Oracle at Levuka. Sacrifices. 

 Religious festivals. 



CUSIOMS OF THE FEEJEE GROUP. Feejee marriages. 



209 



most shrewd and intelligent members of the com- 

 munity, and the reasons for their intimate union 

 with the chiefs are obvious; without the influence 

 of the superstition of which they are the agents, the 

 chief would be unable successfully to rule; while 

 without support from the authority of the chief, the 

 ambati could scarcely practise their mummeries 

 without detection. 



The priests, when their services are not wanted 

 by the chiefs, are sometimes driven to straits for 

 food. In such cases they have recourse to the 

 fears of the people, and among other modes of inti- 

 midation, threaten to eat them if their demands are 

 not complied with. To give force to the menace, 

 they pretend to have had communication with the 

 god in dreams, and assemble the people to hear the 

 message of the deity. This message is always por- 

 tentous of evil; the simple natives are thus induced 

 to make propitiatory offerings, which the priest ap- 

 plies to his own use. 



The priest at Levuka pretends to receive oracles 

 from a miniature mbure, an engine of superstition, 

 which he keeps behind a screen in the spirit- 

 house. It is about four feet high; the base is 

 about fifteen inches square; it is hollow within, 

 has an ear on one side of it, and a mouth and nose 

 on the other. 



This oracle is covered with scarlet and white 

 seeds, about the size of a large pea, which are 

 stuck upon it in fantastic figures with gum. To 

 the priest this is a labour-saving machine; for on 

 ordinary occasions, instead -of going through the 

 performance we have described, he merely whis- 

 pers in the ear of the model, and pretends to re- 

 ceive an answer by applying his own ear to its 

 mouth. 



The occasions on which the priests are required 

 to shake, are usually of the following kinds : to im- 

 plore good crops of yams and taro; on going to 

 battle; for propitious voyages; for rain ; for storms, 

 to drive boats and ships ashore, in order that the 

 natives may seize the property they are freighted 

 with ; and for the destruction of their enemies. 



When the prayers offered are for a deliverance 

 from famine, the priest directs the people to return 

 to their houses, in the name of Ndengei, who then 

 at his instance is expected to turn himself over, in 

 which case an earthquake ensues, which is to be 

 followed by a season of fertility. 



When it is determined to offer a sacrifice, the 

 people are assembled and addressed by a chief. 

 A time is then fixed for the ceremony, until which 

 time a taboo is laid upon pigs, turtles, &c. On the 

 appointed day, each man brings his quota of provi- 

 sions, and a whale's tooth if he have one. The 

 chief, accompanied by the others, approaches the 

 mbure, and while he offers up his prayers, the 

 people present their gifts. The latter then return 

 to their houses, and the offering is distributed by 

 the priest. 



When a chief wishes to supplicate a god for the 

 recovery of a sick friend, the return of a canoe, or 

 any other desired object, he takes a root of avaand 

 a whale's tooth to the mbure, and offers them to 

 the priest. The latter takes the whale's tooth in 

 his hands, and then goes through the operation of 

 shaking, &c., as has already been described. 



Besides the occasional consultation of the gods 

 through the ambati, there are stated religious festi- 

 vals. One of these, which is said to be only prac- 



tised in districts subject to Tui Levuka, takes 

 place in the month of November, and lasts four 

 days. At its commencement an influential matani- 

 vanua (landholder) proceeds just at sunset to the 

 outside of the koro, or town, where, in a loud voice, 

 he invokes the spirit of the sky, praying for good 

 crops and other blessings. This is followed by a 

 general beating of sticks and drums, and blowing of 

 conchs, which lasts for half an hour. During the 

 four days, the men live in the mbure, when they 

 feast upon the balolo*, a curious species of salt- 

 water worm, which makes its appearance at this 

 season, for one day, while the women and boys re- 

 main shut up in the houses. No labour is per- 

 mitted, no work carried on; and so strictly is this 

 rule observed, that not even a leaf is plucked; and 

 the offal is not removed from the houses. At day- 

 light on the expiration of the fourth night, the 

 whole town is in an uproar, and men and boys 

 scamper about, knocking with clubs and sticks at 

 the doors of the houses, crying out, " Sinariba." 

 This concludes the ceremony, and the usual routine 

 of affairs goes on thenceforth as usual. 



At Ambau a grand festival takes place at the in- 

 gathering of the fruits. This is called Bntami 

 mbulu (the spirit below or in the earth). On this 

 occasion a great feast is held, and the king, chiefs, 

 and people walk in procession, with great pomp 

 and ceremony, to Viwa, where they pay homage to 

 the spirit. I was unable to obtain further details 

 of this festival, but its object was explained to be a 

 return of thanks for the fruits of the earth. 



The marriages of the Feejeeans are sanctioned 

 by religious ceremonies, and, among the high chiefs, 

 are attended with much form and parade. As at 

 all other ceremonies, ava drinking forms an essential 

 part. The ambati, or priest, takes a seat, having 

 the bridegroom on his right and the bride on the 

 left hand. He then invokes the protection of the 

 god or spirit upon the bride, after which he leads 

 her to the bridegroom, and joins their hands, with 

 injunctions to love, honour, and obey, to be faithful 

 and die with each other. 



During this ceremony, the girls are engaged in 

 chewing the ava, on which the priest directs 

 the water to be poured, and cries out, " Ai sevu." 

 He then calls upon all the gods of the town or 

 island. He takes care to make no omission, lest 

 the neglected deity should inflict injury on the 

 couple he has united. He concludes the ceremony 

 by calling out "maua" (it is finished); to which 

 the people respond " ndina" (it is true). 



For the marriage of a woman, the consent of 

 her father, mother, and brother is required, 

 and must be asked by the intended husband. 

 Even if the father and mother assent, the re- 

 fusal of the brother will prevent the marriage; 

 but, with his concurrence, it may take place, even 

 if both father and mother oppose. In asking a 

 woman in marriage, rolls of tap;i, whales' teeth, 

 provisions, &c., are sometimes presented to the 

 parents. The acceptance of these signifies that 

 the suit is favourably received ; their rejection is a 

 refusal of the suit. 



If the proposals of the young man are received, 

 he gives notice of it to his own relations, who take 



The balolo is obtained at Wakaia, and is eaten both 

 cooked and raw, as suits the fancy, and from it November 

 receives its name. 



