Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1909-03-03
The ISLAND OF SAMOA.
DIR. EDWORDS FINDS NEW
SCENES AT EACH INTERVAL
OF HIS LONG TOUR.
Our Travelling Correspondent Visits
Home of Robert Louis Steven =.
son and Describes Beautiful
Island of Samoa and
City of Apia.
Apia, Samoa, Feb. 20, 1909.

Apia, Samoa, Feb. 20, 1909.
1t is as II | were in another world.
Samoa is different from dainty, toy
like Tonga; it is different from
wild and depressing New Caledonia;
it is different from lazy Tahiti.
There is nothing in all the South
Seas just like Samoa, and l no long
er wonder why Robert Louis Steven
son selected this island for his home
after wandering all over the world.
The harbor of Apia is one of the
beauty places of the world. 1t is
wide and open to the sea, and is
overshadowed by green and blue
hills of the softest outline and brigh-
test color. On the peak of one,
darker and sharper than the rest,
CLEANS a tiny spot of white, like q
pearl set far up among the green.
That peak is Stevenson's tomb.
When the ship came to anchor
dozens of canoes flocked about and
the Samoans offered for sale fans,
shells, corals, arrOwrOOt fibre and
innumerable fruits. Many climbed
aboard to hear the news and to talk
with the visitors. They are of mag
nificent physique, handsome with
their gOld-bronze skins and yellow
hair. The hair, by the way, is nat
urally black but they bleach it with
lime. Every Saturday the whole
island is suddenly filled with white
haired people, all the natives going
about with lime plastered locks to
appear Sunday morning with freshly
yellowed head-dresses.
Samoan chiefs, with manners of
grand dukes and carriage of prin-
ces. proudly walk the deck clad in
nothing more than a heavy bath
towel girded about the loins. The
lava-lava, or loin cloth, is the ma
tional garb of the Samoan, and well
hammered gentleman though he be,
the Samoan never wears anything
else. Samoan girls have long been
celebrated for their loveliness and
charm. They wear the lava-lava
like the men, but in addition have
a loose tunic, short sleeved to show
the beautiful arm that is the birth
right of every Samoan girl.
Among the first to come aboard
the ship was fine looking girl, bet
ter dressed and of queenly bearing,
who welcomed us to Samoa. She
was singularly refined and aristo-
cratic in her bearing, and was ac-
cOmpanied by an old woman. This
was the Taupe girl of Apia. The
taupo girl is mistress of ceremonies,
and is selected by the chief to rep
resent the village in all matters.
She must be young, chiefs daugh-
ter, highly accomplished and of un-
blemished character. She can lead
the chorus with skill and invention,
can make decorations and head
dresses with flowers, and can dance
better than anyone else in the Will
age. Her duties are to receive all
guests coming to the village, see to
their comfort in the guest house,
offer them food, make kava for them
and entertain them with songs and
dances. She also takes part in all
village festivities, and is the only
woman entitled to wear the full
dress of a warrior when dancing In
the great public festivals. When
the chiefs lead their tribes to fight
the taupe girls accompany them and
carry food and water to the fighters.
When the taupe marries she at
once takes her place with the other
women and another taupe is select
ed
On invitation of the taupe visit
ed the village and partOok of kava.
the native drink, and ate bananas
and other fruits. Samoan houses
are among the most remarkable in
the Pacific, and are especially adapt
ed to the warm island climate, hav-
ing no walls to intercept the free
flow of air. The great, brown mush-
room dome of the roof is supported
by a circle of wooden pillars. I'm
der the wide caves are rolled up
cOcOanut leaf mats which are let
down in case of rain or high wind.
Apia is a curious mixture of native
and foreign life. and these strange
houses are side by side with modern
structures used for European stores
and hotels. Native Samoans, bare
with the exception of lava-lavas and
necklaces, walk the streets, mingling
with ladies and gentlemen dressed
in European clothing. The shops
are of little interest, as they con-
tain nothing but what might be
seen In any country store anywhere
in the world. CuriOs are in plenty
and one may obtain beautiful shells
and corals very cheap If he will wait
until after the ship sails. The peo-
pie are courteous and polite, very
friendly and hOspitable, and one can
stay here indefinitely without pay
ing cent IL he will accept the hos
pitality of the natives. A guest is
always welcome. and one could
never tell by the manner of his host
that he was not welcome forever.
CI.ARENCE n EnWnRnC