SPECTACULAR WELCOME

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 20 February 1935, Page 9

SPECTACULAR WELCOME

t.— PRINCE HENRY AT FIJI NATIVE ENTERTAINMENTS DISPLAY OF FIR EAA'ALKING. SUA’A, Feb. 5. Several hundred Fijians m a dance that would have turned a Hollywood ballet master green with envy a hundreds of natives driving fish before them into a huge net, Fijians walking barefooted over white-hot .stones, polo, dancing and native lunches. All these things crowded into four bright and very enjoyable days was the programme offered to the Duke of Gloucester on his visit to Fiji.

An endeavour w r as made to show the D'uke as much -of native life a.s possible and with this idea in view native entertainments figured largely in the programme. -The yangona ceremony was performed at Albert Park by a body of Fijians. Yangona, or kava, is a well known Island beverage that figures largely in ceremonial procedure, and on this occasion the chiefly yangona was presented with great ceremony to the. Prince. Draining the 1 howl, the Duke sent it spinning on the grass in true native style, to the delight of the Fijians. 'Then were served the Governor and officials and chiefs alternately, according to hi s rank. Rank is of great importance to the Fijians and the correct precedence is meticulously observed. The preparation and presentation of the yangona was in the hands of Rain Tawake, the principal chief of Rla, while the ceremonial root of yangona. was presented by Rutu Niko Ivomaitai, of Ban. A whale’s tooth, or tabua, was also presented by Ratu A.son, a chief of commanding physique from Serna. The whale’s tooth is very, highly regarded by the Fijians, and its presentation in former days often conferred a very serious obligation on the part of the recipient, even involving war or murder. On the present occasion however, it was intended to represent the loyal affection of the Fijian people toward the Throne. An address was also presented by Ratu Pope Cakobau, paramount chief of Fiji, after which chiefs of the seventeen provinces were presented. An address of welcome was also presented by the Indian community and representative Indians were presented. HONOUR TO NATIVE DOCTOR, After the presentation So wan i Puamau. a native medical practitioner, from the Gilbert and Ellis Group, was presented with the M.8.E., which was awarded him last year for valuable service in the Gilbert and Ellice Group. Although a Fijian, Sowaui Puamau wa s for.a time chief medical officer of the’ group; with Europeans under his care. At the native capital of Bau, twenty miles from Suva, over a thousand Fijians took part in the welcome extended to the Duke. Lunch wa.s served native fashion, the Duke sitting on a mat and eating with his fingers. Every

course except turtle was eaten by him. A dance representing tjie ebb and flow ol' the waves was presented by the natives from the Noco district. This is usually only presented before Royalty. Colours were beautifully blended and the whole movement was a perfect piece of synchronisation. Over 700 men from Nakelo district performed the final dance, or melee. It was a composite club, spear and fan dance. Each group had its own individual colour scheme and the result was, a magnificent blaze of blended colour. The Duke was particularly fascinated by the peculiar hand-clap-ping effect obtained by the natives and with which they accompany some of the movements of the mekes. The hand clap of the warrior has a different sound or tone to that of the woman. and with the different ages—youth, middle-age and old age—the sounds also vary. These variations are cleverly utilised by the Fijians in a peculiar rhythmical wave of sound. The Duke remarked that he would very much appreciate a gramophone record or sound picture of the clapping.

FIREWALKING AT BEQA

To witness firewalking the Duke was taken to the island of Bequa, 22 miles from Suva. He appeared to be greatly impressed by the sight of the natives walking on stones that had been covered for hours with burning logs until they had attained a white heat. How they do it without injuring themselves is said to be a secret known only to a small tribal division of Beqa natives, a mere handful of the 00,0(10 natives of Fiji. Several hundred natives took part in a fish drive, .surrounding a huge circle of vine, about three miles in circumference, in .shallowing water. The circle gradually became egg-shaped converging at the narrow end on to a closely-woven piece of coconut matting. Fijians shouted and boat the water with their spear s as the circle narrowed and the fish wore forced in toward the mat. At this stage, when the enthusiasm wa.s at its height, the Duke leaped into the water fully clothed and joined in with the excitement. The mat was hastily lifted up and revealed over a hundred brightlycoloured fish.