Page:Williams and Calvert, Fiji and the Fijians, New York, 1860.djvu/41

 OEIGm AND POLITY. 21 destination, lays dovra one of these before him, and repeats the mes- sage of which it is the memorial. He then lays down another, pro- ceeding in the same way, until the sticks are transferred from his hand, and lie in a row before him, each message having been ac- curately delivered. I have seen men of this class practise their les- son before settmg out, and have heard them give the answers on their return. In some parts there is one of the Matas who is more immediately attached to the person of the King, and is styled, na Mata. It is his business to be in attendance when tribute or food is brought to the Sovereign, and to go through the customary form of acknowledgment, to receive and answer reports of all kinds, doing so in the King's pres- ence and under his direction, and to officiate at the yaqona ring, with other similar duties. Beside the Mata, there are other officials, of various duties and de- grees of importance. All these, except in extreme cases, go about their duties most deliberately, as every appearance of haste in such matters is supposed to detract from true dignity. A careful observance of es- tablished forms is deemed very essential. In some parts of Fiji the Mata holds his post for life, in others for only a few years. In the latter case, when tired of public life, he pre- sents a large quantity of provisions to his Chief, asking for permission to retire. On Vanua Levu the election of a successor has the appearance of being done by surprise. The leading men haing assembled and con- sulted awhile, one of their number advances to the person chosen, and makes him their Mata by binding a blade of the red Ti-tree leaf round his arm between the shoulder and elbow. It is the fashion for the man thus bandaged, to weep and protest against his election, asserting his incompetency, and pleadmg low birth, poverty, indolence, ignorance of official phraseology, etc. ; all which objections are, of course, met by the others declaring their choice to be good. The feast on such an occasion is prepared with extra care. Public business is conducted with tedious formality. Old forms are strictly observed, and innovations opposed. An abundance of measured clapping of hands, and subdued exclamations, characterize these occa- sions. Whales' teeth and other property are never exchanged or pre- sented without the following or a similar form : " A ! looi ! woi ! woi 1 1 A ! woi ! woi ! woi ! ! A tahua levu ! woi ! woi ! A mudua^ mudua, mudua ! " (Clapping.) Whoever asks a favor of a Chief, or seeks civil intercourse with him, is expected to bring a present.