Two Friends

A Story of Fijian Hospitality Two Friends For Dinner

By Inez Hames

Alite picked up a sharp-edged shell from the mats on which she

was sitting, and scraped firmly

along the mid-rib of a long pan

danus leaf, split it into narrow

pieces, adding them to a heap in the corner.

ALITE was a good Fijian house wife. Moments must not be wasted. In spare time pandanus leaf must be prepared and mats woven. Some of the mats in her house were her work, and some were her mother’s. But all were well done.

In this roomy home they covered the whole area from wall to wall, and also the large bed at the upper end of the room. Bundles of mats, too, were stored overhead in the house-rafters, ready for emergen cies, such as weddings or funerals.

The mat-covered bed, a table, two easy chairs and a large wooden safe were the only articles of furni ture in the house.

Turu, master of the house, hus band of Alite, lay asleep on the floor-mats, between two opposite doors, midway down the house, where a pleasant draught of air cooled the tropical atmosphere.

Suva Would Be Better Though mats were laid on earthen floors, they were soft and springy, for Alite had renewed the dry fern under them only yesterday, carrying it for a mile on her back from the hillside where it grew.

“Wake up, Turu,” she said. “Don’t be so lazy. The children will be home from school soon, and you haven’t even started your day’s work.”

“I know,” he said, awakening. “I

hate village life. I get so lazy. If I were working on a job in Suva, I’d be all right. I’d work hard.” He stood up, a strong, muscular, well built Fijian man.

“I’ll catch a fowl,” he said, “and then go and get some taro from my plantation. You’ll want them for

these European visitors tomorro “I should think so,” said A. good-humouredly. ‘‘They’re yi friends. You’d better hurry up.”

Turu, clad only in khaki sho; stepped out into the sunshine. A. also stood up, a tall, lithe figi She tightened the sulu round ] waist.

Alite loved village life. This ho she was proud of. The high raft were trunks of trees, as were 1 posts that supported the rc Rafters and roof-poles, wall-pc and thatch that covered them, re< that made such pretty patterns the walls, and sinnet that tied into place—all had grown in neai jungle and forest. Only £lOO 1

(Continued on p. 97)

Soup In Suspension

That's soup hanging up there—shark fin soup! "RIM" man Jim Shortall took the photograph recently in Suva where the shark fins were hanging to dry on lines aboard the Japanese tuna mother ship "Tenyo Maru".

e had cost—not for building trials, but for food for the men had built it. t that miserable place they had in when Turu had worked in . How Alite had hated it. True, had earned £3/0/6 a week as s. But 10/- of it had to be out each week for a room 12 ft ft, and sharing that outside r-tap with two Indian families!

Turu liked it, and the children to a better school there, te took six empty bottles and them in a basket, slung the *t on her back by long home -5 plaited ropes and set off to a im for water. Primitive were arrangements.

Visitors Tomorrow

e stepped over the door-sill, wed a path out of the village, a bank to a stream, and filled bottles, swung the basket full )ttles onto her back, held the ?d cords, and, bent with the tit of the bottles of water, :d her way with her bare feet ie narrow path, and along the to the village, and into her ■en where she placed the bottles ully m a corner. There was water supply for the next few t these visitors tomorrow. Turu said they were interested to see Fijians lived. She must go ?et firewood. (Over)

lite’s kitchen was a detached hut jw yards from the house. The s were bamboo, the roof leaf ch, the floor hard earth. The iture nothing at all. One old, >by mat was spread near the >lace. Two fern-trunks half em led in the earth made a square er for a fireplace. On two large es rested two iron bars. On e stood two kerosene tins. one corner of the room stood ane-knife and a spade, and e was the basket in which the ies of water had been carried, irst, firewood,” thought Alite. ’ she called to a ten-year-old passing the door. “Get me some nuts. Where’s Tom?” a the house,” said Jo. ret out of your school clothes,” said, “and help me.” walked up a tree, holding by hand, and threw down nuts, h Tom and he grated. All got ork after a quick meal of boiled A fire was stoked, a camp oven Dwed, embers piled under and t, poultry roasted in it, then es. Prawns were brought from stream, coconut sauce made, and yams cooked, tey worked all night. ie big house was tidied, all went he river and bathed and re ed to put on their neatest, jst clothes. hospitable welcome was given im and Nora Mclliloy, of New and. There were smiles and Ishakes and obvious goodwill. ow nice to see how the Fijians y live,” said Nora, as they left . “And how pleased they were ie us.” n started up the car engine, ut what a lazy life,” said Nora, housework, and just one room!” ite, Turu and the children just down on the mats, and were fast asleep.