[ HOME ]

Sports - Club and Spear - Wrestling -Tiga-tia - Surf-riding - Pig-hunting - Pigeon-catching - A Pigeon buys a whole Family - Sport in Earnest - Indoor Games - Introduction of Cricket - Becomes a Disease - German Objections - Cricket Processions - Two Hundred a Side - Political Cricket - Warlike Cricket - The Electric Circus - Consuls at a Discount - Topsy-turvy Natives - Samoan Imitation - Chance for Salvation Army.

SAMOANS have not a great variety of games or sports, and certainly no peculiarly national one.

In former times, club-and-spear practice was the most cherished amusement, from the mimic fight of the youngsters armed with reeds for spears, and the rib of the cocoa-nut for club, to the more serious training of the adults with real arms under the tuition of the elders of the tribe grown old and experienced in the field. These last exercises, however, partook of the nature of a duty, and since the introduction of firearms have entirely fallen into disuse. They are all very fond of wrestling, and become most expert at it. On the' Malae,' or villagegreen, may often be seen in the cool of the evening, pair after pair doing their best to hurl one another to the earth, and in no mild manner either, amidst the encouragement and applause of the village elders. These seated solemnly round about, swinging their fly-flaps with studied dignity, would discuss the merits of the various scientific points in the struggle before them, and no doubt, as is usual in every company of old fogies, would compare unfavourably the present style of the sport with that which was in vogue in their wrestling-days, and bewail the decadence of the generation they were criticizing, greatly to their own past glory.

A game called ' Tiga-tia ' is much affected at certain seasons of the year in fine weather. It consists of throwing a light peeled stick, about four feet long, as far as possible in a peculiar manner, the greatest length covered in a stated direction winning the game. The player takes the stick in his right hand, the tip of the forefinger being pressed against its extreme end in the form of a hook. Holding it square across his breast, he takes a short run, and throwing back his right arm, with all the force he can muster, dashes the stick flat on the ground, some little distance in front of him in the direction desired. If correctly and skilfully thrown, it bounces directly from the ground, and in a graceful curve sails away through the air to a great distance, much farther than it could be thrown direct.

On the water, surf-riding is greatly in vogue when the sea is in a fit condition; but I don't think, from accounts I have read, that the Samoan practice comes anywhere near in danger or skill that of this amusement in other islands. It is here practised only in shallow water inside the reef in canoes, or by swimming. With the former the occupant will paddle out until he gets within the line of breakers, when turning round stern to sea ready for a start, with gentle backing he will hold his canoe there in position until he sees a good roller approaching on which to run. As soon as it reaches him, with a dash or two of the paddle he sets his ship going on the crest of the wave, which immediately takes possession of her; and in the midst of the white water hissing and boiling all round, she starts in mad career for shore, like an arrow shot from a bow. One wave will perhaps leave her, but a second will soon catch her up; then on she will plunge until the full course is run, when out again to seaward will paddle the canoeist, if he desire to repeat the process.

The great difficulty in this sport lies in keeping the craft at right angles to the wave. The smallest inclination from the straight course, unless immediately strongly checked, will end by her taking charge of herself, broaching to, and consequently capsizing.

When surf-swimming is indulged in, the bather wades out as far as he can go on the reef, sometimes quite a considerable distance, carrying with him a flat board about three feet long. On a suitable wave arriving, he throws himself on his chest flat on the board, and as the billow breaks over him is carried on its foaming crest with great velocity towards shore.

Young people appear never to tire of this sport.

Day after day, when the weather is suitable, the line of white surf appears closely dotted with brown spots, the heads of the bathers; and the ringing shouts accompanying an ultra-successful effort are to be heard continuously, sounding merrily above the loud booming of the surf on the shore. At times, on level sandy bottoms, a game is played demonstrative of skill and endurance under water. A marked stone will be thrown into the deep water some distance from the player, who, carrying a heavy weight to keep him beneath the surface, will walk along the bottom and essay to find the marked stone.

Pig-hunting and pigeon-catching are the two principal sports. The former consists merely of chasing in the bush, and bailing up with dogs, animals which have exchanged their civilized life in the towns for independence in the mountain-side forests. They are not very plentiful, nor is the successful result of a hunt, in my opinion, at all an adequate remuneration for the physical efforts one has to make in following it through the dense bush.

