The Colorado statesman., 1921-04-09
ONE OF GERMANY'S LOST
TERRITORIES

lands constitute one of the important
groups of Pacific islands that have
fallen to the lot of Great Britain,
through New Zealand, as a result OF
the World war.
The Samoan group, called by form
er geographers THE Navigators'
Islands," from the skill in navigation
shown by its inhabitants, consists OF
four principal bits of land lying In
the South Pacific, nearly midway be-
tween New Zealand and Hawaii.
The number of Islands in the group
may, by counting the smaller, be In
creased to IL, or even Ia, but only
Savii, Upolu, Tutuila, (owned by the
United States) and the three usually
included under the general term
Manua, are important.
All are yerdure-clad and Inhabited,
and in appearance and shape resem-
Bile immense green hats, the interior
representing the crown being noun
famous, while the brim or shore Is
covered with coconut palms, bread
fruit, banana and other tropical trees,
which furnish the native food.
At some prehistoric period the
peaks of a submerged mountain chain
running northeast and southwest have
been lifted from the depths of the
ocean by the upheaval of volcanoes
now long extinct. Accumulations OF
soil brought by heavy rains from the
mountains meet the ever-growing reef,
which prevents easy approach to the
land except In those places where
fresh-water streams, forcing their way
through, form openings In the coral
barrier.
Between reef and shore lagoon,
varying in width from 200 yards to
two or three miles, provides a secure
highway for coast and inter-island
traffic. The entire length of the group,
IL Rose island be included, is little
less than 300 miles, and the gross area
Of the islands is larger than the state
of Rhode Island by so square miles.
The native inhabitants of the
islands are of Polynesian stock and
are clearly related to the natives of
both Hawaii and New Zealand. For
practical purposes these natives may
be divided into four classes. AT the
head stand the chiefs. who are heredi-
tary in the sense that they must be-
long to certain families, but elective
in that they exercise authority by
virtue of titles conferred on them.
The Tulafale, talking-man, is their
executive officer. who phrases their
thoughts in eloquent language, and Is
frequently the central figure In the
district and the source of authority.
Below him and above the lowest class,
composed of what are known as the
common people" are the native
teachers and ecatechlsts, who wear
more clothes and do less fighting than
the rest of the population.
There is nothing In the dress or
bearing of a high chief which enables
a foreigner to distinguish him, but he
Is Isolated from the rest of the people
by system of rigid etiquette. No one
may hold up an umbrella or do GER
tain kinds of work in his presence,
and q special vocabulary is set apart
In which to address him. The COM
mon names for food, an axe, pig,
ETC., are tabooed in his presence. His
face, his anger and other attributes
are described in an entirely different
set of words from those used for
ordinary men.
The powers and duties of the talk
ing men" are considerable. They are
men of much dignity of carriage, and
as they stand leaning upon a stan
of office with "fue," or fiy-fiap cast
over one shoulder, with which occa-
sionally to emphasize their remarks
they compare favorably In appearance
with the orators Of a nation more
civilized than themselves.