THE MARIST MISSIONS IN THE PACIFIC

New Zealand Tablet, 29 February 1912, Page 11

THE MARIST MISSIONS IN THE PACIFIC

By Right Rev. John J. Grimes, S.M., D.D., . Bishop of Christchurch.

ii. ■T-y-M'S TONGA, SAMOA, AND THE FIJIAN GROUP.

In a former pamphlet which, on the invitation of Father Norris, the energetic secretary of the A.C.T.S., I wrote on the Marist Missions in New Caledonia, the " New Hebrides, and the Solomon Islands, I promised a second part on Tonga, Samoa, and the Fijian Group. I now hasten to redeem my promise, and I propose to begin with Tonga, which, as I have already said, I had the advantage to visit twice, the last time being during the month of August, 1911. > I THE TONGAN GROUP. - The Tongan, also known as the Friendly Islands, are situated between 15 and 23.30 S. lat. and 173.177 W. long., and consist of about 100 islands or islets. . They are under the protection of Great' Britain, though nominally ruled by their own king, George. The climate is said by some to be one of the best in the Pacific, and is supposed to be a perfect sanatorium for throat, chest, rheumatic, and neuralgic troubles." Others maintain that the climate is enervating, because of the . ; heavy dews and frequent changes ■of temperature. The group was discovered in -1643 by Tasman, and called the Friendly Islands by Captain Cook,; who visited it thrice, the last time being in 1777. The natives now call it Tonga, after the name of its chief . . island. Within an area barely exceeding 400-square miles there are about 150 islands,, broken e into three ' groups,' viz. / the Tonga to the south, Habai or Hapaai in the centre, and Vavail in the north. In this last group there are active volcanoes, and earthquakes arc .. of frequent occurrence. Though .of coral limestone, the surface of the soil is covered with a deep, rich mould, mixed towards the sea with sand, and having a substratum of red or blue* clay, and is very productive. “

The largest island is Tonga, or Tonga-Tabou (sacred Tonga). It is 21 by 12 miles, and contains the capital, Nukualof. ,~ - ' •" . •' "■■■."v.:..'.. _ ""

The vegetation is similar to that of Fiji, but more definitely Indo-Malayan in character. Ferns and fern trees abound, whilst four kinds of palms,-and all the usual fruit trees arid cultivated plants of the Pacific are to be found in the group. The only indigenous animals are a small rat and a few curious species of bats. 'Land and water birds are numerous. Amongst the reptiles and insects are snakes and small lizards, ants, beetles, and mosquitoes; turtle and sea-snakes are common. - . "- • . * /

The population consists of 38,000. The Catholics number about 8500. Intellectually, the Tongans are the most advanced of the Polynesian race. Formerly very warlike, they exercised great influence over distant neighbors, especially in Fiji; and they carried their conquests as far as Nieu, or Savage Island; fully 200 miles to the east. . . -..■ '

Formerly there were two sovereigns ruling at the same time, .the higher called ' Chief of Tonga'_ (Tui Tonga). He -was the heavenly king, and was worshipped as a god. The earthly, or real ruler, arid the chief officers of the State," were members of the Toubo family, from which the ■ wife of the Tui Tonga was always chosen, whose descendants, through the female line, had, under the title of '' tamaha,' special honors and privileges. Below these were the Fiki, or chiefs, and next to them the class called Matabule. > These were the hereditary counsellors and companions of the chiefs. Their duty was to -convey, "to the people the decisions, formed .at, their assemblies, to direct the national ceremonies, and guard the popular., traditions. During the prolonged civil wars in the early part of - ; * Reprint of A.C7T. Society's pamphlet >. _ -

