Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1913-11-28

} III was Hrst gwen as part tcJStSfSTVI
OF campaign prosecuted by
the Catholic missionaries to win converts from
the Protestants who had preceded them in the
held by several years, and at it's initial presen-
tation all the roles were taken by French mis-
sionaries gathered from all parts of the Society
group and brought to the Marquesas In trading
schooners chartered for the occasion. The fol-
lowing year minor parts were given to natives
as rewards for becoming converts to Catholicism,
and before many seasons had gone by even the
leading parts came to be taken by the natives.
the missionaries contenting themselves with
such positions stage manager musical direc-
tor and the like.
The Passion Play is presented today in the
place where the first performance
staged sort OF natural amphitheatre in the
native village of Hivaoa. The mission build
ings, low, rambling structures of coral blocks and
galvanized iron flank two sides of pentagonal
enclosure. The other sides are shut in by close
set rows of banyans of such size that their roots
and downreaching branches mingle to form al
most solid wooden terraces upon which hun
dreds of spectators may find seats without
croWding.
The stage is hard packed piece of ground
soping gently down to a crystal clear stream
which meanders past. sparkling in the sunbeams
like of footlights, the position of which 1t
approximately occupies. Behind the stage Is
creeper covered wall of rock, with face so
sheer that the direction exit rear" must neces
the left is down Ta-roola. the name OF the little
stream, and TO the right is up Taroo-la Actors
waiting in either wing are screened from the
sight of the audience by the ends of the rows
of banyans.
The music is furnished by slightly wheezy
organ a clarinet and a lot of hollow tree tom
toms and to the stirring strains of the Mar
senaise" played by this orchestra the curtain
is rung up upon the tableau of Christ and the
Children OF course there is no curtain and
no ringing up Christ simply strolls in from up
Ta.roo-la and the children troop in from down
Ta-roo-la and they meet in the middle of the
stage.
There are no stage settings and little is done
in the way Of makeups The children are sim
plv children and Christ is simply-well, for the
last fifteen years he has been Lurau. Lurau is
the greatest pearl diver and shark fisher in all
the Narouesas There is little in his disposition
of the stage to fit him for his role He owes
the honor that has come TO him to his beard: 1t
Is the only one borne by native in the Mar
Quesas.
With his hair and beard neatly oiled and
combed and dressed in q trailing white robe of
snowy muslin Lurau makes a far more acceptable
Chrisns than one sees in many of the South
American presentations of the play The only
especially Earring note in his makeup is halo,
which is apparently cut from piece of shiny
biscuit tin During the week OF the play, both
IN and off the stage. Lurau is quiet. dignfed and
n paragon in every particular: afterward he is
ms, like all the rest OF his brothers and sisters
The second scene is the Redemption of the
Maedalena" The latter. wearing bright red
bolokau or wrapper comes strolling in from
the npstream side and discovers Christ resting
on niche of the rock which forms the back
wall Her repentance and forgiveness follow.
sitter which Lurau presents her with pure
Syn,ts bolokau. She receives blessing. trips
of down stream. changes holokaus behind the
tyunk of breadfruit tree. and the curtain" fol-
lows her disappearance upstream in her traflins
robe OF white.
For the supper scene endeavor is made TO
rsnroduce tahleau patterned on the famous
nsinttns OF Leonardo da vinci. bountifui re-
mast OF breadfruit plantains. prawns. vans and
.ocoauuts is spread out upon cover OF banana
leaves and everybody sits down crossleggeo end
eats fer fully Eve minutes before word is
spoken.
sgppsr over. the remnants are gathered up
and thrown into the convenient IarooIa. linen
sar1oa.s Ire washing Of the feet or the Disciples