CEREMONY OF WELCOME

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27226, 18 December 1953, Page 11

CEREMONY OF WELCOME

Kava Taken With Fijians special N.Z.P.A. Royal Tour Correspondent! SUVA, December 17. Cheering- people all the way greeted the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh as they drove through Suva’s crowded, hot streets and up the approach to Albert Park for the Fijian ceremonial welcome soon after their arrival in Suva this morning. Hundreds of schoolchildren, Fijian and Indian, energetically waved their Union Jack flags. As the clock on the Legislative Council Chamber struck 11 a.m., the Royal visitors arrived, escorted by the Governor of Fiji (Sir Ronald Garvey).

The Queen and the Duke walked from the edge of the ground along a pathway of tapa cloth, along the edges of which sat women in scarlet blouses and brown tapa dresses. On all sides the park presented a brilliant spectacle. The crowd was the biggest in Suva’s history.

Tn the foreground were the bareheaded. brown-skinned chieftains, each with chiefly ranking indicated by patches of black dye on his forehead and cheeks, squatting before a giant kava bowl. To the right of them, seated on plaited mats, were the chieftain members of the Fijian Legislative Council, and behind them a solid circle of choir men. Far to the Queen’s left and right were spread 600 or 700 performers for the club and spear dances and action songs. In the background were massed tens of thousands of Fijian people, and on the right side of the park were row upon row of schoolchildren, boy scouts, and girl guides, all in costume. The first approach to Her Majesty was by Fijian women, who slowly advanced through two lanes of 100 other women, in traditional dress wltH white bodices, tapa and hibiscus fibre skirts and armlets of greenery. They came to a stop near a decorated newly made outrigger canoe, the senior woman carrying the most highly-prized possession of any Fijian—a whale’s tooth. Another held a big green leaf containing sea water, which she broke over the sharp prow of the canoe. The action was symbolical of the splashing of the sea over the canoe when it reaches the shore. The senior woman then laid the whale’s tooth on the bow of the canoe. All this time not a word was spoken. The whale’s tooth was then, carried to the Queen’s feet. When the ceremonial ended, there broke out a muffled clap of hands—yet another indication of respect for Her Majesty.

Men’s Welcome The men took up their part in the welcome. Chieftains bearing more gifts and whale’s teeth approached, and altogether during the ceremonies presented Her Majesty with 100 of these prizes. ' „ The Queen’s spokesman. Ratu Rusiate Tauriwau, high chief of Bau. on her behalf accepted the gifts, and also on her behalf returned ner thanks. Other gifts, presented by girl guides and boy scouts, included the colony s gift of a grey pearl ring, set inside a circle of diamonds and emeralds. A carved walking stick was presented to the Duke, and the Governor leaned forward to assist the Queen to hold a model outrigger canoe for Prince Charles. The Queen accepted a plaited basket containing a Fijian doll in native costume lor Princess Anne. A Fiiian girl guide who presented the doll seated herself before the Queen as she offered her gift. The highlight of the ceremony was the presentation of a big root from which kava was to be made. This root, of exceptional size, was carried by four Fijians, all in white, and formally presented in a brief speech, and formally accepted on Her Majesty’s behalf by the spokesman. After the spokesman inquired of the bearers from the Queen s dais: “Is it a gift worthy enough to be presented to the Queen?” the response was a guttural shout of: “Yes, it is!” Preparation of Kava

The next part of the ceremony was most impressive. It was the preparation of the kava. Three Fijiah chiefs sat around a big wooden bowl, which now replaces the turtle shell once used. The senior chief inixed the kava, and those of slightly lesser rank guarded the bowl. All the time the kava was being prepared, there was a drone of chanted song, and at intervals the liquid was grained to remove particles of powdered root, but at last the mixer declared the kava w’as ready, and its Quality fit for the Queen and the Duke to drink. The mixe*- himself then took the first cup of kava from the bowl, and slowly turned towards the Queen. Tense silence followed, and every eye turned on the chief as he preciselv, but slowly and with great dignity, with *Ves fixed unblinkingly on the ' ’-cil advanced and ascended the fteps. He poured the contents of the enen into the Queen’s half-coconut shell.

As the Queen drank, continuous rhythmic hand-clapping began, and *uen she laid the shell down, the Chians shouted: “It is good!” »he tasted the kava, then put the cup “r l ue Her face did not indicate what thought of it. G'op Duke drank his kava to the last . Queen’s Thanks At the end c-f the kava ceremony, the chiefs withdrew, the Queen nn u /Chiefs and people: I thank you , ° my husband and myself the ceremonies of welcome which have just performed, according to custom of your country. "hen your forefathers cedec the these islands to the ™iish Crown, thev gave it unreservto Queen Victoria, for they ana • ” er to govern you righteously ln accordance with native usages a %customs ThT-n° Ur loyalty and devotion to the the»a? e u arc known far beyond shores. and I assure you that t * e i'tend which you call' ‘the of men.’ I shall constantlv watch your welfare, and pray for your ‘«S^ rity in the years to come. blessing be with you