Samoa, A Hundred Years Ago And Long Before Part 2

CHAPTER III.

A FUTURE STATE--RELIGION, ETC.

The Samoans believed in a soul or disembodied spirit, which they called the _anganga_. Anga means to _go_ or _come_, according to the particle of direction suffixed. Anga _atu_ means to go away; anga _mai_ signifies to come. The reduplicated anganga is used to designate the soul as distinct from the body, and which at death was supposed to go away from the body and proceed to the hadean regions under the ocean, which they called Pulotu.

In describing the localities about Falealupo in another chapter, we have noted some things about the lower regions which were supposed to enter from the neighbourhood of Falealupo. We know little, if anything, more of the notions which the Samoans had of a future state, and therefore pa.s.s on to the religion which prevailed all over the group.

At one time it was supposed that Samoa was dest.i.tute of any kind of religion, and by some of the early visitors the people were called "the _G.o.dless_ Samoans." On closer acquaintance with them, however, it was discovered that they lived under the influence of a host of imaginary deities, claiming alike belief and corresponding practice.

At his birth a Samoan was supposed to be taken under the care of some G.o.d, or _aitu_, as it was called. The help of several of these G.o.ds was probably invoked in succession on the occasion, and the one who happened to be addressed just as the child was born was fixed on as the child's G.o.d for life.

These G.o.ds were supposed to appear in some _visible incarnation_, and the particular thing in which his G.o.d was in the habit of appearing was to the Samoan an object of veneration. It was, in fact, his idol, and he was careful never to injure it or treat it with contempt. One, for instance, saw his G.o.d in the eel, another in the shark, another in the turtle, another in the dog, another in the owl, another in the lizard, and so on throughout all the fish of the sea, and birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things. In some of the sh.e.l.l-fish, even, G.o.ds were supposed to be present. A man would eat freely of what was regarded as the incarnation of the G.o.d of another man, but the incarnation of his own particular G.o.d he would consider it death to injure or to eat. The G.o.d was supposed to avenge the insult by taking up his abode in that person's body, and causing to generate there the very thing which he had eaten, until it produced death. This cla.s.s of genii, or tutelary deities, they called _aitu fale_, or G.o.ds of the house.

The father of the family was _the high-priest_, and usually offered a short prayer at the evening meal, that they might all be kept from fines, sickness, war, and death. Occasionally, too, he would direct that they have a family feast in honour of their household G.o.ds; and on these occasions a cup of their intoxicating ava draught was poured out as a drink-offering. They did this in their family house, where they were all a.s.sembled, supposing that their G.o.ds had a spiritual presence there, as well as in the material objects to which we have referred. Often it was supposed that the G.o.d came among them, and spoke through the father or some other member of the family, telling them what to do in order to remove a present evil or avert a threatened one. Sometimes it would be that the family should get a canoe built and keep it sacred to the G.o.d. They might travel in it and use it themselves, but it was death to sell or part with a canoe which had been built specially for the G.o.d.

_Another cla.s.s of Samoan deities_ may be called G.o.ds of the town or village. Every village had its G.o.d, and every one born in that village was regarded as the property of that G.o.d. I have got a child for so-and-so, a woman would say on the birth of her child, and name the village G.o.d. There was a small house or temple also consecrated to the deity of the place. Where there was no formal temple, the great house of the village, where the chiefs were in the habit of a.s.sembling, was the temple for the time being, as occasion required.

Some settlements had a sacred grove as well as a temple, where prayers and offerings were presented.

_In their temples_ they had generally something for the eye to rest upon with superst.i.tious veneration. In one might be seen a conch sh.e.l.l, suspended from the roof in a basket made of cinnet network; and this the G.o.d was supposed to blow when he wished the people to rise to war. In another, two stones were kept. In another, something resembling the head of a man, with white streamers flying, was raised on a pole at the door of the temple, on the usual day of wors.h.i.+p. In another, a cocoa-nut sh.e.l.l drinking-cup was suspended from the roof, and before it prayers were addressed and offerings presented. This cup was also used in oaths. If they wished to find out a thief, the suspected parties were a.s.sembled before the chiefs, the cup sent for, and each would approach, lay his hand on it, and say, "With my hand on this cup, may the G.o.d look upon me, and send swift destruction, if I took the thing which has been stolen." The stones and the sh.e.l.ls were used in a similar way. Before this ordeal, the truth was rarely concealed. They firmly believed that it would be death to touch the cup and tell a lie.