the century, the institution of Tui Tonga lapsed, and various chiefs became independent; but they, were gradually subdued, and the whole group united by King - George. He commuted for a money-payment the service due from the common people to their chiefs, whom he assembled in a sort of-parliament.(V A poll-tax of four dollars is levied and strictly enforced. The. Tongans are a proud, lively, inquisitive race, courteous to strangers, fond of etiquette, brave, attached to their children, seldom practising infanticide, and cannibalism only in exceptional cases. The women are treated kindly, and do only lighter work. The men say: We do not want manly, but womanly, women for our wives.’ Though agriculture is the : chief indus- • try, they are bold and skilful sailors and fishermen. Other trades, such as boat and-house-building, carving, cooking, net and mat-making, are hereditary. Their houses are slightly built, and, like those in Samoa, open on all sides, but the surrounding ground and roads are laid out with care and taste. •-rPresent State of Religion. The Tongans are professedly Christians; the prevailing form is Wesleyanism. It is divided into that of the Government and that of the Free Church, called Mr. Barker s. The adherents of this form make every > effort to prevent the natives from joining- our J Holy Faith. In spite of all this there are many model Cath- i olic communities in the group. Their spiritual wan taagt are attended to by 20 Marist Fathers and 4 native ' priests, 2 lay Brothers, 51 nuns, and ;53 !catechists. -? The Vicariate has 16 central stations, with 17 churches ■ and several chapels; two colleges for native boys, -‘and ;; two. high schools ; for girls. In each of the central S stations, and in all of the secondary districts, there are primary schools, taught by 53 native school masters, who are most carefully trained by the zealous missionaries. ; • .

■- When I last visited Tonga, the Vicar-Apostolic waa* Bishop Olier, who has since been called to his eternal reward.- Always an energetic missionary, -he had a. thorough command of the language,,' and .: was greatly esteemed by the king,, to whom he introduced .us 17 years ago." " * ' ?'■*';" * "

Nukualofa, the capital of Tonga, is the..largest; and most important place in the group. It is the residence of the king, and possesses two fine Catholic - churches, the principal, of which is the Cathedral^ a splendid edifice, visible for miles out at sea; a grand college for young men, under . the direction of i the Fathers, who are justly proud of the instrumental band belonging to the students. , L./., .-.. ■•J^^;.1 V '.l*- • •

'■ v : On our arrival, which. was wholly unexpected, we met the Pro-Vicar * and Procurator of the J Missions, Father Blanc, who took us to his beautiful church and convent, dedicated to St. Anthony of Padua. ; - After partaking of a frugal repast in his presbytery^- the good Father drove us along the sea shore to Maofaga, the residence of the Bishop and several of his missionaries. Amongst these was a venerable Father named Guitta, then in his 84th year, and who is in a the missions for the past 50 years. He seemed still full of vigor and zeal. Another Father; Bellwald, is Director of the college. A quarter of a century ago he was with me in "Devonshire. Here we had our first kava. - This;is the name of a beverage made from the . root of a shrub named the 'Piper Methysticum ' or ' angona.' The' making and drinking of kava is always a ceremonious proceeding- On the occasion of mv "first visit to the South Sea islands the root was prepared by 'chewing.' A number of young girls, with perfect teeth, were selected for this ceremony. Now, I am glad to say, stones or graters'are used instead of human teeth. A' big circular bowl, with several legs, cut solid out of the heart of a great forest tree; arid curiously ; enamelled inside'with a beautiful greyish-blue? from the action of the kava, is placed in the centre of a group of dusky maidens, who sit -cross-legged •: on the < ground; whilst one pounds the root between two stones. Having finished, the pounder says to the greatest chief present: 'This is the kava I have .pounded.' 'lt is enough,' answers the chief. . Water}; is then poured into the bowl over the 'kava;' which is strained vwith a fibrous

