KAVA DRINKING IN SAMOA

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 7018, 18 September 1929, Page 3

KAVA DRINKING IN SAMOA

AN IMPORTANT CEREMONY.

Members of the Feilding Civic Club were delighted with the very entertaining address delivered at yesterday.’s lunch meeting by the Kcv. F. Copeland, of Feilding, on the kava drinking ceremony of Samoa. Mr. Copeland was in Samoa during the war‘period as a missioner and gathered a great deal of interesting information regarding the customs of the natives. Mr. E. Fair presided and in introducing the speaker referred to the only history writton of Samoa, which was the work of Mr. R. M. Watson S.M., of Feilding. Mr. Copeland made his talk the more interesting by producing for demonstation purposes a handsomely carved kava bowl, together with portions of kava root and the kava drinking cup. Kava drinking was attended with a great deal of ceremony and it was the never failing custom of natives to treat guests to the ceremony. The dry kava root, s sample of which the speaker produced, was pounded to the consistency of flour and then handed to the village princess, who proceeded with the mixing of this with water. The principal guest was then summoned to partake of the first . drink and the speaker rccyriled the occasion on which he was first invited to partake of what appeared to be soapy water. The drink, however, was most refreshing and not narcotic when made front the dry root. ' From* the kava drinking customs of the Samoans the speaker went on to deal with the tattooing, which was a common practice among tho males today, notwithstanding the efforts of missionaries to influence the natives away from the practico, which, according to legend, was introduced from Fiji in the days when Polinesia was unknown to the European world. Men were tattooed fronr the waist to tho knees and the markings caused a visitor to the island, who saw the natives from the boats, to tell the world that the Samoans wore dark striped, silk pants. The male was not a man in tho eyes of the women till ho had been tattooed and this painful operation often took months to complete. At the conclusion of his address, the Kev. Mr. Copeland was accorded a hearty vote of thanks on the motion of the Mayor Mr. C. E. Taylor) supported by Mr. W. E. CaTthew. The committee is to consider acting upon a suggestion made by Mr. A. E. Sandford that when Mr. Copeland continues his address, an invitation be oxtended to members to bring along their sons or other young folk.