1957-07-27 — Page 6

THE CHINA MAIL, SATURDAY, JULY 27, 1957.

.to coral beaches and waving palms

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When pagans

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(Continued from Page 5)

no

"Then, because

I could Jonger bear my grief, I went to my slater, crying. I will not mrry that old man, Let your husband kill me rather.'

She looked into my eyes and whispered, 'You are in love with someone else. Tell me the truth, Who is it?"

"I answered, weeping. I love Tanyaro and I will marry only

She did not scold me, but tools. me in her arms, saying, Tan кого

alas! he is very poor. When did he dare to speak to you?'

"I told her the truth: he had never spoken to me; but I knew he loved me, for our eyes had spoken to each other. It hap- pened is the mangaba [meeting house] of our village, when I

of my seclu was brought out slom to lend my coming-of-age

dance,"

in front of a triple crescent of seasoned dancers who took their time from her,

"My eyes saw only Tangaro that night. Every gesture of my dance was for him. My sister's husband praised mo at the end for the excellence of my kaleiket [gestures]. That made me known here, Tengaro is thinking too, alone there in his canoe shed,"

mine; I said to myself. Let them kill me after this, I shall have belonged to him."

"But when I had said my say, he was siloni. He lay so long raying not a word that I cried, *Tongaro, what is it? Then. suddenly he sat up and pushed me away. His voice was angry when he spoke Woman, you aro mad! They will kill you if I do this thing to you.'

"So then I lied to him: Foolish Tangar! No one will kill me. My sister bad promised to inter- code for me. It is quite certain I shall not be killed, Now take me for your own, and siter д while, when nobody is angry any more, you shall buy me with a small piece of land. This is the way to win happiness in the end."

come back. He said again, Who is your lover?'

rat, a rut-I whispered for my voice was alek. You die then, he mid and stopped by breath until the darkness closed over me.

"But behold now my sister, the brave, the tender-hearted! She sees ne hanging from her husband's hands,

"I am nearly dead. She runs. She les before him in the dust to make her prayer.

“I told her I

was afraid

Protestant missions had been ut same tree. They doubtless felt, work in the islands for about 50 with his mother, that life was years, and the local administra- !0 longer worth living in a Lion for a decode more or less. world of memories that the law

had dishonoured for ever.

ER head is between his in one or two southern islaide, Some original

11 feet. The head of a chlers "He only laughed at that, You daughtert His feet will trample are the foolish one, not I. Why, it. How terrible that shome I have nothing but two pieces of before the watching crowd-so land-one big, one smalt no terrible they

hide their Lycs; price for a chief's daughter. And their hearts turn over for wonder when I told him that nothing and pity; they weep; they cry to would buy me once he had made her husband, Grant her prayer, she die for came we beg you, lest The day set me worthless, his anger

Arst ones: he shouted, 'You are mad, shame in the dust beneath your for my marrloge was the full moon of the

of you are wicked.''

Grant her the life of her

"But, clas! thought my sister's heart was sore for me, she fear nd her husband's anger and would do nothing to help.

"Time passed.

season

You

Rumwimasia [The Serpion). it "So at last 1 was angry and was very close when I made my shouted too: 'You do not love

my sister's me. and last prayer,

You wish only to see me patience ended, and she slapped married to that old man. me, crying. You little fool! You refuse me because you already know nothing of love. You don't desire another woman' by her seclusion even know if Tangaro really the 12 months of segregation in loves you. Now be allent for the twilight of a triple-screened ever!" house, which every maiden used to undergo.

She meant

high-born

"I ran out among the trees. I did not weep. I said to myself:

The velvet of Nobody will help me. But if i

a peach

were no longer à maiden, and that oki man knew it, he would refuse to pay the bride-price for me,

"He began to tremble. He 'Go quickly lest I will K myself for words you do mean."

foot.

sister.'

"And he for pride of her love red shame of her shrme cannot deny her.

enough.

There was no popular demand for it. On the contrary, except tremendous pagan majorities stili

their. the polygamy clung cncestors and the strictly con- trolled system of sex-conduct that wont with it.

But

ideas

THE chaos of conflict between the new and the old morall- for the tier, riobody spoke

cnlivened by doctrinal sectarian minority went through the warring Christian scets, was pugans; the petition of the squabbles between members of to London backed by the adapt to throw up some original ministration (so much must be ideas as to the comparative sold in fairness to the Colonial gravity of sex offences in reld- Office of the day), and that was on to other skis of importance abysmally that.

