Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1913-01-03

assembled on Mulinuu Point, just outside Apia
and there took place almost daily some decd-
edly picturesque doings
Biggest and best Of these, naturally, was the
coronation of the whitehaired old chief, though
the word is a msnomer for there was no crown.
Nataafa sat alone in the center Of large open
space, and all around, in the shelter of palms
and banana trees, were thousands OF natives and
the entire white population Of Upola island The
kings own house turned over to the con-
suls naval officers and other distinguished per-
sons When all was ready five ancient talking
men" representing the chief districts, advanced
until within a hundred feet of Mataafa and de-
Hyered long addresses to him upon his duties
as ruler, concluding with the administering OF
what passed for the oath of office. The king
renIied with utmost dignity, rising to speak, and
tbe talking men thereupon closed In on him and
orointed his head with a sacred OIL His
majesty then retired amid the loud cheers of
his people, and the rest OF the afternoon and
the evening given up to roasting The lnno-
cent revelries were not lessened by the fact that
bloody war was imminent. On the other side
of the town were encamped the forces of Tanu,
ord m precipitate the conflict there was needed
or1v the decision of the white judge of the SUI
Orar,e court that Mataafa's election invalid.
That came later aud so did the fighting.
Next day we all went out again to see "talo-
=, or food procession. Once more Mataafa sat
-, atota and before him filed his subjects, long
~ n men. women and children. Leading the
sIocation from each district or village was its
a.ioI tsupo the maiden who is designated
sso,.l hostess of her village and who retains
-, o#ca until her marriage She was attfred
-, {, the old-tme lava lava! or skirt of bark
~ and her ornaments consisted of flowers.
raoths and plenty OF palm oil Chanting some
.a;crt song in archaic language, she danced 10
,,oo of the slowly moving and chanting pro-
aoiop for some fifty yards and then waited I'M
:, 49,, talking men WHO led II reached her side.
T.;s WAS repeated all along the beautiful path
,,+D the throne" reached As each
~ nassed the king he or she tossed In
- hefcre his aiesty some article OF food
- o,eht bring live pig. trussed up but
I'm uo. another a suuawking fowl. fine
w. .ronnsd in fresh leaves; another a huge
.s ~ bananas or basket of pineapples
W. - one was without his offering, even II II
~ ~, O hyeadfrut a piece OF taro. SO,
,,inv and singing. the parade passed, and
,-,thout any sense OF the ridiculous. broke
inc" .,es hack and helped the king eat up all
up ris,s That was indeed monster feast
'nT o.,sns the people ate up Mataafas food with
. ,ess conjunction because they knew how
a.,;o,,s he was. One morning | called on
aus ses.v bv appointment and found him at his
rsas, The royal meal consisted OF a bowl
- and two bananas. big purple ones OF
u -, moi known here; and the king courteous
y, eered 10 share the fruit with me Grave.
:. - hooking and big physically, mentally and
ouv Mataafa sat there cross legged in his
.,e hut and chatted with me about his loved
$50 Robert Louis Stevenson. munching his
xana and driving away the flies with his fly
snrar ne was q true nobeman and his death
last summer deserved more than the fourline