A VISIT TO A FIJIAN VILLAGE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2586, 21 August 1909, Page 4 (Supplement)

A VISIT TO A FIJIAN VILLAGE.

The**little village looked very cool and peaceful, nestling cosily at the foot of one of the tallest of the mountains Which run through the centre of Viti Levu, the largest island of the Fijian group. Large avenues of breadfruit, palm, and mango trees, the last covered with strings of apricot-colored fruit, shaded the little grass huts from tile fierce glare of the ytropical sun, and a general stir of sleepinees hung over the place. Af- first there seemed only to be men and children in the village, which state of affairs was due. to the fact- that the women were away working in the fields. They are, so to speak,, the breadwinners. All day they work in the gardens, growing yams, cocaanuks, pawpaw, pineapples, and taro, of which the last mentioned is perhaps the, most useful. The root is used as a vegetable, the stalks, when young, resemble- rhubarb, and the "leaves boiled are hardly distinguishable from spinach. The gardens are always at a distance from the villages, in order, it is said, to discourage the objectionable habit of borrowing.

j The men lead a far more leisurely existence. "When they require a little money they will catch a few fish and ! take them with lemons or pineapples to the towns to sell. Otherwise, like the lilies of the field, the-- toil not, neither do they spin. Fijian men are childlike creatures, in spite of their great' stature. They will walk about hand in hand singing) and spend most of their time eating or sleeping. Their hair, of which they »are extremely proud, filled me with admiration. It is usually dark brown or black, ancl is very thick and curly. Sometimes they dye it with lime, when it- becomes a reddish color. They- wear it three or four inches long, and tease it with a kind of wooden fork-until it resembles a furze bush. The Fijian has lull measure of vanity. Attired in a colored sweater, white su’.u (skirt), ancl with one, dr sometimes two, red hibiscus blossoms in his liair, he feels he is indeed a man among men. We were invited into the chief’s lnit, which was a little larger than the others, and was raised two feet from the ground. Some primitive steps in the shape of a notched log led to the entrance. The interior of the hut was decorated with shells, and had a faint aromatic odor, due partly to the smoke of a fire at one end, and palely to the grass, of which the “bun” was built. Tappa hung upon the avails, ancl there avere mats on the floor. »-*«. one -end avas a bed consisting of a low wooden platform,- algo covered avith mats of fine ‘texture. Several European utensils, contrasting oddly avith some Fijian earthenware ..bowls, avere scat- . toml about, and the chief proudly produced a single Austrian chair for us .to sit on. He then despatched a small broavn urchin for which he dexterous]v opened avith part of a shell and offered to- us. We drank the pleasant juice and threw tlic empty shell on the ground. This, in Fijian etiquette, signifies that the visitor is friendly. Owing to our entire ignorance of Fijian and our host’s limited knowledge *of English, conversation avas naturally restricted. Hoxyeve'r, we seemed to be on amicable terms, and after a while* avo -went again into, the daylight. We found that the, native village had gathered round the Royal residence, and each and every Fijian insisted on shaking hands avith us. They are very fond of this, and are offended if one neglects the ceremony, A courtj eons- “Siandra marania” (greeting lady), avas softly spoken by each one as -we passed. I A sound of singing heralded the approach of the women, whose work was l-eyidently over for the day. Strong and stately they looked, avith their fine | physique ancl. slow, graceful movements. I Their arms avere beautifully rounded, 1 and they glistened avith cdcoaniit oik | As they- drew near I noticed that several of the younger ones wore their hair in numerous small plaits behind their .ears. This -was to signify that' they avere now of marriageable age, and were ready to consider the suit of any eligible young Fijian avho might bo forthcoming. Again the ceremony of shaking hands had 1 to. be gone through, to the evident satisfaction of the newcomers. Just then two Fijians, carrying a large turtle entered the village. There avas great rejoicing, as turtle meat is their greatest luxury, and it had been procured for a feast to take place on the morrow. The sinking sun warned us that it was time to depart, and ave. prepared to take our leave. At first it seemed as if we. would have tp shake hands again avith the entire population of the village, but ave managed, to. make them understand that wo -were-in a hurry, and iso escaped. Looking back to the quaint little village we sadly thought that probably another century or so avould find deserted huts in the shade of those palm trees, for the Fijians grow fewer and fcaver as the years go by. Some day the all 'Conquering -white man avill build houses ‘where the little “buris” now stand. The picturesque race will'disappear, and the Fijian and; his hibiscus blossom will be seen no more, “GUMLEAF.”