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van (paritium tiliaceum, tricuspis, and purpurescens), 



arc are also used for Ukus, particularly in the in- 

 terior of Viti Lcvu. The tough woody branches 

 and stems of some climbers, beaten into fibres, are 

 used for the same purpose. The climber from which 

 the most of these are made is alyxia bracteolosa. 



When working, or travelling along a muddy path, 

 or through long wet grass or reeds, the Fijian doffs 

 his clean cotton sulu or fashionable Uku, and dons 

 one of the latter, made of very simple material, 

 viz., one or two banana leaves, which he fastens 

 round the loins by their mid-ribs and allows the 

 blades of the leaves to fall in shreds over his thighs, 

 A man's lihu hanging on a stick or laid upon a 

 stone by the side of a stream, is a tabu against 

 women bathing there ; and if a woman's llku, it is 

 a tabic against any man going near the place. 

 Anyone who knowingly breaks the tabu smarts 

 for it. 



The leaves of some species of pandanus (p. odor- 

 atissimus and caricosus) balaiva and voivoi, are used 

 for making mats to cover the floors and sleep upon. 

 The finest mats are made from two species of sedge, 

 called kauta and ya (eleoeharis articulata and varie- 

 gata) which grow profusely in swamps. The leaves 

 are well bleached in the sun before being used. 

 This renders them tough and pliable, and gives the 

 mats a yellowish colour when made up. 



Fans are made from the fibres of various plants. 

 Those most valued are made from a single leaf of a 

 fan palm (pritchardia pacifica), bordered with a strip 

 of bamboo, to prevent the leaf splitting. The borders 

 of mats and fans are tastefully ornamented with 

 ("loured wool, feathers, &c. 



