CHURCHILL— SAMOAN KAVA CUSTOM 



Manaia. 



Talatalanoa pea, tapa'au e afifio na, Continue the informal conversation 



'a 'o le 'ava taute o le fesilafaiga 'ua if you will, but the kava drink of 



matou sui i vai se'ia usi ane i le social remembrance we dilute with 



fa'asoasoa. water until it is strained for serving. 



The assembly, following the cry with clapping of hands. 



la, fa'asoa ia ma se manuia. la, serve it with good fortune. 



Manaia, calling the cup of Tuia first as the guest of honor. 

 Le ipu a Fasialipia. The cup of Fasialipia. 



Tuia, taking the cup, a polished coconut shell of a pint capacity, 

 and pouring a libation. 



Gasegase, malie lau pule. Taumafa Your courtesy overwhelms me; may 

 'ava le aitu, 'ua matagofie le fesila- your dominion endure. Let the god 



faiga lenei. quaff kava, this recognition is de- 



corous. 



Manaia, calling the cup of Tofaeono. 



Le ipu a Ailaomaletagata. The cup of Ailaomaletagata. 



Tofaeono, clapping hands. 



Fa'afetai, ia manuia. Thanks, may good fortune endure. 



Manaia, calling the cup of the speechmaker. 



Lau 'ava a Manogiamanu. Thy kava, Manogiamanu. 



Manogiamanu. 



Fa'afetai fa'aalo. Thank you with great reverence. 



Manaia proclaims the conclusion of the ceremony. 



Le 'ava 'ua motu, 'ua mativa le fau, e The kava is snapped off, the fiber of 

 leai se mea i le tanoa. the strainer is destitute, naught re- 



mains in the bowl. 



Other kava may have richer form, none has less. We might cite 

 the king's kava of Manu'a at his induction where the attendants rush 

 forth and lay waste the town, its houses, and its fruit trees when Tui 

 Manu'a quaffs. We might describe the royal kava of 'Upolu where the 

 king's cup is sent back for filling ten times before it is considered full. 

 But this less ornate ceremonial of the kava of simple gentlefolk will 

 suffice. 



All records of human society are filled with the pleasures of some 

 cup, social life centers about the bowl. Something there is that flows 

 and as it flows maketh glad the heart of man, and this something of 

 liquid joy is never water. It may be the ferment product of the juice 

 of fruits, or its more potent distillate, it may be the infusion of herbs 

 with their content of alkaloids, it may even be the corporal extractive 



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