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it takes place, and know the Reason why it is to take place and on the Day fixd proclamation is made by Cryers for that Purpose and a large Bundle of Bamboo leaves hung up to the first tree at each end of the District, or part Rahooed, to give notice to all passengers that all within the limits are under such Circumstances & to inform them what treatment they may expect in them, A Hog and part of such provisions as are rahooed are hung up near the Road in some Conspicuos place, the Hog being killd and hung up by the Heels — When the Rahooe is taken off the leaves are taken down, and a Feast of the Jubilee takes place after an Offering has been made at the Cheifs Morai, which lasts Three Weeks or a Month, to which the Chiefs and People resort, and they are all entertained by Contributions laid on the People of the District or Districts which have been Rahooed who resort to One to keep the Feast and each of them Get ready daily by two o Clock or thereabouts one Hog with a proper proportion of Vegetables, which is brought to the Place of Rendezvouz and there Devided into Seventeen proportions, one for each District, which being delivered to the Chief of Each, it is taken to their seperate Rendezvouses, and divided by the Servants, giving each of Towhas & Ratirras their share, and they again divide it among their people and every thing is carried on with the Greatest Harmony, no quarrels ever ensuing at these Feasts — The Feast is Calld Towrooa Aree (the Cheifs Feast); after dinner they amuse themselves with Wrestling Dancing, Throwing the Javlin, Running for Hogs, & Scrambling for Cloth &c. — which are Given by the Chiefs or holder of the Feasts.
Many of the Areeuoys always attend at these Feasts and as they are Mostly Young Men who are active & lively they help the sport; the things put up for the Scramble are Canoes, Hogs, Cloth, Bamboos of Oil &ca. which being brought into an open Space by the Servants of the Chiefs who keep the Hogs fast till the time appointed arid they are always the wildest they can pick out, that they may Make the Better sport; the Canoes have Masts fixd to hang the Oil up to, and being placed at equal distance from each other have the Cloth hung up by the ends between them. A Priest then advances, and Makes a long prayer at the end of which He throws a young plantain tree into one of the Canoes, and the Hogs being turned loose the scramble is begun by all ages & sexes, and as they are frequently numerous they afford some sport before they are all taken. The Canoes, except they happen to be seized by a whole
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Indigenous Histories |  |
© Derived from the 1935 Print Edition edited by Owen Rutter, page 195, 2004
Published by kind permission of the Library
To cite this page use: https://paulturnbull.org/project/southseas/journals/-morrison-067.html