|
2003-11-13 -Short Attention Span Theater-
|
|
"Weâre sorry our ancestors ate those people."
|
Villagers in a remote Fijian community staged an elaborate ceremony of apology Thursday for the relatives of a British missionary killed and eaten here 136 years ago. The Rev. Thomas Baker and eight Fijian followers were killed and devoured by cannibals in 1867 in the village of Nabutautau, high in the hills of the South Pacific island of Viti Levu. Residents say their community has been cursed ever since.
"Wossa matter, Nasibilumi?"
"Indi-GES-tion! [Urp!]"
"It's the old curse again!" |
In a mixture of ancient pagan and modern Christian rites, the villagers have staged a series of ceremonies hoping to erase the misfortunes they believe have kept them poor. The rituals â which started about a month ago â culminated Thursday with the offering of cows, specially woven mats and 30 carved sperm-whale teeth known as tabua to 10 Australian descendants of Baker. "This is our third apology but, unlike the first two, this one is being offered physically to the family of Mr. Baker," Ratu Filimoni Nawawabalavu, the villageâs chief, told The Associated Press. Nawawabalavu is the great-grandson of the chief responsible for cooking the missionary in an earthen oven.
"Anyone for soylent green?"
Past apologies have not helped. In 1993, villagers presented the Methodist Church of Fiji with Bakerâs boots â which cannibals tried unsuccessfully to cook and eat.
"Mmmm! Hush puppies!"
"Hush Puppies are tough!" |
There are differing accounts of Bakerâs demise. A villager said last month the incident started when the chief borrowed Bakerâs hat. Baker tried to take it back without knowing that touching a chiefâs head was taboo and punishable by death. Others say the missionary lent the chief a comb, then touched his head as he tried to retrieve it from the chiefâs tight, curly hair.
| Oh, that'll do it every time. I'd hate to think of the number of people I killed and ate back when I had hair... |
Villagers believe that since 1867, either Bakerâs spirit or disapproving gods have made sure that modern developments like electricity, a school, piped water supply and other essentials enjoyed by most Fijian villagers have been kept from them. It was only two weeks ago that a logging company cut a track to the village. Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase, who flew into the village by helicopter for the ceremony, is leading a campaign to improve life in isolated areas. 
|
Posted by Atrus 2003-11-13 11:46:30 AM||
||
Front Page|| [11 views since 2007-05-07]
Top
|
|
Posted by Shipman 2003-11-13 11:51:33 AM||
2003-11-13 11:51:33 AM||
Front Page
Top
|
|
Posted by Mercutio 2003-11-13 2:14:58 PM||
2003-11-13 2:14:58 PM||
Front Page
Top
|
|
Posted by Shipman 2003-11-13 3:28:24 PM||
2003-11-13 3:28:24 PM||
Front Page
Top
|
|
22:12 trailing wife
21:57 EMS Artifact
21:38 EMS Artifact
20:50 SteveS
19:20 swksvolFF
19:19 M. Murcek
18:55 Procopius2k
18:39 M. Murcek
18:37 Super Hose
18:22 M. Murcek
18:19 M. Murcek
18:09 NoMoreBS
18:03 Lord Garth
17:57 European Conservative
17:54 M. Murcek
17:51 jpal
17:50 Lord Garth
17:15 NoMoreBS
16:55 Bobby
16:43 Gromble+Dribble4342
16:40 Gromble+Dribble4342
16:39 M. Murcek
16:37 M. Murcek
16:21 Grom the reflective
|
