134 



SAMOAN GROUP. 



Christian women may still be induced to exhibit the former, which 

 they call siva. The mode of performing it differs from that of the 

 Tahitians, but is like it lascivious, and neither of them would be called 

 dances in our sense of the term. The dance is usually performed by 

 young girls, who stand up before the audience, throwing their arms, 

 legs, feet, and hands, in numerous strange attitudes, which are any 

 thing but graceful. The others who are present sing amusing words, 

 in two or three parts, while a third or fourth part is kept up in a 

 coarse grunt or guttural sound, in the bass clef. The words are com- 

 prised in short sentences, each of which finishes suddenly with a 

 staccato note, and a violent gesture. The music of one of the dances 

 at Tutuila was as follows : 



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The females, unlike those of Tahiti, have not many musical voices 

 among them, but, in common with other uncivilized races, have a 

 perfect knowledge of time. 



The men, on the contrary, produce round rich sounds, rather below 

 tenor, but as wild as nature would have them to be. 



The dance of the girls at Upolu consisted entirely of motions of the 

 body, and was so indelicate as to produce disgust. The chaunt which 

 accompanied it was sung with a high voice, and three or four women 

 were employed in beating time on the mats with short sticks, in which 

 most of the spectators joined with their hands. In all cases they kept 

 time with the greatest accuracy. 



The Samoan drum is made of a part of a tree, hollowed out ; they 

 have also an, instrument, formed of a loose slat fitted into a board, on 

 which they beat time with two sticks. Their flute, if it may be so 

 called, is made of bamboo, as are also their pipes, which resemble those 

 of Pan. 



The dances of the men are by no means indecorous. Those who 

 perform them vary in number from two to a dozen, and are divided 

 into two parties. These parties alternately advance and retreat, 

 which gives an appearance of animation. Clapping their hands, 

 swinging them to and fro, or clasping them over their heads, they 

 follow each other in a circle, leaping up and down, and turning 

 suddenly around, keeping time to the music. The dances continue 

 a considerable time, and end with a sudden clap of the hands and a 

 simultaneous shout. 



/ 



