FINAL CAMP DISPLAYS

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27246, 13 January 1954, Page 3

FINAL CAMP DISPLAYS

The final displays by scouts attending the Boy Scouts’ jamborette at Motukarara were staged at the camp yesterday. They were, perhaps, the best seen during the camp. They were the more interesting because some of them portrayed life in Samoa and Fiji and another some of the customs of the Aborigines of Australia. The thunderstorm, with its heavy rain and hail, passed over the camp about 1.45 p.m., but the weather cleared by 2.45 p.m. to allow the displays to be given. The Auckland county, with its contingent dressed in shorts and scarves, gave demonstrations of games through which they learned their scouting. This was very well organised and executed. The Wellington display showed various types of physical exercises. Dressed in white shorts and gymnasium shoes, the scouts gave a perfect demonstration of rhythm and timing. Australia’s display began on a quiet note, but ended on a more lively one. The first part of their demonstration concerned the erection of hike tents, antj the second part with a representation of a corroboree which included many Aboriginal dances and chants. It was the Samoans and the Fijians, however, who stole the show. The Samoans’ display began with a kava ceremony. The scouts had brought their own kava bowl, roots and cups, and these were used in the display. Dressed in tapa cloth the group made a colourful spectacle. Had it not, however, been for Mr Allan Williams, scoutmaster of the troop, who gave a commentary on the various parts of the display, the onlookers would not have understood much of the demonstration. The troop finished with a Samoan la-la dance—a traditional dance of the Samoan people—a sword dance, and the Samoan National Anthem, for which everybody stood. Until the Fijian contingent began its display, few around the arena realised that the Samoan and Fijian kava ceremonies were entirely different. Once again a commentary was given on the various displays, this one being done by Mr William Bale, the district scoutmaster in Fiji.

The final display was from the Otago contingent, who gave an exhibition of Scottish dances. Half of the scouts were dressed in the traditional kilts and two pipers played for them. At 5.30 p.m. the Dominion Chief Commissioner (Major-General L. K. Lockhart) was introduced to all the scouts by the Camp Chief and County Commissioner, Sir Joseph Ward. A public camp fire, lit from a torch carried from the first camp fire at Woodend, was held in the evening.