In the Christian calendar.

As soon as the new law come Into local force, a multitude of "His rago dies. He lets me

women who had cajayad the of secondary fall to the ground. He lifts my honourable status

'It is

wives under the old sald sister, saying,

system you This woman Ives. But take her found themselves suddenly con- not cut

sverted into potential adulteresses. of my sight, for she worthless. And they carry me away lo my vestem beach,

“As good as dead...*

I shall never forget the one put forward by a cheerful young wcomer of the highly indoc- trated island of Beru,

We met when I was still young in my servico

at a monthly session of her island

on her trial for third act of unfaithfulness to her equally inconstant but still very jealous husband (who was there

give evidence against her) and I in aliendance to

house above the No attempt to set

"My sister was sitting ben Alas, side me when I woke, Teorurul Why did you lie?'— these were her frs, words, and

I knew she knew I had belonged

to no lover.

"I was afraid. I tried to speak,

rebel

TAT is to say, the criminal watch her defence.

rode of the day allowed of no

She was likely to get as much distinction between the situation

as six months this time, unless of sub-wife and that of any mitigating circumstances could ordinary breaker-up of home; be clearly shown.

"I sat among the trees, think- PROTECTED there from

assing: Even if my sister's hus- 46 RAN away weeping. But see! swirays, and carefully mass- band küled me for that it would

When I came near the aged three times a day with it better to die so thou marry village dawn was breaking. The cream of coconut flesh, her body anyone but Tangaro! I said to women were already at work but my voice was dead lo my she could be brought to trial was gradually blanched from myself at last: So be it. Come among the trees. They all saw throat; I could only beg her with before her iced court and im- Things began to go badly fon olive brown to the clear velvet what many I will go quickly me as I run,

They called my my lips, 'Don't tell, don't tell!' prisoned for common adultery hur as soon as the had been gold of a peach.

and ask

spot name. I knew then that I was as She took my hand in hers, say it anything so contumacious as found guilty and it was time to Tangaro to This was done to bring her me for that old man.

dead already. Then I good as

Who ing, 'Sleep now. I will not tell.' pagan love or loyalty tempted consider the sentence. complexion as near as might be shall die happy, all his.'

would believe that I had crept

"She gave me water.

eling to the father of My or stu to that of her people's hero

"I know that he slept alone out like a rat in the night to re- ancestors, the fair-skinned, blue in his canoe shed; most, of the turn a maid? But I was not heart was at peace. I slept until her children, eyed race of Matang, Land of young men did In those days, afraid I was glad; I wish the next day's sunset. And when The pagans liked and admired Heart's Desire behind the sun. So, "that'

same night, when ed for nothing but death. I only I could speak I told her how the white man; so there was Bet.

everyone was asleep, I crept wanted to make sure of being Tangaro had driven me away no attempt anywhere to rebel And, while her skin was being from the women's house and killed before anyone discovered that night, and she wept with made as smooth and white a came through the bush to where that I was still worth the old me,

garfish's (Su ran the island he lay.

chfet's bride-price,, simile) she

taught the "I said only, "Tangazo!" Intricato gestures of a sitting "It was very dark, but he

"So I sold to myself, I will run straight to the old man's dance composed for her coming kaew mo. He whispered, 'I was

sure you would come to me one house-placo. I will shout my shame there first of all, so that It was a dance which she her night.* self was to lead one night in the "Then, with my head lying his people will try to catch and huge meeting house of her vill over his heart, I told him brat me. But I will escape from

and lead torchi-glare the whole of my thought. As I them

them to the age, seated in the

of my sister's husband. under the scrutiny, poor mite, spoke I heard his heartbeats race house of a thousand critical eyes, out I knew his thought was one with And wo

out.

Was

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doors together.

whose

she

The Native Magistrate nsked her, Idiotically enough; why she had committed her offence with

te co-respondent, and shocked everyono to the marrow by replying, as simply as a child teaching a smaller child, “Não (Sir), because I love him," and

saying, "That is a noble against the law. heart! If only I too could have Only, after Bfelong partner- found such a husband. And ships, hundreds of secondary laughing for the mobust joy of after that....

wives were put away in shame it in his face. by their moo, while as many The husband shouted, "Alast

mates would You

see the cort of slut she is!”” have held them, despite every- And then, for climax, it thing, returned to their villages out that every one of her three. rather than stay and be placard- offences had been committed ed as harlots,

en a Sunday.

