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Samoa Under the Sailing Gods

II

II

The Government in Samoa is called the Malo. This means literally—the Conquering Party. It had always been the custom, from time immemorial, to pay tribute, in food, to the Malo. For the Government of a race of primitives, under such circumstances, to try to put a stop to an hospitable practice conveying this deeper implication, was deliberately to cut the ground from under its own feet.

Over and above this, the Administrator's order was calculated to defeat even its immediate purpose. We were making a drive, in the Agricultural Department, to get as much of the native plantations cleaned up as was possible, by means of communal work. In this way thousands of acres were cleared in Savaii during 1924. The quarterly inspection was regarded by the natives as in the nature of a gala. The bigger the Govern-page 174ment party that arrived, the more important was it considered, the greater was the excitement, and the better was the village pleased. For this reason we sometimes employed extra carriers. The event was made an occasion for festivity, and the inspections were probably less dreaded than desired. The few hours that the natives devoted to cooking food—of which we saw to it that they cultivated an abundance—should have been considered by the Administrator as very well spent. By robbing the day of its holiday aspect, the work in the plantations would have slumped hopelessly.

The projected instructions were issued, and caused great offence to the Samoans, who imagined that their hospitality was not appreciated. But they still continued to make presentations of food!