sort of hibiscus-bark by one of the maidens. In the meantime the praises of kava are sung by those gathered around. The fibre is dipped into the bowl and squeezed into a cocoanut shell, which is then presented to the guests according to their rank. The name of the person to whom it is presented is called out, and the owner answers by clapping his or her hands. : It is deemed an act of discourtesy if the contents of the cup are not finished at one draught. It is doubtless an acquired taste. Some say that it tastes at first like a mixture of ginger and soap-suds, seasoned with pepper. After a time one acquires a liking for it, as it is a cooling r and refreshing drink, a stimulating tonic, and a splendid thirst quencher. The leading medical experts of Europe pronounce it a good, wholesome beverage for a tropical climate. I have often been asked what effect it produces on .the system. My answer is, that excessive drinking paralyses the lower limbs, but it does not affect the head, though over-indulgence is said to produce blindness. It is the champagne of the Pacific Islands. A bowl well enamelled by the action of the kava on the wood is always greatly prized and costly. The next morning was Sunday, and we celebrated the Holy Sacrifice very early in the handsome Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, erected by the late Bishop. About 16 miles from Nukualofa is a place called the Haamunga. It consists of three immense stones, one laid across the top of the" others, which stand upright. The arch thus formed is about 25 feet high. The upper stone is smoothed and shaped, and lies in two large sockets cut to receive it in the tops of the uprights. No one knows the origin of this strange monument.

One of the most, wondrous sights in the island is that of a grove of about 30 large trees covered with flying foxes. These strange beings are about the size of a cat, with furry bodies and heads like those of foxes. They are to be 'seen all day long hanging downwards in thousands. /No sooner does the sun set than they rise in an immense black cloud, and fly over the island, devastating many a plantation. They, go unmolested, for they are tabu (sacred), and the, Tongans believe that were they or the trees destroyed, the kingdom of Tonga would fall. The chief officer of the good ship Atua, which took us from Auckland to Tonga, invited Dr. Kennedy and me to go in the ship's launch to a celebrated spot called Kolonga, about the same distance as the Haamunga from Nukualofa. As soon as we landed, a few natives gathered around'us and spoke to us- in Tongan. Not being endowed with the gift of tongues, we could only suppose that they wanted to know whether we were of the true faith. Mustering up courage, I made use of the little I knew, and said I to Epico'po Katolico.' At once they came and kissed my ring, and led us to a beautiful new church, which was to be blessed and opened in a few days, on-the feast of St. Anne. They begged me to stop- and take the place of their beloved Bishop, now, alas! dangerously ill. I made them understand how sorry I was that I could not comply with their request, as our boat was to sail in two days'. time. They then brought us to the residence of a Catholic chief, where kava was served with the usual ceremonial. In the meantime a native female teacher came in and : interpreted their speeches of welcome, and our reply. I told them that their beloved Bishop was anxious that we should visit the mission of Mua-Mua. The native schoolmaster volunteered to drive us, "and the good people thoughtfully sent a rider before us to announce the coming of the Epicopo Catholico. Instead-of hurrying on before, he kept beside our driver, with whom he chatted as we passed through miles of cocoanut groves and several native villages. We spent nearly three, hours on the journey. To all our inquiries as to the distance % and the time we might expect to arrive, our driver answered 'Yes!' - Is it far off V- 'Yes.' V Shall ,we soon be there V ' Yes.' ' Have we many more-villages to pass V Yes.' * Is this the last one?' 'Yes.' At length, as we came in sight of our destination, our horseman hastened on and announced our:coming Being Sunday afternoon, most of the Catholics were gathered round the church and presbytery. The head of the mission,