Tho courthouse rustled with There

horror and delight.

Happiness for Women

werg

were

Cate

I had no real hope left of

all at last will all arrive at his "AFTER

that there

suicides mony goings and comings and among the middle-aged, "He will be so cegry, he will whisperings in sceret for a your A quarter of a century after helping her after that. But I kill mo at once; and Tangaro and a month: but set all that the event I talked with a pagan wanted to keep her talking, just will know that I chose death for aside; Tangare bought me in Islander whose mother had pre- in, case. So I observed with love of him, and remember me the long run,

ferred death by her own liand reference to the despotle Sab with grief for ever."

of the Southern "He could have had me for concublage with his father or in Gilberts in to living on, eliber in lawful batarian(sm Things fell out just as I hnd

general-that the planned, I come to the old man's nothing, for all the value my desolation without him.

Templer always would And sister's husband put on me; but

mischief for die hands to do. house-place. Men and women he said I was worth his big piece were standing round the house. be bad, and I said the and I had Yet she loved felt tome of the courts dis

It wasn't a popular remark. I

Invour being immediately deflected from her to myself; it was clear from her looks that even 'sho felt I had said some- thing pretty shocking.

"I called to them from 30 from my father was enough for paces off; I shouted, I screamed both of us. My sister's husband my charme. They ran towards was so pleased at that, he made me, crying angrily, "Who did this a friend of Tangaro for lite. And thing to you?' I answered, 'A rat, 90, at last, wo were all at peace but a balter rat than your old together." chief, and fed before anyone could take де.

"I led them to the house of my sister's husband. He stood out

She fell silent again.

them both

THOUG

THOUGH she was only a sub- wite, she happened to love both her man and his ceremonial bride, her elder sister.

I decided to plug away at this idea nevertheless, and went on to recommend a bit of sewing er other useful work *LS an

afdo. My sister and a crowd, of my sister's story as well as mine. 20 at the time, "Your futher will silence so far, but this beat her:

I thought her tale was done and began to thank her, but she reproved me. "Patience! This is prople were gathered near him. There is better stiil to tell, They had been searching for me Tangaro and I were able to frem before sunrise.

repay her in the end for all her kindness. Her husband died "Some people ran forward to before she had borno him д hold me, crying, "Alas! where child. We took her into our have you beca? I shouted, I house then, so that she and I have been among the trees with could be Tangaro's wives to- my lover. He has loved me all gether.

1 'ght,'

Woman

So she said one evening to her Infallible defence against son who must have been about temptation, whatever the day.

She had managed to listen in be happy with my sister, and she will always be good to you "Sir the burst out, forgetful for my sake. As for me, I shall of all but her moral indigna- be better out of the way, since tion. You must know as well the law has made a Elameful as I do that it in a deadly sin

I go now. Tell to work on the Sabbath!"

Both the court and the au- dience practically roared their The boy took her words for approvaj of the sub. nothing but a cry of grief more In my own defence now, I He put his pointed out rather shoopishly arma round her, saying "Welko that, after all, the other thing (Woman), we shall have each WBS o sin teo. other. I will go and live with you in your father's village,"

them I died loving them,

"My sister's husband beard it. Nobody spoke bitter than usual.

I called to him. Kill me now,

for you will never got your bride-price."

"Then the old man's people

screamed, they told of the shame

for them

But not a breach of the, Third Commandment ther told me with heat-only a breach of the

came runing. They bawled, they "WHAT happines for all of She smiled at him. "You are Seventh. It was a far, for better us in that sharing. Ho a good son,” sho zaid, retuming thing she had done than the her children of her his embrups, "Stay here and be thing I had suggested the ought I had done their chick.

My gave

for love of both of a joy to your father." Then she to have done, and she got or sister's husbond stood before mo, own,

ไป so that her sops were walked out into the bush and with He took my neck in his band, mina cod mine were hers, and henged herself.

three months on thu strength of it Who is your lover?"

The only parly who finished The next day, his father and really annoyed was bar aunt hanged themselves to the husband.

wo wore one in him forever, and "I answered, 'A rat." He gtop- he was undivided in us until he

uled." pod my broath with his thumber,

When, monogamy was forced.. "A blockner rose up before on the Gilbertese by British [my oyas, Then he let the broaifa law at the turn of the century,

+

NEXT WEEK: Voices in the night