The Hawaiian gazette., 1902-10-24
NOVEL KIND
Of FEASTS
hsppy-so Lucky South Sea Island
sp al kslihi Detention
Camp.

happg tfoN0 ot people constituting
the South Sea Islanders colony occupy
enc portion OF the Kalhi Detention
Camp, and they have recently inaugur-
ated a novel way ~ getting up what
they cali a feast These feasts are held
once week and at times as many as
sixty or seventy people. South Sea Is
ianders and native Hawaians. attend
them. The feast starts I'm the open air
at about three o'clock every Saturday
afternoon. and keeps up in varying
ways until Monday morning. when the
feasters return to their work OF fish
ing and making hats.
out at the island camp they live I'm
quite a happy-go-lucky manner. They
have good buildings TO preserve them
from the elements but the rooms con-
tain little or no furniture. Numbers
Of people Of both sexes live in the same
room, sleep on mats. and In some ca ss
on bare boards. The men OF the camp
spend their time fishing Basket traps.
three or four feet in length and a couple
Of feet in diameter, having a small
opening for the fish to enter and ar
ranged In such a way that once in a
fish cannot get out again, are used by
the fishermen. Numbers OF these are
placed in the shallow sea water near
the camp, and allowed to rest there un-
I'll fish are entrapped. Then the island
Crs put their catch in smaller baskets
and sell them TO Chinese fishermen who
work the fish ponds out that way.
Through the Chinese the fish reach the
Honolulu market. The South Sea men
get considerable money in this way
They buy but little clothing. purchase
but few provisions, live on fish, and
spend the greater portion Of their earn
ings on beer and gin. But each man
manages to keep "A dollar In his pos
session unDi the end Of the week, when
he throws II into the feast pool to be
used in buying beer and gin and other
things for the gathering.
The women carry out the same sys-
tenn as the men. They spend all OF
their time, when not sleeping, in max
ing hats. These hats are sent 10 Ho-
nOlulu on Saturday mornings, and ped
died about from house TO house. They
bring anywhere from twenty-five to
sevcnty-fiye cents each. The agent,
usually native, who sells them must
have little profit, and the rest goes to
the nat-makers, who spend portion Of
IL for cheap fnery and the remainder
of IL for booze" The women also have
TO have a dollar at the end of the week,
or they VIII not be allowed TO paFtici-
pate In the feast As from fifty to sey-
enty-five dollars are collected for these
feasts one can easily imagine the large
quantity OF wet goods" that the party
gets.
Old and young gather around the
feasting resort and there is consider
/ able fun during the earlier part Of the
proceedings. a reporter CHANGED to
come upon one of these parties at the
| detention camp. Everyone looked on In
I surprise when he approached and SEEM
"a to be offended at his presence.
You want buy hat?" queried one old
woman. .ff
mo, l want feast" answered the re-
porter.
A young girl giggled but was prompt
| ly suppressed by an old man who sat
beside her.
You got five dollars?" asked a white
haired old man, who seemed TO be the
leader OF the party.
NO" said the reporter.
We'll, we say you much better go
way"
The reporter did as he was bid, and
was followed a few steps by a number
Of dogs that had been lOafng around
the feast waiting for bones that the
! feasters threw away from time to time.
But despite their feasts and drinking
these natives give but little trouble. As
fast as "A feaster becomes too drunk 10
continue at the affair others drag him
away 10 quiet place where he can
| sleep of the results OF his carougal.
On the following day he can be seen
drinking huge quantities of water and
| slowly moving off In "A surly manner to-
ward the fishing traps.