10 VAUGHAN MacCAUGHEY 



a single machete stroke will fell a large plant. The cross-section 

 of the stem reveals the bud of young leaves or fruit in the center, 

 and the -progressively older leaves forming successive peripheral 

 envelopments. The long leaf-sheaths that compose the stem 

 are fibrous. This fiber is collected and dried by the natives for 

 the stringing of garlands, etc. In olden times the banana 

 fiber was used in a great many ways, but these ancient practices 

 have fallen into disuse since the introduction of cheap cotton 

 thread and twine. The Hawaiian benana fiber is structurally the 

 same as the ''Manila hemp" of commerce, which is obtained 

 from the leaf-sheaths of the Philippine banana, Musa textilis. 



In ancient Hawaii the large leaf-blades of the banana were 

 commonly used as tableclothes, at the times of the great feasts 

 and carnivals. A quantity of the leaves were gathered and 

 spread out on the ground or mattings. Their clean, smooth, 

 bright green surfaces made an excellent and attractive back- 

 ground for the profusion of the feast or luau. 



All parts of the banana plant are filled with a watery latex that 

 turns very dark brown or black upon exposure to the air, and 

 forms an indelible stain. This juice was used by the natives in a 

 variety of ways, for marking the tapa or bark-cloth, for staining 

 or decorating their household utensils, gourds, etc. This latex 

 may be secured from any part of the plant, but is most abundant 

 in the scape of the young fruit-bunch. If this be severed the 

 cut surface will ''bleed" profusely for a long time, and a consid- 

 erable quantity of the juice may be gathered in this way. 



In the ancient regime, when the dreadful tabu system was in 

 full force, bananas were among the food prohibited to the women, 

 on pain of death. Bananas, coco-nut, pork, turtle, certain 

 species of fish, etc., were absolutely forbidden for all females, 

 regardless of rank or power. ' The tabu laws were enforced with 

 the greatest rigor. Alexander states that "two young girls of 

 the highest rank, Kapiolani and Keoua, having been detected in 

 the act of eating a banana, their kahu, or tutor, was held respon- 

 sible, and put to death by drowning. Shortly before the aboli- 

 tion of the tabus, a little girl had one of her eyes scooped out for 

 the same offense." Until the decadence of the tabu system, 



