FIJIAN BURIAL CUSTOMS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 269, 22 June 1880, Page 2

FIJIAN BURIAL CUSTOMS.

At the recent meeting of the Anthropnliirical Institute, General Lane Fox presiding, a paper by the Rev. Lorimor Fison, entitled “ N ites on Fijian Burial Customs,” was read . 'Hie author observed that tin re was no nnif-rnity of funeral customs in Fiji. The strangling of widows, howevi r, was everywhere practised, in order that they might he buried with their husbands. In some cases lad’es of rank volunteered to offer themselves for strangulation, but generally it Was practised on the watina la'ai, or “ little wives.” The operation was, in most cases, performed by the wile’s brother, who is treated subsequently with marked respect by the husband’s kinsfolk. In some parts of the island the death of the chief watt kept a profound secret in order to save his g>>ds from plunder, in supposed accordance with a communistic notion which pre vailed in those parts of the Fij an group 'I he idea also existed am ng a c rtain class ofthe natives that it was not until decomposition had made considerable progress that the bo ’y of the dead '.nan was'fairly done with. With many of the tribes not only the fac of death, but subsequently the burial place of the chief, was kept a profound secret, lest those whom he had injured during his lifetime should dig u*\ dishonour, and even cat Ids body. The general place < >f sepulture appeared, according to Mr Fison’s description, to be that of a ;ave, in which the body was frequently (laced before life was extinct, but which was not closed up until the person was supposed to be dead. In some parts stone coffins Were used, and in one particular is’and a mausoleum was eiecbnl to be subsequently covered with clean sea sand. The author mention d s veral customs which were based on the hvpotli «is that the dead man’s spirit was ferried over the river or the se->. More over, nearly all the customs were based on the assumption that the do arfr'd spirit would return to annoy his old enemies if menus were not taken hy securing the body to prevent it.