FIRE WALKING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22832, 17 March 1936, Page 5

FIRE WALKING

TO THE EDITOR. Sjk,—l notice that three correspondents have raised their voices in unison to decide the genuineness of fire-walking as practised by the natives of the island o. Bega (pronounced Berger) in Fiji. Your last correspondent thinks that a fireproof solution applied to the feet and the rest of the body is the simple explanation. But how about the lungs and the eyes ? I saw a fire-walking ceremony which was held in the Government grounds in Suva, Fiji, many years ago to celebrate a visit from the Australian fleet. A huge hole had previously been excavated at a spot shaped like an amphitheatre, and big stones had been packed in, and then quantities of wood were piled on top and set on fire. About an hour before the ceremony, Fijian natives thrust long poles among the stones, and encircled them with tlfick vines, and then dragged (he poles through and exposed the stones. I was standing on an eminence with two companions about 30 yards away, and even then was obliged to shield my face from the intense heat. The fire-walkers were secluded in a clump of bush close by, and at a signal trooped down in full war garb, walked unfalteringly to the centre of the stones, stood there for a few seconds, and then walked off and disappeared in the bush. One of my companions was of the Doubting Thomas ’’ type, and nothing would satisfy him but that he should test the white-hot stones. He returned and ruefully showed us the sole of his boot, which was ruined. Immediately after the ceremony big quantities of leaves were piled on the stones, and then pigs and yams, and taro were cooked in preparation for a native feast. I might add that I saw small flames licking up between the white-hot stones: and why was it that these did not set on fire the inflammable war garb that the natives’ wear? And how oh earth could the natives stand in such a furnace with bare feet and legs unless protected by some mysterious power that is obviously not dreamed of in the philosophy of your three correspondents.—l am, etc. Dinkhm.