File:Samoa 'uma, where life is different (1902) (14596820317).jpg

Identifier: samoaumawherelif00chur (find matches)
Title: Samoa 'uma, where life is different
Year: 1902 (1900s)
Authors: Churchill, Llewella Pierce, Mrs. (from old catalog)
Subjects:
Publisher: New York, Forest and Stream publishing company
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: The Library of Congress

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at their base is her proper seaton which no other woman may venture to intrude.When she takes her place there she has no need todraw the corner of the mat over her feet, as she doeselsewhere when chiefs are present, the sign of beingin the house on sufferance. In her own place sheclaims and receives the language of courtesy, thatoddity of speech which the Samoans and the Malaysalone know; she may not be spoken of or addressedas faiine, merely a woman, but as tamaitai, or madam ;her house ceases to be fale, but becomes maota, amansion; many other words are supplanted by termsof dignity, which it is the worst of ill breeding toomit. The posts mark another distinction. Thethree stand close together in a line. Produce thatline to the edges of the house at either end, it formsthe major axis of the oval floor. In front of this lineis the place for guests, behind is the place for domes-tic cares; in a space altogether open and with not asingle partition, the imaginary line has marked out 36
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THE SAMOAN HOUSEWIFE. parlor and scullery. If you have the rank you enterthe parlor, if you are of no rank you go around andenter at the back, where you seat yourself and dowithout a formal greeting. Sitting in the parlor frontyou must remain unconscious of what is doing beyondthe posts; etiquette has run up a partition which youdo not see through. Not to the manner born youbreak a thousand niceties of good manners, and theSamoans, even after years of acquaintance with whitepeople, have not ceased to wonder at a people whoknow none of the amenities of life. You see the sav-age has his ideas and is quick to criticise the prevail-ing bad manners of the civilized. There is but one change needed to restore the housefrom its night to its day aspect. At night the stoutand narrow floor mats are stretched as beds from theposts to the front of the house, by day they must runthe other way or the house is considered in disorder.When this alteration has been made the housewifevisits her cupboard

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