Fierce Fight

One Killed and Several Injured in Samoan Brawl

From Our Own Correspondent APIA, June 26.

A BREACH of native etiquette led to a brawl, the death of a man, and a charge of murder, during festivities which followed the opening of a new church in the east coast district.

A Po Pese (or singing competition) took place between the choirs of the Catholic churches from the villages of Siumu, Nofoalii and Safata; and the prize, two calves, was won by Siumu. A Samoan of Nofoalii, for some reason, started to beat a calf which was tied to a tree together with the two prize calves.

The third calf belonged to Falefa village.

The beating of an animal belonging to a Samoan by another Samoan is, according' to ancient Samoan custom, considered . a deadly insult. So a Falefa native attempted to stop the Nofoalii man from maltreating the Falefa calf.

A fierce fight developed in which immedi ately the men of both villages took part.

Stones, sticks and knives were used.

A few minutes after, when priests and chiefs rushed in to stop the fight, a number of wounded men lay on the ground. Also, a Nofoalii matai, who was struck by a stone on the temple and also hit at the base of the head with a stick, subsequently died from his injuries. Other Samoans were injured more or less seriously, but not fatally.

The police made an arrest.

The chiefs of Falefa and other east coast villages have gone to Nofoalii, home of the killed man for the ceremony of ifoga (or peace offering and atonement) and are asking for the pardon of the offended village and families, and offering fine mats as a peace offering.