- T *" 4 ■ ' ’ -isMsE- i Father Thomas, hastened to meet us. Seeing me, he cried out, Is it possible? Why, it is Bishop Grimes, who ordained me twenty-four years ago in France!’ You may imagine the reception we received from him", from his reverend colleague and faithful flock, who number about 1100,strong. On our arrival, the ‘lallis’ (native wooden bells) were . sounded. All gathered around us, men, women, and children. A kava (called bv the Tongans ‘ ava ’) was served in the usual ceremonious manner, whilst speeches were delivered and. replied to. We went to the church, built like all the .rest of coral. stone. I gave Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament, while the native band, under the skilful direction of the Fathers, played,, and most tastefully too, several pieces of Gregorian music, the whole congregation singing in perfect unison and devotion. The missionaries and their flock afterwards accompanied us to one of the most historic spots in all the islands. So sacred is it that, were the king to ride or drive to it, he would immediately descend from the carriage or horses, out of respect for the remains of his ancestors. It is known as the '- . - s v • ' Langis,’ or ‘ The Graves of the Tui-Tonga.’ , -. They are very remarkable, suggesting,- as : they do, the command of mechanical appliances which the Tongans, as known, to modern history, never possessed. There are two langis at Mua Mua, the larger one being about 2000 feet square. “ Each consists of a double terrace of large coral limestone blocks, some .of which measure as much as 20ft x sft x 4ft, enclosing a raised oblong space, which is overgrown‘ with v bushes and weeds. The terraces are - covered in places by the roots of huge forest trees, a mute testimony to their great age. No one knows how old they are,'or by what race they were constructedthey remain one of the many unsolved problems in the history of the Pacific races. ‘ The entire population cf Miia Mm; accompanied us to the water’s edge with the two devoted missionaries, Father Thomas and Father Bcnezeth, "at their head. They bade us a most touching farewell, having given us evidence that they are truly a model flock with model pastors. We returned to Nukualofa on the mission boat, skilfully manned by seven natives. On our way we saw the giant Avaya, Captain Cook’s tree. . It is of colossal size and great beauty. It stands upon a great height, says Miss Grimshaw, overlooking one of the most exquisite views in the Friendly Islands —a land-locked lagoon fringed with lofty palm trees and blu,e as the sapphire-colored flowers of the island convolvulus. It was from the roots of this huge projecting tree that Captain Cook, on the occasion of , his visit in 1777, addressed the assembled natives of the island, offering them presents, and assuring them ; of his friendship. ~ ‘ Before leaving Nukualofa one of the missionaries accompanied us to the royal palace, where ; I had my second audience with his Majesty King George of Tonga. He is over six feet in height, and so stout that he cannot weigh much dess than twenty stone. He has a broad, intelligent, good-humored face, with black, languid eyes, and manners which are both genial and engaging. lam told that he has a good knowledge of English, which he speaks fairly well, reads' the English newspapers, and conducts his own correspondence with the help of a typewriter, and that he can write shorthand'with" facility. . tie received us most graciously, and expressed his deep regret at the illness of his Mend Bishop. Olier, adding that he remembered my previous visit when I came with Archbishop Redwood seventeen years ago, and Bishop, then Father, Olier. Our next visit was to Hapaai, in Lifuka. The church - there was. the house in which King George was born, and lived several years. His father, whom we visited, .gave it to the Catholic mission, of which it is now a most suitable and handsomely-built church. The missionaries assure us that Hapaai is one of the most difficult and ungrateful missions in the group. There, -as in not a few other . places, the natives are made to swear on the Bible that they will never • embrace Catholicity. Notwithstanding these difficulties, .there are some faithful Catholics, and the Fathers, who are good musicians,

have succeeded in forming a splendid orchestra, which, discoursed some excellent music, to the delight of the officers, crew, and passengers ; of; the Atua,swhich bore us to the islands. In the name of the captain and passengers, I said a few words, congratulating and thanking the Father and his band for the pleasant surprise they had given us all. *• "-" ■ " fNot far from the roadstead is the place where, in 1906 ? the British privateer Port au Prince was captured by the .Tongans, most of the crew being slain. One, William Mariner, was spared and adopted by a great chief, and stayed four years among the natives. He escaped to England, and, in collaboration with Dr. Martin, wrote one of the most fascinating books of travel, Mariner's Tonga.

