to
have II ground between stones. After be-
ing chewed or ground. the kava il put
T.. G.A L. g..
QuentIy used for this purpose that it, inner
surface shines as though made OF mother
of-peari. quantity OF water 10 then add
ed. and the girl who prepares the drink
brushes and whips the kava with a bundle
OF stems from an aromatic and fbrcus
plant.
Order Of Precedence.
The girl then removes all traces Of the
root. leaving the drink quite clear and
clean. 1t Is now ready to be served. and
all the people present clap their hands
as II IL handed around In certain order
according to the authority and rank OF
the chiefs who participate. a man cries
out loudly the name Of him who is to be
offered the drink. Then one OF the girls
will I'LL the cup--usually Handsomely
carved cocoanut cup-and offer the kava
to the chief whose name has been called.
1t Ia regarded as great onense II the
order In serving the kava In not correctly
observed
1t IL general custom II q foreigner en-
ters a Samoan house To present him
piece OF the kava root as welcome. II
there is larger party Of visitors there
will be much anxiety on the side OF the
Samoan host TO get information as 10 the
rank of his guests In order to avoid n
mistake In Offering the kava.
These customs and many others are
kept UP by the Samoans Of today. Little
by little. however. as their Intercourse
with the white people increases. these
old habits ARE disappearing. Yet oven
now these people have strong conserva-
tism, 20 that It II s,ill very interesting
to get acquainted with them and note
their peculiarities. which. as a whole. are
the traits OF a kindly though primitive
people