Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1916-06-09

HE Fiji islanders are remark
able for many reasons, among
others the fact that while they
were cannibals so years ago
and made it a practice to kill their
captives and eat their flesh, now they
are devout churchgoers. Having been
Christianized, nominally at least.
doubtless they are entitled to be called
civilized also, but the fact remains that
many of their old habits and customs
are as strong as ever, although their
general way of living has been COM
pletely changed and cannibal forks are
no longer in use, writes Edward Far
rington to Grit. These peculiar forks
are still to he founG, however, and it is
whispered that modern reproductions
are being made to sell to shuddering
and unsuspicious tourists. They are
made of wood, with round handles and
long prongs. In the old days ordinary
meat was eaten with the fingers, but
there was a superstition that it was
bad luck to touch human flesh with the
hands after it had been roasted.
The men of the Fiji islands take ex-
ceeding pride in their hair, which is
allowed to grow very long and is usu-
ally very thick. Although the enor
nous mops of hair worn by the war
riors of cannibalistic days are no long
er to be seen, being considered as a
relic of heathenism, long hair is dis
tinctly popular and it is regularly dip
ped in coral lime, which makes it as
white as though powdered for several
days, after which it takes on shade
varying from warm red to tawny yel-
low. There are two reasons for this
custom; it is the fashion and it keeps
the hair free from tiny creatures not
to be mentioned in polite society. Oil
is also rubbed into the hair and when
the barbering has been completed the
heavy locks stick out from the head
in all directions, looking like a great
red or yellow aureole.
How the Natives Dress.
! On ordinary occasions the Fijians OF
both sexes dress lightly. On certain
! ceremonial occasions, however, rolls oi
/ cloth many yards long are wrapped
around the body until walking is made
difficult. Cloth obtained from the
white people is made use of somewhat
but the natives make durable clotf
from the inner bark of trees, which is
hammered thin and often dyed. Some
times the only clothing consists of &
fringe of leaves and the children veal
nothing at all.
The chief business of Fiji is sugar
growing and there are thousands o.
acres in sugar plantations, but the
work is under the supervision Of white
men and the actual labor is performed
by coolies 1t is difficult to get th,
Fijians to work hard or for more thai
few days at time. They live in
very simple fashion and have few
wants. The houses are made o
thatch, are rather high posted for tn
sake of GOODNESS and contain a singh
room. There are no beds nor chairs
but great piles of mats on which. tn
Ffjians sit and sleep.
More than one sailor whose ship ha
touched at Suva, the principal seapor
of Fiji, has had very peculiar expert
ence. On going ashore he has quit
naturally INDUCED in the beverage @
the islands, drink called yangon
and sometimes kava. When he ha
endeavored to return to his ship a lii
tie later, he has found to his immeasul
able surprise that he has no comman
of his legs. His brain is as clear a
it ever was. He is in a mental col
dition to talk nationally on any sui
ject, but he cannot walk. That is tn
way yangona acts. 1t is said that on
Englishman was found after nightfa
with his head buried in a thick shru