Pigeon-catching is the oldest and most cherished sport in all Samoa, and, until lately, partook much more of the nature of a fixed ceremony than a mere amusement. It was made the occasion for feasting and junketing in a high degree, and whilst it lasted all sorts of irregularities could be indulged in without comment. At the proper time, which was when the pigeons in plenty had descended from the mountains in search of the berry-bearing trees near the coast, an open space was cleared in a favourable position in the bush, round the edges of which would be erected little leafy bowers with openings in the roof about a foot or so in diameter. Into these would crawl the sportsmen, accompanied by their decoy-birds fastened by the leg to a long string of light sinnet, and armed with a long-handled bamboo landing-net. Samoans take infinite trouble in training their decoy-birds, and value them very highly on their education being satisfactorily finished; indeed, they become so attached to them as never to let them out of their sight, feeding them in person, and even taking their pets with them when abroad. The reputation of a superior bird will spread all over the island, and become the talk of the sporting men in every district. History relates many instances of celebrated decoy-pigeons being the cause of great events in Samoa, both in war and friendly alliances, amongst which is a legend that the sovereignty was given in perpetuity to a family from which the present rebel King, Tupua Tamasese, is descended, in return for a bird of high attainments.

On the approach of the game, the decoy is tossed up through the hole in the roof, and, according to his training, circles round and round at the full length of his tether, attracting the wild-pigeons, who descend to make the closer acquaintance of the stranger. As they approach the decoy is gently pulled in, followed from motives of curiosity by the visitors, until, arrived within reach, at the proper moment the net suddenly puts in an appearance, makes a dexterous swoop, and the birds are landed.

In days of old these yearly pigeon festivals were attended by the entire population of the village, to the sad neglect of all domestic affairs. Old and young, schoolmaster and pupil, fisherman, pig-hunter, carpenter or agriculturist, no matter-all went to offer at St. Hurlingham's shrine in the bush, carrying with them all the provisions they could lay their hands upon, so as to ensure a good time of it in their sylvan quarters. In fact, for the time they returned to their original state of barbarism, making their picnic the excuse for undesirable orgies of a most damaging nature to the progress of the civilization they were so satisfactorily acquiring.

Thanks to their kind friends the missionaries, this is not so nowadays. The natives, at all times conscious of their sincere efforts to socially improve the race, listened attentively to their protests, and with the strong common-sense that the Samoans in general possess, were soon able to realize the damage that was being done to the cause of their own advancement by keeping up this dangerous old custom, and consequently abandoned all the objectionable parts thereof.

I have only seen three indoor Samoan games, one of which is played with small cocoa-nut-shell discs on a smooth narrow mat about four or five yards long and two feet wide. It consists of one player at one end of the mat knocking his opponent's disc from off it, and remaining thereon himself, having first placed his disc in position at the far end.

As a rule, all Samoans are fond of card-playing, and at euchre and all-fours can give points to many whites who fancy themselves clever at these games; especially the more matured females, who, if not watched, are inclined too closely to adopt the abandoned manner of playing generally attributed to the heathen Chinee. A pack of cards is always an acceptable present. The traveller in Samoa should never be without one. Produced in the evening at any house where he may stop on his journey, they will be found most useful in promoting a good understanding with the people with whom he is staying, who are always ready for a game of euchre, and truly pleased when the papalagi will join them in any amusement. They also play draughts with no ordinary skill; but whether this is a purely native game or an introduction, I never could satisfactorily determine.

For the first two years of my stay in Samoa, neither I nor any of the few British residents could ever persuade one single Samoan to join in our cricket, although their congeners, the Tongan residents in the group, were always ready for a game.

In Tonga the game was adopted so strongly, to the neglect of all domestic pursuits, that a law had to be passed to prevent their playing for more than one day a week. All at once the village of Apia Samoa was seized with a most frantic desire to fathom the mysteries of the game, and to become proficient in its practice; owing, it appeared, to some discussion the Samoan inhabitants had had with some Tongans who had twitted them on the subject of their ignorance of so grand an amusement.

A deputation attended on the Judge, a Britisher, and myself, requesting us to instruct them in the strict, Fa'a Peritania' - British manner-of playing cricket, for that was the version they wanted to learn, and not the 'Fa'a Tonga' - Tongan-one. They explained that as it was a British sport, we as British were likely to know more about it than the Tongans, and they thought that we could teach them in such a way that they might be able to beat these boasting men. We accordingly took them in hand, and soon succeeded in instilling the initial idea into their heads.

For a time all went on very smoothly, but the quiet and serious English style did not suit them long. One by one, innovations of their own and Tongan manufacture crept into the game, until soon nothing remained of cricket, pur et simple, but the practice of one man bowling a ball to another man trying to hit it. All the rest of the proceedings were purely of their own manufacture. However, this Samoan cricket found great favour all round, giving as it did in its improved form the excuse, always welcome, and never rejected, for feasting and parade, so dear to all Samoans. Soon all the neighbouring towns were playing, and cricket at last becoming quite an epidemic, it not only took possession of the island of its origin, Upolu, but crossing the straits en both sides, spread all over Tutuila and Savaii, until the whole group was infected with it. Age, sex and dignity alike fell under its influence, until at last there was not a village in which it was not vigorously practised to such a degree as to seriously interfere with domestic affairs.

