July 1951 School Magazine

Brisbane Girls' Gramm•ar School Magazine

.July, 1951

Tuly, 1951

:Brisbane Girls' Grammar School Mag azine

A tribe living on Bega, one of the southern islands of the Fiiian group, has an ancient custom which is peculiar to that iribe-fire-walking. It is a source of great interest and attracts many tourists; indeed, the men of the tribe visited New Zeal- and to give a fire-walking display . Before the fire-walking really takes place, preparations have to be made. The men who are going to take part in the ceremony "go bush" for about two weeks, during which time ihey eat certain foods. When they return, a pit, eighteen ieet across and three feet deep, is dug, and huge logs and large boulders are placed in it. These logs are then lit and for thirty hours the heat is so great that it is impossible to go near. After the fire has died down, the logs are removed and the boulders levelled out. Now the fire-walking is about io take place, and no doubt many have gathered to watch it. To test the heat of these red hot stones, a handkerchief or a piece of bark is thown in, only to be consumed in the heat. The chief leads the men of the tribe and they walk round in their native dress, bare footed of course, on these burning hot stones two or three times. Their grass skirts do not burn althou'gh they actually sit down on the stones for about two or three minutes and perhaps sing a song. Then they are led off and have no sign of burns. They may go on again carrying a baby, and the baby is quite safe so long as it is in the a rms of a fire-walker; but death would come if he were dropped. Indeed, anything that drops from the fire-walker's body is burnt. He can also pick up a red hot stone in his hands . In fact, what seems impossible to the ordinary man happens for the fire-walkers. I suppose if all men had this power, blacksmiths would not be a dying race. Many theories as to why fire-walking is possible have been proved wrong; even scientists have failed to solve the problem. The power is not hereditary, for a chief who mar- ried into that tribe has taken part in such a ceremony. He ad- mitted that, even after the only preparation of eating certain foods he still lacked confidence; however, he was finally per- suaded to take part, and when he did so, the stone felt only warm to him. I The mystery still remains, but fire-walking is one of the old customs of a land filled with new ideals of Christianity, learning and democracy.

Today our lusty youth reveal In fields of sport, an equal zeal. Our baseball fans, and those who play At basketball, although they may Be sports less graceful than of yore, Are quite. as earnest, if not more, As all who in their many ways Have played the sports of former days. And even now we have a link With years gone by, for let us think Of girls who find a greater pleasure By fencing in their hours of leisure. And now, although we cannot say What kind of games the world will play In future years, we hope they will Have time to try their strength and skill In peaceful sports , which girl and boy Alike may enter and enjoy.

FIJIAN FIRE-WALKERS

We, who are descended from a people of British tradition, custom and culture, and to whom many of our British traditions are every-day, matter-of-fact things, do ' not always realise that they may be sources of interest to people visiting our country. Similarly, we may find pleasure in hearing of customs peculiar to other countries. One such custom of another land was told to me by a fijian student furthering his ·education in Queensland. 34

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