Makalesi and Akaripa

By “Kai Viti”

IT was very dark and still in the Fijian town of . . . The household was asleep as Makalesi crept out of her bed at a late hour and made her way outside. She was unable to sleep in the hot, stuffy atmosphere of the bure and felt sorely in need of some fresh air.

A village dog barked and she made an involuntary exclamation, causing the animal to continue barking and threaten to wake the whole town.

Makalesi quietened the mongrel and valked quickly towards the river nearby, vhere she received another shock. A foung man was following her!

“Ko iko, a cava ko vinakata? A cava to muri au kina? Lako tani. Sa!”

Makalesi said to him.

He replied: “Kua ni rere noqui tau omani, au sega ni nakita edua na ka ca fei iko. Yalvinaka ka rogoca mada na loqu vosa.” (“Do not be frightened, my lear friend. I have no evil intentions to wards you. Please first hear what I have o say.”) Then commenced the strangest wooing ver Fijian maid had. The young man aid his name was Akaripa, and that he rrived three days ago from Lau. He had •aught sight of Makalesi several times, le said, and knew there was no other girl n the world for him. In fact, so capti ated and enthralled was he that he ould not sleep for thinking of her, and ecided that night that he must try and ave speech with her, somehow or other, tis astonishment and delight, therefore, new no bounds when he saw the girl f his heart emerge from her bure.

Makalesi, impressed with the young lan’s earnestness and impetuosity, fell nder his spell.

Akaripa was tall and handsome with lack eyes and dazzling white teeth; a aperb body, strong and lithe, perfectly roportioned. “What a husband he would take me,” thought Makalesi, “and what onderful children we would have.” .And who could adequately describe .akalesi! Akaripa had never seen a .aiden to equal her, and he had had ide experience. The young man was •ell-bound with her beauty and, al lough usually at no loss for words, found difficult to proceed with his proposal.

Co ? ie i<T^ ith me ’ my beloved,” he *gged. I have a boat all ready to sail id we would be miles away before dis •very is made, and then it will be too te to stop us. We will get married when te/” 30 * 1 bome and live happily ever TOW, this was not Makalesi’s first i flutter, by any means, but it was the aJ' 1111 ® s^e bad been deeply oved. After an almost imperceptible LUse ’ sh ® said: “Very well but I must • and gather my belongings. I have some ,ry P r |cious things of my own. Just * f ® w , minutes, and I will be back .am. Reluctantly, Akaripa let her go, ter clasping her tightly for a few conds.

Makalesi stole away, and after what emed an eternity, returned with a small fc c . a i S , e ,,, an J a bundle of mats, etc. ikefn! 7 bo Sh6 * £? S S? d - “ My father is fvSnA might discover my absence S7«J5 mute ! J S Qd c °me looking for me.”

With rapidity the lovers made off to e boat and set sail without delay. The rly morning breeze wafted them down it a ?i d by da yiigbt they were well ri “ a ;. Akaripa was a born sailor, and innlf m order ’ including a sub antial provision of food and water.

Alter six days sailing they arrived at .if and what a voyage they th ? fc ° eac h to sail thl ocean a wonderful new-found lover.

Impressed by the welcome given Aka ripa by the inhabitants of (an island in the Lau Group), Makalesi thought he must be of very high rank and said to him: “Are you the Roko Tui Lau, by any chance?”

“No, darling,” Akaripa said. “Actually, I am not a Lauan, but a Rarotongan. My parents visited when I was an infant, and both died of influenza soon after. A very high Chief adopted me and when he died I was looked upon as his successor, and have lived here ever since.”

Makalesi and Akaripa were married according to law, and the attendance at the wedding was the largest ever seen in Lau. Guests came from far and near, and presented rare and costly gifts. This romance is still often recounted by the people of although it happened long ago. The two children of the union, a boy and girl, are married, and are as handsome as their parents.