~.;..:. Another of the most interesting of these interesting missions is Vavau, situated on a lofty island, richly wooded, and approached by a long, winding bay nearly four miles in length, and of the utmost beauty. Here we were . welcomed by the good missionaries, Fathers Mace and Dugherry, and I gave solemn Benediction in the midst of excellent congregational singing, which would do credit to any choir in Australasia. Afterwards the native children gave a fine entertainment in the mission grounds. ; The boys made a most interesting display of dancing with two sticks in a the hands. These they manipulated in a wonderfully dexterous way. ; The girls danced by themselves,"whilst reciting verses-, improvising them as they proceeded, 7in the midst of movements the most graceful. About two miles from Vavau is a most interesting place, called the Swallow's Cave.' It is about 50 feet high, and the water within is 100 feet deep, whilst immediately outside lie depths of an indigo blue 'over 1000 feet. Speaking of this marvellous cave, the author of Three Nations says:—'The pillared walls, of an exquisite pale green, are all a-shimmer with dancing lights, from the liquid pavement of living sapphire and emeraM that spreads below. Coral reefs can be seen, gleaming like silver, a hundred feet beneath the keel of the' advancing boat; and through the crystal waters the eye can follow numberless strange caves > and archways, stretching down to depths unknown. " In one part of the cave there is a rock which sounds like a church bell when struck with an oar. Further, on, one sees a strangely beautiful inner cave, like the shrine of an ancient temple. In the centre rises a "natural, altar" of white coral rock, and through a; rift in the dark roof, far above, a spear 'of blinding .sunlight strikes down across rock and altar into the unfathomed depths below.' ;• ;K" .

"... Tonga. -' "-■;'.'_.. Although there is a Marist Father and. a native priest at the island of Niua Taputapu, we were not able to land there, but we saw a strange sight within two miles thereof. We saw two Tongans swim from the shore, holding the mail in the air, and receiving in a kerosene tin the ship's mail (the Atua), and a leg of mutton in a box. This is given them each time, with a few shillings, for their trouble. - i. '.'-.>--'% * The most flourishing centres of Catholicity in the Tongan group are Wallis, whose king and all his subjects are most fervent Catholics, and the island of Futuna, which was wholly converted shortly after the martyrdom, in 1841, of its heroic apostle, Blessed Peter Mary Louis Chanel, the Proto-Martyr of Oceania. Writing soon after the martyrdom, a missionary said : ' A living faith, an ardent charity, extreme delicacy of conscience, and an insatiable avidity for the Word of God are the virtues which we see flourishing here. Their ardor in the exercises of piety is solely the effect of grace.' Twenty years later, the Bishop made; a visitation of Futuna, and he writes: 'The general state of. religion is; thank God, more satisfactory than ever. Paganism is forgotten; Christian customs have been adopted; the benefits of civilisation, without its vices, are progressing slowly and steadily.' Speaking of Wallis, he says, that he presided at a spiritual retreat, during which 1800 natives, which number included every adult on the island without a single exception, received Holy; Communion. One who visited Futuna says it presented to him all the features of the

Early Church. Those who formerly were ferocious cannibals are now humble and reverent in their faith; like the Apostle St. Paul, the wolf has become a lamb. The Fathers have not to urge the faithful to penitential exercises, but rather to restrain their ardor, such is their desire for penance and austerities. Under , a rough appearance and rude outline they preserve innocence and meekness to a wonderful degree.': \ The same may be said of Wallis, where neither prisons nor police are required. The great Nestor of the missionaries, Bishop Bataillon,'spent th» last years of his life in the island of Wallis. When dying, he had himself carried before the altar in-the Church of St, Joseph, and there, solemnly received the . last rites of Holy Church. His faithful followers have adopted the same religious practice. When at all possible, they have themselves carried before the altar, that they may receive the last Sacraments. In the island of Wallis there are four Marist Fathers and two native priests, and several native nuns, one of whom is the king’s sister, who travelled with us through the islands last July. Fortuna has five priests and several native Sisters. (To be concluded.)