Gilpin observer., 1913-05-08

- - ARRIAGE among Hawaiians,
MA especially those Of high rank,
has always been attended
~" by more or less ceremony,
writes Honolulu correspon-
dent of the New York Evening Post.
The wedding festivities Of a high-born
maiden on the island of Hawaii last
summer continued without pause for
four days and nights. Nearly all the
native population of the big island en-
joyed, in one way or another. this
great feast with its outdoor sports and
games, but l doubt whether--in spite
of the modern education and elegance
of the lovely bride, in spite Of the
wealth and magnificence OF her family
this wedding equaled, to the Ha-
waiian mind, marriage OF the high
born in the olden days.
Before the coming of the haole
(white mani to these sun blest isles,
when a high chief wished to take unto
himself wife he would have gathered
together from among his people a
group of the most attractive maidens.
Smooth and straight of limb were
these maidens. glossy haired, with the
gold of the tropical sun glistening in
the ruddy bronze of their satiny skins.
None among them was there who was
not desirable, But the young chief
must not choose too hastily, for upon
his wahine (woman) depended in
large measure the future fate of his
people, the line of royalty in Hawaii
descending then as now, through the
maternal side of the house. There
fore. the young chief must look well
to his choice.
Sometimes, in his perplexity. he
would call to his assistance kahuna
(medicine mani, who would invoke the
aid of the gods in the momentous Sc
lection to be made. Then were things
simplified for him. He no longer had
any will in the matter. but became the
instrument of the gods themselves.
Taking Charge Of the Affair.
Upon the kahuna fell the duty Of
taking temporal charge of the affair.
At signal from him the virgins, each
with her hula gourd in which were
pebbles male and female, would squat
in line before the young chief. With
right arm holding the hula gourd ex-
tended they begin. with low moaning.
to chant the life story of him who
comes to seek bride.
Louder and stronger swells the
chant as the singers go on to tell Of
the young chiefs beauty as child Of
how his mother loved him. of his
speed in running, and his strength and
grace in swimming, in throwing the
discus. and in riding the bounding
surf board. until. with a grand cre-
scendo it reaches the climax Of his
triumph over the great shark, or the
poisonous eel. With this the singers
spring to their feet and the hula dance
is on.
Now the chant becomes a refrain.
swelling and sinking, falling and ris-
ing. accompanied always by the rat
Ting of the pebbles, male and female.
in the hula gourds. In perfect, un-
broken rhythm the virgins dance, now
twirling the rattling gourds over their
heads. now striking their palms to-
gether four times. or kneeling to
thump four times on the mat at their
feet. From their birth they have
been trained to do this dance. With
joints made supple by exercises de-
vised for that purpose they whirl their
loins here. there. the muscles under
their shining skins moving in rhyth.
mic measures to the chant and the rat
tie OF the hula gourds.
AT last, through the kahuna, the
gods interpose, At a signal from the
kahuna the dancers recede and form
circle within a circle. Round and
round they dance. breaking and re-
forming the circles. changing and in
terchanging. Now. for the young chief
the gods will choose his bride. The
kahuna lifts his hand, the young chief
takes backward step. closes his eyes
and lets fly an arrow from his bow.
The Arrow Of Chance.
with swift, unerring instinct the ar.
row wings Its way among the dancers,
to fall ut the feet OF the most beautiful,
the most desirable of the virgins. The
gods have chosen-but as yet the chief
does not know their choice.
The dancing and the chanting have
ceased with the fall of the arrow. The
young chief opens his eyes, but he
cannot see the arrow.
"Pua Me- Pua Mel" he calls, and