FIJIAN HOSPITALITY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 306, 26 December 1940, Page 9

FIJIAN HOSPITALITY.

AUCKLAND MAN'S LETTER. An Auckland man, writing to a friend from Fiji, describes life on that Pacific island. "The Fijians of the district gave us a welcome and put on a great show,' , he states. "It was both colourful and spectacular. A large crowd turned up, all dressed in their Sunday best. Several tribal dances were staged by the men dressed in striped cloth and plenty of greenery. They brought a heap of coconuts and bananas as gifts and naturally as soon as the ceremony was concluded, the boys made short work of them. Kara, the national drink, was made and presented to the officer?,. This brew is supposed to be non-intoxicating, but if too much is taken it affects the knees and one cannot, walk. In appearance it resembles dishwater and tastes like soapy water ,or strong disinfectant. I think in time ' dne could really get to like it.

"Recently we visited the goldtields. On the way we passed through several small towns which are populated by Indians, with a few white people dotted here and there. We saw miles of sugar cane plantations, coconut palm groves and banana trees. At the mine there is a plant which must have cost a mint of money to stack with machinery, which ie all electrical. It is amazing how many times the rock has to be crushed and washed before the gold is extracted.

"Another afternoon a native chief invited ns to drink kava with him in his hut. The walls of the hut were decorated with photographs in which members of the Royal Family predominated. He showed us a picture of himself in khaki, taken when he fought in the Great War. As usual here, when we I left we were loaded with presents."'