The National tribune., 1908-04-02

ity in the community by being chosen
its taupou, which position brings her
much honor and respect and entities
her to a train of girls. But her do
mestic cares are not neglected, she per-
forms faithfully her share of duties.
1t is she who wades in the lagoon for
the smaller fish, who weaves the mats,
the principal furniture of the homes,
who beats the tutuga bark into the
siapo cloth, and who does her part in
the preparing of the community dinner.
But life in Samoa makes most of these
tasks extremely simple. House keeping
is quite rid of all horrors in that distant
island, There are only two meals a
day, breakfast and dinner, and the first
Of these consists of the cold remnants
of the latter. The only preparation that
is made for the morning meal is to
reach up for the cocoanut-leaf baskets
which hang from the beams of every
Samoan home, and spread on the in
dividual mats, upon which has been
placed a fresh leaf of the banana or
breat-fruit tree. the remnants of baked
taro, dirty looking baked bananas, per-
haps a bit of baked fish or piece of
pork, all of which in their pristine glory
had graced the board of the preceding
meal When breakfast is over each
member drains the milk of a freshly
opened cocoanut, washes his or her
hands in a shell full of water, and be-
gins the serious business of the day. To
put the house in order takes its mistress
no more time than 10 put the sleeping
mats away and sweep out the floor with
her broom of cocoanut leaves tied to a
stick. If her duties keep her at home
she sits down cross legged upon her
mat and begins to ornament a native
fan or hat which she hopes to sell to
the tourist If she can get to Apia when
the monthly steamer comes in, or she
weaves one of the infinite variety of
mats which. are used in the native
households, each made of a different
material with a different name, or per-
haps she colors with rich dyes the bark
bonnet she will wear when next she
goes to church, which will proclaim her
as one of the chosen, a Christian and
member of the Church. When the
great golden tropical sun sinks in the
west then mats are spread all over the
floor and visits are made. Women stroll
in to hear or regale some choice bit
of gossip over their cigarettes. Gay
greetings are called from house to house
and to those who pass along the palm
bordered beach, the happy cries of chill
dren fill the air, or under all the other
sounds of life is heard the hum of some
story teller and sharp exclamations of
wonder or approval from the listening
groups After this comes the dinner,
the only cooked meal of the day, which
the wife has brought home from
the community kitchen; then the prep
aration for the night, for bed time
comes early in the native home, and
conc'sts simply in getting out the sleep
ing MAJ and bamboo pillows. But
one more duty remains for the good
Samoan wife and mother. When her
family have stretched themselves COM
f .INl
the lamp from its wire frame, turns
down the wick and sets it on the floor
that 1t may keep watch while all are
sleeping. Tho good Christian woman
as she may be this remnant of heather
days still survives in her, and at night
in Samoa there is not a house which
does not give forth its faint glow.
Social Life and Oratory.
The native life is full of a rude for
mality. Every possible contingency is
provided for by its phrase of compli-
ment or sympathy or other fitting term
In their speech making-the life OF
the Samoan is largely made up of
speech -making-incessant repetition of
set phrases occur mixed. with f1owery
and empty compliments. The whole or
ator class exists solely to know these
phrases, and to be able to use them
in their proper places. These forms of
ceremony are all important to the ma
tive and bitter wars, have resulted from
their omission. All Official occasions
have their particular forms of courtesy,
and as for those existing between in
dividuals they are numberless. How
the people can remember them all is
wonder, but woe to the man or woman
who omits the proper greeting or the
proper action of any occasion The
highest pitch of form and ceremony is
reached in making a Samoan visit
Kava, the national drink, takes part
in every ceremony. This dirty looking,
yellow beverage, with its dull, earthly
odor is made from the root Of the pep
per bush. 1t is devoid of the least trace
of alcohol and without effect upon the
brain. 1t slightly checks the desire
for food, yet 1t Is the custom to offer
something to eat on all occasions when
kava is brought forth. Those who use
1t habitualiy are able to leave it off
without feeling any craving for it, and
on the other hand its prolonged and
continual use does not seem to produce
any functional arrangement of the sys-
tenn. In preparing the kaya each stage
has its ceremony. After some prelim-
inaries the root is passed to the maid
OF the village whose duty 1t Is to pre-
pare the kaya. Formerly 1t was GUS
tomary to chew the root, the girls of
the village taupou performing that
pleasing duty, but the missionaries sue
ceeded in stopping this and now the