In the South Sea islands men and women never eat together. Women take their food in the same huts in which they sleep; and if any one should presume to enter the eating-houses of the men, she would be immediately strangled and thrown into the sea. Articles of luxury, such as pork, turtle, shark, cocoa-nuts, bananas, or plantains, are forbidden to women. These rigorous prohibitions are disobeyed whenever it can be done secretly. When ships are near the shore, the women often swim off to them in the night, and indulge their appetites by feasting on various forbidden delicacies. Mr. Campbell says that he once saw the queen of the Sandwich islands herself guilty of this transgression; but she told him her life would be forfeited, should the circumstance be discovered.
On sacred days women are not allowed to enter the morai, or temple; and at such seasons they must not go out in a canoe. At the Caroline islands, where they have no idols, but offer the first-fruits of the earth to invisible gods, men and women present their offerings in different temples, and at different times, and no man is allowed to be present while the women perform their religious ceremonies.
Riho-Riho, king of the Sandwich islands, at the same time that he caused all the idols to be destroyed, abolished the custom which made it impossible for women to eat with their own husbands and fathers. He invited all the principal chiefs, foreign traders, and mercantile agents to a dinner party. Two long tables, covered with dainties, were spread in an open bower, around which a great multitude had assembled. When the company had all taken their seats, the king, with considerable agitation, seated himself between two of his queens, offered them some of the food forbidden to women, and himself ate from the same dish with them. Some fears were entertained lest this bold innovation of ancient usages should occasion a revolt; but the temporary excitement among the people soon yielded to their habitual obedience to the chief.
In New Hebrides and New Caledonia, the women are scarcely treated better than they are in New Guinea and New Holland; but, with these exceptions, the condition of Polynesian women is generally preferable to that of most savage tribes. The men universally take a share, though not always an equal one, in laborious occupations. In the Tonga isles a considerable degree of respect and delicacy is manifested toward women of all classes. It is considered rude to take any freedoms without their full consent, and they are not required to perform any hard labor, or very menial tasks. Traits of gallantry and romantic tenderness may be discovered in some of their love stories.
The sovereign power is often inherited by a woman; and not unfrequently many powerful chiefs acknowledge the supremacy of a queen, pay her tribute, and approach her with all the ceremonials due to superior rank. The most distinguished warrior, if he have a wife descended from a family more noble than his own, cannot dispense with certain respectful forms prescribed by etiquette. The female chiefs have as numerous attendants as the men. It is the business of these attendants to shade them with umbrellas, to carry their fans, pipes, spitting-boxes, and kahiles, or feathered staffs with richly ornamented handles, borne as an insignia of their rank. Within doors they are stationed near them to drive away the flies, while they are eating, smoking, or sleeping. Mr. Stewart describes Tamehamaru, queen of the Sandwich islands, as “a dignified and graceful woman, with an unaffected expression of conscious and acknowledged rank.” When he first saw her, she was seated at a long table, with an open writing desk before her, receiving tribute from her subjects, as they passed along in single file. It is now no uncommon thing, in the vicinity of missionary stations, for chiefs, both male and female, to know how to read and write; and it has even been said that one of the princesses has her autobiography in preparation for the press.
A remarkable degree of energy and moral courage was evinced by one of the native women, who had been a convert to Christianity. There was a large burning lake in the island, that frequently sent forth volcanic flames. From time immemorial there had been a tradition that this place was the residence of Pelé, the mighty goddess of fire. Priestesses were appointed to attend upon this invisible deity, and to place food within the crater for her use; but all except these sacred women were afraid to approach, lest they should be instantly devoured. Notwithstanding the strength of this popular delusion, a female chief descended into the crater, and stirred the fiery ashes with a stick, to convince her ignorant countrymen that Pelé the fire goddess was merely an imaginary being, and nothing was to be dreaded from her vengeance.
Besides the acknowledged priestesses, there are people of both sexes, who when afflicted with extreme depression of spirits, without any apparent cause, are supposed to be inspired by the gods.
Women of the South Sea islands are generally permitted to speak in their councils, and their advice is listened to with respect. Finow murdered his brother, and conferred his authority upon his aunt. She assembled all the principal people, acknowledged her great obligations to her deceased nephew, and proposed a rebellion against the government of Finow. The matter was discussed for a long time, when the sister of the female chief who had first spoken, rushed into the assembly, armed with a club and spear, and exclaimed in a loud voice: “Why do ye hesitate so long, when honor so clearly points out the proper path to pursue? If the men have become women, the women will be men, and revenge the death of their murdered chief! Then stand and look idly on, while women are sacrificed in the glorious cause! Perhaps their example may at last excite you to die in defence of their rights.” This thrilling exhortation had the desired effect upon the chieftains.
In one respect, there is a decided contrast between the savages of the South sea and those of North America. The North American Indians consider voluptuousness a despicable vice; and in cases of seduction, far more blame is attached to the man than the woman. The latter is forgiven; and, unless her conduct is very gross, finds no difficulty in subsequently forming a matrimonial connection; but her betrayer is treated with the utmost neglect and contempt. It may be questioned, whether Christian nations are in this respect so just as the Indians. While such severe blame and eternal infamy rests on women who have been deceived, it is obviously unjust that civilized society should so readily forgive the deceiver.
The most common employment of the South sea women is the manufacture of tapa, for garments and bed clothes. It is made from the bark of the paper mulberry tree, beaten out with a piece of wood grooved like a crimping machine. It can be bleached perfectly white, and much of it is worn in that state. But in general it is stained with a variety of colors extracted from vegetable productions. The stamps used for this purpose are made by the women; sometimes by embroidering leaves with fibres, so as to produce a raised surface, but more frequently by cutting the pattern in a piece of bamboo. When tapa is printed in this way, it is called gnatoo. In point of beauty it compares very well with calico; but as it cannot be washed, a new suit is frequently required.