Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-04-29

roasted pig with the head on, and q
sour orange In his mouth. The feet
were neatly doubled under. and the tall
curved In realistic fashion over the
back. Their nicely Drowned sklns looked
very tempting az they ia'd upon IN, ne
tween the roasted pigs were yams
which were nicely baked. and taro
which u something like potatoes being
baked root. There were also large
nsh and enormous bread fruit 50 that
the table was ~ tempting as any ever
spread at club bsfiduel
The guests u honor. who were prin-
cipally Germans. were dlenincd by hay.
Ing two roast chickens In front Of their
plates aud three guests had each a
small turkey. which IA great dcllcacy
here
There were no plates. knives. forks
Or spoons and all the Eating was done
with the hands. which tore the food
apart and conveyed II to the mouth.
and the chickens were pulled apart and
eaten. The oranges and cocoanuta
seemed TO furnish the nuid. Behlnd
the guests sat the younger members of
the family who eagerly watched each
dlsappca. sing mouthfui. A. occasion
offered -he guess aufreptitiousiy hand.
cd behind them pieces ~ pig, chicken,
quarters " oranges ana halves VI
coeoanu,s which were put In baskets
quickly.
After eating for an hour all rose at
q signal and then. at another signal,
there was a grand rush forward. and
those who had sat behind now took
their places at the feast Their was
less ceremony with them and they
eagerly attacked everything In sight.
inside ~ fifteen minutes not q mOreel
remained Of the bountcour feast which
adorned the table few minutes before,
Even the bones disappeared. carried
away by dogs. Meanwhile immense
Tourds had been brought. allied with
water. and here the guests washed their
handa-a ceremony very NECESSARY con.
HiderlnE the manner " eating.
After the feast came the native dance
which II called Maululu silva. This II
danced by young women who wear the
laNa-lavn. which II a small skirt reach
Ing from the hips 10 the knees. Tho
lnva-layA IL made from the bark ~ the
mulberry tree. The bark II manufnc-
turcd into tappa. or a crude cloth from
which the lnva.lava Il cut and made.
Women are specially trained to
dance tho national dance and when
properly performed Il IL u very inter-
csiing ceremony.
About one hundred siria seat them
selves IN two parallel rows, cronH.lcg.
rrd. on the ground. Their only cover
Ing Il a skirt Of the tappa reaching
from the waist to the knees. In their
hait Il woven FnrlandH of flowers. and
their bodies RliHten with cocoanut oil
freshly Hmearei. In the center Of the
flrut line III the Taupos, who, with
hands upraiHcd. Rive the signal for the
chant 10 commence. ~ rrrt low.
Inournfui wall from the Taupor, and on
~ dying away all the rest lean for
ward with their heads almost touching
the ground.
Nsxt chant II commenced which
urao tally nwrllr M their bodies slowly
recover an upright position. This h fol.
lowed by shaping Of hands upon their
breasts. and na the chant IL continued.
which lasts for twenty minutes. II Ia
accompanied by a series OF gestures
with the arms ana bodies all In perfect
unison. swayinH ~ and fro. with hands
clappinR TO beat the time. arr all the
spectators In the background. a. inter-
cried and excited a. the dancers them
selves. Gradually II all dies away, un-
~ dead silence rciEns over the entire
annemblaEc. Suddenly the dancers
spring TO their feet. general hand
shaking snHuer. and the Mnuluiu silva,
or national dance. " Mt an end
The tan dance" IL another native
dance. This IL performed entirely BY
the men who twist frayed.out rope
around their bodies and dance In The
smoke made by burning leaves. This
follows the national dance AMI IN al
most ~ interesting.
DANA SCOTT CHURCH. NJ II.