THE PEOPLE. 91 one of the Ying-feathers ; but as its weight would endanger the canoe, a smaller feather was selected, by means of which they sailed safely home. Before starting, however, they cast the dead bird into the sea, thereby causing such a surge as to " flood the foundation of the sky." This is given as a fair specimen of a Fijian meke of the common kind. Many more might be cited, were it necessary ; but only such will be brought forward as are strikingly illustrative of style, or of the rise of a better state of things among the people. A sort of dialogue or antiphony is common in the melees ; but one in regular triplets is not usual. The following is a good example : — MATA. — " Ai tuhutuhu lea muri wailala, Muria mai na iubu levu Idla, VaJcavuravura, e mala ni darataP DOMO MAI LOMA. — '* Vuva ca oqori, se vura vinaka f Zalaqila sa yadra cala Cabo dali, Keitou vakatama." MATA. — " Na VUi-levu, Jca sa samu lata, Sa dravutaki na Jcena tamata, Me tou se M tubu levu lalo^ Dulena. " Ka vuTci na losulu, ka yau Na Dilolevu ka vakatav.tau, Me qorica toka ko Tnicakau, Ka bar a curu loloma koi au : Mo curu mai ko Adi kea Ban, Na rerega ko solia vei au, QoqoU sili a lewa ni Lasakau, Bogi mai ko ligoligoci au." In the above, a Mata or herald is supposed to poclaim an official message, when " a voice from within" inquires as to its purport, to which he replies by announcing some disastrous occurrences on Viti Levu. The dulena which is found in many mehes, is a sort of epode, rarely having any reference whatever to the preceding subject, but being generally, as in the present instance, the vehicle of indelicate allusions, in which the point and beauty of the song are thought to consist. Hence when a native yields to the purer influence of Christianity, he bids farewell to the nocturnal dance ; and a knowledge of the above fact will enable those to form a better judgment, who have condemned the practice of the Missionaries in discountenancing the native dances. Some few of the mehes rhyme fairly throughout, and preserve a 7
Page:Williams and Calvert, Fiji and the Fijians, New York, 1860.djvu/117
This page needs to be proofread.
