The Lehi sun. [volume] (Lehi, Utah) 1913-1949, 1922-06-01

Some OF the tapus for the guild
ance OF the women would probably In
cite suffrngette to spectacular wrath.
Without exception on any island, wom-
en- might not eat ''long pig; nor brewn
pig, a delicacy much enjoyed by the
men folks In the absence Of the longer
variety.
Nor daily with bonita or squid. tbs
two fishes most In favor with the
Marquesan palate.
Nor. except on special occasions, eat
fresh breadfruit, bananas. or coconut.
Nor could they go In canoes. pro-
vision TO keep them from being cap
tured by enemies lurking outside the
bay.
And. tapu savorlng Of Solomon in
Its wisdom, women could not weepi
II would be grave error 10 con-
| clude from the taboos mentioned that
the life of the Marquesan woman was
c bard one.
They Had No Agriculture.
Agriculture in any form was un<
known. The natives took the bountl-
Ahi Naiitlg VI nplu Aht fbiuhuh DlONiu-
ed, but to assist nature In any way
by tllling or replnntlng never occurred
to them. Content with their gratifca-
ton OF the desires OF the day, the
Marquesans took literally no thought
for the morrow.
The most favored intOxlcant In the
Mnrquesas Is namu-ehi, or, as II is
more commonly known, koko chi Ia
Mnrquesan for coconut, and Il IL from
the coco palm that this most lnsldlous
and delectnble OF drinks Is made. A
tall coco palm that has been wind
blown so that Its plumy top leans far
out Of the perpendicular, Is chosen.
The buds, from which eventually fifty
or sixty nuts would be produced, grow
In n compact, oblong cluster near the
top OF the palm. The native climbs
the tree and, using long strips OF
bark or fiber, binds the cluster OF
blossoms tightly round and round, until
the result resembles huge, fat cigar
protrudlng from the fronds Under
meath tile point OF this bowl is sus-
pended and the tip end OF the wrap
piag sliced on.
After the second day II begins to
drip freely, but the end must be sliced
fresh every twenty-four hours TO stim.
uate the flow. In this manner tree
will furnish one or more gallons a day
for several weeks.
When fresh from the tree the bev-
erage resembles delicious lemonade,
with q flavor which would make the
fortune OF soft-drink manufacturer
who could reproduce It. Fermentation
takes place speedily, however, and In
a few hours your soft drink has "hnrd-
ened" into vicious man-kller that
only n savage Gun so against with
impunity.
Captain Cooks report placed the
Marquesas literally and fgurtlvely
ION the map" That was las years
ago, and since then the history OF the
islands is the tragic story of losing
hght by a race of savages against
civilization represented In this instance
by the whaler. the missionary, the
trader, the "blackblrder," and finally
their conquest and subjugatlon by
foreign power.
In 1912 Admiral Du Petit-Thouars
took possession OF the entire group In
the name of France, ostenslbly TO pro
tect the missionaries In their labors for
Christianity. Forts were built ON sew.
eral Of the islands and troops installed
10 enforce French authority
The ensuing fifty years is a record
OF desultOry warfare between the
French soldiers and the Marquesau
warriors, In which the latter. always
at war with each other and poorly
armed, were constantly defeated; OF
''blackbIrders" from North and South
America, who ralded the weakened
villages and sold the men and women
into slavery In tar-otf lands, and Of
the frightful ravages OF smallpox
tuberculosis, leprosy, and other con
tagious