_The priests_ in some cases were the chiefs of the place; but in general some one in a particular family claimed the privilege, and professed to declare the will of the G.o.d. His office was hereditary.

He fixed the days for the annual feasts in honour of the deity, received the offerings, and thanked the people for them. He decided also whether or not the people might go to war.

_The offerings_ were princ.i.p.ally cooked food. The first cup was in honour of the G.o.d. It was either poured out on the ground or _waved_ towards the heavens. The chiefs all drank a portion out of the same cup, according to rank; and after that the food brought as an offering was divided and eaten there before the G.o.d. This feast was annual, and frequently about the month of May. In some places it pa.s.sed off quietly; in others it was a.s.sociated with games, sham-fights, night-dances, etc., and lasted for days. In time of war special feasts were ordered by the priests. Of the offerings on war occasions women and children were forbidden to partake, as it was not their province to go to battle. They supposed it would bring sickness and death on the party eating who did not go to the war, and hence were careful to bury or throw into the sea whatever food was over after the festival.

In some cases the feasts in honour of the G.o.d were regulated by the appearance in the settlement of the bird which was thought to be the incarnation of the G.o.d. Whenever the bird was seen the priest would say that the G.o.d had come, and fix upon a day for his entertainment.

The village G.o.ds, like those of the household, had all some particular incarnation: one was supposed to appear as a bat, another as a heron, another as an owl. If a man found a dead owl by the roadside, and if that happened to be the incarnation of his village G.o.d, he would sit down and weep over it, and beat his forehead with stones till the blood flowed. This was thought pleasing to the deity. Then the bird would be wrapped up and buried with care and ceremony, as if it were a human body. This, however, was not the death of the G.o.d. He was supposed to be yet alive, and incarnate in all the owls in existence.

The flight of these birds was observed in time of war. If the bird flew before them, it was a signal to go on; but if it crossed the path, it was a bad omen, and a sign to retreat. Others saw their village G.o.d in the rainbow, others saw him in the shooting star; and in time of war the position of a rainbow and the direction of a shooting star were always ominous.

The constant dread of the G.o.ds, and the numerous and extravagant demands of a cunning and avaricious priesthood, made the heathenism of Samoa a hard service.

I have collected and arranged alphabetically in the two following chapters the names of the princ.i.p.al G.o.ds formerly wors.h.i.+pped in Samoa. The notices of each will explain more fully the religion of the people, and especially that system of zoolatry which so extensively prevailed.

CHAPTER IV.

G.o.dS SUPERIOR--WAR AND GENERAL VILLAGE G.o.dS.

1. AITU LANGI, or _G.o.ds of heaven._

1. These G.o.ds were supposed to have fallen from the heavens at the call of a blind man to protect his son from a cannibal chief. They were scattered over several villages, but did not move about in the bodies of mortals. A large temple was erected to one of them in which there were ten seats on which sat the princ.i.p.al chiefs. A large sh.e.l.l was the only visible representation of the G.o.d, and in time of war it was carefully consulted. If it stood on end and made an unusual noise they went to battle cheerfully; if, however, it only murmured what they imagined to be "Go back, go back," there was no fighting that day. Tupai was the name of the high priest and prophet. He was greatly dreaded. His very look was poison. If he looked at a cocoa-nut tree it died, and if he glanced at a bread-fruit tree it also withered away.

2. Aitu langi was the name of a village G.o.d in another place, and supposed to be incarnate in the owl. If, when going to fight, an owl flew before, it was a good sign; but if across the road or backwards they returned immediately.

2. ALII TU, or _The G.o.d who stands._

This G.o.d was seen in the Ve'a, or rail (_Rallus pectoralis_). The flight of this bird was also observed during war. If it flew before, it was a good omen; if otherwise they went back disconcerted.

