Samoan Interlude

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 45, 24 February 1936, Page 8

Samoan Interlude

CUSTOMS OF A LAND THAT WAS STEVENSON’S LAND An interesting narration of Samoan experiences was given to the Citizens’ Lunch Club ou Friday by Air J. B. Fleck, who served with tho New Zealand contingent to Samoa in the Great War, and retains vivid memories of the experience. A wonderful view was obtained entering Apia harbour, said Air Fleck. Vala, on the summit of whose bushclad slopes K. L. Stevenson lies buried, dominated the harbour, with 'other peaks towering behind. Tho island was well called the Pearl of the Pacific. The Samoan natives were a finely-developed race, tall and dignified in their carriage, handsome, virile and intelligent. Naturally they degenerated in the shipping areas where they contacted with Europeans. Samoa was composed of a group of islands, the two largest being Upolo (where Apia is situated) aud Savaii. There were other small islands, and 60 miles east was America Samoa, with its port of Pago Pago. The whole group was volcanic in origin, and still had one active crater. The hills were clad right to the tops with bush very similar to the New Zealand flora, but including mqny extra trees. Some of the lakes lying in the extinct volcanos were more than picturesque, they were indescribably beautiful, glistening sapphire-like beneath a tropic sky. 'Hospitality was an inflexible law among the Samoan people, and the New Zealanders would no sooner arrive in a village than they were invited into the communal house and given kava to drink, an interesting ceremony. Exery village had a young woman—the taupo—who was a ladyelect and performed the duties of hostess to visitors, to whom she dispensed the kava with considerable ritual, which Air Fleck described in interesting fashion. He described also an evening meal partaken of in a Samoan village, and a communal dance in kon our of the visitors, the whole village crowding into the fale and glad of an occasion for jollification. Tho native diet included little meat and was mainly vegetarian, although poultry was a staple article. The banana was a great standby and was cooked mostly in the unripe state. It was available all the year, while several root crops were also regularly used. Like all Polynesian races tho Samoans were tattooed, said Air Fleck, who described a tattooing performance on which he happened. Tattooing was a sign of manhood, and without it no youth could expect to obtain a wife. The Samoan wedding ceremony, though differently observed, had the same characteristics as a European one, in that it was predominantly an occasion for merry-making. At the end of a singularly informative address the lecturer showed an interesting selection of Samoan products, included among which was a kava bowl and drinking cup, a vegetable fibre strainer, some beautiful mats (one of which is very rare as the making of it is now a lost art), and fishing and other implements. Air G. D. Pattle was in the chair aud proposed a vote of thanks to the speaker.