. "Water colors," south of France, 1918-1919. aid do they evereven talk with you? Their ignorance is badly felt by thesenatives whom the war has taken from their homes— Where did you learn? Why, in my fathers house. I had learned all thatcould be had from the schools at thirteen years, and thenmy father had me study with French and English believe it is only those of us who succeed to a highereducation can judge of the losses our people have suf-fered. From C—s drawn face I looked to the others,happy at their games, and wondered. With the Tahitians love of victrola music C— couldnot s
. "Water colors," south of France, 1918-1919. aid do they evereven talk with you? Their ignorance is badly felt by thesenatives whom the war has taken from their homes— Where did you learn? Why, in my fathers house. I had learned all thatcould be had from the schools at thirteen years, and thenmy father had me study with French and English believe it is only those of us who succeed to a highereducation can judge of the losses our people have suf-fered. From C—s drawn face I looked to the others,happy at their games, and wondered. With the Tahitians love of victrola music C— couldnot sympathize. He only smiled indulgently, shaking hishead at his comrades as they hung over the phonographentranced: This popular music of Europe which they listen tohere? Pah! I wish ypu could hear their own nativesongs of Tahiti,—even those we sing here are we sing all through life, from morning to night, atleisure or at work, at rejoicings or meetings, at a weddingor at a funeral. This native original song is produced. HOW THEY BATHE IN TAHITI THE FRANCO-TAHITIAN 103 with a special sound and is delivered in so many particu-lar ways that cannot be heard anywhere else. Once theforeigner has heard he cannot forget. Do show us. But when, with weird humming and strumming on theirstringed instruments, the Tahitians would sing, strangeand soft, a song of their own island and people, C— didnot join with the others; with a queer, embarrassed sortof smile: Ah, no,—I have forgotten to sing Tahiti; I couldshow you the notes though,—^but no, impossible to writedown the music of such sounds, you would have such avery poor idea! The most interesting are the Utes, morelike verses and yet without any of the rules for versesas to their length and number. Theyre sung always withthe same monotonous tone,—but only one who hasa thorough knowledge of our language can understandtheir humor and their bitter raillery. In Tahiti we knowwell irony as happiness and sorrow—
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Keywords: ., boo, bookcentury1900, bookdecade1920, booksubjectworldwar19141918
