My Comrade Was For Entering The First One We Came To; But, On Drawing
Near, They Had So Much Of
An air of pretension, at least for native
dwellings, that I hesitated; thinking they might be the residences of
the
Higher chiefs, from whom no very extravagant welcome was to be
anticipated.
While standing irresolute, a voice from the nearest house hailed us:
"Aramai! aramai, karhowree!" (Come in! come in, strangers!)
We at once entered, and were warmly greeted. The master of the house
was an aristocratic-looking islander, dressed in loose linen drawers,
a fine white shirt, and a sash of red silk tied about the waist,
after the fashion of the Spaniards in Chili. He came up to us with a
free, frank air, and, striking his chest with his hand, introduced
himself as Ereemear Po-Po; or, to render the Christian name back again
into English - Jeremiah Po-Po.
These curious combinations of names among the people of the Society
Islands originate in the following way. When a native is baptized,
his patronymic often gives offence to the missionaries, and they
insist upon changing to something else whatever is objectionable
therein. So, when Jeremiah came to the font, and gave his name as
Narmo-Nana Po-Po (something equivalent to
The-Darer-of-Devils-by-Night), the reverend gentleman officiating
told him that such a heathenish appellation would never do, and a
substitute must be had; at least for the devil part of it. Some
highly respectable Christian appellations were then submitted, from
which the candidate for admission into the church was at liberty to
choose.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 339 of 389
Words from 89651 to 89919
of 103097