The Germans were loud in their condemnation of cricket, seeing in it, quite irrespective of probable reduced supply of native produce for them to deal in, an inclination to favour things British, which it always was their studied practice to condemn and underrate, to the glorification of their own importance; and although they could not effect a cure in the provinces, they did succeed in putting such restrictions on the game in the municipality of Apia, that in the most popular play-places it was rendered impossible to carry it on. It was restricted on account of its danger, one ball having gone near to a woman in the course of over a year's play. I don't mean for one moment to say that these lunatics did not carry their frenzy to a somewhat hurtful extreme, but I am sure that the only damage done was to themselves; for I maintain that if they had never thought of cricket they would not have made an ounce more copra than they did. I also know that a very large amount of money must have passed into the hands of the store-keepers for cricket material and dresses, a different style of which they had new for nearly every match. These being the facts, the reason for so much Teutonic opposition must be sought elsewhere.

The processions on match-days are fearful and wonderful to behold. Headed by their Faamasinos, or judges, as they term their umpires, to the dulcet strains of the penny whistle and drum, banners flaunting gaily on the breeze, dressed up in the latest novelty specially designed for the purpose-most likely gone tick for at their pet store-bewreathed and begarlanded to an outrageous extent, the players in single file march through the town in swaggering military order. Each one is armed with his bat, shouldering it as though 'twere a war-club, and, at the word of command from their officers, goes through an entire special manual exercise whilst en route to the field. These officers are generally dressed in full naval uniform, with swords and cocked-hats complete, and are continuously running up and down the ranks, keeping their men in place and showing them off to the fullest extent in their power.

Following them close up will be the non-effective brigade, consisting of the women and children belonging to the doughty cricketers, also in gala dress, and carrying with them large quantities of eatables and drinkables for the refreshment of their relations about to do battle for the credit of the village they belong to.

It was the invariable practice of the Apia men on turning out for a match to halt in front of my Consulate, and drawn up in line receive word of command, 'Salute the British Consul!' whereupon the whole line would perform a studied exercise with their bats and arms, equivalent in signification, I suppose, to the present, whilst the band, with the colours in front of them, performed a duet for my benefit. They would then form up again in single file, and move off to their game.

This again roused the jealous suspicions of the Germans; for this compliment was never extended to anyone else but the Municipal Magistrate-who was a Britisher-and the one to whom they chiefly owed whatever they knew about cricket.

Their antics in the field beggar description. Each different club would have a distinct method of expressing its joy at the dismissal of an adversary from the wickets; some of them, of a most elaborate nature, must have taken much careful drilling in private to ensure such perfect performance in public.

The conventional number of eleven is thoroughly put on one side. It is nothing unusual to see thirty or forty opposed to one another, and I have known them to play as many as two hundred odd a side. The fact is, that these matches are of one town against another, in which all insist upon taking a hand. These huge meetings, as may be readily imagined, last a week or more, junketing going on the whole time, and generally wind up with a big feast.

Once, during a time of trouble, cricket assumed a political importance, by the aid of which the natives hoped to tide over a dangerous time until their expected relief arrived in the shape of British annexation, to put them out of their misery. They had officially written to England offering their country, and then, to avoid all further complications or roughly exacted explanations, they determined to start a cricket match of such stupendous proportions that it would last until they got an answer from home; during which time they considered that, being engaged in playing, they had a valid excuse for not taking notice of any business that might unpleasantly crop up. In fact, the entire Government was playing cricket, and could not be disturbed.

The game began, but I don't know whether it, was ever finished or not. Anyhow, I don't think it had any particular effect upon the usual run of politics; but I do know that their letter to England never was answered. Shortly after this incident the Germans were very much down upon the natives, finding fault with everything they did, and continually informing them that their insignificant little group was insulting the great German Empire; and they eventually forbade the King, under dire penalties, to play the game called 'cricket' at his seat of government.

Another instance of cricket entering within the sphere of politics occurred somewhere about the middle of 1885. It was at the time that the rebel King was at Leulumoega, talking rather loudly about war upon Malietoa, who, out of regard for his promises to the foreign Powers not to begin war, was very loth to take extreme measures; and, in consequence, had incurred the displeasure of some of the principal chiefs, amongst whom were many Apia men.

About this time Apia was due to play a cricket match at Iva, a district in the neighbouring island of Savaii; and with this proclaimed intention, to the number of about two hundred, they embarked in their boats one fine morning and set off. No one had the smallest idea 'but that it was the peaceful expedition it was stated to be, and having been a well-known arrangement previous to political matters assuming an ugly look, no suspicion whatever was engendered.

