PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION G. 655 
12.—_THE GENEALOGY OF THE KINGS AND 
PRINCES OF SAMOA. 
By Rev. Greorce Pratt. 
(1).—InrRopuctTion. 
I gor this “Genealogy of the Kings of Samoa” from Rey. T. 
Powell, who was missionary of Manu’a; that was, perhaps, 
some 35 years ago. He obtained it from the Keepers of the 
Genealogies under a promise of not divulging it to Samoans. The 
office of keeper was hereditary in one family. When pressed by 
parties whom they could not well refuse, they were in the habit 
of falsifying the account, so as to render them useless. The 
father communicated the narrative to the son who was to be his 
successor, and he committed it to memory from his father’s 
mouth. Bards as such could not be hereditary, for even among 
Samoans Joeta nascitur, non fit. 
The poet composed his song as occasion called for it, line by 
line, and as he recited it the young persons around held it in 
their memory. Every chief has his praises sung—every event 
brings forth anew song. Yet heavy tines cannot keep the poetic 
fire from indulging in cutting sarcastic songs, and in war time 
these are more stinging than gunshot wounds. As to the 
chronicles themselves it is clear that, like the chronicles of the 
kings of Israel, the chroniclers of different generations must have 
added to the former accounts. 
It is difficult even to guess the antiquity of these records, 
because a brother often, nay, generally, succeeds a_ brother, 
consequently the reigns do not represent generations. For 
instance, two brothers of Malietoa succeeded him, one after the 
death of the other. Then again, the narrative begins with myths ~ 
and the gods. “The eighth heaven,” like the third heaven of 
the Hebrews, was the residence of the gods. Man, having grown 
out of the earth, was necessitated to seek a wife from heaven. In 
those days the heavens were thought so near to earth that they 
could be reached by climbing into a tree. ‘The sacred fish” was 
taken to Maileitele. Several fishes were considered sacred. A 
turtle was caught and eaten by some villagers. instead of 
being taken to their chief. The whole village was banished 
in consequence. 
MEANINGS OF SOME OF THE NAMES IN THE GENEALOGY OF THE 
SaMoAN KINGS, 
Alatana nae .» War-path, 
Alvitasi ip -.. One-chief. 
Falaleomalie ... ... Sweet-sounding mat. 
