The farmer and mechanic., 1913-03-25
How Brides Were Chosen
In Old Days In Hawai-
Ceremony Then Was One OF ldylllc beauts-"ouo
Helped Bridegrooms- Medicine Man look 1iia' 80
of the Affair.

softly swaying bodies OF the chantefs.
or her beauty they sing, Of her grace
in dancing the hula and her WondeI-
ful skill in the lomilomi (massae
in~). Presently, keeping time to the
rattle of her own hula gouro, tne
bride-tO-be begins to dance. WIZ.
slim, brown body lightly poised, ana
dainty feet quiescent. she dances ine
marriage dance, the muscles unoe'
her glowing skin ripping like tiny
waves in a sunlit pool. That is the
young mans signal. With cry OF
s"Thou art mine. oh beloved. Thence
forth thou art mine. or for me alone
in my hut--fOr me and none other.
he seizes the maiden in his arms
and bears her away with him through
the forest.
Then begin the preparations for the
wedding. A great lVau. or feast. must
be made-called the luau or ohanina-
male {wedding feast). Some go to
the sea to bring back fish that are OF
fine flavor and good omen. Others
bring fatted pigs, fatted pups. kalo.
already made into the delicious poi,
and sugar cane. Ava, too, must be
procured, and well-born men and
maidens. with clean, strong teeth,
! must be found. for, be it known,
| the ava root must be chewed in
| the mouth. until it is soft and pulp
] like placed then in koa bowl, water
poured over it. and then strained, to
| make the liquor for the ohaaina- male,
OF herwise the feast would lack good
| cheer.
| Preparations for Ceremony.
| When everything necessary for the
feast has been got together, with mats
| made from the laubal tree, and long
ti-leaves for wrapping, and cooking
~ Ar1~
! to the hut of the young chief, where
the kahunas and the rest OF the
wedding guests are soon all assem-
bled.
By this time some who are not Of
the well born have brought sticks OF
wood for fuel, and stones+smooth
and round these stones are, and Of
good size, for they must hold the heat
for hours. A great fire is made, and
the stones piled on it and heated
to a fierce red heat
! And now (this l have direct from
one whose mothers brother was a
kahuna not so long ago as the mis-
sionaries would like to think). since
this is a wedding feast, where moth
ing but joy should have place, it is
not deemed meet and fitting that an
animal should be made to suffer pain
; and particularly is it desired thai
there shall be no protest from any
|. animal to be served at the luau
, Therefore the pigs and puppies arr
: not killed by violence, as butche'
. today would kill them, lest they sQuea
: or protest. They are prayed to death
D This Is done with great dexterity ant
speed by the head kahuna. It is yer,
!. ! simple. Over his bowl he says an in
: cantation. kneeling, and addressing
: the gods Of the underworld, and stand
O 70
: the upper air-and the animals de
S sired to the feast tIot up to him
G and they are ready to be prepared 70
: roasting.
5, You may not believe it, but you n
n doubt believe things equally unbe
r lievable from another's viewpoin
o Anyway. I have this, too, from tn
lie nephew Of the kahuna, and that
,e that the bananas for the weddin
e feast of the olden days grew With
e the moment, before the eyes of tn
to- guests. While this miracle has bee
Ia in progress all the games have cease,
and all the chanting. except the slo
lie chant of the kahuma. With the con
m pletion Of the miracle the games al
I'd resumed. Fresh strength seems
Id have come to the wrestlers, new ski
Id to the arm Of the discus thrower.
I'D The Ceremony.
lg Then the drum man, with his tx
le. drums. appears. The drums. a sma
ag one and larger o~e. are made
eS the followed sections Of cocoan
m trees. with the followed end cover,
with shark skin, drawn taut and fas
ened with thongs. With a drum
ne either side Of him. the drummer bea
n with his fingers, SO that those heari1
Isl him catch the drummed-out word
ne "Hoao ma Iii e! (The chiefs are ma
ut ried:)"
elr With a shout the words are tax
up by all who are near, and In fro
We their spoFtS-surf-b board riding, IA
". ing, arrow-shooting. dancing. swil
'ut ming. discus-throwing, wrestling
como the wedding guests, and Q
no from his hut comes the young Chi
pm with his slim brown wahine. T
ers Bridegroom and his lady touch nos
All the high chiefs among the que
touch noses Then an old chief, bea
lep ing wonderful piece Of tapa clio
M comes forward. The wedding d
sen face each other. and the old ch