ABSTRACT
The first step in the providing of a wife for a man’s son is called rongo keni, inquire about a girl. This may be done by the father himself, or by one of his brothers, or by the maternal uncle if the boy has no ‘ fathers ’. The Sa’a way is to endeavour to get a girl from a distance. She is less likely to lord it over her husband if she is a stranger to the place ! Due care is taken to see that the girl is outside the komu, the kindred group, not one who may be spoken of as being already aharo, connected by marriage. The provision of a bride is often taken in hand when the boy is not more than twelve or fourteen years of age and the girl equally young. When once the particular girl is decided on, a party goes to fetch her, tola keni, and bring her to the bridegroom’s village. It is mainly the women and girls who go on this expedition, and a man or two will accompany them. The women deck themselves in all their finery of shell ornament, and the girl and her people are also similarly adorned.