3. AVE I LE TALA, Or _Take to the end of the house._

This was the name of an accoucheur G.o.d, whose priest went, when sent for, and prayed for the safety of the patient. This G.o.d is specially noted as having predicted the arrival of a powerful foreign G.o.d, who was to eat up all the G.o.ds of Samoa except one, and that was himself; and then he added pathetically through the priest to the family where he was supposed to reside, "When the great G.o.d comes, do not you all leave me, but let two still keep aloof and stand by me." On the introduction and rapid spread of Christianity many said, "The prediction of Ave i le tala has come true."

4. FONGE AND TOAFA.

1. These were the names of two oblong smooth stones which stood on a raised platform of loose stones inland of one of the villages. They were supposed to be the parents of Saato, a G.o.d who controlled the rain. When the chiefs and people were ready to go off for weeks to certain places in the bush for the sport of pigeon-catching, offerings of cooked taro and fish were laid on the stones, accompanied by prayers for fine weather and no rain. Any one who refused an offering to the stones was frowned upon; and in the event of rain was blamed and punished for bringing down the wrath of the fine-weather G.o.d, and spoiling the sports of the season.

2. Persons going to search for bush yams in time of scarcity gave a yam to the stones as a thank-offering, supposing that these G.o.ds caused the yams to grow, and could lead them to the best places for finding such edible roots.

3. Any one pa.s.sing by casually with a basket of cooked food would stop and lay a morsel on the stones.

4. When such offerings were eaten in the night by dogs or rats, it was supposed that the G.o.d chose to become incarnate for the time being in the form of such living creatures.

5. FANONGA, _Destruction._

1. This was the name of a war-G.o.d, and supposed to be incarnate in the Samoan owl (_Strix delicatula_). In time of war, offerings of food were presented to a pet one which was kept for the purpose. If it flew about above while the troops were walking along below that was a good omen; but if it flew away in the direction of the enemy it was supposed to have left the one party and gone to join the other, and therefore a calamity.

2. At the beginning of the annual fish festivals, the chiefs and people of the village a.s.sembled round the opening of the first oven, and give the first fish to the G.o.d.

3. A dead owl found under a tree in the settlement was the signal for all the village to a.s.semble at the place, burn their bodies with firebrands, and beat their foreheads with stones till the blood flowed, and so they expressed their sympathy and condolence with the G.o.d over the calamity "by an offering of blood." He still lived, however, and moved about in all the other existing owls of the country.

6. FAAMALU, _Shade._

1. The name of a village G.o.d, and represented by a trumpet-sh.e.l.l. On the month for annual wors.h.i.+p all the people met in the place of public gatherings with heaps of cooked food. First there were offerings and prayers to the G.o.d to avert calamities and give prosperity; then they feasted with and before their G.o.d, and after that any strangers present might eat.

At the same settlement a marine deity called Tamauanuu, or _Plenty for the land_, was wors.h.i.+pped at the same time. On that day no one dared to swim on his back off the settlement, or eat a cocoa-nut. Any one transgressing would have to go to the beach and beat his forehead with stones till the blood flowed, so as to prevent his being devoured by a shark the next time he went to fish.

In time of war Faamalu was also represented by a fish, the movements of which were watched. If it was seen to swim briskly they went to battle cheerfully; but if it turned round now and then on its back that was a veto on fighting.

Faamalu was also seen in a cloud or shade. If a cloud preceded them in going to battle they advanced courageously; if, however, the clouds were all behind they were afraid.

2. In a quarrel a mischief-maker would be cursed and given over to the wrath of Faamalu. If anything was stolen the sufferer would go along the road shouting and calling on Faamalu to be avenged on the thief.

3. In another district Faamalu was only a war-G.o.d--had a temple with a sh.e.l.l in it, and the sh.e.l.l was carried about with the troops. The trees all around the temple were sacred, and never used for any purpose.

7. FAAOLA, _Life-giver._

The name of a war-G.o.d. Before going to fight the people of the district where he was wors.h.i.+pped all met and prayed that they might be "strong-hearted" and free from cowardice.