SAMOANS AT HOME

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 233, 30 August 1935, Page 10

SAMOANS AT HOME

THEIR LIFE DESCRIBED. "WORK OF MISSIONARY SCHOOLS. Comments oil the life of the Samoans to day, w.th particular reference to their mode of liie, their customs and their advancement under the quiet guidance of the British race, both in the spiritual and temporal sjiheres, formed the subject of an interesting interview given to a “Standard” reporter yesterday by Mr S. T. Leeder, formerly of Palmerston North, who is now engaged in teaching at a Seventh Day Adventist School in Samoa. Air Leeder, who is an old boy of the Palmerston North Boys’ High School, is now in New Zealand on furlough. Prior to receiving his call to Samoa, Mr Leeder was engaged in missionary work in Queensland. It is now 103 years, he explained, since the Gospel was first taken to Samoa by Rev. John Williams, of the London Missionary Society, and the Seventh Day Adventist Church had been established in the mission field there for 40 years. There is one training school for young men and two junior schools where he is situated at Vailoa, on the island of I'polu, the three working with the church. Classes were taught partly in English and partly in Samoan, continued Mr Leeder. The Samoans had a very keen desire to learn English and that desire proved of value in urging them to attend school where they were taken as far as the New Zealand proficiencv standard. In the final stage English was the only language spoken. Illiteracy in Samoa 'was non-existent, as far as lie knew, said Air Leeder. He had never met a Samoan who could not read and write in his own language. The characters used were the same as ours, there being no need for any extra signs to express sounds not included in the English tongue, although there were only 14 letters in the Samoan alphabet. Much of the Samoan life centred about two things, their customs and religion, proceeded Mr Leeder. One custom was that hospitality should bo shown to strangers and on that account missionary work was facilitated. Foreigners were always welcome and white people were especially so because they had brought the Gospel to Samoa. Political troubles had not affected the missionaries at any stage, even with the now non-existent trouble with the Man, which had oeen what might be termed a “home-rule” movement. LOW PRICES FOR COPRA.

In pre-depression days prices for copra had been high and ther<j had been little to trouble the natives in regard to money, Air Leeder remarked. Aloney to the natives was but something to be spent; they had no idea of its true value, and what money they received was used in buying English clothes and food, paying for taxirides and in other ways. Now copra prices were low, but even if the natives received a few shillings a month, sufficient to buy salt, sugar and kerosene, it was enough for their needs. Even oil for the lamps could be secured by a home-making process, although it was not as good as the bought article. Food was a simple matter to the Samoans, bananas, taros, yams, ta-aniu, bread-fruit, coconuts and low-grade oranges providing all they required. One day a week in the plantations was all that was needed to secure ample returns, even though the ground was 'never really cultivated. No seeds were planted, so free was the growth. Taro was planted merely in a hole in the ground, the bottom cut off when it was required and the top planted from where the bottom section came, to grow again. Weeding was the only attention needed. There were no seasons in regard to growth, which was thus steady right throughout the year. Coconuts were made up in many ways into different dishes. As an instance, in one dish the nut was scraped and squeezed, the cream being kept and mixed with the leaves of the taro plant. Onions and salt were added and the mixture then cooked either m ail oven (which was very similar to the Alaori oven), or in the sun. Cocoa grown on the spot, coconut milk, "tea” made from the orange leaves and water, formed the natives liquid foods. Of fish they were very fond and fould eat it at every meal if it was available. The method of catching fish was with spears when inside the lagoons, hooks and lines being used on the few occasions on which the outrigger canoes ventured beyond the reefs. The natives used spears made from thick wire, pointed at the ends, and would dive down to spear the fish in the crevices of the rocks or coral. When there were a number of canoes together the fishermen would beat their craft, sending the fish to the shelter of the rocks, which gave the natives far better opportunities for spearing them than in the open. The natives could remain under the surlace for an unusually long time, being trained from childhood in diving, although the water was very shallow. Mullet, and then only in certain seasons, was about the only fish secured in Samoa which was common to the Dominion, the other varieties being of a highly coloured tropical nature. Whitebait were also secured in the rivers and streams, although thev were of a very dark hue —nearly black. Discussing the influence of the English on the Samoan generally, Mr Leeder was very firmly of the opinion that it was all for the "nod. Without the guidance of the white race the natives would quickly degenerate, he said. They were taught to observe the best possible lay-out of their villages from a sanitary point of view and instruction was given by a Govern-ment-trained doctor periodically fhe white people had brought many transformations and the natives were now encouraged to build their houses away from the flies, on the higher ground and to keep them clean. Without the white mail’s influence the Samoans would not be’ what thev are to-day Mr and Mrs Leeder, with the r child, are at present staying with Air I,coder’s father-in-law. Air B. Archer, of Hiwinui.