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Samoan Material Culture

Fans

Fans

Fans (ili) are made of coconut leaf, pandanus, and wood. Coconut leaf fans are divided into two kinds according to the treatment of the leaf which results in different shades of color.

The brown coconut leaf fan (ili aulamalama) is made of ordinary dried coconut leaf (aulama). The tip end of the leaf is used and the leaf midrib forms the handle. The leaflets are first plaited in check over the midrib to cover it and then continue on the opposite side from which they originated, in the check technique. From the midrib the plaiting spreads out to form a widely curved edge. The example shown in Plate LV, B, l is narrower than the average. From the side edges and the far end, the leaflets are doubled back into the body of the fan.

The white coconut leaf fan (ili tea) is made from the young unfolded leaf (moemoe) which on bleaching in the sun assumes a whiter color. The whiter color (tea) gives the fan its name. The leaf midrib is also utilized and the leaflets plaited over it to diverge to the opposite sides. The plaiting is so arranged that the near part of the fan is carried out at right angles to the handle to attain the widest diameter and then curved forward to a mesial point (Pl. LV, B, 3) or to a bifurcated end (Pl. LV, B, 2). In the ilitea, the wefts are much narrower than in the previous type and additional separate wefts have to be added.

In the bifurcated fan (Pl. LV, B, 2), the additional wefts are added in a bundle on either side of the midrib and covered by the wefts springing from the midrib stem. The wefts belonging to the midrib form the lower part of the fan with a check plait. The added wefts then diverge out above them and continue the far end of the fan in a twilled-two plait. Colored material has also been added. The rim is formed by a particular check technique, but no opportunity occurred of seeing the details of plaiting fans. In the pointed fan (Pl. LV, B, 3), the check plait is pursued throughout and the crossing elements are added as individual wefts at the proximal base. Openings are also made as a decorative element. Both fans have wooden handles lashed to the butt of the coconut midrib stalk.

Pandanus leaf fans (ili fala) are made of pandanus wefts with a check plait and of the shape of the example in Plate LV, B, 4. A wide strip of bamboo is used as a handle which is placed in position and covered with the plaiting.

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Wooden fans (ili pau) are made of pau wood with a saw after the manner of the wooden combs (Pl. LV, B, 5). They are highly thought of by the Samoans but like the combs, they must also be regarded as a modern development rendered possible by the acquisition of steel tools.

Use. Fans are used not only to cool the user but to keep away flies during meals. Female attendants fan the guest during meals as part of the courtesy devolving upon hospitality and at the same time they keep a wary eye on flies attempting to share in the food. The fanning motions are thus divided between the guest and the food.