Publisher's Synopsis
Excerpt from Riches and Marvels of Hawaii: A Charming Description of Her Unique History, Strange People, Exquisite Climate, Wondrous Volcanoes, Luxurious Productions, Beautiful Cities, Corrupt Monarchy, Revolution, Provisional Government and Annexation
System OF tabu. The tabu system was a com plicated device for perpetuating the prestige and power of the priests. It has been well described as avast net work of regulations and penalties. These penalties were summary and extreme. For instance, two young girls of high rank were seen eating a banana, which was forbidden fruit to women. Thereupon their immediate guardian was immediately put to death. Some penalties were cruel in the extreme, as when, for instance, a little child had her eye scooped out for daring to taste a banana. There was a tragically grotesque side to some of the special tabus on particular occasions. Thus imagine a pall of absolute noiselessness over a village for twenty-four hours, under a penalty of instant death to any who uttered a sound even the dogs had to be muzzled, and the fowls were shut up in calabashes or immense poi-bowls.
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