Evening Republican, Volume 14, Number 199, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 August 1910 — THE ISLAND of TUTUILA [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

THE ISLAND of TUTUILA

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O LITTLE has been written of the Samoan islands that many American citizens are not even aware that to the United States government belongs the finest

coaling station, at one of the most strategic points in the south seas. Dating back to the early part of the year 1899, the two rival factions of Samoa, the “Tumua,” or party led by Chief Mataafa, and the Matua, or party led by Chief Malietoa, held a K fono” or mass meeting at Apia, on the island of Upolu. Both Mataafa and Malietoa aspired to the throne of Samoa, and the object of this meeting was to settle the dispute and place the rightful king on the throne, writes Eugene D. Park, Jr., yeoman, U. S. N., in Los Angeles Times. The decision, when rendered, declared Malietoa to be the reigning king of Samoa, and this decision was upheld by the United States, Germany and England. Mataafa now became hostile, and fell back with his followers, the Turnup faction. After this ensued the engagements between the United States, Germany and England with Malietoa on the one side and Mataafa and his rebels on the other. The trouble was finally brought to an end and adjusted through a commission sent by the three countries and the representative from the United States must have been a splendid diplomat to have secured Tutuila. This commission conceded to Germany the island of Upolu, on whose shores the town of Apia is situated, to England was given the ’ island of Savaii, which Germany later gained possession of in exchange for her treaty rights to Tonga, and for the United States was obtained the islands of Tutuila and Manua, Whatever attraction Manua had I do not kuow, but in getting possession, of Tutuila the United States secured the prize grab of Neptune’s south sea collection, for here is located the navigable and land-locked harbor of Pago-Pago; in fact, it is the only harbor in Samoa where a vessel could seek adequate protection from storms. This harbor is commodious enough to shelter a fleet and the Pacific fleet, seven cruisers and seven torpedo boats, rode at anchor here without inconvenience. Since a ship must be allowed enough floating space to swing completely around her anchor with the change of tide, it can be plainly seen that the harbor of PagoPago is a valuable aid to the United States. As the harbor opens to view to the eyes of the visitor it presents a beautiful aspect, one which is simultaneously grand, awe-inspiring, quaint and restful. Being completely surrounded by high mountains, the harbor seems like < the gigantic crater of some extinct volcano which, in its final struggle for existence, expired with one last rend which tore out a narrow channel to the Pacific, allowing that peaceful old mother of oceans to sweep in and put an end to all volcanic disturbances. Along the entire distance around the shore ckn be seen groups of native houses, rearing themselves against a background of towering hills, whose sides present the aspect of an Impenetrable jungle. When ashore for the first time in Tutuila one is both surprised and pleased at his reception by the natives. Their hospitality seems unbounded. As_you walk by any Samoan house you are cordially invited to enter. A clean mat will be spread for you to sit cross-legged upon, you will be treated to the best that the house affords, and usually the maid of tho house will make you a bowl of kava, the national drink. After you have been feted and praised until you imagine that you are the original bale of virtues, your glowing opinion of the Samoan’s keen insight into human nature and your first impressions of his noble hospitality are rudely nipped in the bud by finding that all his attentions and praises wer® simply a commercial transaction on his part t for he fully expects yoi£to reimburse him two for one for every little trouble he may have gone to to entertain you, and for many that h® has not. If you should fail to “come across” with the expected filthy lucre, he will not hesitate to tell you about your deficiency, and after that, if you are still going to stick to the established standards of mistaken t father and mother taught you tp uphold, these hospitable Samoans will accompany your disorderly retreat vitfc derisive exclamations

and cat calls. On the other hand, if you submit to extortion rather than take any unworthy advantage over, an ignorant savage, you will be invited to come again. The furnishinigs of a Samoan house/ are simple in the extreme, and, during! the day consist only of rough mats* spread upon the coral floor. When ai Samoan wishes to build a house H utilizes the services of all his “aigas,* or relatives, and everything is manu-J factored from the crude material! gathered from the hillsides. The floorl plan of the house is of an oval shape.; This space is leveled off And covered* with broken bits of coral which are| gathered in abundance on the beach,/ by the women. Surrounding thiol floor space a set of poles are secured! in an upright position, reaching to a, height of about six feet. In the cen-j ter two or three large upright poles,} usually about one foot in diameter byj fifteen to twenty feet in length, arej secured, and from these to the tops! of the outer supports the framework! of the roof is built. .. As the Samoans have no nails they] have devised a method of making a! very serviceable kind of fiber cordLj Jhe old men collect a quantity of co-i coanut fiber, which they roll between! hand and knee to the thickness of ordinary cotton string, after which they braid and splice it together into * great rolls. Thesp rolls are cut from as needed. This, then, Is the means of binding and lashing the roof together and securing it to the uprights. Then sugar-cane leaves are gathered, doubled, laced, braided and finished into little mats, about three feet long by fifteen inches wide.] When a sufficient number of theseare ready the roof is thatched with! them after the method of shingling a! house, allowing the eaves to extendi over a distance of two feet. This' forms a most efficient protection between the Samoan and his country’s] prodigious rainfall. A Samoan house has the advantage over an American home, inasmuch as; it can be opened on all sides or oni any one side at the discretion of thei family. The posts surrounding the floor space are set at a distance of] about 2% feet apart and a curtain; is formed for each individual space! thus created by using small mats, similar to the thatching mats except that these are made of cocoanutj leaves instead of sugar cane. These little mats are arranged over the openings in suoh a manner that they overlap and will readily fold up shut-i terwise. In this manner any of the spaces between these many posts can be opened to or closed against the: weather by merely pushing up the curtain and securing it or by unloosing it with a light pull at a bow knot and letting it drop. Mats are then spread ovei* the coral floor and the house is complete. It* is generally the custom to celebrate the completion with a “fla-fla,” or feast. Aside from chests, boxes, etc., for the storage of personal property, the furnishings consist only of the prerequisites of peaceful slumber, “tainamus,” sleeping mats, and bamboo pillows. A “tainamu” Is a mosquito protectlon, box shaped and about 6*4 feet In length by four feet in width by i slx feet in height. To this small loops are fastened along the tops of the two sides and through these loops two cords are stretdhed, allowing several feet extra at each end of the “tainamu” to extend and tie to the sides of the house, at a level with the tops of the'’uprights, thereby suspending the “tainamu” directly over the sleeping mat During the day the sleeping mats are rolled up and set aside and the bottom of the “tainamu” is twisted and thrown over the taut top. The sleeping mats differ from those'tosed during the day, inasmuch as they are softer, finer woven and much larger. The bam bob pillow strongly reminds me of the days of the Spanish inquisition, but custom and natural inclination have taught the Samoan to “lay me down and sleep” in any old place and at any old time. Td make tjiese pillows, a piece <4 straight bamboo about two feet bfi three inches In diameter is obtained into which f are driven two smir pegs at each end in the manner -o> an inverted “V.” The pillow is then complete and when used 'ln sleeping throws the neck into an angle ai about forty-five degrees from thebody. This may be comfortable to • Samoan, but I think an American, used to bodily comforts when he doei'. rest, would prefer some scrap iron.