Samoa, A Hundred Years Ago And Long Before by George Turner
page 113 of 222 (50%)
page 113 of 222 (50%)
![]() | ![]() |
|
the game. A supply of some kind of food was the usual forfeit in all
their games. _Clasp and undo_ was another kind of wrestling. One man clasped a second tightly round the waist, and this second does the same to a third. The three thus fastened together lay down and challenged any single man to separate them. If he succeeded, they paid the forfeit; if not, he did. _Throwing the spear_ was also common. The young men of one street or village matched against those of another; and, after fixing a mark in the distance, threw a small wooden javelin so that it might first strike the ground, and then spring upwards and onwards in the direction of the mark. They who threw farthest won the game, and had a repast of food at the expense of those who lost it. In more direct spear-throwing they set up the stem of a young cocoa-nut tree, with the base upwards, which is soft and spongy. One party threw at it, and filled it with spears. The other party threw, and tried to knock them down. If any remained after all had thrown they were counted until they reached the number fixed for the game. In another of these amusements a man stood in the distance and allowed another to throw spears at him. He had no shield, but merely a club; and with this he showed surprising dexterity in hitting off spear after spear as it approached him. _Fishing matches_ were in vogue at particular seasons. The party who took the most fish won, and were treated with cooked pigs and other viands by those who lost. _Pigeon-catching_ was another amusement, and one, like our English |
|