Unusual Custom in Honour of Fiji

Governor's Wife

WHEN Mrs. A. W. G. H. Grantham, wife of Fiji’s Governor, recently visited Rewa Province to see native pottery made, she was welcomed by the qalowaqa ceremony—a ceremony peculiar to the Rewa and Bau districts and infre quently seen. It is the ceremonial for welcoming ladies and differs greatly from the more usual reception for chiefs.

There is no presentation of yaqona and no yaqona (kava) ceremony.

When the launch on which Mrs. Gran tham and her party were travelling drew in to Lomanikoro two rows of native women were drawn up at the landing point. As soon as the launch had anchored one of them walked between

the two rows and was taken tp the launch where she placed a tabua on the deck at Mrs. Grantham’s feet. She then bent down and splashed the hull three times, afterwards returning to the shore and resuming her position in the line.

Mrs. Grantham’s party then went ashore, walking between the rows of women and was received at the end of them by a Chief. They were then con ducted to a specially-built shelter where the ceremony was completed by the pre sentation of food.

Mr. Steel, of the New Zealand Repara tion Estates, recently arrived in Apia, Western Samoa, with his family.