HOLMES ANNIVERSARY VOLUME 



to depart over the southern mountain crest to its home in Vaie'e on 

 the glistening white sands of the beach which stretches along for most 

 of the south shore of 'Upolu. Visitors and hosts are gathered in the 

 great guest house of Vaiala for the parting, it is early in the morning 

 and the coconuts cast athwart the malae of Lelepa long shadows which 

 dance upon the neat turf under the first draft of the refreshing trade 

 wind. Within the house Tuia, the Vaie'e chief, sits at the proper post 

 in the front of the house (pepe), Tofaeono in the rounded end as befits 

 the host sits at his due station, Manogiamanu in lesser rank sits in 

 the house area near the central posts which support the lofty ridge- 

 pole. From the belt-like roll whereby his loin cloth is cinched about 

 his waist Tuia draws three pieces of dried kava root, each about a 

 finger length and of the girth of three fingers set together, holds the 

 bits in his palm, gazes at them in hesitation and depreciation, throws 

 them on the mats before him as matter of scant worth, and says in an 

 apologetic tone: 



Tuia. 



Nai fasi 'ava leaga ma le fa'atauva'a. A few scraps of kava, poor stuff and of 



no account at all. 

 Tofaeono. 



Soia le fetalaia! 'Ua manogi matua A truce, pray, to modest speaking, 

 lelei fasi 'ava nei. Most delicious fragrance have these 



scraps of kava. 



Approaching humbly Manogiamanu picks up the kava, conveys it 

 respectfully to Tofaeono, receives from him an equal amount of the 

 root, returns to his station, where he declaims the formal proclamation 

 of the kava in order that all may come near to share the pleasure. 



Manogiamanu. 



la! Fa'afogafoga ia 'outou susuga a la! Give ear, ye lords and chiefs and 



ali'i ma tapa'au 'ua aofia, 'o fasi 'ava people of this town here gathered 



nei o le ipu a le afioga a Tuia 'ua i together, these are the pieces of 



ai 'ia te a'u. O le a te'a 'i lona aiga. kava of the cup of his Excellency 



Tuia which I have here. He is about 

 to depart for his own home. 



The assembly individually in loud voice. 



Fa'afetai mau 'ava, fa'afetai lava mau Thanks for thy kava, thanks indeed 

 'ava. for thy kava. 



When the kava has been chewed, macerated, proved of the right 

 strength, and strained, the director of the bowl, the chief's son 

 (manaia), who is somewhat in the position of heir-apparent, proclaims 

 the readiness. 



[54] 



