SCOUT JAMBOREE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23884, 11 August 1939, Page 10

SCOUT JAMBOREE

CENTENNIAL EXHIBITION CONTINGENTS FROM OVERSEAS THE FIJIAN REPRESENTATIVES (Per United Press Association) WELLINGTON, Aug. 10. A contingent of Canadian Scouts is to attend the centennial jamboree at Heretaunga in December, according to advice received by jamboree headquarters at Wellington. No details of the size of the contingent were given. Inquiries have been received also from the Azores and from the Ocean Islands, and there is a possibility of Scouts from both places attending. Details of the Fijian contingent were given to-day by Mr B. D. Whitwell, of Suva, headquarters secretary of the Scout movement in Fiji. He said the contingent, expected to number about 50, would include representatives of five races. There would probably be some 10 Europeans, 18 Fijian natives, ’and 18 Indians, the remainder being Chinese, Solomon Islanders, and Rotumans. The contingent would be led by Mr S. G. Cowled, Assistant Commissioner. The Fijian boys would bring a bure or native house which would be erected at the jamboree site. All their camp equipment, as far as possible, would be made of coconut or other native materials. They would sing Fijian songs, dance traditional native dances, and carry out a kava-drinking ceremony. They would not do any fire-walking. That interesting ceremony was only carried out by the elders from the Island of Mbenga, and even if the boys were initiates, it would be necessary to bring down a shipment of stone of Mbenga on which the fire-walking is carried out. With the rest of the contingent, however, they would stage a pageant of Fijian history from the earliest days of European settlement, including the landing of Cross and Cargill Wesley, pioneer missionaries, the cession of the country to Queen Victoria by King Thakombau, the arrival of Indians, and the introduction of Scouting. The Indians of the contingent would give displays of wrestling, their national sport, at which they were adepts.

Mr Whitwell said the Scout movement had a strong hold in Fiji. There were about 1500 Boy Scouts of various races in the group.