Nothing more dangerous than cricket-bats and balls were seen going on board; but I am afraid that if the mats had been lifted, it would have been found that for every bat there was an accompanying Snider or Winchester rifle, and that balls of not quite so harmless a nature formed the principal part of the ballast.

It turned out afterwards that secret messengers had been sent out some days before to the Iva people and others, informing them of the scheme, which was -without the King's knowledge, under the pretence of playing cricket-to assemble as great a number as possible, make a sudden descent upon the rebel stronghold, and put an end to the disturbance at one stroke.

It was hoped, and, indeed, to the last moment seemed probable, that neither the enemy nor the King would think that there was anything more deadly in the wind than the accustomed innocent cricket, and week or so of feasting.

Everything prospered well for the scheme. Whilst the juniors, to keep up appearances and to lull suspicions, were steadily playing, the old warriors were arranging all details for the raid. Everything was complete; but, -as is usual in all things Samoan, no secret can be long kept, and the very night that the purpose was to have been put into action, a messenger from the King arrived forbidding it.

Within the last six months of my stay in Samoa, the cricket rage weakened very considerably in Apia and its vicinity, owing to a new craze seizing upon all, both young and old alike.

On the arrival of Woodyear's Electric Circus, the entire population went mad for it. No such wonderful things had ever been seen before by Samoans, or dreamed of even in their wildest flights of imagination. They certainly had heard of similar wonders from some few of their people who had returned from abroad, but had treated their accounts as mere travellers' tales; but now here were the mysteries reported right before their eyes, only requiring the magic dollar to be revealed.

The members of the troupe appeared to them to be the most superior beings that had ever yet arrived in Samoa, foreign Consuls and merchants who had hitherto held the premier position not excepted. Which of the former, in spite of his cocked-hat, sword, and Civil Service uniform, could make so magnificent a display as these wonderful chiefs in all their proud resplendent glory of spangles and tights ? Could any of the former, with a ringing 'Houp, la !' bound in god-like agility, over ten or more horses side by side, turning double-barrelled somersaults all the way ? Could any of the latter, with all their riches in cloth, 'peasoopo,' or dollars, fearlessly career round and round in the ring on the bare back of the fiery, untamed, frantic steed of the great Sahara?

Could they illustrate in full and correct costume, with. bright scarlet face, the gay manner in which the great Chief Hiawatha or any other Red Indian went to work when on a gentle 'pasear' of scalping the whole of North American creation, and astonish the mild Pacific islander with the fearful and wonderful manual and platoon prescribed for the bow and arrow practice ?

The general verdict was, at least for the time, most emphatically No ! and on the trick monkey coming before the discriminating public to perform his part of the programme, the roars of laughter were immense when it was discovered that his costume was, for all the world, as similar as possible to that of the British Consul.

It was now anything to raise a dollar to go and see these marvels, consequently no difficulty was experienced in obtaining any number of men for any sort of work, such was the general fit of industry 'brought on by circus influence. The young ladies, always amiable, under it became doubly so, and many were the pretty little presents brought to the papalagi, for whom they had so great an esteem; of course, from no other motive but respect. Strange to say, however by some means or other the conversation always turned upon this wonderful 'tifaga,' and was invariably wound up with a most ingenuous and modest request to be passed into its wondrous Hall of Delight. 'Tifaga' is a Samoan word signifying jugglery, and was applied to this circus.

If imitation is, as it is said to be, the sincerest form of flattery, no circus ever received a larger share of that commodity than ours; for the whole day long, and sometimes far into the moonlit night, no male under the age of fifty was to be seen standing the right end up.

The general male public passed all their time on the sand, throwing themselves about, regardless of bumps and thumps, to fathom the mysteries and master the art of lofty and ground tumbling, in which many of the other sex joined; but they, as a rule, confined themselves to the accomplishment of the steps of the Highland fling as danced in full costume by the beauteous damsel in the circus.

They eventually formed themselves into troupes, and with more or less accuracy performed the entire programme they had witnessed, clown and Japanese entertainment not left out. Their dresses, also, were as close copies of the originals as could possibly be had in Samoa, and no expense was spared on them. In all things their imitative genius was very remarkable, and exact in some cases to ridiculous pitch.

Anything with them for a novel excitement. I am sure that if the Salvation Army were to visit Samoa, they would capture the whole group in less than no time. Nothing would be more calculated to attract the entire population. Missionary, Consul, and Magistrate would, for a time at least, be entirely free from native cares.

PREVIOUS CHAPTER NEXT CHAPTER