The daily Alaskan., 1911-07-26
IN SAMOA
Develops Into a COngIomerated
 Scramble For Food.
A SCENE OF WILD DISORDER.

The Native Guests Steal All tho Ea,.
 sblss Within Reach, Which They
 Pass Over to Crovda of Waiting
 Relatives Gathered on tho Outside,
 The principal nouve fcods of samoa
 are bananas. breadfruit, taro, 0sh and
 pork. Bananas prepared "Fa samon"
 would not appeal very strongly 10 an
 eplcurean taste, for they are gathered
 uuripe and baked under heated stones
 as all Samoan cooking is accomplished
 A baked green banana favors some
 what roasted chestnut. bul not
 enough to cause any mistake between
 Che two.
 The brcudfrult In my estimation.
 appeals more strongly Co white
 mans taste than any other Samoan
 food The large. mealy balls are buk
 cd, broken open and eaten usually
 with one or other ot Che two S1uuan sauces palusuml and faial palu saml is made from the young shooig of the tarO plant, Cocoauui mIih md sea water Falal Is evaporatcd coeoanut milk. The mllE is poured into a leaf. the ends and edges tied nt the top, and It Is then baked until the water evaporates, leaving thick cream, which IS very rich and Quite palatable. Faro IS tho root or bulb of plant which Is an exact counter. part of what we call elephant ear in the United States and Is somewhat Ike a yam. but inclined to be stiugy or shreddy. The Inside of a baked faro bulb Is very solid and of a blulsh tint
 The hsh needs no explanation.
 Fork Is the supreme delicacy, accord inr to the Samoan mind. and lt Is al- ways eaten in @ half cooked state Since a Samoan will sell his birthrlght for a piece of pig. onehalf grown Is
 worth so or S4O and win always dnd a market; therefore tt Is easily seen that pork can be afforded only on hol- iday occasions. The Samoan method of killing a PiS Is unique. The aui- mars feet are tied together, and it is laid upon its back. Then two large, heavy natives place a g by q scanting across its neck. after which they seat themselves one on each end of the scauuing
 AS the unfortunate pig is slowly stranqIed to death bis heartless eIecu- Honers calmly talk politics. The req son for strangulation In putting hog to death is simply this; A pig Is held fin such high esteem that it breaks the Samoan heart to see even the blood being wasted The blood Is used in continuation with the fatty parts of Che entraiIs and when baked forms some kind o5 pudding. have never tast. ed thls kind of pudding myself but Samoan will tell you that it is simply delicious. and am willing to take his word for it Even the cleaned entrails are utilized, and right here 10 Samoa we can again bring lnm use the Chi caco stockyard phrase that ''only the suueal Is lost"
 ] well remember the first and only Samoan feast | ever had the pleas ure of attending. received an lnvi. tation one day from q Samoan whose friendship | hnd formed to attend a feast the following night which he was giving to dedicate his new home There were several white men present and about Hfty natives We were ar. ranged in two rows facing eacb other sitting cross legged. and in front Of each was a small mat on which was a profusion of food, including a lupe tor pigeonl, piece of pork (palusaml. taro tbreadfruiu-in fact everything which goes to make a Samoan feast all to be washed down with cocoanut milk. I had taken two or three mouthfuls of the pigeon when ! no uced that there was ring of natives each with a basket waiting impatienty just outside the house. As I turned Co the man on my right for the purpose Of asking why these people were as NRNNNIENa NAhnaAAE n rA.AA1-aAA "a aHaN.' in close proximity on my left Turning quickly around. was just In time to catch farewell glimpse of my dne supper being dumped bodily Into one of those waiting baskets. saw at once the reason for that overflow meet ! ing outside. The woman who sat next to me bad taken a favorable opportu- nity when my back was turned to pick up my mat and dispose of my meal Co her waiting relative. who had attend ed the overflow meeting with a bas- ket
 Then ensued a conglomerated scram- ble. and the feast was turned into a scene of wild disorder as each native strove to outdo bis nelghbor in secur- ing the most food to send home The strategy, flank movements and tact that they exhibited under the inspiring grab game so far provoked my comedy |