An Ancient Ceremony of

"Takibo"

An Ancient Ceremony of Tonga

Letter to the Editor 1 RECENTLY received from Rabaul a letter from someone who calls him self ‘‘A Student of Polynesian His tory”, whose signature I cannot de cipher, and he asks if I will explain for him the meaning of the Tongan word “Takibo”.

“Takibo”, according to the edition of the Tongan vocabulary originally pub lished by the late Rev. Stephen Rabone, means: “To hold a lighted torch through the night; a ceremony performed at the death of a chief”.

The ceremony of “Takibo” was per formed during the five days of lying-in state of the late Tongan King George Tubou 11. Guards stood upon the thres hold of the throne room, wherein the body of the King lay. Near the body stood other attendants who, silently, slowly and continuously waved silk streamers of red and white, the Tongan colours. This went on during the day.

Each evening, as the .sun set, lights appeared at regular intervals along the top of the broad stone wall which sur rounded the palace grounds—the lights being supplied by natives outside the grounds—while inside the grounds ap peared another series of lights whicn brought into relief the outline of the palace.

And then was seen a custom which is purely Tongan. Small parties of natives, clad in mats, took up positions several feet from the stone wall. They seated themselves before a mat or basket con taining very fine sand, which was spread over a space about 3 feet square. The headman of each group sat facing the wall and he was supported by a compan ion on either side —they faced each other with the sand heaped between them.

Certain dried parts of the coconut palm were then produced, and these were lighted and held over the sand by the headman of each group. As the flame gained strength, it produced a bright light.

There were about 60 of these watch fires, and each party of a dozen or more represented a district or town in Tonga.

As the sparks fell from the blazing torches, the men on either side of the torch quickly extinguished and removed all the falling cinders, so that the sand patch was kept clean and white. The people who looked after the torches were relieved, at intervals, and the ceremony went on all night. The spectacle was im pressive—especially the silence of the natives, who were assembled there in thousands. They simply sat in the dark ness, watching and waiting, with the characteristic patience of the Polynesian.

I do not know the meaning of the

ceremony. A Tongan will tell one that it is “faka toga”—that is, in the old Tongan way—but it is clear that it is something that has been handed down through the ages, and that it is em ployed only as a tribute to very high chiefs.

To students of Polynesian history—like my friend in Rabaul—there should be much of interest in this undoubtedly ancient ceremony. The attendance each evening of several bands of native musicians, who played in a very solemn fashion many selections of sacred music upon modern instruments, was a ming ling of the old order with the new.

I am, etc.

F. T. Goedicke.

Lotofoa, Haapai, July 30, 1940. (Mr. Goedicke’s letter has been some what condensed. If the resident of Rabaul who desires the particulars of “Takibo” will send his address to us, we shall send him Mr. Goedicke’s letter in full.—Ed. “P.1.M.”) The next meeting of the New Guinea Legislative Council will be held at Rabaul on September 24.

European residents and natives of Western Samoa are endeavoring to raise £5,000 for the purchase of a fighter plane for the Royal Air Force.

Mr. and Mrs. E. Grevsmuehi, of San Francisco U.S.A., who visited Western Samoa in July to renew old friendships, arrived in Tahiti in August. Mr. Grevs muehi was born in Samoa, his father having been engaged in trading for many years as Grevsmuehi and Co., on the present site of Bums Philp (S.S.) Co.’s large premises. Mr. Grevsmuehi went to America from Samoa in 1913.