The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1919-11-17
WALKING on Hot Stones Notable Fsa.
ture Of tho ceremony-Pr'ests eide
step tho Hot spots-Aneisnt Gus
toms All but Suppressed by CIVIL
lzIno French influences - Queer
Rites Described BY Eye Witness.

Tahiti women were extOlled BY
early travellers as being the most beau
tiful in the Pacific islands; their men
still are fine physical specimens; and
the early civilization Of this isolated
people has been one of the wonders Of
SCIENCE" says the bulletin.
1.-The Tahitians knew some OF tho
consultations, navigated by the posi-
tons Of the stars, made progress ID
music which is startling, yet preserved
many savage customs, such as pluck
ing an eye from q human being to DO
placed in the mouth Of priest as an
acceptable Offering to their gods"
The bulletin then quotes from
diary presented to the society by the
late s. p. Langley who visited the
island nearly twenty years ago and
heard old-time songs and saw native
dances and rites, which have been re-
vived to honor the men who fought
under allied colors In France.
Saw Ancient Rites.
1.-THE native women sing shiminies'
with some very striking effects" he
wrote. 1.-THE voices have something
plangent and metallic in them, yet are
melodious and In harmony. In the
first song, at the end Of each verse, all
stopped suddenly, giving the effect Of
the 'couac' Of the opera singer. In an
the verses there was an undertone be-
meath the song. This undertone con-
tinued alone for q few seconds at the
end Of each verse, after. the superim-
posed song was finished, and died out
separately and slowly, like the drone
of some great bagpipe. The natives
gave names to each Of us, mine being
'A-to-hi,' which means 'qui a les lau.
riers.'
II went out to the public dancing
and singing, in competition for prizes
offered by the government. It takes
place in the square before the govern
ment house, and everybody is there,
either performing or looking on. Al
most the whole population Of the is
land has come.
''The chief interest among the is
landers seems to lie in the ccmpeti-
ton Of singing 'himinies,' and next to
that in the dancing, which is panto-
mimic as much as regular. As public
show most of the native dances are
unpresentable, so that, have under
stood, the authorities had some diff
Guilty in finding dance which will do
for such an occasion. Savages are
here from the neighboring tribes, q
fine looking chief from Cook Island
taking part, and a woman from
the same island gave little Of the
presentable part of the 'hula-hula.'
Her body would be quivering like a
jelly, and suddenly grow rigid as
a statue-a notably odd effect.
Thirty Take Part
I'm one very good dance by the Cook
Islanders over thirty persons take
part. They sit down in three rows,
representing rowers in q canoe, while
two scull and steer. They have pad
dies, and paddle to the sound of
drums. A lookout man sweeps the ho-
rtzon till he sees big fish, and the
canoe rows for him. One of the steer
ers sharpens harpoon and passes it
forward, and the fish "a man dressed
in red) is harpooned. There is a ire
mendous time in pulling him in; he
runs around and entangles the line
among the bystanders, and finally he
gets second harpoon in him, Is haul.
ed on board and Tin pantomime) cut
up with an az, dismembered and eat
en- by the crew. Everybody is In mo-
ton, but it IL rather q pantomime
than a dance. r.
I'm the afternoon I went to see
preparations for the fire walking.
Within hundred yards Of the ship
shallow pit Is dug, about 9 by 20 feet
by 10 inches deep. This is to be filed
with firewood and the stones heaped
on the wood. These are smooth, wa
ter-worn, volcanic stones Of varying
size, but all rather large snd weigh
ing, at guess, from IL to SO pounds.
The number Of stones was about two
hundred, and their average length
about IS inches.
I'm preparation for the fire cere-
mony I took a ships tin measure full
of fresh water, This is to be used In
half filling, with three or four meas
ures, a large wooden bucket or tub
with fresh water, into which one Of the
smaller hot stones from the center Of